I am all about finding the right ideas,
discovering opportunities and implementing development plans that help entrepreneurial companies transform their differentiators into positive, lasting relationships. A proven, real-life parallel entrepreneur, my collaborative talents in marketing, sales and businesses development turn good concepts into great processes, products and services.
As an entrepreneur and consultant, I am always excited about opportunities to contribute to remarkable teams.
In doing so I collaborate with passionate business leaders, explore the intersection of need and opportunity, look for root causes (beneath the presenting issues) and re-contextualize to see how we could innovate or adapt existing ideas in new ways. Then I take those new expressions, articulate them and share them with the world.
To give you some insight into my ways of thinking (which can be both eclectic and pragmatic), here are a few examples of ideas that I am currently working on or have been involved with:
“Free Marketing Made Easy:” a program that takes the mystery and pain out of free online marketing, by helping small business owners understand why and most importantly HOW to use the best and most cost effective internet tools like Twitter, FaceBook, YouTube, FreeConferenceCall.com, Survey Monkey, HubSpot, WordPress, Jing, etc. We are consolidating a great marketing platform that literally explains why and SHOWS how to use all of these tools.
Toys!: I’m developing prototypes and Intellectual Property around things that I’d want to play with if I were still a kid. What’s that? I’m not still a kid?…
Ideas For Everyone: a holding company that licenses IP and ideas from everybody. Based on Tim Ferris’ 4-Hour Workweek model, this endeavor teaches a methodology of building for existing markets and taking small steps that minimize risk and maximize ROI.
Complimentary currencies: Opportunities are ripe for complimentary currencies to expand their usage. Social groups are interested in local economic development, and need to find practical means of improving fund raising efforts. Could we actually generate return on investment from our efforts to support local organizations? Yes, and I can tell you how.
Social investing: current economic conditions have created a situation where credit-worthy people have limited access to capital, and investors have few choices for positive return with minimal risk. A new direct lending model (think “Kiva marries “Ebay”) could bypass the banks and create a win-win. The tools are already in place. We just need to apply them in a new framework.
Energy education: did you know that there are over 500 energy related companies in Massachusetts alone? Energy efficiency is a blazing hot topic right now because it promises immediate ROI with minimal capital expenditure. The problem though, is that CFO’s (especially those from mid to small size companies, who can’t outsource to ESCO’s – Energy Service Companies) don’t necessarily understand the opportunities. Initial market research indicates a substantial need for education. But there is no formalized structure, no seminars or workshops other than the handful of small annual presentations sponsored by the state.
Specialization: media is suffering, as marketing budgets are often the first casualties of recession. Small, targeted companies are inherently undiversified, leading to a funnel effect (narrower sales pipeline). How then, can they go deeper into their core markets and benefit from further specialization? (hint: find under-served niche markets).
iPhone application: just for fun, because I believe in the power of play. I can’t say too much about this because it’s in development but I’ll tell you this: kittens have a way of taking over your life, so it’s inevitable that their hold over you will extend to a new platform.
One of my favorite ideas:
You know the cap on the top of cardboard milk and juice cartons? Those are brilliant. At 37 years old I still have a hard time with the “old-fashioned” capless versions. The paper tears and inveitably I wind up with a ripped spout and a puddle to clean up.
I want to personally thank the inventor of this simple but dramatically more efficient technology. He/she obviously understood interaction design. This product isn’t necessarily going to save the world, but I’m sure that now there are far fewer tears cried over spilled milk.
update: an astute reader asks “don’t you think that cap on top of juice and milk containers is a superfluous use of plastic? Couldn’t they just make the cartons open more easily?”
I say she has a good point. But the underlying problem is: it’s all waste. One of my not-so-secret passions is a desire to convert the world to biodegradable packaging. If apples and zucchinis can do it, why can’t we? A gallon of milk is in the store for a few weeks maybe, yet the container takes what, 100 years to dissolve?
The field of biomimicry has a lot to teach us about sustainability. I hope to integrate it into my future work.
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