MCTT has been a proponent of cross-cultural intelligence for a long time, so it's great to see coverage of related topics and specifically insights such as those of P.T. Black, partner at Jigsaw International, a boutique lifestyle research agency in Shanghai that looks at the direction of change in China, particularly among young adults. 

Check out his article "Think You Know China? Eight Things Foreigners Get Wrong"

        

Entrepreneurship is both dream and nightmare.  The dream is you get to decide what your business will be, how you will run it, the type of customers/clients you ultimately want to have and not have.  You have the flexibility to change direction if you want, make modifications on the fly. 

These days your company can be totally virtual.  Or it can have a storefront/offices with virtual business tools.  Know that his transparency can be both gift and albatross.  Know that the iPad and other tools like it bring the upside of yet more mobility, along with downside of being locked into proprietary platforms.  

On the nightmare side your success can create as much stress as potential failure, because your business saps time and energy.  It takes Olympian dedication.  It demands personal sacrifice.

Like anything else in life, there is both good and bad to being an entrepreneur.  The key is going in with your eyes wide open and fully prepared.


REALITY CHECK 3.0

• Unless you are either brilliant or lucky with V.C. or Angel funding, be prepared to manage your business on a cash basis, as credit lines have been slashed or closed across the board.
  • Other financing options are community banks, credit unions, and more creative options you will need to assess with great care (see the February 2010 issue of Entrepreneur "Bankology" article for details).
• Successes like Tatto Media are still more the exception than the rule.
  • Beyond a great idea, what generally facilitates such college student start-up success is:
    • No business experience baggage/major preconceptions
    • High energy and fewer life distractions
    • Team bonding virtually unparalleled in the business world
    • Luck and great timing

For more pedestrian small businesses, if you will, owners on a daily basis must balance huge workloads with family matters, cash flow constraints, employee issues, not so flashy business ideas and models...all while pursuing new business and managing operations.  FYI, just because this is the case does not make your business any less important than that of the likes of Tatto.  

While so-called experts like to refer to Entrepreneurship 3.0 as the true blend of lifestyle and business, the reality is that has always been the case.  You live and breathe your start up.  It becomes woven into the fabric of your life.


THE BOTTOM LINE 3.0

At the very least, entrepreneurship gives you a chance to divine your own destiny.  It provides the means to pursue a passion or a different lifestyle.  You can redefine who you are.  And whether you succeed or not is in both your and fate's hands, not someone else's.  At best you succeed to the point you have gained control over your destiny and no longer have to worry about money from month to month.  You create a new paradigm in your own existence.  And perhaps along the way you manage to make others' lives better in the process.

        

 

        

This morning I found our smaller Chinese algae eater lying belly-side up in the three gallon tank, with Peetie the Danio hovering over him.  She was frantic; trying to help Mr. Chang.  I ran for my husband for help (as I am still too ignorant in the ways of fish), knowing he was dying.  Doctor Husband removed both fish from the tank and completely cleaned it of the egg debris Peetie had created earlier in the week, in case Mr. Chang simply couldn't breath because of it.  Once the tank was back to pristine condition, both fish were returned to their home.

From that moment forward there's been a Mr. Chang watch.  Diligent Peetie has nurtured her cross-species man along, as he has slowly shown signs of regaining a bit of his former health.  Just now, while I checked in on them both, I watched as Peetie did an amazing thing.  She lowered herself to the algae wafer my husband dropped in a while ago and lifted it up with her nose.  She then swam over Mr. Chang, then back to the wafer.  Again she lifted it with her nose then went back and swam over Mr. Chang, more and more frantically each time.  And then it dawned on me.  She's trying to get Mr. Chang to eat.  She's still doing so at this moment.  She knows he's weak, still vulnerable.  Peetie is determined that he recover. 

Earlier today I read that Danios tend to mate for life, which is up to five years.  Being that we found Peetie abandoned alone in a tank in a rental home, we can only guess that she is now about one and a half years old.  Chinese algae eaters can have a ten year lifespan.  That our algae eater is only an estimated six months old means he should be given every chance to live to a ripe old age.  If Peetie has anything to say about it, he will.

Ever since I truly opened my eyes to how our fish live among each other; paid more attention to them individually, I have become awe struck.  They are as individual and unique as each of us humans.  They demonstrate compassion.  They can be competitive.  They have social structures.  They convey joy.  They feel sorrow.  They can play.  They use tools.  They can be fickle in the ways of love or completely devoted. 

I'm learning priceless lessons from a source I could never have imagined I would.  But at this very moment I simply hope that Mr. Chang will be all right.

        

My husband and I have two fresh water fish tanks at home.  We inherited the first one, along with one very tenacious Danio with a strong survival streak.  The second tank we got once we introduced a bunch of new fish to the first one and the Danio proved to be somewhat of a bully.  Now he/she shares a small tank with a Chinese algae eater; we suspect they are a couple now.

The bigger tank seems to be run by a large and growing Chinese algae eater we call Mr. Chin.  While he had been a recluse since we brought him home, recently we've noticed he's become much more comfortable in front of us.  He's even taken to playing with a marble he discovered, scooting it around with his nose across and around the entire tank.  In fact, he's playing with right now as I write about him.

Mr. Chin also decided he didn't like the location of his home, aka the partial "sunken ship."  So, he redesigned it by pushing it over until the open bottom was sideways, making his exit much easier.  He's in process with some additional excavation, the goal of which we're waiting to see.  Fascinating.

Over the course of a year and a half we've had fish, we've learned that the Perches are pretty sedentary and shy.  The yellow Glow fish are hilarious and gregarious, and aren't bothered by the hand that feeds them.  They have a ton of energy.  One of them, Yellow Man, is a speed freak and likes to do fast laps around the tank.  Meanwhile, the two Neons tend to be watchers.  Neo, for one, is friendly and mild-mannered.

Speaking of mild-mannered.  Our three bottom feeders are very sweet and non-plussed by Mr. Chin who always manages to get in their way while on his food hunt.   Two of them often park next to each other at the front of the tank for time out from their almost constant dining.  One of those seems smitten with the third, smaller and spotted bottom feeder who's normally hiding behind a shell in the back of the tank.

While I already knew that humans by no means have a monopoly on personality, emotions, thought processes, and tool usage, I have been very pleasantly taught that these attributes extend to fish and beyond.   The lesson is both eye-opening and humbling.

        

MARKETING PREDICTIONS FOR 2010
Everyone's making them, so why shouldn't we?  Why shouldn't you for that matter?

First, here's a brief bulleted summary of what the MCTT team has heard and read:

• Mobile marketing/e-commerce is hot, white hot...finally.
• Android is the hot mobile operating system, red hot.
• Community marketing is the new marketing mecca.
• Augmented Reality...show it as it will be and they will come.
• Pay-for-Content publisher revenue models will pervade the online world.
• Public Relations as we've known it: It's dead or on life support. 
• TV advertising faces down historic fork in the revenue road.
• China is the holy grail of consumer sales. 
• Multiplatform media usage measurement pressure is applied.
• Disenchantment with the novelty of video ads hits.
• Online search functionality mutates as advertisers struggle to keep up.
• 2010 will witness the rise of the "social graph."

Here are some of our own predictions:

• Mobile marketing is in fact coming into its own and then some.
• Social media will continue to facilitate two- or more-way conversation.  New developments will help reign in the time it takes to manage it all.
• The inevitable growth of social media tracking devices should scare everyone and give pause as to how much personal information people share with the rest of the world.  Additionally, everyone should be picky about which tracking cookies they allow to follow their every online move.
• Offline marketing will continue to be a solid component of overall strategies for specific industries and markets.
• PR is not what it used to be.  The rules have changed and so have the channels for distribution.
• Marketing budgets will continue to be tight, so marketers must use common sense and creativity to manage their constrained resources intelligently.
• Success with the pay-for-content business model will logically hinge on how well publishers identify what consumers deem as valuable.  Then again, if net neutrality fails publishers will get to do whatever they bloody well wish to and at the consumer's expense. 
• New technological developments arise on a regular basis, so in turn will the tools at marketers' disposal.  What should always prevail is logic and common sense, followed by strategy.

COOL TREND ALERT:  "Anti-static" Digital Billboards

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE FAME COMPLEX
Just as 2009 brought us loopy celebrity behavior, the fall of iconic sports figures and financial wizards, and in consideration of how cost-effective reality entertainment is, it looks like 2010 will bring us more of the same.     

Which brings us to marketing by hanging one's company hat on celebrity ties.  As we all have learned with the continuing Tiger Woods scandal and sponsor freefall, the moral of this story should be clear—-that great thought and planning should be given to these relationships, the correlation between sponsor and celebrity reputation.  Marketing on the coattails of a famous person's success is one thing.  Betting on that person's ability to manage their personal integrity is quite another.

Along that line, have we all now read Miley Cyrus' proclamation that "my job is to be a role model"?  LOL.  All knowing at seventeen (and has been since she was fourteen), never stopping for air when she talks, generally about herself, interrupting her father in interviews to do it.  Publically globetrotting with her older boyfriend. Looking for edgier music and films to do, to keep with her all-knowingness.  Gag. 

On the one hand she's proven to be marketable, obviously.  On the other hand, she believes she can do no wrong, so how close is her image to imploding the way the supposedly more mature Woods' reputation did?

As a side note, none among us at MCTT ever buys anything simply because a star or athlete endorses it.  We're also the same people who have no interest in buying any of the proliferation of celebrity-branded fragrances.  We do, however, appreciate the undeniable value of fame and its contribution to sales.  Again, we caution against drawing direct correlation between company and celebrity reputation.

        

Willie Zuniga is a jewelry designer.  Willie is also a cancer survivor.  Most importantly, Willie is a fine human being with a big heart.  In the process of navigating her own journey through illness, her interaction with other cancer patients sparked an idea that has become a full-blown program called "Angels in the Parlour."

Willie's story struck such a cord with us that we want to share it with you.  The holiday season seems the perfect time to do so.  Here is her story, in her own words, straight from her Esty shop profile. 



Welcome! My name is Willie Zuniga, and I thank you for visiting Morning Glory Designs.

I offer an heirloom-quality selection of vintage style jewelry, reminiscent of the Victorian and Renaissance eras.  Each piece is hand-crafted with exceptional care, in the hope that it will be cherished for generations.

I first began making jewelry during a long illness, and what began as a means of keeping busy soon became a passion.  I returned to work briefly, but in 2003 my recurring illness forced me to leave my job permanently.

It was a terribly difficult time.  I couldn't imagine how I would remain a productive, useful person without working, let alone learn to live with the results of the surgeries and treatments that were required.

During this time, I came across a website featuring Victorian style jewelry components, VintageJewelrySupplies.com (Originally AccessoriesSusan.com).  There I found a whole world of Susan's creations, design ideas and lesson plans, all using the most beautiful components I'd ever seen.  (Lesson plans and photos can now be found at her new instructional site, FiligreeJewelrySupplies.com.)

I immersed myself completely in learning to design with the amazing products she offers.  Although I was still very sick, this process shifted the focus away from my seemingly hopeless health problems, and on to the timeless beauty of vintage design.

During my day-long hospital treatments, I often worked on my jewelry. When other patients showed an interest, “Angels in the Parlour” was born.  I started bringing extra tools and supplies along, and soon we had a small group of budding designers ... all very sick, but each surely changing what might have been a terribly dismal time.

As a result, I have formed many treasured friendships, and most cherished of these is that with Susan Street, the owner of VintageJewelrySupplies.com.  Susan continues to give freely of her time, experience and resources, and truly makes the Angels project possible by maintaining a high standard of quality and variety in her components.  Even a beginner can make something extraordinary!

I hope you’ll take a moment to look through my “Angels in the Parlour” category.  100% of your purchase from this section will be used to buy supplies for our project, and whenever possible I’ll feature items made by the patients themselves as well.  Although my hospital visits are just once every three weeks at this time, I additionally hold informal jewelry-making “classes” in my home, and no patient is ever asked to pay any dues or fees.

I am honored by the company of these courageous and amazing women, and blessed by their example. While fighting the greatest battles of their lives, they create and dream, laugh and cry, and share their strengths and sorrows.  I am eternally grateful to these "angels," for through them I have not only made peace with my situation, but have found a happier and more productive, useful life than I ever dreamed possible.



We encourage you to visit Morning Glory Designs on Etsy, to see Willie's beautiful designs for yourself.  Should you purchase any of the "ANGELS" designs, know that 100% of the proceeds go back into the Angels in the Parlour program. 

Thank you, Willie, for allowing us to share your story.  Best wishes to you and Angels in the Parlour.

        

Over the course of days that have passed since news of Tiger woods' car accident broke, we have all watched this sports legend's public image unravel before our eyes.  It's jarring for many reasons.  It's been fast and furious.  It's been devastating.  It affects not only sports fans, but a range of groups and individuals who admired this athlete for other attributes considered as formidable and worthy of respect as his golfing talent.

This singular individual who so riveted even a non-sports watcher like myself with his breathtaking grace, style, and success on the golf course, who has achieved historical fame and fortune and won our collective respect, is falling from grace at mack speed.  From a PR standpoint, it's mutated into a problem of Olympic proportions.  From a societal standpoint, many people feel betrayed to a degree that could not be anticipated.

As Tiger Woods attempts to navigate this personal and public nightmare, there are a few business lessons to take away from this sad development.


BUSINESS MARKETING LESSONS TO BE LEARNED

• Don't believe your own PR.
  • Too often companies as well as celebrities come to think they are as good as their PR portrays them to be, then they are surprised to learn they do in fact display the human frailties the rest of us possess.
• Don't hide behind your public image.
  • If your company profile to the world is merely a facade, the truth may just catch up and then you'll then have to work hundred-fold to save face as well as your business.  Instead, try living up to the qualities you promote. 
• Be prepared.
  • Don't wait until it's too late to find out a crisis management plan is needed.  If your business is highly visible, any required damage control needs to be swift and well-thought out.  Better yet, consider the degree of damage that can result from making mistakes you hope will go unnoticed, and avoid making those particular mistakes all together.

        

We are Lady Gaga fans.  We think she's got talent and personality in spades.  We love her music, her videos.  Her style is off the charts.  

She's literally exploded onto the music scene.  Her songs and videos have caught on like wild fire.  Her style is raising eyebrows and setting trends.  She's making the press rounds.  All seemingly out of nowhere.

At 23 Lady Gaga's a marketing goddess.  Here's why.  She clearly:

• Defined her product
• Determined her target audience
• Established her core messaging
• Identified her marketing outlets
• Created competitive differentiation
• Delivered on the promise
• Made smart business moves: Lessons for the Music Business

Lady Gaga's official site



FYI, when we think of Lady Gaga style we're reminded of Jean Paul Gaultier's costumes for The Fifth Element.  Futuristic, unique, with a sense of humor.

           

        

Here's a fine way to make your Monday enjoyable.  Check out these "can't wait to get my hands on" solar-powered gadgets.  See the slide show from Fast Company.