Enlightened Self-Interest

Soft Speed Bump Stunt

Hat Tip: http://tinsiders.blogspot.com/

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The Kindle

I am loving my new kindle.

It slices, it dices.

Before buying it, I knew I could buy books and get free access to wikipedia on the device, but I didn’t know that it provides you with free unlimited internet access to all sites. I’ve used it for my gmail and yahoo emails and did some shopping online.  Unlike the web on my phone, there is no fee to access the web with the Kindle. But a drawback is that the web is a bit slower on the kindle than on my smartphone.

With the kindle, if I am reading a technical or scientific word I am not sure the meaning of, just by putting the cursor on it, a definition comes up at the bottom.

Not only is the products features and service revolutionary, but the design is beautiful and it is very user friendly. This is the iPod of books.

I’ve always thought of Netflix as being a fun innovation that will become obsolete as internet tv bandwidth improves, but I never applied that same concept to books. I suspect that the business of mailing dead trees with ink on it in the mail will decrease in the medium term future on items where the content is more important than the design focused books as ebook readers become more popular.

Today you can write a book without a publisher and  market it directly to readers via amazon.

Here is a breakdown of the types of content people are buying on the Kindle.

The New York Public Library also allows digital downloads of tens of thousands of ebooks and audiobooks at www.nypl.org/digital I am curious to see if the downloaded books will work on the kindle.

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Patters that work

Josh Kaufman of www.personalmba.com compiled a short list of patterns that describe how the vast majority of businesses make money:

* Product: make a physical product, then sell and deliver it for more than it cost.
* Service: provide a useful service, then charge a fee.
* Shared Resource: create a shared resource that can be used by many people (like a gym), then charge for access.
* Subscription: offer an ongoing subscription, then charge a recurring fee.
* Insurance: write an insurance policy against some specific bad thing happening, collect premium payments up-front, then pay out claims only when the bad thing happens.

* Resale: acquire an asset, then sell the asset to another buyer at a higher price.
* Lease: acquire an asset, then allow another person to use that asset for a certain amount of time in exchange for a fee.
* Audience Aggregation: create and distribute information that appeals to a specific set of people, then sell access to that audience (advertising, direct mail, etc.) to an interested third-party.
* Commission: sell an asset you don’t own on behalf of a third-party, then collect a percentage of the sale price as a fee.
* Dividend: purchase an ownership stake in a business, then collect a corresponding portion of that business’ profit over time as a dividend.

You can describe 99% of all businesses - past and present - using one (or more) of these core patterns. If you want to create a successful new venture, start looking for ways to do one (or more) of these things.

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Bermuda

I just got back from a meeting in Bermuda.

Incredibly relaxing.

I was there for only a weekend, but felt like a week.

My client flew me out and we had champagne and food on his yacht with a few of his friends on board. Life is very good.

Bermuda has the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever experienced.

The sand is amazingly soft. Unlike most sand around the world, it isn’t made from little pieces of granite or rocks, the sand in Bermuda is made from coral, and it is pink. It is like superfine sugar.

Because the sand grains are so small, it is more compact and hard to stand on but when you run your fingers and feet through it, it feels like heaven.

Here are some pictures from the trip:

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What is art?

Let Paul Rand explain.

Hat tip:  Bad Banana

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Tim Siedell

Tim Siedell is hilarious and brilliant. His blog shows design, advertising and marketing at its best.

He is a fun twitterer, and just did a blog post with the best business card design I’ve seen; for a dentist no less. Certainly better than this guys card.

His post on ballet lessons and bike lane posts are masterful. Silent world and Library of Dust took my breath away.

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The “Brief Safe”

The “Brief Safe” is an innovative diversion safe that can secure your cash, documents, and other small valuables from inquisitive eyes and thieving hands, both at home and when you’re traveling. Items can be hidden right under their noses with these specially-designed briefs which contain a fly-accessed 4″ x 10″ secret compartment with Velcro closure and “special markings” on the lower rear portion. Leave the “Brief Safe” in plain view in your laundry basket or washing machine at home, or in your suitcase in a hotel room - even the most hardened burgler or most curious snoop will “skid” to a screeching halt as soon as they see them. (Wouldn’t you?) Made in USA. One size. Color: white (and brown).

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Updated: America’s Most Promising Social Entrepreneurs

Business week has a fantastic slide show with 28 of “America’s Most Promising Social Entrepreneurs”

It’s so great to see my friend Daniel Lubetsky listed there, one slide number 19 (he is the one wearing black). Daniel runs Peaceworks Holdings, an organization dedicated to fostering co-existence through innovative social enterprises and non-profit ventures. They make the yummy KIND bars found in Whole Foods.

Peaceworks manufactures many of their products in regions of ethnic/religious strife including the Middle East and Indonesia. For example, they bring together Israeli and Palestinian employees to make their products, and in doing so, play a a meaningful part in fostering understanding between neighbors striving to co-exist.

Paul McCartney just joined the board of his non-profit, OneVoice, which brings together Israelis and Palestinians  young people to town hall and online meetings foster the grassroots movement for peace.

Congratulations Daniel!

UPDATE: Please vote for Peaceworks in BusinessWeek’s survey to show your support for this great cause.

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Terrific survey of business models online

BoxUK has a fantastic survey of business models on the web.

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Big Paper

You may have heard of Big Oil, but have you heard of “Big Paper”? We know, sounds crazy, but check this out.

Right now, there’s a proposal in Congress to forbid the government from requiring scientists who receive taxpayer funds for medical research to publish their findings openly on the Internet. This ban on “open access publishing” (which is currently required) would result in a lot of government-funded research being published exclusively in for-profit journals — inaccessible to the general public.

A study by MAPLight.org shows that sponsors of this bill — led by Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) — received twice as much money from the publishing industry as those on the relevant committee who are not sponsors. This is exactly the kind of money-for-influence scheme that constantly happens behind our backs.

Can you call your local member of Congress and ask him/her to oppose this corrupt bill — H.R. 801, The Fair Copyright in Research Works Act? Then, call Rep. John Conyers and tell him to withdraw it

202-224-3121 - to call your local House member
202-225-3951 - to call Rep. Conyers

Below is a script from ChangeCongress that you can use when you call below.

Who’s against this bill? 33 U.S. Nobel laureates in science, 46 law professors, and groups like the American Library Association, the Alliance for Taxpayer Access and open access advocates. Now, Congress needs to hear from the most important voice of all: you.

Can you take a moment to call your member of Congress and Rep. John Conyers today, to let them know H.R. 801 hurts the public?
—
Phone script for calling Rep. Conyers and your member of Congress:

“Hello, my name is __________ and I’d like to let Rep. [NAME] know that I, along with groups like the American Library Association, the Alliance For Taxpayer Access as well as 33 Nobel Laureates in science, oppose bill H.R. 801 the “Fair Copyright in Research Act,” that will keep valuable tax-payer funded research inaccessible to the public online. This sort of life-saving research and information should be open for all to read on the Internet and not hidden from the public in for-profit journals.

I am deeply concerned about a new report from MAPLight.org showing that sponsors of this bill, led by Congressman Conyers, received twice as much money in campaign contributions, as those who are non-sponsors. This sort of influence-peddling is exactly what needs to be stopped in our government.

I’m calling to ask Rep. [NAME] to publicly put out a statement opposing H.R. 801. Can you please deliver that message?

Thank you for your time.”

NOTE: For Rep. Conyers, please ask him to drop bill H.R. 801

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