Everyone is an ex-spurt

I have been here before – several times in fact.  Starting a new business from ground zero is always intensive – and fun.

My wife, Julie, has had a creative mind spurt a few months ago and we have now dived head first into the exciting world of e-commerce.  Yes – we are starting an online gift store – dandelyon gifts – and busy little gophers we have been.

The journey started back in July and we visited the major gift shows in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne and we now have over 700 lines, 54 suppliers, a home turned into a warehouse, my sports car is now a new van – and working physically harder than I have in yonks. But I am NOT complaining here – I am excited about being a business in cyber space (the information superhighway;)  – and not in the death trap of Bricks and Mortar (which I have been stuck in for too many years to mention).

So – I want to make a point re “ex-spurts” that we encountered along the way. What has been amazing is that when it comes to putting an e-tail store together utilising the latest in social media and dynamic technology- many operators we spoke too had no idea.  Everyone had an uncle, a son, a brother, cousin who they said knows how to put sites together.  Very few could show hard evidence of any form of track record.  Even the giftware industry itself hired “ex-spurts” who told us that you can build an eCommerce store for less that $1000.  What BS.    If anyone knows how to do it for under $1000 – show me the proof.   IT can’t be done in a professional manner by getting it done offshore either – not when a  shopping cart and community building is involved.

Anyway – we realise that after all is said and done – we chose our web agency with our instinct.  We have found a fabulous group at a web agency that (so far) have not let us down.  These experts are all young, passionate and keen to see us make this work.  As a team – they are working with us to build an online store that gives people loads of content and credibility – and fast delivery.   Not breaking the bank – but fair value for a fair price.

In six months we will also be “ex-spurts” too in building an online store from zero to hero and I will let you know here how this journey all pans out ( we know it will be good – so we want to share it with you too).    We open in two weeks – join our mailing list – please 😉  dandelyon … BTW – I have put OxyGen 42 on the backburner for the time being – as we ramp up the new online gift store.

Be well

Greg

No limits – only possibilities.

This video was sent to me from my friend and mentor, Tony Chadwick.

I had transcribed the great points on this video about a year ago….hope that you get inspired by it too.

1. *Ideas are the currency of the future

We live in a world where we have all become Connectors and not Directors.

No longer manipulating, no longer directing, no longer steering……our life is to connect.

The role of business is to make the world a better place for everyone.

2.  *Ideas are Emotion-Based

(Rational leads to conclusions and Emotion leads to ACTION)

Explode your emotional self that will win

3.  Fail Fast, Learn Fast, Fix Fast

(Only way you learn to walk is by falling over and fixing it)

Pursue failure…..nothing succeeds like excess.

4.  Information / Knowledge Are Tablestakes.  Insight and Foresight Win!

Everyone has tons and tons of knowledge and data – asking the same people the same questions…he who wins is the aggregation of the facts.  Research is flawed.

if you want to know there all is about the lions – go to the jungle not the zoo.

if you want to learn about everything about “getting insight” you have to work with , commune with, live with, feel with consumers – not ask them bloody questions.

Then from insight you have to develop fantastic, creative, strategic foresight.

If you are in the music business you have been inundated with information and knowledge.

(Steve) Jobs had some insight and some foresight – end of the music industry, goodnight!

EMI, Sony and Bertlemen have this much information – they know more about the CD market than anybody in the world and who cares ‘cos there isn’t one anymore.  But they are still compiling the information.

5.  We live in the age of paradox    –  And Scott spoke about the ability to hold two seemingly  contradictory things simultaneusly without going crazy – he was half right, but not completely right.

The idea now is that absolutely explode both …not compromise.

The biggest issue that CEO’S talk about is work, life balance.

Edward de Bono said, “there is no point being brilliant at the wrong thing”.    And that is the wrong question.

Work, Life balance is a dead issue.

It is about work, life integration.

balance is about compromise – I don’t want you to compromise….you got to live your best day everday!

You got to be the best you can be at work – best you can  at home – best you can be in the community – best you can be all the time – forget this compromise nonsense…this balance nonsense. it is a eally lousy concept.

It is how do I PASSIONATELY  combine passion  and harmony so that I can get into my life and work into one constant FLOW of JOY.  I can do it – you can do it.

It is a mind set.  I am not going to compromise – not going to balance – I’m only going to do stuff that I am passionate about, and do that all the time.

6.  IT ALL STARTS WITH A DREAM.

Martin Luther King never got up and said  – i have a mission statement.   So if you go to work for a company and they have a mission statement  – have a good laugh – ask them what their dream is.

What we want is a dream – an INSPIRATIONAL DREAM.

7.  When Given Command, Take Charge and Do What’s Right

We threw away the personnel manual.   When youv’e been given a job, take command, take charge and do what’s right.  (Empowerment)

8. The role of business is to make the world a better place

How do you make the world to be a better place?

By spending my time with the leaders of tommorow.   If I can inspire one of you to have a great idea – that will have a ripple effect.  Everyone gets to spend 10% of their time probono on something they believe and is going to make a difference.

Sustainable workforce.   Not green.    Think Blue.  Blue Oceans, Blue Skies, Blue Seas.

No limits – only possibilities.

Where does creativity hide?

I just love TED TV – and also Amy Tan…

The secret powers of time

As you may know by now I enjoy stumbling over random articles. Professor Philip G. Zimbardo from Stanford University is a renowned Psychologist.

He was involved back in the ’70’s with a research  experiment with University students as prisoners and wardens that exposed an interesting side to human behavior.

Now he explores how we can be “wired” to see the world as “past”, “present” and “future” as a collective society……very thought provoking – hope you find the animation just as interesting too.

He was also interviewed on Denton back in 2008 on the topic of – “what makes good people turn evil?”

We humans are a funny lot…enjoy!

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: Creativity, fulfillment and flow

Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi asks, “What makes a life worth living?” Noting that money cannot make us happy, he looks to those who find pleasure and lasting satisfaction in activities that bring about a state of “flow.”

Flow is what we should all strive to achieve today. This video gives a great introduction to the concept.

When you are in your flow – you will really know.

*Thanks heaps Steve Dillon for introducing this author to me many years ago.

Good Old Leonardo – the “whole brain” thinker

This is one of my favourite pieces I borrowed from  a book about trying to think like Leonardo Da Vinci.  I mean – come on – really?

One of the greatest thinkers and artists, Leonardo Da Vinci, had SEVEN principles he believed in (he was an amazing left  and right brain thinker – and very inspirational)

1. Curiosita – An insatiably curious approach to life and an unrelenting quest for continuous learning.

2. Dimonstrazione – A commitment to test knowledge through experience, persistence and a willingness to learn from mistakes.

3. Sensazione – The continual refinement of the senses, especially sight, as the means to enliven experience.

4. Sfumanto – (literally “going up in smoke”)– A willingness to embrace ambiguity, paradox and uncertainty.

5. Arte/Scienza – The development of the balance between science and art, logic and imagination. “Whole brain” thinking.

6. Corpratila – The cultivation of grace, ambidexterity, fitness and poise.

7. Connessione – A recognition and appreciation of all things phenomena. Systems thinking.

What do you think?