Pioneer Nation 2014- Day One

IMG_5658Chris Guillebeau and team curate the best conferences I attend each year (Pioneer Nation and World Domination Summit).  Memorable speakers, unexpected welcoming events (concert and picnic at the Portland Zoo after-hours), and unique name badges and goodies are hallmarks of these conferences.  Chris promises an event with impact and he delivers many surprises.  Here are a few moments from day one that resonated with my journey to empower those that inspire.

Chris Brogan

  • You are depriving the universe by waiting for permission.  Permission has already been granted for you to act.
  • Technology is just an ingredient in your enterprise.
  • Mindset of a business owner: 1. Envision goals big and small 2. Commit 3. Act and be willing to fail 4. Communicate- share everything constantly 5. Connect- do not tell people you are valuable, let them experience the value 5. Serve- being of service to others is a hallmark of success.

Nathan Barry

  • People become experts because they take time to teach, you do not need to be an expert to teach.
  • Offering multiple tiers of pricing generates greater revenue.  In Nathan’s experience the highest percentage of revenue comes from the deluxe package but the greatest number of people purchase the basic level.
  • Great stories matter.  People find an entry point with your story before investing in your products.
  • Be willing to re-launch if your initial attempt failed.  Customers do not always remember a failed initial offering.
  • People who sign-up to join your community with their email address are essentially offering a payment of their time and attention.
  • Questions to consider: 1. Who is your target market? 2. What is their painful problem? 3. Are you a member of their tribe? 4. What can you teach the tribe?

Jen Adrion and Omar Noory

  • Say ‘yes’ whenever possible.  Figure out the details after you have committed.
  • Make things, Share things, Make profit.
  • Connect with people outside your community to avoid the echo chamber.
  • Collaboration is critical for expansion and scale.

Jonathan Mead

  • Traits of a successful launch: 1. Courageous 2. Observant 3. Curious 4. Tenacious.
  • The 5 launch commandments:
    • Must build excitement and suspense
    • Must know where you are going and demonstrate it to others
    • Must tell a story that other people want to be a part of
    • Provide quick wins and demonstrate your skills
    • Must make a compelling offer and create stakes
  • Build buzz by working with affiliates, help them promote on your behalf, and collaborate with partners.
  • Launchanythingkit.com

Shenee Howard

  • Do the things you know how to do first.
  • If you do not enjoy the project then kill it or you will resent/regret it later.
  • Talk to 100 people who you intend on serving.  The input provided from these interviews provides tremendous insights.
  • Create things that you want to see.

Laura Roeder

  • There is a huge market of people who are looking to be a part-time/hourly part of a meaningful project.
  • Add time to your 24-hour clock by hiring other people to lend you some of their time.
  • When considering how to scale determine the profitability of the team.
  • Business leaders will spend money to learn but resist to spending on action- fear of movement.
  • Use launches and promotions as an opportunity to build a cash balance to fund initiatives.
  • Have a vision for what is next.

 

 

Power of Previews

Cyclosportives are organized group bicycle rides over a set course.  Although not a true race, many of these events are timed and certificates are awarded for those who reach specific time goals.  Some are small and reasonable in distance while others are grand in number of participants, distance, and varied terrain.  I rode the Nove Colli in Italy last summer which included 14,000 riders who rode up to 205 kilometers.  Getting across the start line took over one-hour and  I never rode alone during nearly seven-hours.  In response to the large interest for these events, companies send out a rider and a video crew to pre-ride the route months in advance and then sell DVD’s to participants who wish to see every detail of the route.  Potential participants can ride their stationary bikes in the winter months while watching the preview of the course play out on a screen in front of them.  I am struck by how dominant our visual senses are when we encounter new terrain.  Riders have free access to course maps, elevation profiles, testimonials, reviews from other riders who participated in previous versions of the event, but the videos are the second most valuable pre-race information piece short of a personal reconnaissance of the course.  This niche market speaks to the value of visual platforms supported by YouTube, Instagram or Pinterest.

How do we manage the visual clues first-timers to our enterprise encounter?  Do we help them feel confident and competent?  Is there a visual to orient them and provide a favorable launch pad for interactions?  Well developed and intentional visual clues can immediately establish trust and a connection.

First Impressions

IMG_9355Have you made connecting with your organization a dynamic and memorable part of your organization?  Often we find uninspired first impression because an organization has focused all its resources on their key feature.  Many car show rooms reflects this approach.  If we hide then many potential fans are going to get lost or frustrated on their way to find us.  Upon reaching the historic Dutch craft village of Zaanse Schans outside Amsterdam, a device resembling a slot machine greeted us.  The kids were so impressed that they each took a turn pulling the large lever and took the map that appeared in the slot.  If the maps had been left out on a shelf under a rock to hold them in place the kids would have shown no interest.  Their first interaction at the village was unique which set a different expectation for the entire experience.

Visible

IMG_9325

Vision statements have multiplied in front of me this week.  Authentic vision statements are challenging to craft.  We want to tell people exactly where we are going and dispense with aspirations since details feel actionable.  A vision should tell us which remarkable journey is worthy of loading on supplies and raising the sails.  A vision is does not need a confirmed itinerary and we can point with a finger to a general direction on the map for which we intend to set course.  A vision gives us an emotional assessment if boarding your ship to join the adventure is significantly compelling.  We can sort out the details later.

A Better Bag

Screen Shot 2014-03-24 at 6.12.35 PMI have never had the opportunity to shop at an Ikea store but I am aware that they make a great bag.  Wandering the streets of European cities the bags are clearly treasured for their functionality.  I have spotted them strapped to bicycles in Amsterdam, placed in the rear window of Smart Cars in Paris, over shoulders in the Gothic district of Barcelona, and at a construction site in Florence.  I cannot speak to the quality of Ikea’s furniture or famous meatballs but I am confident they make a remarkable bag.  Sometimes we create something simple that transforms everyday life.

The Benefit of Sharing

Amsterdam LibraryA whole bunch of books is not remarkable in itself.  However, when the collection represents the lifetime assemblage of art history texts, as is pictured above from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, it serves as a beacon for those who share a passion for the arts.  There is a fine line between hording and assembling.  Hording is for our own benefit, cataloging is for the benefit of others.

Danger is Different than Fear

Chris Hadfield’s TedTalk captures the value of pushing through our fears in order to see our world differently.  A question he challenges for all of us is what have we withheld from ourselves in deference to our fears?  Would you be willing to experience space despite the eye-opening risk?  How would a moment in space forever change your perspective?  What does ‘roaring silently’ sound like?  What does a sunrise or sunset every 45-mintues look like?  What is on the other side of your fears?

Breakaway

A breakaway is a powerful tool.  Going off the front and inspiring others to increase their pace leads to better results.  Racing in the middle of the pack is not courageous.  Launching off the front does not always succeed and sometimes it results in finishing behind the pack because your energy reserves are exhausted.  Being out front offers a different view, a new perspective, a chance to put your strengths to work, and be vulnerable.  Leading can be scary but the stories you will generate will be endless.  The pack is safe but also dusty, uninspired, and the story created is a duplication of everyone else who stayed with the masses.

Transactional Philanthropy

A transaction is not a philanthropic action.  Social sector causes mistake membership renewals, silent auction bids, purchasing tables at a gala, or sponsorships of programs as philanthropic.  If goods and services are exchanged in consideration for a ‘donation’ then define the interaction as transactional.  However, if somebody wants to support your vision by providing fuel (money, resources, talent, networks) for your journey in exchange for the stories you share and the dent you plan to make in the community, then that interaction is philanthropic.  Twisting arms, offering benefits, hyping features are transactions.  Nothing wrong with this tactic but defining them as acts of philanthropy is inconsistent.  Most corporations no longer practice philanthropy, their transactions with social sector enterprises are approved by the marketing department who is thinking of the corporation’s positioning as well as the the nonprofit’s success.   Transactions can be a powerful tool but the motivation of the contributors are different from the true philanthropist.  Consider the following question, who takes your calls when you offer only the stories that come from the pursuit of our organization’s vision?  Those are your philanthropist.

Internal Inquiry
Thanks reddit

A culture of inquiry is essential for growth.  If we remain within the same group, surrounded by similar surroundings, rehashing the same conversations we tend to replay the greatest hits.  However, if we are willing to stretch ourselves and connect with others the opportunity to innovate and expand is probable.  If we wonder why we cannot think of any new ideas, then perhaps we are plugged into our own power source.