Category Archives: Entrepreneurship

Practical Ethnography

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Once again I’m packing for my return to the Copenhagen Business Summer School (ISUP). I am so looking forward to teaching Business Anthropology and Organizational Ethnography – big mouthful but basically … its people-watching with some theory thrown into the mix. Key textbook is written by a fellow Canuck, Sam Ladner who is an Anthropologist at Amazon. She has written a yummy book, Practical Ethnography – a what the heck is it and how to do it book. Great for students. Great for those who wish to explore the new worlds of understanding meaning. Ever taken a survey and found you didn’t fit into the neat little boxes? That is because traditional market research uses an ‘etic’ position – defined by the researcher.  Somewhat useful but sometimes misses the mark.

Ethnography is the study of culture. As Ladner explains “Ethnographers connect details to wider patterns of social life.” It connects direct insights about people and what they care about and why. It takes what is called an ’emic’ position – being from the person’s point of view. Redefining the box or in many cases, removing the box altogether to obtain actionable insight that leads to a game changer. Ethnography puts the needs of the consumer first. And its about time.

If you care about having a competitive advantage, its time to care about ethnography. I can hardly wait to introduce it to the excellent students at CBS. People watching! in the summer! in Copenhagen! Let the educational games begin ….

Practical Ethnography: A Guide to Doing Ethnography in the Private Sector

The Orange Line

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I love doing keynotes! It gives me a chance to not only share my story but also to hear the story of others – where they are and where they may yet go. Recently I keynoted a conference of Women Entrepreneurs in Guelph, Ontario in celebration of International Women’s Day. The conference was sponsored by Innovation Guelph, a fabulous organization dedicated to the entrepreneurial spirit.  Many women and men brought their daughters to the opening keynote and I had the chance to speak to many of them. What incredible potential waiting in the wings! I started thinking about what kind of advice I wished I had been given when I started my career path. And, I found a great book especially for women. So I am sharing this gem with you.  The Orange Line is about creating the space to realize that potential in all of us … in many of us, yet untapped. It is about recognizing the social conditioning that informs limitations rather than opportunities. Its about choosing BOTH a career and a life. The authors research uncovered how women get trapped in outdated modes of thinking that define the “perfect woman”.  An easy read on a difficult topic that needs exposure to sunlight! Many thanks for Jodi Detjen, Michelle Water and Kelly Watson for telling it like it is.

So that we can change it.

The Orange Line: A Woman’s Guide to Integrating Career, Family and Life

Ctrl Alt Delete

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OK the title got me.  I spent years hitting those keys.  Needing a little break from summer school, this book called my name. Yes, fun reading – but big message.  The new true marketing imperative is telling a great brand narrative. One word? Storytelling. Mitch Joel takes us on a journey that will open your eyes to the future that is already here.  He maintains the true opportunity for business going forward to to create and maintain a direct relationship with consumers. To look forward with the eyes of a consumer and not as a business person.  Consumers are social – more than they have ever been before. Consumers are more hands on – because they can be.  A great example used by Joel is “Kickstarter” – a New York startup founded in April 2009 and has raised more than $275 million for more than sixty-five thousand projects since it started. Can’t get the attention of venture capitalists because you are too small (or too whatever)?  Kickstarter may be the vehicle for you. Driven by consumers. Supported by consumers. A great example of crowdsourcing – if your public supports you, who needs VCC’s?

Some simple rules:

1. Deliver value first.

2. Be open.

3.  Be clear and consistent.

4. Create a mutally beneficial world.

5. Find your true fans – your evangelists.

Start looking at media as one platform – text, images, audio and video. Once your delivery platform becomes one digital pipeline – you can put it anywhere.   The biggest challenge will be to figuring out exactly where that ‘where’ is. Our world now entails the exponential growth of new media.  What does that mean? Think fast and agile AND slow build.  Responding to market forces or even better, staying ahead of the trends while at the same time, a slow build with your customers – relationships take time.  That relationship gives you insight – not just data. And then he turns to rebooting your life. A very interesting read!

Ctrl Alt Delete: Reboot Your Business. Reboot Your Life. Your Future Depends on It.

Disciplined Dreaming: A Proven System to Drive Breakthrough Creativity

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When you straddle the world of business and the world of the arts, it can sometimes be a stretch.  Josh Linkner reminds us that the only thing that can’t be commoditized is creativity.  He has come up with 5 steps to follow that both discipline and enhance creativity process – for as those of you know who work in a creative space, creativity is also a discipline.  When you are fighting to maintain ‘share of mind’ – some solid tools help the process.  Simple and yet effective. The five steps are : (1) Ask (2) Prepare (3) Discover (4) Ignite (5) Launch.  Linkner believes that this methodology can help anyone and encourages you to let your ideas come out and play.  In order to play to win – instead of playing not to lose – to stand out and be truly remarkable – creativity is the only sustainable competitive advantage.

Some questions from the book to whet your appetite:

1. What percentage of your time is spent creating something new, as opposed to working out operational details or protecting the past?

2. List five ways you can beat your competition.  How can they beat you?

3. If you were entering your industry as a start-up, how would you break the mold to beat the incumbents?

4. What elements of the past or status quo are you clinging to? What do you need to let go of?

5. List five ways your company is stagnating; for each of these, list at least two ideas addressing how to break through those barriers?

Some great food for thought and would work at the beach.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470922222/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0470922222&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmythsamong-20

The 7 Virtues of a Philosopher Queen

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It has been a really hectic couple of months.  Finishing off the school term, a couple of academic papers and a major conference presentation in Doha, Qatar has kept me running. Doha is an amazing city and I loved being there. Keep your eyes on Qatar – economy moving at light speed and dedication to education and health care. An idea that a few other countries (like Canada) should keep in mind!

One last conference keynote was on the agenda before the next adventure of teaching in Copenhagen at the Business School this summer.  The Journey 2 Success Women Entrepreneurs Conference in Oakville, ON was a couple of days ago and what a delightful treat it turned out to be! Not only a great conference, but found a treasured gem that now has an honored place on my bookshelf.

The luncheon speaker was Barbara Stegemann of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her book, The 7 Virtues of a Philospher Queen tells her amazing entrepreneurial story. Barb started a perfume company that purchases its perfume oils from war-torn regions of the world and her motto is  “Make Perfume Not War”. She believes that we can use our buying power to empower families in those countries that are rebuilding after conflict or any other disaster.  The book is dedicated to a close friend who was wounded in Afghanistan – you have to read the book to find out more!  Great storytelling, sound enterpreneurial advice and social innovation make a great read for the summer.

I love her story and the 7 Virtues Fragrance selection to my nose, is a winner. I am sorry to report I have left my favored Jo Malone perfumes for another woman. My choice was a harmonious blend called “Middle East Peace” – a combination of grapefruit, lime and basil that is just yummy.  Available at the Bay stores in Canada and Lord & Taylor in the US.  You can get the books online (link above) or purchase at the Bay or Lord & Taylor’s while you are testing out the perfumes. Just think, buying a bottle of perfume as a way to reduce conflict. Teaching people how to fish instead of giving them ‘aid’. Social innovation at its best! Great book. Great perfume. Great woman!!

Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World

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I have to admit I’m getting a little nervous. In a couple of weeks (or as my niece calls it – 15 more sleeps), I am getting on a plane for Doha, Qatar to speak at the Global Innovators Conference in Education.  Certainly one of my passions and pet peeves at the same time. Education needs reform the same as our economy – and if you work in any large organization – you know how difficult it is to change bureaucracy.  One of my favourite authors to read when feeling discouraged is Tony Wagner. His previous book, The Global Achievement Gap, outlines some of the changes currently taking place in education (reviewed last year).  It might be slow but it is steady and we need all the support we can get.  In Creating Innovators, he speaks to both educators and parents as to how to keep that wonderful creative spark alive in all of us.  He provides countless examples of school programs that encourage both art and science – both sides of the brain – that spur creative and critical thinking.  He also has included video content right in the book – technology working at its best.  Download the Microsoft Tag Reader into your phone and you can watch various interviews with both Tony Wagner and many other innovators he has interviewed for the book.  Available in both the Kindle edition and hardcover, this is a great read to add to your library of how to make the world a better place.  I’ll let you know what happens in Qatar – some incredible work being done in education world-wide.  So, patience for a little while longer. We are working as fast as we can to bring about educational reform.

Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World

 

The Boiling Frog Dilemma

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Calling all Canadians (and even if you are not, the message is worthwhile reading). Todd Hirsch and Robert Roach have produced what should be the Canadian primer on innovation.  They call for a structural change in Canadian DNA. “Canada needs to change at a fundamental level that ripples out into every nook and cranny of the economy. The goal is not only an economic revolution but a social one as well. Canadians need to break old habits, think differently and see the world in new ways.”  YUMMY!  For me, this message is like preaching to the choir and maybe for you as well.  But, if you are looking for a way to push innovation into our C-suites, buy your boss a copy of this book (after you read it of course). The message is clear. We have everything we need to be a world-class economy, but have to stop underachieving.  Business as usual means no business at all.  A great little read with a powerful message. And one that bears repeating …. over and over and over and …  you get the idea!  Get it online at chapters as an ebook or purchase from Todd and Robert directly.

Business Model You

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Starting a new job is always challenging so mea culpa for my absence! Making the move to Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning was made easy by the welcoming faculty and staff and I’m loving it! So, look for some good things to be coming out of Sheridan soon. The Faculty of Business is on the move.

Now back to book reviews. I am delighted to be able to feature “Business Model You”, a great little addition to anyone’s library. Written by Tim Clark, in collaboration with Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur AND 328 work-life wizards from 43 countries. And yes, I am one of the work-life wizards–a small contribution to the process. Following on the success of Business Model Generation, this little gem is full of ways to reinvent your career. Its a fun read. Enjoy!

Business Model You: A One-Page Method For Reinventing Your Career

Steve Jobs

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Every so often I purchase a book as soon as it hits the bookstores. Every so often, I sit and read a book cover to cover. This book is worth that level of commitment. Walter Isaacson has written a masterful account of the life of Steve Jobs.

This book was a revelation as to the unwavering determination of Jobs in delivering on his vision.  Isaacson doesn’t pull his punches as to how difficult Jobs could be professionally or personally. Jobs was determined from the outset to connect creativity with technology and managed to revolutionize six industries: personal computers, animation, music, phones, tablet computing and digital publishing. Rebel, genius, sometimes a jerk – Jobs epitomized the force needed to sustainably drive ideas to action.  If you haven’t seen his  Stanford graduation address, it’s a great place to start before opening the book.

In Job’s own words:

“I hate it when people call themselves ‘entrepreneurs’ when what they are trying to do is launch a startup and then sell or go public, so they can cash in and move on. They’re unwilling to do the work it takes to build a real company, which is the hardest work in business. That’s how you really make a contribution and add to the legacy of those who went before. You build a company that will still stand for something a generation or two from now.”

For all that follow or are curious of the ‘cult of apple’, this is a great read.  For all those who choose to stand on the shoulders of giants, who are determined to innovate, to “think different”, this book provides both instruction and inspiration. A joy to add to my book collection. A loss of a great mind. My hope is that his dream lives on.

Order the book: Steve Jobs