"I haven't failed; I've found 10,000 ways that don't work"

The above quote is attributable to Thomas Alva Edison. Edison is probably the most famous American inventor who, singly or jointly, held a world record 1.093 patents.

Many of us launch business ideas with a single vision - “I am going to take this product to this market. . .”

Somewhere along the line we run smack dab into reality, and then our entrepreneurial spirits are tested. Some folks succeed by sheer will. They never stray the course, and ultimately they persevere. Somehow, the moon and the stars align, perhaps they had more insight than the rest of us, and they are an overnight success after several years.

The rest of us are left looking at a business plan that’s not working. Some will give up. Others will try again and again and again. This is when the real entrepreneur gets to work.

Because the business environment is filled with uncertainties - entrepreneurs must learn to stop fighting change and retool their talents and/or businesses to meet the needs of the market. A great example in adaptability is Cisco Systems, Inc. Founded in 1984, a good ten years before any of us even new what the Internet was, the company has become the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. The legend has it that the founders of Cisco were turned down by 76 venture capitalist before someone embraced their idea of network router.

I am guessing somewhere around the 54th rejection or so, they had to be thinking about throwing in the towel. I have had the same thought many times under less strenuous circumstances. But somehow we find the muster to carry on. In my last business, my partner and I often joked at how good we were going to be at our next jobs because of all of the mistakes we had made.

If at first you don't succeed – retool, reposition, regroup and try again.

Move over guys, let the lady through . . .

I am a guy. I shop like a guy. I buy new pants only when the ones I am wearing have holes or contain more coffee stains that an apron at Starbuck's. Women, well that's a different story. They shop, they browse, they compare . . .

In most families, women are more likely to do the grocery shopping, shop for the kids and even buy hubby's outfit. Now, if she could only get him to throw out that flannel shirt with the arms cut off.

If you are selling to consumers, it is important to remember that -

Women...

• Control $3.3 trillion in annual consumer spending.
• Make 62% of all car purchases.
• Take more than 50% of all business trips.
• Control more than 50% of America's personal wealth.
• Are more likely to shop over the internet than men.
• About 29% of women said they had bought clothes online - that was twice the number of men.
• Among the 1,000 participants surveyed - 91 per cent of women said they did most of the shopping, while 75 per cent of men agreed that their spouses or significant were the ones who shopped.

Sources: BUSINESSWEEK, BBC News, CanadaOne

Be warned - there is no escaping the BLOG

Ok, so I just had a bad B-movie moment - think the BLOB - "The Blob" is about a huge gunk of alien matter that attacks a small town and destroys everything in its way. Many folks in traditional media are starting to view the blog in a similar vain.

According to a FORTUNE article - "Freewheeling bloggers can boost your product—or destroy it. Either way, they've become a force business can't afford to ignore."

As with any new medium, the boundaries of blogging are being tested. Employers are firing bloggers for writing about their companies and such, rather than learning how to utilize this potentially powerful tool.

While Corporate America scratches its head, savvy marketers are running with the ball. The blog—short for weblog—can indeed be, as Scoble and Gates say, fabulous for relationships. But it can also be much more: a company's worst PR nightmare, its best chance to talk with new and old customers, an ideal way to send out information, and the hardest way to control it. Blogs are challenging the media and changing how people in advertising, marketing, and public relations do their jobs.

Smart companies like Microsoft are working to figure out how to work with the blogging world. But many others companies are simply ignoring it. I will argue this is the "bury your head in the sand" approach.

While you sit back to wait for the proverbial blog dust to settle - your competitor maybe taking the time to figure it out. As blogs become more mainstream; you will be that much further behind in the learning curve. Don't get me wrong - this isn’t going to be a slam dunk. It's getting pretty crowded out there. According to blog search-engine and measurement firm Technorati, 23,000 new weblogs are created every day—or about one every three seconds. What does that mean to you? As with any other business venture you will need to find a means to differentiate yourself from the pack.

So before you launch blog #23,001 - remember the basics: Who is your customer? What do they want from you? How is this tool going to address that need?

March is National Women's History Month

March is National Women's History Month

In 1980, President Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation calling on the American people to remember the contributions of women. By 1987, fourteen governors had declared March as Women's History Month, and that same year, Congress and the President followed by declaring March as National Women's History Month.

The purpose of women's history is not to idealize women. On the contrary, the stories of women's achievements present a full view of the complexity and contradiction of living a full and purposeful life.

Learning about the extraordinary achievements of women helps diminish the tendency to dismiss and trivialize who women are and what they accomplish. In celebrating women's historic achievements, we present an authentic view of history. The knowledge of women's history provides a more expansive vision of what a woman can do. This perspective can encourage girls and women to think larger and bolder and can give boys and men a fuller understanding of the female experience.

Time is money, honey . . .

The other day, I was working late on a project and my dog came in and dropped his ball in my lap. "Not now, buddy - I'm working,” I said pushing him away. A few moments later he tried again. This time I looked up and saw a wagging tail begging for my attention. Hey, I am not made of stone.

For years, my work schedule prevented me from having a dog. Now that I do, I'm telling him to wait. Wait till when? There will always be projects, customers, demands, etc. Life doesn't wait.

Cherish your time and the time of others – it is not renewable. We've all heard the Pearl Bailey adage, "time is money, honey." How are you spending it?

Remember your staff has lives, family and friends. We all need to pitch in occasionally, and I’m not suggesting you ignore obligations – however, sometime we all need to just go play outside. My business partner and I have been known to slip out on a sunny day to take the dogs to the beach. Could we have used this time to solicit new customers? Develop a new campaign? File that mound of paperwork? Absolutely! But when we look back on this venture, I want to remember the dogs, the customers and the friends – not the filing.

Time away from the office refuels creativity. It allows us to satisfy our personal obligations, rather than dwelling on them at work. It makes for a happier environment. If you are like me, you launched your business because you envisioned a certain lifestyle. Make sure you make the time to enjoy it!