Week of September 8, 2008

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

 

IN OUR WORLD

 

Just back from beautiful Minneapolis MN.  Cool weather (what a treat) and a city still with its best foot forward, only a few days removed from being in the National spotlight, hosting the Republican National Convention.

 

I had the honor of introducing new ideas to a Fortune 500 company Leadership Conference.  A fantastic group of people with a vision for the future and a leadership structure to get them there.  They have an unusual mix of participation and commitment at all levels. 

 

I also had dinner with an old friend who combines high energy, business acumen and a twinkle of mischief to help lead a multinational company on a recent repositioning that is destined to be talked about for a long time!

 

Just a fantastic trip.

 

Then it was off to a client launching a national sales blitz at their Dallas operation.  Lead by the new COO and the best meeting planner I know, they turned a quick idea into a big success!  Fantastic!

 

Hurricane Ike spoiled a weekend in Austin where my Razorback son was going head to head with my Longhorn son.  Both were disappointed by the cancellation of the game, but also knew the destructive path nature can leave.

 

Good luck to everyone in the path of the storm and batten down the hatches, you’re in for a blow!

 

 

 

 

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

 

The concept that new ideas come and go; making the evaluation of their impact limited to their time at the forefront of our consciousness is not true.

 

Social networks are just newborns in the amount of time their impact has stretched across the world, yet both Facebook and myspace have changed the landscape of interaction and communication in a little more than 4 years.

 

Now there may be a few of those out their that are unaware of these web sites that connect friends through a massive base of similar likes in music, sports, films and favorite social activities.  You sign up or have a friend recommend you, and then you let all your friends know you now have a site ready to go and watch the interaction start to take place.  Photos of activities appear, inside jokes spread like wildfire, parties explode and rumors abound.  Pretty cool stuff.  A sign that connecting social, in any way possible is in our human DNA.

 

Both social networks started within a month of each other and though myspace is now part of the Rupert Murdock massive media empire News Corp, it’s Facebook that has pushed ahead in site usage and visits.  Both are close in most categories such as international visitors, averaging over 115 million and basic functionality.  The question is that in a world of unique choices, which will dominate or will the world share both as strong competitors.

 

This is the key question as revenue production, after all, is a big player in the social networking world and advertisers are constantly faced with a choice of where to put their dollars.

 

Facebook and myspace are always pushing new horizons in ideas to create core value to both their users and their members.  Competition always pushes innovation so keep your eye on the new horizons they will reach in making connecting to friends a sure fire money maker!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ENTERTAINMENT

 

 

MOVIES:  The Cohn Brothers have a new release and along with David Mamet are my favorite film makers.  Their No Country for Old Men won best picture and this weekend’s release of Burn After Reading is their latest comedy release.

 

NetFlix Fans:  Forbidden Kingdom–   If you want to have some fun during Hurricane Ike, check out this martial arts epic with Jet Li and Jackie Chan.

 

TV:    JJ Abrams new series Fringe broke this week and it is going to be a huge hit!  It’s on the Fox Network and brings us a combination of thriller and sci-fi plots with a clear connection between the two!

 

BOOKS:  A Whole New Mind – by Daniel Pink.  A wonderful ride through the impact of right minded people and since I seem to be lacking a left side of my brain it was like preaching to the choir!!!

 

MUSIC:   At a client celebratory party, one of my clients and I got in a conversation about Monte Montgomery, a Texas guitar legend and made me want to repost one of my favorite songs of his.  It’s a little long, but WHAT A PICKER!  This is a MUST WATCH and heck, it’s Friday, celebrate a little!

 

 

 

WEB SITES:   Jackson Browne is one of my ALL TIME favorite singer songwriters and is now touring.  Here is how his fans keep up.

 

http://www.jrp-graphics.com/jackson_browne.html

 

 

SOUTH OF NORMAL

I’m a beer guy.  In fact, it’s the only alcohol I drink and because I never have more than one per sitting, it makes me very selective of what I drink.  No sissy “lite” beers, only beer with something to say in the matter of taste.   Here are some new American beers that are carving out a place against their competition:

If you like Guinness, try Deschutes Black Butte Porter.

If you like Pilsner Urquell (a great beer) try Stoudt’s Pils.

If you like Blue Moon try Ommegang Witte.

If you like Sam Adams (another great beer) try Southhampton Altbier.

These will make you look like a knowledgeable booze snob like those wine drinkers who ask what the grape mixture and Ph of the soil was in the sip they just sniffed, swished and swallowed.

 

 

“When will I look back and smile?”

Monte Montgomery

 

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

 

 

 

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