Hey everyone, here we go. . . . . . 

IN OUR WORLD Believe it or not, due to a disappointing cancelation / rescheduled program, I got to spend an entire week in town. 

I am often asked about how I create the visual and dynamic journeys found in both our presentations and education programs.  The answer is taught in our program – The Architecture of Presentations.  Here I teach the ideas you see on stage or in the classroom.  I had the opportunity to teach this program to a client group this week. 

Yesterday was my first offering of both a keynote and a workshop on stress management, in the past two years.  It was a great opportunity to update the program to contain cutting edge research on stress and its impact not only on individuals, but also on groups.  It also helps to be blessed with a FANTASTIC audience! 

We now head into the Thanksgiving week and I want to pause and let everyone one of you all over the world that read my blog, book my services and read my writings, know how grateful I am for your interest and support.My life is filled with grace and I am thankful everyday that I have the chance to live a life of dreams. 

I wish you all the opportunity to reflect on the blessings that touch your life. 

 

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW 

 

I concede that the economy is still really, really weird.  In fact, despite all my time with financial organizations and my attentive listening to a parade of economists and analysts, I, probably like you, have no idea what will happen next.  BUT, here is what I do know and what you intuitively know to: 

·        Our economy has become what is often referred to as an “Expectation Economy” – buyers and sellers have new levels of expectation.·        Choices abound in every sector and niche you can imagine.·        The economy is inhabited by informed and experience consumers.·        Consumers have years of self training in our most recent hyper consumption economy. 

So, what can I do as a product or service provider?  Here are a couple of suggestions: 

·        Don’t just focus on YOUR industry; it will obscure the abundance of a larger buying market.·        By looking outside your industry you will start to notice changes in consumer expectations.·        Always, and I mean ALWAYS us the value you bring and how you separate yourself from the competition as your primary filter. 

If these strategies appeal to you, give me a call and I will be glad to helpGood luck in these rocky business times!  

 

 

 

 

ENTERTAINMENT 

 

MOVIES:  Bolt:  I know it’s an animated film, but the preview has made me laugh every time I watch it. 

NetFlix Fans:  WALL*E –   One of my top 10 movies of the year.  A great combination of adult and family viewing.  The small short film called PRESTO that leads into WALL*E is worth watching over and over again! 

TV:    Looks like out of all the new shows released, Fringe and The Mentalist are the only two hits.  The weird part is that they are both on at the same time on the same night.  House MD continues to be my favorite TV watching.  You can catch up on old episodes on the USA Network every week night at 7:00 PM. 

BOOKS:  The New Managers Tool Kit  by Grimme.  Pretty good stuff if you are on your way to your first real management position.  It is a big responsibility to guide and develop a team. 

MUSIC:   I have been listening to lots of Amos Lee lately and this is a great live cut from the Abbey Road TV series. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmQFwIKsU1U  

 

WEB SITES:   Want to see the previews to all the new movies coming out?  Check out the trailers in glorious QuickTime at –  

 

www.apple.com/trailers  

SOUTH OF

NORMAL“Death by cell phone” is a gadgets nightmare.  As cell phones become something more with the popularity of the iPhone technology and the continued spread of their impact, they also become a KILLER TECHNOLOGY.  Here are a few of the all encompassing cell phone victims:

• The PDA – Gone is this little hand held piece of technology, absorbed by the mutant cell phone.
• Digital Cameras – Oh, they are still out there, but the best camera is the one in your hand.  More people take digital photos with their phone than any other device.
• Land Line Phone – The existence of the land line phone is disappearing faster then your 401-K (ouch, sorry about that).
• MP3 Players – Yes, even the iPod is at risk as cell phones gain greater storage and interface capabilities.

 

I think we will be all rightIf we can learn to when to play it looseAnd when to play it tight.Amos Lee 

Drop me a note with your comments at steve@creativeventures.com 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by and until next time, Adios and Aloha. 

 

 

Hey everyone, here we go. . . . . .

 

IN OUR WORLD

 

Thank God for rescheduling as I got to spend an entire week at home!  It was a good thing as despite all my preventative measures, I have been laid low by a sinus infection.  Even all my travels, this is the first time I have been sick in over 19 months!  Not bad for an old man.

 

My week in the office allowed me to prep and design for a completely full week beginning on the 17^th.  Off to Atlanta for presentation skills training, then back to Dallas to teach the Architecture of Presentations.  This is an education program geared towards how to design impactful presentations.  Then a keynote address on stress management and a full two hour workshop to follow.  WOW!

 

As a result of the strategic planning for 2009 there are some new things on the way:

 

• New web based templates for delivering key follow up information for participants in my various sessions.
• An e-book on the 21 Laws of Creative Ventures.

 

 

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

 

 

Well, I go into another heated discussion with someone that began as a joke about the 21 Creative Ventures Laws.  I used Newton’s Laws of Motion as an example of how powerful my laws were (just a joke).  Well this lead to a discussion about the difference between a “law” and a “theory”.  You would be surprised at how many people have a misunderstanding of the difference between the two.  They hear about Einstein’s Theory of Relativity or Darwin’s Theory of Evolution and assumes that they are just educated guesses because they are just “theories”.  Here are a few things you should know about science.

 

·        Many science laws are found in the world of physics.  Physics is a field of science designed to root out the nature of reality.  It describes what it observes, most of the time.

·        The problem is that science is wary of absolutes and with the advent of quantum physics we soon discovered that things that work on the macro plane often breakdown on the micro plane.

·        First, don’t confuse theory with hypothesis.   A hypothesis is a suggested explanation for an observation. 

·        A theory is a testable model, a working set of rules that define a body of knowledge.  Think of “music” theory.  We know the scale of A-G is the basis of all music.

·        A law on the other hand is a series of universal and invariable facts of the physical world, but even with words like universal and invariable, a law can still be disproved as knowledge increases.  Newton’s Law of Gravity lost some ground to Einstein’s theory – weird huh?

 

Just a little science lesson, besides the business world has been a little boring lately.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ENTERTAINMENT

 

 

MOVIES:  Quantum of Solace:  Last night I was invited to a private screening of this latest Bond flick and WHOA, what a ride!  This is the new gritty Bond and he is one very bad dude who can inflict a ton of damage.  The action is literally non-stop.  Great way to spend an afternoon!

 

NetFlix Fans:  Dr. Syn – The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh –   This is an old Disney classic from their treasure series.  RENT IT NOW.  This is a fantastic story.

 

TV:    Does this ever happen to you?  You are sitting at dinner and a large wall mounted TV is showing something you can’t take your eyes off of, to the clear detriment of your dining partner.  On Wednesday night ESPN was showing a special called On A Wing And A Prayer.  This is a special about a crazy skydiver who is trying to jump out of a plane and land WITHOUT A PARACHUTE.  Go to ESPN.com and search for the next showing of this short documentary.

 

BOOKS:  By the Sword by F Paul Wilson.  The latest story about Repairman Jack, one of my favorite reoccurring characters.  This is number 13 in the series.  Start with  The Tomb.  Repairman Jack (an urban vigilante with no identity) is a really interesting guy written with a little bit of horror/mystical stuff.

 

MUSIC:   This is the latest from one of my favorite indie bands – My Morning Jacket.  It’s called; I’m Amazed.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzdoOGUsEKg

 

 

WEB SITES:   A really interesting web site on simplicity.

 

 

http://stuffthathappens.com/blog/2008/03/05/simplicity/

 

SOUTH OF NORMAL

Did you ever wonder…?

• Parade Magazine (the most read magazine in the country) in conjunction with Entertainment Tonight did a survey to come up with the most popular movie stars.  Here are the top three:  Will Smith (in December run out to the movie theater to see in latest – 7 Pounds), Tom Cruise and Reese Witherspoon.
• The iPhone just replaced the Motorola Razr as the most popular cell phone.  That has happened in a little more than a single year!
• Ever wonder who we owe all that money in the National Debt to?  Japan – $589 Billion, China – $541 Billion, United Kingdom – $307.4 Billion are the top three.

Just a few weird facts.

 

The weather is outside and it’s raging.  It will soon shake your windows and rattle your walls, for the times they are a changing.

Dylan

 

Drop me a note with your comments at steve@creativeventures.com

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by and until next time, Adios and Aloha.

 

 

 

Hey everyone, here we go. . . . . .

 

IN OUR WORLD

 

Back from being down Island way in the Gulf of Mexico finishing up a strategic planning project.  South Padre Island was hit hard by Hurricane Dolly in July and is still showing signs of damage.  Major hotels and eateries remain closed and there are blue roof tarps everywhere.  But in typical island fashion things seem normal enough for “fall slack” and we had a great and productive time.

 

I was honored to have spoken to a group of great people at the Education First Steps Charity event where we packed the home of Ralph and Susan Hawkings.  I did an abbreviated version of my program on belief structures, They Shook The World.  It was a FANTASTIC experience!

 

Thanks some nifty rescheduling, I get a whole week in town starting on Monday.  This breaks the 16 straight weeks on the road!  I can’t wait.

 

The November newsletter is out.   It should be posted on the web site soon or send me a note and I will get it to you.

 

 

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

 

 

As you prepare and plan for a very unpredictable 2009 let me recommend you ADD a line item.  Yes, ADD a line item.  I know, you are knocking out line items left and right, trying to reduce in every way possible with the economy still reeling.  But, I want you to add an item that has very little expense but a GIGANTIC impact – SERVICE.  I mean CUSTOMER SERVICE.

 

I want you to develop a laser-like, strategic focus on your service model.  Remember, in times of crisis it’s not the economy that destroys your business; it’s a LACK OF CUSTOMERS.  Over the past few weeks I have been harping on taking care of your customers and focusing on your skill sets.  These are things you CAN control.

 

This may cost you a little money in training or meeting expense to audit and launch a strategic service plan, but it is a MUST!

 

·        Initial Point of Contact:    Define your first point of contact with a customer/client.  These could be multiple, depending on how the customer makes contact (phone, face to face, Internet).  Make sure this contact is memorable.  During my recent trip to S. Padre, the Harlingen Airport Authority has someone greet EVERY flight and welcome people with a smile.  Small but VERY POWERFUL.

·        The Process of Contact:   Now that you have focused on the initial contact, create a process map and define each contact point with a customer/client.  What is the experience like?  Is it friendly, smile and attitude driven?  Is it SIMPLE to engage?

·        The Road Does Not End:    Is your customer process circular?  Does the first point of contact reconnect after the last point of contact or close of sale?  Service is like being a parent, the feelings and responsibilities do not end with the close of a sale.

 

Interested in these service strategies?  Give me a call or drop me a note.  We have a complete review process ready to go!  

 

 

ENTERTAINMENT

 

 

MOVIES:  Not a thing out there that will drag me to the movies.  How sad.  The good news is that Laura and I were invited to the Dallas Premier of the new James Bond movie next Thursday!  How cool is that.

 

NetFlix Fans:  Baraka –   If liked Planet Earth, you will love this startling visual DVD.

 

TV:    Well, thank God the elections are over and we can get back to important stuff.  Try 30 Rock.  The new season kicks off with a very funny show.  Also, sports are always good!

 

BOOKS:  On Writing by Stephen King.  If you have ever thought about writing, this is the best book ever!

 

MUSIC:   I had the pleasure of sharing lunch with David Wilcox during his recent visit to Dallas and thought this was a great version of his fantastic song Rusty Old American Dream.  For you guitar players, you will really dig his world famous style.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NS_vlEdBK4

 

 

WEB SITES:   Since a big part of what I do is writing, here is a great site for the ABC’s of getting started.

 

 

http://www.angelfire.com/wi/writingprocess/

 

 

SOUTH OF NORMAL

Some interesting numbers: 

• Blue Whales (the largest animal on earth, actually surpassing any of the dinosaurs) can produce sound that can travel 1200 nautical miles!  Any you guys thought I was loud!
• Barbie has had 104 different jobs since her debut in 1959.  She was an astronaut long before Sally Ride!
• The most dangerous athletic pursuit for female athletes is . . . . . . ?  Yep, it’s cheerleading.  67% of all injuries are cheerleader related and these are SERIOUS injuries.
• Dr. Seuss’s first book – And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry St, was rejected 27 times.  Just think how sad a world would be with green eggs and ham!

Just a few weird facts.

 

We can ride off into the sunset together, a rusty old American dream.

David Wilcox

 

Drop me a note with your comments at steve@creativeventures.com

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by and until next time, Adios and Aloha.