I'm happy to announce that commercial America is beginning to see the merit in my outlook on life. A world once ruled by straight-edged hacks chiseled out of old world conservatism now stares straight into the soul of a smiling, ebullient rebellion.
Anyone who hasn't been in a coma for the last year and a half knows that Wall Street's cold-handed stranglehold on the American business system has cramped up like a bad case of carpal tunnel. The slick custom-tailored suits aren't fooling anyone anymore. And frankly, those navy blue two piece jump suits are just plain old boring. Of course the complete lack of credibility hasn't helped these purveyors of old school commerce, but the once highly touted lifestyle of hundred-hour weeks and high-rise lofts isn't as glamorous to today's young professionals as it once was. Today's generation of fresh-faced CEOs and entrepreneurs have a new fetish. Our social hierarchy hinges less on the title nailed to your door or the Van Gogh hanging from your wall. It's now all about what you do, where you go, and who you're taking with you. Success is measured by life experiences. I mean this in two ways. First, pertaining to my opening statement, a new wave of successful businesspeople are building commercial dynasties by creating addictive experiences for their consumers. Secondly, these new-age business studs care more about enjoying and sharing their money than showing it off in their personal avant-garde downtown condo of a museum. Richard Branson epitomizes the latter. He's the 21st century Howard Hughes. The antithesis to Gordon Gecko. Instead of "collecting" his wealth on his walls, he spends it on insanely awesome extravaganzas. More importantly, he offers his hard-earned money as an investment for the future. Not just his, but ours. His newest and most ambitious venture, Virgin Galactic, is a perfect example. I don't personally know Richard, but I bet if you ask him why he's investing in Virgin Galactic, he'll tell you it's for the fun of the game. The experience of going to the moon and taking your wife with you. (And who knows what sort of profound affect it will have on the future of intergalactic travel. Only time and space will tell.) Offer your customer an awesome experience, and they'll gladly give you their money. It sounds simple, but it's true. Katalyst Media (Ashton Kutcher's brainchild) is a great example of a company that understands the value of tapping into customer experience. Their philosophy is simple: entertain people. Offer someone an experience worth sharing, and they will become your ambassador. In the always on-tap world we now live in, sharing information and experiences with friends is easier than sweating in a hot yoga studio. A little entertainment goes a long way. Just look at icanhascheezburger.com. This unassuming website went from underground blog sensation to multimillion dollar business in the blink of an eye. And what's they're business model? Make people laugh for just five seconds a day. Seriously. One of the most successful online businesses right now is based on the idea of making someone smile. Which brings me back to my original point. I'm happy to announce that commercial America is beginning to capitalize on my reason for living...the philosophy of fun. With adventurous people like Richard Branson pioneering the way, and success stories like that of icanhascheezburger.com, my inner fun meter can't help but smile at the changing of the guard in our country. There's still hope after all.
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