You are here: Home / Archives for 2006

Is Your Brand A Toyota HiLux?

December 17, 2006 By

Several years ago, the crew from BBC’s Top Gear attempted to destroy a Toyota HiLux. The pickup truck was, among other things, immerged in seawater, set on fire and dropped from building demolition site. Suffice to say that it endured ample punishment, but in the end, it would still start. You can watch the videos below.

As the year draws to a close, think about your brand. Think about how robust or fragile it is and how much long-term potential it has.

Re-invent your brand, your value proposition and your strategy if necessary. Make your brand a Toyota HiLux.

Filed Under: Musings Tagged With: , ,

Mediocrity

November 12, 2006 By

I don’t like compromises. Compromise is the opposite of synergy. It’s based on making a choice between multiple elements because they couldn’t work together.

Compromises are often introduced to make multiple parties happy. But guess what? Synergy can achieve the same thing. Synergy drives a solution closer to optimal while compromise drives it further away from optimal. In the long run, compromises kill the potential of a concept.

If excellence lies at multiple extremes, don’t kill either by taking the middle road.

Focus on reaching synergy rather than compromises.

Filed Under: Musings Tagged With: , , , ,

Altruism Is For Other People

October 15, 2006 By

As a founder and member of multiple online communities, I’ve seen the altruistic effects of community in action. To an outsider, it might be baffling to hear that people are willing to voluntarily help another person with a problem or a question.

In essence, it might not be so baffling at all. People have knowledge. People have good intentions. People have an ego. Whereas there might not be any financial remuneration, people enjoy the attention they get as an “expert”, they enjoy the appreciation and status that it brings within a community.

The receivers of help will (sometimes) feel inclined to give back as well. As a result of those exchanges, a community flourishes and grows.

Don’t be afraid. Share your knowledge to your advantage. And leverage the kindness of strangers to your advantage.

Filed Under: Musings Tagged With: ,

Let Your Goal Be Your Pilot

September 17, 2006 By

Frequently, pilot projects are initiated to test new products/services. When the pilot is successful, companies prepare the product/service for wide-scale launch.

However, there are also instances where the product/service is killed after the pilot wasn’t successful.

Re-evaluate. Re-adjust. Re-think. Re-design. What went wrong to warrant a pilot failure? Was the concept thus flawed that an unsuccessful pilot could be predicted? Did the pilot produce new information about the product/service that was overlooked? Success can be unpredictable but shouldn’t be discarded after a setback. The pilot isn’t an end in itself. It’s merely another means to an end.

Let the end guide you.

Filed Under: Musings Tagged With: , , , , , ,

BMX Contest in Berlin

August 27, 2006 By Leave a Comment

Img_0332

Cool BMX contest set up just in front of Brandenburger Tor.

Filed Under: Posterous Tagged With: , ,