Category: Marketing Insight

These are my 4 start up maxims. Detail is limited so you can use your imagination.

1. Make once sell many times (buy once, design once)

• Efficiency is not evil.

2. Customer is consumer (no middle man)

• Cash flow, proximity, reduced complexity, short cycles.

3. Aligned to environment or health concerns

• The future of business (and humanity) is about these two factors

4. Theatre at transaction

• Humans are emotional beings. Subconscious. Premium pricing.

I wouldn’t consider a start up unless it has all four. I’ll do a separate entry on each if any of you out there request more detail.

A week ago I wrote about the Precipice Theorem. Here’s an example.

Heard of these bands?

• Nirvana
• Pearl Jam
• Sound Garden
• Stone Temple Pilots
• Alice in chains
• Foo Fighters
• Red Hot Chilli Peppers

Indy music, Seattle Sound, Grunge call it what you please. They’re all very main stream now. But how many of you bought the first Red Hot Chili Peppers album in 1984? I’m mixing genres slightly, but the principle remains. They started a new genre, because they started on the precipice. At a time when the late 1980’s was filled with Cock Rock, Power Ballads and Electro Wank, these bands were pumping out power chords on the precipice. They migrated naturally from there. All good concepts do.

Sure they leveraged a rebellion, but aren’t all new brands, products and concepts a form of rebellion? Isn’t that why they’re on the precipice? You are rebelling against some form of establishment.

Maybe the arts and business aren’t that far removed. First it was independent music, then the entire fabric of this mass produced industry and distribution system fell over.

It is often the artisans of society who first understand the changing values of a populous. In my view we are about to enter the business world equivalent of the Indy Music scene circa early 1990’s.  – A time where little known precipice players start to ‘rock the world’ financially.

You are regarded as ‘young’ at 30-ish when an entrepreneur. In marketing you are ready for the retirement village.

If you want to stay forever young, don’t work for someone. They will judge you by your age especially in marketing circles. There is a black hole for Brand Managers. After the age of 30 they all start to disappear. Sure, one or two make it to be Marketing Directors, but where do the others go? The smart ones leverage their skills in their own business. Very few careers develop such a diverse skill base. It is naturally geared to leverage in a business. You are sitting on a gold mine if you have enough courage.

I assume it is not too different with young architects, lawyers or any qualified profession.

The reason people become old in the corporate world is repetition. Your brain dies when it is not exercised, just as your body does. When you are put into a role and regarded as a “human resource” you are really just a change part now aren’t you? Taylorism is not lost on knowledge workers, just hidden better.

You will learn more in three months getting your own startup off the ground, than you will in 3 years as a Marketing Manager. As a bonus you will be regarded as a fresh graduate! The other day a VC said to me. “We need young people like you who are close to the action”.

What’s the most valuable business tool today? The notepad. The really small type you can fit in your back pocket. When you have an idea, jot it down. On page 1, you have a list of things to do. You cross them off when they are done. Easy.

On an airplane you don’t need to wait until cruising altitude to use it. You never run out of batteries. Light and compact. No compatibility issues. Everything is automatically in chronological order. It’s the ultimate in user friendly.

Great technology should reduce complexity. Entrepreneurs must be frugal.