critical assumption

the difference between flying in blue skies or bouncing off the bottom

11/18/2009

From Trendwatching.com | 10 Crucial Consumer Trends for 2010

Posted by amckinnis |

Whatever you believe about 2009 and the world around you, there is one constant - CHANGE.  As we look behind us and what has happened to our "world" during the past 12 to 24 months, we must understand that is it only prelude to what is going to happen in the future.  As I like to tell my kids, sad [or happy] stories are only that way because of where they end - because there is always another day and new beggining to every story.
 
Enjoy the predictions from Trendwatching.



 

2010 is rapidly approaching; we hope the December edition of our Trend Briefing, detailing 10 trends for 2010, will assist you in getting things going (again). Go straight to the Briefing, or quickly scan the 10 trends below:

1. BUSINESS AS UNUSUAL | Forget the recession: the societal changes that will dominate 2010 were set in motion way before we temporarily stared into the abyss. More »

2. URBANY | Urban culture is the culture. Extreme urbanization, in 2010, 2011, 2012 and far beyond will lead to more sophisticated and demanding consumers around the world. More »

3. REAL-TIME REVIEWS | Whatever it is you're selling or launching in 2010, it will be reviewed 'en masse', live, 24/7. More »

4. (F)LUXURY | Closely tied to what constitutes status, which itself is becoming more fragmented, luxury will be whatever consumers want it to be over the next 12 months. More »

5. MASS MINGLING | Online lifestyles are fueling 'real world' meet-ups like there's no tomorrow, shattering all predictions about a desk-bound, virtual, isolated future. More »

6. ECO-EASY | To really reach some meaningful sustainability goals in 2010, corporates and governments will have to forcefully make it 'easy' for consumers to be more green, by restricting the alternatives. More »

7. TRACKING & ALERTING | Tracking and alerting are the new search, and 2010 will see countless new INFOLUST services that will help consumers expand their web of control. More »

8. EMBEDDED GENEROSITY | Next year, generosity as a trend will adapt to the zeitgeist, leading to more pragmatic and collaborative donation services for consumers. More »

9. PROFILE MYNING | With hundreds of millions of consumers now nurturing some sort of online profile, 2010 will be a good year to help them make the most of it (financially), from intention-based models to digital afterlife services. More »

10. MATURIALISM | 2010 will be even more opinionated, risque, outspoken, if not 'raw' than 2009; you can thank the anything-goes online world for that. Will your brand be as daring? More »

We're confident that applying the above to your business will bring you at least one profitable, zeitgeist-compatible innovation in 2010!

Best regards,

Reinier Evers
founder, trendwatching.com
reinier@trendwatching.com

Our contact information
trendwatching.com
Web address: www.trendwatching.com
Email address: info@trendwatching.com
Office address: Laurierstraat 71, 1016 PJ Amsterdam, The Netherlands


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10/20/2009

CHANGE - why is it so hard...

Posted by amckinnis | tags..... ,

Have you ever wondered why changing something in your life is so hard - even things you know that are "bad" for you [like smoking or eating pizza]? It's hard because of two things that are central to human beings...



  1. It's Awkward -- and that creates an opportunity to look really stupid. Trying new things in our lives or changing the things we do - starts off being awkward. Here's a trivial, but important example...Clasp your hands together, interlocking your fingers. Notice which thumb is on top [and which pinky is on the bottom] - now unclasp your fingers - and re-clasp with the opposite thumb on top and pinky on the bottom. How does it feel? I bet awkward. Now - it such a trivial thing feels awkward - how about something bigger like learning to water ski or public speaking?


  2. Acceptance of your core group of supporters -- changing something in your life may change the people who you see everyday [if you change jobs or relocate to another city]; it may change who your friends are [if you stop drinking, that may require not seeing some of your friends]; or any social activity. The change you make, may affect more than just the change - it may change your life across the board. Little changes are hard enough, but big ones that change a lot of things -- that's a different type of courage to undertake.

Look - change is going to be hard - but it may be the best thing ever. I may just be something that you look back at and say "Why did I do that?". But if there is anything that we need to embrace and be willing to endure it is change - because it usually happens if we want it to or not.

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10/16/2009

Fwd: 14 October 2009 | This week's most mysterious new business ideas

Posted by amckinnis |


Springwise newsletter | New business ideas for entrepreneurial minds

Hi Arnie,

Our latest issue is now online. Here's a quick run-down of the 20 new business ideas that
caught our attention this week:


hipstery Mystery t-shirts are handpicked for customers
Retail / Fashion & beauty

Customers select a size and answer a series of questions about
themselves. The Hipstery runs the responses through their 'innovative
style algorithm' to find the right t-shirt. It's all about surprise.


kangogift Instant local gifts via text message
Telecom & mobile / Life hacks

As soon as gift-givers place their order, a text voucher for their
gift is delivered instantaneously to the recipient, who can then
redeem it as soon as they choose.


stackd Site helps office workers get to know neighbours
Life hacks

Currently in beta, Stackd was created by New York-based
Supermetric to enable its own neighbouring office workers to
get in touch, whether "for business or beers," as the site puts it.


hotprints Free photo books for Facebook and Bebo users
Media & publishing / Marketing & advertising

If Facebook users can conjure up real-world flowers, candy and
drinks from within the social network, then why not give them a
way to capture their fave images in a (free) real-world photo book?


starwarsuncut The crowd strikes back: fans remake Star Wars
Entertainment

People can sign up on Star Wars: Uncut to recreate the 1,313 fifteen-
second clips that make up the epic space film. Once all clips have
been submitted, the site's founder will stitch them together.


seeclickfix More neighbourhood problem-solving: SeeClickFix
Life hacks / Government

Empowering citizens to improve their communities, SeeClickFix
functions as a hub for residents to report and track non-emergency
issues with the aim of having them resolved.


dellopi Dell laptops, coming soon in nail-polish colours
Style & design

Just in time for the holidays, Dell Mini, Inspiron and Studio laptops
will soon be available in colours including "I'm Not Really a
Waitress," "Strawberry Margarita" and "Kyoto Pearl."


bitcents New platform for micropayments to news publishers
Media & publishing

Instead of each publisher having its own subscription and payment
method, readers will be able pay once to access paid content from
all publishers working with bitcents.


txtstation In-stadium social media for baseball fans
Telecom & mobile / Marketing & advertising

Beginning this season, a Citi Field big screen will play host to an
SMS marketing system that presents a whole new way for sponsors
to interact with fans, and fans with each other.


cvim Investment account mimics other investors' trades
Financial services

Covestor Investment Management has created a new type of account
that lets investors follow the trades of the experts with their own
managed funds.


kymera Wave the magic wand to flip to the next channel
Style & design

Reimagined with inspiration from Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter,
the boring old TV remote control can now be replaced with a far more
entertaining object.


secondporch Vacation homes, rented and traded with Facebook
friends
Travel & tourism / Homes & housing

Aiming to capitalize on the trust shared among Facebook friends,
Shared Porch is an app that lets users list and rent vacation homes.


odacite Fresh skin care products, shipped straight from lab
Fashion & beauty

Los Angeles-based Odacité places manufacturing dates at the
forefront of its business, producing freshly-made organic skin care
products and leaving out preservatives.


shiplyGive a day to charity, get a day at Disney
Tourism & travel / Non-profit & social cause

Disney is working with HandsOn Network to highlight a variety of
volunteer opportunities with participating organizations across the
United States, Puerto Rico and Canada.


twittertaxi Tweet to hail a green ride in London
Transportation / Telecom & mobile

Users send a direct message to @greentomatocars with their
booking details, receive a tweet back with a unique booking
reference, and wait for a Prius to pull up.


dimdom Toy rental comes to France
Life hacks

It's been more than a year since we featured the toy rental service
from Texas-based Babyplays, so we were pleased to see that a
similar concept has now been launched in Europe.


ecoatm An ATM for recycling consumer electronics
Eco & sustainability / Telecom & mobile

EcoATM is an automated reuse-and-recycle machine that makes
it easy and financially rewarding for consumers to offload their
abandoned electronics.


beehaus Urban beekeeping kit for honey lovers
Food & beverage / Homes & housing

From the makers of the Omlet chicken coop, the Beehaus comes
as a complete hive ready for colonization, with all the parts
necessary, including honey jars.


nycbigappsNYC challenges developers to create apps
Government

Last week, we wrote about a San Francisco initiative that invites
developers to turn city data into useful tools. Not one to be bested,
Mayor Bloomberg just launched a similar concept in New York.


marketpublique Niche retailing: curated sellers of vintage fashion
Fashion & beauty / Retail

Amidst thousands of online clothing retailers, Market Publique has
found its niche. Based in Brooklyn, it aims to attract premium sellers
and buyers of vintage fashion.

 


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10/09/2009

McKinsey Quarternly | Top 10 Articles for Q3 2009

Posted by amckinnis |

 
McKinsey Quarterly

View on the web: http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/newsletters/topten/2009_Q3.htm

Top Ten Newsletter Q3 2009

Our ten most popular articles in the third quarter focused on leadership, the economic crisis, Web 2.0 tools, and other management topics.
1. ORGANIZATION
Leadership lessons for hard times
A series of interviews with 14 CEOs and chairmen of major companies sheds light on the foundations of corporate leadership.
(Premium membership required)
2. BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY
Managing beyond Web 2.0
Companies should prepare now for the day when Web 2.0 morphs into Web 3.0. The ones that focus on the fundamental aspects of the consumers’ online behavior—not just current best practices—will be better prepared.
3. BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY
How companies are benefitting from Web 2.0: McKinsey Global Survey Results
The heaviest users of Web 2.0 applications are also enjoying benefits such as increased knowledge sharing and more effective marketing. These benefits often have a measurable effect on the business.
(Premium membership required)

4. ECONOMIC STUDIES
The crisis—one year on: McKinsey Global Economic Conditions Survey results, September 2009
A year after the global economic system nearly collapsed, many companies are finally finding ways to increase profits under the new conditions. But almost as many expect profits to continue falling, and executives also indicate that their broader financial hopes remain fragile. Many expect more government involvement in economies and industries over the long term.

5. STRATEGY
Strategic planning: Three tips for 2009
Even in these tumultuous times, strategic planning doesn’t have to be an exercise in anxiety—or futility.
(Premium membership required)

6. ORGANIZATION
Leaders in the crisis: McKinsey Global Survey Results
Most executives are coping relatively well with the demands and effects of the economic crisis, but people problems loom on the horizon.
(Premium membership required)

7. OPERATIONS
Squeezing more ideas from product teardowns
Some companies are using product teardowns to dismantle silo culture in product development. This interactive feature examines the potential margin-improvement opportunities and highlights how some companies are using this venerable tool in new ways.

8. ORGANIZATION
Unlocking the potential of frontline managers
Instead of administrative work and meetings, they should focus on coaching their employees and on constantly improving quality.
(Premium membership required)

9. ENERGY
Evaluating the potential of solar technologies
Solar power is poised to grow into a reliable alternative energy source, promising lower carbon emissions and decreased dependence on fossil fuels. This interactive feature explores the different technologies currently jostling for leadership in the market.

10. STRATEGY
State capitalism and the crisis
Despite massive state interventions in economies around the world, many corporate leaders and investors act as though globalization remains the dominant paradigm. That is a mistake.

McKinsey & Company, 21 South Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603

 

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10/09/2009

Critical Idea | Innovations in Mobility

Posted by amckinnis | tags..... , ,

Through a series of random links and just general surfing, I came across the following site. It's very important for us to [as a society both local and dispersed] to re-think transportation and mobility. How and why we travel - how we transport goods, how we commute to work or take our kids to school.


So look through the site - there are many areas that may interest you - I know I found the section on Carsharing very informative. Other areas include...

  • Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Infrastructure
  • Goods Movement
  • Intelligent Transportation Systems
  • Transit Connection
  • Mobility for Special Populations
  • Alternative Land Use and Transport Futures
Innovative Mobility Research is based at the Transportation Sustainability Research Center (TSRC) at the University of California, Berkeley. Some of these projects include: “first and last mile” transit solutions; value pricing for parking and managed lanes; shared-use modes; alternative-fuel vehicles and technologies; and new land-use planning techniques to more closely link land use with transportation system design.

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10/08/2009

Springwise for 10-7-2009 | The best ideas for business freshness

Posted by amckinnis | tags..... , ,


Springwise newsletter New business ideas for entrepreneurial minds


regiomat Farmers use vending machines to sell local produce
Food & beverage / Retail

The result of a collaboration between a farm and a vending machine
manufacturer, Regiomat machines currently sell fresh milk, eggs,
butter, cheese, potatoes and sausage in thirteen German towns.


sellabandpublic Public Enemy uses Sellaband to fan-fund new album
Entertainment

Crowdfunding venture Sellaband is expanding its model to include
musicians who have already made a name for themselves. First
up: Public Enemy, planning their thirteenth album.


kinded Cards to inspire random acts of kindness
Non-profit / Social cause

Aiming to make random acts of kindness more frequent, KIND
Snacks has launched an effort that uses 'pay it forward' cards to
remind people to be kind.


nascentart Wedding registry for original art
Style & design

Should marriage really be celebrated with pots, pans and food
processors? Aiming to offer a less dreary alternative, a New York
art gallery has launched a registry service.


questionbox Operator-assisted web search in India & Uganda
Life hacks / Non-profit / Social cause

Proving that the internet's information doesn't always have to
appear on-screen, Question Box brings the web's intelligence
to offline and low-literacy communities.


gemcar Deluxe golf carts as neighbourhood transportation
Automotive / Transportation

Electric cars are far from mainstream, but in several US
neighbourhoods, golf carts and other diminutive electric vehicles
are part of the very fabric of community life.


jettsgym No-frills gyms, open 24/7
Lifestyle & leisure

Aiming to set itself apart from all of the other gyms and health clubs
in Australia, Jetts Gym offers cheaper memberships by cutting costs
and shirking little-used or unnecessary services.


16apps App recommendations based on your tweets & status
updates
Telecom & mobile

16apps scours users' Facebook, Twitter, FriendFeed or LastFM
accounts for information about their hobbies, lifestyle and location.


maternitydenim Adjusting jeans for pregnant waistlines & back again
Fashion & beauty

Pregnant mothers simply send in their favourite jeans, and Denim
Therapy inserts expandable side inseams in the pants that will
move and grow as the woman's belly expands.


car2go Smart use of the Smart brand: car-sharing by Daimler
Automotive / Transportation

Aiming to grab a share of the growing car-sharing market, Daimler
created car2go, which enables customers to order and pick up a
Smart car within minutes.


istocklogo Logos off the rack, created by the crowds
Marketing & advertising

iStockphoto is already a familiar name for its low-priced stock
photography, illustrations and multimedia files. Next up: a line
of user-generated corporate logos.


fitbit Wearable device tracks fitness data 24/7
Lifestyle & leisure

Fitbit is a small device the user can wear around the clock for
continuous, automatic and comprehensive reporting on fitness-
related activities and sleeping habits.


ekomini Interactive piggy bank teaches kids about money
Financial services / Education

The Ekomini Treasure Chest features a patented coin-reader
technology and hooks up to a computer via USB, enabling children
to keep track of their savings and learn basic financial skills.


shiply Intention-based shipping brought to UK
Transportation

Shiply is a free online marketplace where transport companies bid
on shipments listed by consumers, helping fill empty trucks and
giving consumers access to cheap shipping.


builderscrap Online exchange for builders' surplus goods
Eco & sustainability

Hoping to keep waste out of landfills, BuilderScrap is a free site for
the construction trade that aims to connect builders who have extra
materials with those who need them.


academicearthap Free Ivy League courses for high-schoolers
Education / Media & publishing

The new lecture series is aimed at students taking Advanced
Placement exams, which give them a chance to study college
level material and potentially earn credit towards a future degree.


trustart 'Stock market' for art to crowdfund 10 public projects
Style & design

Each project is assigned a certain number of shares -- equal to
twice its funding target -- and half of those shares are automatically
assigned to the participating artist.


thredup Clothes swapping meets Netflix
Fashion & beauty

thredUP looks for good matches in the virtual closets of members to
find items that might be suitable for swap-ready users. It sends them
one such item for each thredUP envelope they've purchased.


orbitbabyRotating baby stroller with eco-creds
Lifestyle & leisure

The foldable stroller features 360 degree rotation that allows the
child to face forward, back or even sideways, while a twist-and-lift
mechanism permits one-handed folding.


flightcaster New tool for predicting flight delays
Tourism & travel / Life hacks

Using a patent-pending algorithm, Flightcaster claims that it can
predict more than 95 percent of delays to flight arrivals up to six
hours in advance.


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9/25/2009

Twitter: Worth $7,142,857 a Character

Posted by amckinnis | tags..... , , ,

Twitter is looking for $100M from the investment community - and that equates to approximately $1B in market capitalization for the company. Well Twitter is based upon the concept of micro blogging with their input box capped at 140 characters. Well, the math is simple - $1B divided by 140 characters equals $7,142,857 per character.

Not bad. If you think through this scenario - our over stimulated world is beginning to reward simplicity. Think about another Internet success - Google. They became a multi-billion dollar company - creating lots of millions - with a very simple page, one input box, and one function. As our world becomes more complex, we are really looking for things that are simple to both understand and use. That may be why Apple has had such success with both the iPod and the iPhone - it's simple to understand. The iPod was a music player and attached to a music store. The iPhone with it's touch screen is and simple navigation is really fairly simple to use for such a technologically advance products.

So, if you're thinking about doing something new - start thinking about making whatever it is simplier. Instead of thinking about everything that can be added to make it "cool" to you - start taking feature and function away to make it simple to use. The key of success for the next few years may be "less is more" and "quality over quantity" - think about it and see if you don't notice the same pattern.

Here are some stories about Twitters search for money....

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9/24/2009

Springwise for 9-23-2009 | Ideas to Inspire...

Posted by amckinnis | tags..... , ,


Springwise newsletter New business ideas for entrepreneurial minds


indiescreenings Booking system lets anyone screen films for profit
Entertainment

Attempting to revolutionize the traditional movie screening business,
IndieScreenings lets anyone hire a film, show it to an audience
they've created, and keep the cash.


pokenpulse A new Poken, made for suit pockets
Life hacks

Many business professionals weren't comfortable whipping out a
plastic panda, and the 64 contact limit on the original Poken was
too constrictive. Poken's answer? The sleek Poken Pulse.


edhardyhabit Designer hand sanitizer from fashion label Ed Hardy
Fashion & beauty

Now that toilet seat covers, first-aid kits and vomit bags have been
upgraded with a splash of style, the Ed Hardy line of designer hand
sanitizer comes not a moment too soon.


overdrive Partnership promotes Sony Reader for library ebooks
Media & publishing

With more and more aspects of daily life abandoning their physical
form and appearing electronically, why should libraries be any
different? Sony partners with OverDrive to increase lending of ebooks.


heathrowdiary Alain de Botton's airport diary launched at Heathrow
Tourism & travel / Media & publishing

Last month, Heathrow Airport installed Alain de Botton as its writer in
residence for a week. As tweeted by de Botton yesterday, the book
he wrote at Heathrow has now been launched.


maythebestcarwin GM cars come with money-back guarantee
Automotive / Marketing & advertising

Bankruptcy-beleaguered GM attempts to win over new buyers by
offering a 60-day money-back guarantee on many of the cars it
sells.


blinka blinka.me helps people follow up on chance meetings
Life hacks

New Zealand-based blinka.me offers a way to find those we've met
just fleetingly at a bar, airport, conference or event, even if we don't
know their phone number, email or name.


flaschenfotos Niche bottle photography, now in Germany
Marketing & advertising

Great ideas deserve to multiply. Good example? A niche photography
business focused on shooting bottles. Launched in the UK earlier
this year, a similar concept is now open for business in Germany.


100kgarages Connecting creative consumers with local fabricators
Style & design

100kGarages is a community of workshops distributed around the
world that are equipped with the tools needed to precisely cut, drill,
machine or sculpt the components of virtually any creative project.


milkmade Members club for artisanal ice cream in Manhattan
Food & beverage

Launching soon, Milk Made will offer New Yorkers the chance to
have a pint of freshly-made ice cream delivered to their doorstep
every month. The service will be by subscription only.


pitchup Published Campsite directory with a fresh pitch
Tourism & travel

Pitchup.com lists over 5,000 camping and caravanning sites
around the UK and Ireland. Users can easily narrow down the
selection using a whopping 79 different criteria.


flavorcreator Vitaminwater's new flavour created on Facebook
Fashion & beauty

Using Facebook like an R&D lab, beverage company VItamin-
water is inviting users to create a new flavour, choose functional
ingredients and design a bottle.


milkorsugarCustomised goods, collected & reviewed
Retail

Helping consumers find their way through the customisation maze,
Milk or Sugar has started aggregating what's on offer, including
details like shipping regions and delivery times.


beautyalert Expiration-date stickers for cosmetics
Fashion & beauty / Life hacks

Aiming to protect consumers from the potential hazards of expired
makeup and skincare products, Beauty Alert has developed a line
of stickers to remind consumers when they're likely to go bad.


storysomething Personalized e-stories for kids on iPhone and Kindle
Telecom & mobile / Media & publishing

Story Something targets busy parents of kids aged three through
eight with a collection of original stories that can be personalized
and accessed online or via email.


threesquares Greeting cards for prisoners
Lifestyle & leisure

Los Angeles-based Three Squares Greetings sells a wide variety
of cards designed for inmates to both send and receive. Themes
include getting out, tough love, and acceptance.


lamontreverte Watch lets crowds monitor air quality in Paris
Eco & sustainability

A new initiative aims to equip Paris citizens with a special device
that can measure and report air-quality data regularly for collective
use.


searschristmasSears Christmas card rewards shoppers for saving
Retail / Financial services

In a bid to coax consumers into spending more at the store this
Christmas, retail giant Sears is encouraging them to save first,
using their Christmas Club card.


gorenjerashid Colour-changing home appliances by Karim Rashid
Homes & housing / Style & design

Appliances in Gorenje's new line feature colour-adjustable LED
strips, which allow people to change the colour of their oven or
refrigerator.


istorytime iPhone app narrates stories for young kids
Media & publishing / Telecom & mobile

Aiming to provide a more enriching experience than simply
playing with buttons or watching movies, iStoryTime is a new
iPhone application that's designed to bring stories to life.


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