Vital to any business is strategic planning. But where do you begin? How do you get started? What are you planning to achieve? @Bizolly sends a tweet this week with a great link talking about the mysterious process.
8 Questions to Ask: About The Strategic Planning Process http://t.co/2VUXs7WVFY #Entrepreneur #Innovation #Inspiration #Education
— A Grand Expedition ► (@Bizolly) October 22, 2013
Congrats @Bizolly for being our tweet of the week.
Is your business not going quite right? Well, no use in crying over spilled milk, because you are not alone. As you know, all businesses start with an idea and an intention but you will not, nor should you have all the answers 100% of the time. Just remember, someone’s always in your corner, with WizOf.Biz, you can be sure to find fresh ideas on business development, strategic planning, mentorship and more. Our business experts believe, that when it comes to running a business, as in life, you have to be willing to take risks, think outside the box and bend the rules; but most importantly have a sense of humor!
I will go ahead and turn the odds in my favour by showing you the lighter side of business with FAIL BLOG, a popular comedy photoblog and search engine, that gives “funny” a leg up. Lets take a look at a few of my favorite business pics that will get the haha out of you.
1) Cat in the box: Sometimes in business, you just have to get creative even if it means placing yourself in a box to be kissed by complete strangers; more kisses, more dimes. Not only is it a brilliant publicity stunt, but you might even get a promotion. Take for instance,the Temporarily Unpopular Marketing Ideas a unique organization that takes your wacky ideas and makes them a reality.
Often we forget that when it comes to running a business, it is important to be yourself, think outside the box and give people what they really want; to share in who you truly are, what you think and how you can make a difference. If Sir Richard Branson can wow people with his sense of humor and a winning personality, you can too.
2) Selling Crap: So, what? Lots of people make money selling shit. Take for instance Holy Crap I mean, does anyone think it is actually good? Hmmm….however, the people behind the crap, are friendly, approachable and they did a superb job packaging their product. I’m saying its not what you’re selling but how. Think on your feet and put your best crap forward. You never know who will pick it up.
3) Casual Business Attire: There is no shame in wearing shorts for business as long as you do it with purpose and confidence. If you can laugh at yourself, people will laugh with you. FunnyBusiness.ca can make any business meeting or event into a laugh out loud shindig where, you too, can let it all hang out.
4) Homer Reading Encyclopedia On Marketing: You don’t need to be a genius to come up with some of the most Remarkable Marketing Campaigns Ever! Yes, it funny, yes it might even be outrageous; but it works!
Whether you are re-branding or about to lend a new client, remember, you’re in the business of selling yourself first. The truth is most people buy into you, before they ever buy into your product or service. So sell your ideas first. If you sell the why -what you believe in, you are on the right track.
For more inspiring posts visit the WizOf.Biz blog or connect with us on Twitter @wizof_biz. We are here to help.
It’s important to remind ourselves every so often that women and men face very different realities in many areas of life. The workplace is no different. In this week’s tweet Dianne Bevelander reminds us that women in Canada still often feel overworked and underpaid.
Women in corporate Canada still feel overworked, underpaid: survey http://t.co/aSEmx1t4oZ
— Dianne Bevelander (@Dianne_RSM) October 17, 2013
Take a moment to look at the linked article and think about what we can do as employers to value our employees. Employees who feel valued are more likely to be our excellent employees.
More and more startup tech businesses are choosing to set up shop in Toronto, says Toronto Star’s Business reporter Danna Flavelle (Twitter: @DanaFlavelle) in her article entitled Toronto tech: City is fourth best place in the world for a startup. According to a California based research organization, Startup Genome, Toronto is the fourth best ranked city for startups and tech related businesses, while New York City and London taking the lead.
Canadian serial entrepreneur Christian Lassonde is an excellent example of the growing scene in Toronto. He has has recently come back home from the USA, to “bring some of that entrepreneurial spirit back to Toronto.” Christian is currently chief venture adviser at The Next 36 a UofT based initiative that chooses a total of 36 undergraduate students each summer to work on 9 tech and mobile apps companies.
I cannot but agree with Lassonde, when he says “It’s hard to start a business anywhere. There’s no question there’s a higher concentration of venture capitalists in Silicon Valley, but we have quite a few VCs here and it’s certainly not a barrier to starting a company in Toronto.”
We need to foster the entrepreneurial spirit of our city. It’s crucial to our economy, to continue to encourage startups and young entrepreneurs to pursue new business ideas through mentorship and innovation. It is up to us, as a city to persuade others to invest in our future and that of young entrepreneurs who are ready to flourish.
For more information on how WizOf.Biz can help your company or startup move forward contact us directly or find us on Twitter @wizof_biz
TED Talks (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is a beloved ideas sharing conference that is now presented worldwide to a viewership of over one billion. The amazing thing about TED in my opinion, is that the guests who share their insight, truly showcase the cultural,visionary and creative depths of people everywhere. The series, fulfills our collective desire to connect and inspire each other. In short, what a brilliant excuse, for innovators,artists and business and technology experts to come together in order to challenge perspectives and offer infinite possibilities for learning.
Here are five of my picks for best TED business videos that will knock your socks off! Each one of these makes an insightful and compelling argument in support of a more creative and inspired future in business and entrepreneurship.
1) The Puzzle Of Motivation
Professional analyst Dan Pink, takes a close look at the intricacies of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. He brings into question the value and effectiveness of traditional reward systems. Quite simply, based on plenty of scientific evidence,says Pink, the traditional financial incentives of carrots and sticks used to motivate employers do not work.
So why do most businesses today, continue to employ extrinsic motivators of carrots and sticks as a way to incentivize workers? The answer according to Daniel Pink, is, there continues to be a disconnect between “what scientists know and what businesses do.”
2) How Great Leaders Inspire Action
Simon Sinek, talks about what he calls The Golden Circle of why, how and what. Sinek examines the idea that people generally don’t buy into what you do but rather why you do it. If those you hire, believe what you believe, they will work tirelessly towards that purpose.
Simon puts forward Apple Computers, Martin Luther King and The Wright Brothers as examples of a company and people, whose primary focus was on the purpose of their idea not necessarily the value. In other words, people want to know what you believe in, not what you’re selling. Great leaders share their stories about their passion, not their need for increased cash flow. Companies need to learn to communicate from the inside out, to make their message purposeful and inspiring.
3) The Era of Open Innovation
Charles Leadbeater is a U.K. based author who works and has published a series of books in areas of Social Entrepreneurship and innovation. His latest book entitled Innovation In Education: Lessons From Pioneers Around The World, looks at the very real movement towards worldwide efforts in education and innovation.
Anyone across the globe, regardless of their socio-economic background or cultural stature, can, and has embraced innovation and Enterpreneurship as a way of learning and moving towards the future of creative thinking. Innovators are no longer defined as the elite, rather we are beginning to see innovation emerge amongs those living in less than favourable conditions and representing an array of previously untapped communities. Take a look at this TEDTalk video for a complete overview of Charles’ Beater’s presentation.
4) Let’s Raise Kids To Be Entrepreneurs
Cameron Harold, discusses how crucial it is that as a society we focus more on teaching our kids exactly how to be entrepreneurial. While in schools, we do make sure that children learn math, numbers and even basic business skills, Cameron says, but do we really prepare them for what it means to have an entrepreneurial mind? Can they grasp the concept of innovation and creative thought? The faster we can show young kids how to become true Entrepreneurs, the faster, we as a society can become smarter.
5) What to Help Someone? Shut Up and Listen!
Ernesto Sirolli, is an internationally known leader in the area economic development and sustainability. He is also the Founder of the Sirolli Institute,a non profit organization dedicated to teaching business leaders in the community, how to manage and maintain entrepreneurial initiatives.
His TED Talk discusses just how often we in the Western world are compelled to jump in headfirst to “help” others maximize their resources and improve potential for Entrepreneurship.
The problem with this approach, is we do not stop to listen to the specific needs and ideas of communities. Instead we impose our own perspectives and completely ignore the entrepreneurial spirit of others. It is time for us to “Shut up and listen!” says Sirolli, after all, “we can not be successful alone.”
Find out how WizOf.Biz can help you sharpen your entrepreneurial objectives and lead you to fantastic business breakthroughs with practical advice and innovative strategies. We look forward to working with you. If you’re in the mood for more insightful posts, videos and business advice check out our blog or look us up on Twitter @wizof_biz
Never forget the value of social motivation in your marketing! Thanks Martina McGowan!
The Positive Impact of Being Socially Motivated http://t.co/tKlGF14zAl via @SteamFeedcom
— Martina McGowan (@MartinaMcGowan) September 16, 2013
Everyone is going bonkers over Pinterest; a pinboard style photo sharing website, that lets users browse through images based on themes, interests and hobbies. In his recent Telegraph article Attention Marketing, The Real Social Revolution, British journalist James Flint, further discusses a fresh spin on the traditional lead generating technique that this popular social media tool uses to maintain their forty-five million a year in projected revenue and keep the attention of its users. What’s more, Pinterest does not rely on ads for cash flow, nor does it charge for service use. So how exactly do they do it?
1) “Pinterest revenue comes entirely from links placed by users on the site”. says Flint. In other words all users have to do is place a link to a product or service directly onto the site. The minute someone else clicks on that link to buy, Pinterest makes money. Currently there are over ten million people using the site-everyone wins.
2) Unlike in the traditional ad displays, in the case of Pinterest, the leads are chosen by the users themselves and are entirely based on their actions and interests. The idea is that you are now automatically marketing to users who are already interested in what you’re selling; no groundwork necessary, which no doubt, is a brilliant marketing strategy.
Relying on affiliates, for lead generation means online content companies like Amazon and BestBuy have a much more targeted approach, that Flint suggests is about “capturing people’s attention and channeling this attention to the appropriate vendor when it presents itself as a genuine desire to buy.” As a business person, I too, believe that this strategy unlike any other, enables people to make informed decisions about the product or service they are interested in without the added pressure of an unwanted, online ad campaign or third party product pushes. In the case of Pinterest, it offers users a fun, unique and interructive way to choose their content, which implies a hands off approach when it comes to making a purchase; which is all that people ever want when making a choice.
We invite you to browse through our blog for more informative posts like this one. If you want to find out, how WizOf.Biz can help your business make the right choice with professional feedback and advice, visit our website at: wizof.biz You can also connect with us on Twitter and Facebook.