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June 21, 2007

Al Gore's $100 Million Makeover

When you pick up the next issue of Fast Company magazine, Al Gore will be serenely looking back at you. We were fortunate to have Good Morning America do a quick mention of the story -- check it out here. (The video screen for the segment is to the right.) The story will be available in its entirety early next week on FastCompany.com.

As all the cash register sound-effects clearly indicate, Mr. Gore has generated a significant amount of personal wealth since he left office; this in itself is not entirely unusual for someone who enters the private sector after a lifetime of public service. Money has long been a tonic for former politicians who leave, or are invited to leave, their jobs -- think symbolic board posts, memoirs, corporate keynote speeches, a lifetime of hefty honoraria. And, after his dramatic 2000 nonelection, Gore might have limped along to just that sort of life. Significant wealth alone does not a Fast Company cover subject make, however.

In what may be one of the greatest brand makeovers in history, Gore has become an international darling, hailed as a visionary on everything from climate change to Iraq. He's an Academy Award winner, a best-selling author, a front-runner for the Nobel Prize, and a concert promoter who turned out to be a bigger rock star at this year's Grammys than the rock stars themselves.

But what no one is talking about is that Gore has also become a stunningly successful businessman and entrepreneur, using the Petri dish of business to explore his deeply felt ideas about how the world works, doesn't work, and could work better. (In addition to being associated with two of the most successful technology companies in history, Google and Apple, he has also co-founded a cable network and an asset management company, both boasting radically new, and profitable, business models. They are becoming quiet forces in their respective fields.) And this, in many ways, has fueled his extraordinary comeback.

If I believed in the concept of a “natural”, I'd say Al Gore is about the most natural entrepreneur I'd ever met. Instead, we make the case -- with his help -- that a lifetime in government actually prepared him to take full advantage of the possibilities that exist, at least in theory, in the private sector. But he brings a tremendous ability to the table -- some of the very same stuff that tripped him up as a candidate. (If you've seen An Inconvenient Truth, you know he can handle, and prefers, complex data. Tough to get a soundbite out of him. Especially if he doesn't want to give one.) He's also a person of immeasureable charm and persuasiveness; he can work a room and a Rolodex like few others. He's deeply introspective. He's got the guts to invest his own money; he's hands on, yet trusts his partners and team members. (He credits them with much of his success. In every meaningful way, this is their story, too.)

For nearly two months, I've watched crowds filled with people of every size, shape, color and perspective clamor to get a chance to greet the Veep. Just to touch him. He was the star attraction at the Tribeca Film Festival's opening gala; he conversed effortlessly with programmers at an Adobe conference -- he'd circled the globe presenting his slideshow and attending meetings at least twice in the time it took me to write the piece. The "robo-candidate" of Y2K is gone -- he appears relaxed, happy in his own skin, passionately engaged in issues he gets to choose, with an agenda he gets to set. As a result, he's reenergized both his fans and his detractors -- nobody is neutral on the subject of Gore -- to powerfully emotional debates on everything from the issues of the day to his weight. And, he is the subject of endless political speculation. Will he? Won't he? (We give our own best guess in the story.)

It comes a surprise to everyone except the people who know him and work with him, that Gore has turned out to be such an extraordinarily nimble entrepreneur. And yes, he's made a tremendous amount of money. But this profile -- a business tale hiding in plain sight -- is how he did it.

Stay tuned.

Posted by Ellen McGirt at 2:07 PM | 15 Comments

April 6, 2007

Agents to the All-Stars

It's not uncommon to draw parallels between the worlds of professional sports and business. Business leaders, like athletes, work with coaches. Statistics can make or break an organization.

And now... athletes are making their way into the world of entertainment. It's nothing new that athletes are endorsing products and services. (George Forman, anyone?) And it's no big deal that athletes work with agents.

But it's interesting to note that athletes are beginning to align themselves with the kinds of agents who work with Hollywood superstars and other celebrities. The Creative Artists Agency has built a once-boutique side business -- CAA Sports -- into an entertainment industry heavyweight.

What do you think that means for the world of sports? The world of entertainment? Soon, every athlete might be able to spend it like Beckham.

Posted by Heath Row at 2:42 PM | 2 Comments

March 15, 2007

Buyer, I Hardly Know Her

When this bit of news crossed my transom -- Cisco buying WebEx -- my jaw dropped... and I wasn't sure why.

In recent weeks, Cisco has acquired NeoPath, Five Across -- and therefore, Tribe.net, an also-ran social networking service with untold promise -- and Reactivity. Each deal is important, sure, but the aggregate, the whole is even moreseo.

My jaw had dropped, so I was at a bit of a loss. To make sense, I messaged my Twitter network -- a Dodgeball-like groupmind accessible via Web, IM, and SMS -- the following missive:

Why do I think this is important?

Continue reading "Buyer, I Hardly Know Her"

Posted by Heath Row at 9:37 PM | 3 Comments

March 5, 2007

Patent Offensive

I find patents fascinating. People aggressively pursue patent protection by suing erstwhile competitors for infringement. Other people collect patents like merit badges, becoming often unsung heroes of innovation. And other people help large organizations free up unused and undercapitalized patents in order to foster further innovation.

Admittedly, I find the patent system to be somewhat of a black box. Many patent infringement cases I find dubious. After all, I patented the thing that helps someone do something years ago. Overly vague and general? Perhaps. But in other cases, prior art -- and where someone got their ideas -- can be extremely clear.

So it's fascinating -- and heartening -- that the Patent Office is opening its doors a little bit. A new initiative will enable people around the world to help review patent applications online. Participants will be able to comment on applications, rate the veracity of other commenters, and otherwise contribute to the process.

I don't envy the task of wading through the inane and unhelpful comments, but it sounds like the project is heading in the right direction in terms of identity control, community ratings, and the like. While it's clear that this could help accelerate how fast patents are awarded, it'll be even more interesting to see whether accelerating the rate of patent assignment accelerates innovation in general.

Is a world with more patents a better world?

Posted by Heath Row at 12:17 PM | 17 Comments

February 22, 2007

Mobile Homing Signal

I wouldn't say that I've lost a lot of sleep over it, but it still kind of boggles my mind that Warren Buffett owns a mobile home company. In my mind, stereotypes admitted, mobile homes are all about the downtrodden, tornadoes, the Trailer Park Boys, and perhaps even The Last Starfighter -- not a man who's arguably the world's greatest investor.

The real estate market is in the news quite regularly these days. It's up, it's down, it's bouncing back, it never went away. And this week, Advertising Age takes a look at the state of the mobile home market. (Subscription may be required.)

The industry as a whole is going through some changes, and compared to when Fast Company first covered Buffett's acquisition, unit sales of mobile homes are up 10 percent. More interesting, however, are the stats that litter the AdAge piece. For example: about 20% of households living outside of urban areas live in mobile homes.

Oh, so? I'm not sure what to do with that information, but it's fascinating.

Posted by Heath Row at 2:12 PM | 4 Comments

February 19, 2007

Merging Questions

Fast Company first wrote about the competition between XM and Sirius a couple of years ago, and while rereading the piece might not be a lesson in "I told you so," the companies' recent merger (subscription may be required) might be of interest.

For me, the merger raises several questions. One, does the merger indicate that the very idea of satellite radio has promise -- or that it might be an idea before its time? If there's truly a sizable business opportunity here, might it not be able to support more than one company? Secondly, I'm somewhat confused by broadcasters' plans to challenge the merger. Mightn't another satellite radio company be formed some day? Is a company a trust if there's still the opportunity for other businesses to enter a market?

And thirdly, what's the appeal? I personally have little interest in satellite radio. I'm not an avid radio listener, and part of me still feels like satellite radio is basically Music Choice (the cable television audio music channels) without the lame trivia questions and karaoke-quality visuals. I'm also curious whether the company's attempts to differentiate themselves content-wise is working. Is Howard Stern appeal enough to sign up for the service?

Maybe the market's too small for one company.

Posted by Heath Row at 8:48 PM | 3 Comments

November 29, 2006

YouTube and Revver Join Verizon's VCast

On the heels of yesterday's news that Verizon has bedded YouTube to offer selected YouTube content on its $15 per month VCast video service on mobile phones, reports are surfacing that Verizon has struck a similar exclusive deal with Revver.

The YouTube deal is reportedly for a limited period, which means that if the experiment is successful the other carriers will come courting. The Revver deal is said to be for a period of 12 months.

Revver, unlike YouTube, shares half of the ad revenue generated from users video clips with them. On Revver's site, ads are usually placed at the end of video clips. This won't be the case on Verizon's handsets. Instead, Revver plans to offer uploaders a share in the licensing arrangement, passing on half of the revenue it receives from Verizon.

Though Verizon reports that about 20 million of its customers have phones that could support Vcast, Ovum analyst Roger Entner says only about 10 percent of these phone users have subscribed to VCast. This could all change, of course.

User generated content could be the much needed boost in the arm that mobile video needs to take off. Though the $15 price tag on viewing only a selection of the content, that's available on the Web for free, might not be entirely palatable to consumers.

What do you think, will sites like YouTube and Revver experience as great a success on handsets as on the Web?

Posted by Lynne d Johnson at 6:26 AM | 1 Comment

November 1, 2006

Sewing Gains Popularity and Investors

Sewing machines and patterns are flying off the shelves due to a substantial rise in popularity of the age-old craft of sewing. The hype is attributed to television programs like Project Runway, which have shown a new generation that sewing and fashion design can be a ticket to the red carpet.

In some larger cities like New York and Los Angeles, rent-by-the-hour sewing machine cafes have opened to much acclaim. A cross between an Internet café and a knitting bee, business at such establishments has doubled in the past year. The amount of sewing machines imported to the U.S. has also doubled, prompting U.S. based companies like the McCall and Simplicity Pattern Companies to re-issue vintage reproduction sewing patterns.

This phenomenon isn’t surprising – the tactile art of sewing can be a welcome refuge after hours spent plunking around on a keyboard – but it is a drastic change from the perception of sewing from a few years past. After the flower children of the 1960’s revolted against their gingham-clad June Cleaver moms, the sewing machine was tarred as a domestic albatross around women’s necks. But now that strong, independent and increasingly wealthy women like Martha Stewart are seen wielding a needle and thread, the whole country has been turned back on to the art of homemade garments.

The big question now is how the industry will respond to the increased popularity and sales of sewing machines and supplies. In September, McCalls launched its “Sew Hot, Sew Now” campaign, issuing patterns suitable for beginner construction, aimed at women aged 12 to 25. With pattern companies supplying the directions to produce couture garments, sewing machine manufacturers may be next to support the trend. I can just see it now: pink sewing machines with Hello Kitty bobbins, complete with patterns from Juicy Couture. Fabrics and trims may also become a hot ticket, especially with companies that produce vintage reproduction items.

What do you think? Is this just a fad? Or has sewing come back to stay? And, does a return to the sewing machine mean a return to the popularity of domesticity?

Posted by Kathryn Tuggle at 5:29 PM | 5 Comments

June 26, 2006

The Half Life of Ideas

Today's Wall Street Journal includes an excellent essay by Phred Dvorak (love that name!) about why management trends quickly fade away. (You might need an online sub.) Drawing on the expertise of management consultants and thinkers such as Thomas Davenport, the piece suggests that the biggest culprits may include:

• Consultants offer services in which they lack expertise
• New ideas come and go faster and faster
• People try to apply the same idea to too many dissimilar problems
• New practices and processes don't work for every organization

Which do you think is the real reason? Take the Fast Company poll.

Posted by Heath Row at 2:36 PM | 4 Comments

Developing Diversity

Usually when people working for companies talk about diversity, they do so in terms of hiring and marketing. Cellphone company Helio LLC has an intriguing new approach: developing new products and services for mainstream customers by working with a minority client base.

Even though Korean Americans make up less than 1% of the U.S. population, they tend to be more advanced when it comes to cell phone usage -- and expectations. In fact, when many relocate to America, they find the current state of cell phone tech and service to be a step back from what they're used to.

Helio doesn't just market its products and services to a Korean American customer base (the traditional marketing play), it mobilizes them to develop new products and services that can then be marketed to a more mainstream American clientele. And its making more traditional service providers like T-Mobile worry.

How might you and your organization leverage this approach?

Posted by Heath Row at 2:23 PM | 1 Comment

May 31, 2006

Growth Sports

Back in the day, Blackboard Inc. was one of the faster growing businesses in the DC area. Because "back in the day" can be read as during boom time, a lot of companies in that region's tech sector have come and gone. Blackboard hangs on -- and even continues to thrive.

In the Washington Post today, Steven Pearlstein takes a look at some of the lessons Blackboard learned in the new economy. The piece is worth a read.

Posted by Heath Row at 3:53 PM | Add Comment

May 16, 2006

Starbooks

Not only has Starbucks moved into the music and movie businesses, it will soon step into the world of publishing, as well -- at least in terms of selling books in its shops.

This move makes sense -- much more than Starbucks promotion of the movie "Akeelah and the Bee." You can at least read and listen to music while drinking your grande latte. And if the book recommendations are as on the mark as Starbucks' music selections, it could offer a nice retail uptick for publishers.

Will Howard Schultz become the next Oprah?

Posted by Heath Row at 1:12 PM | 6 Comments

May 3, 2006

Warning: This Could Ruin Your Appetite for Sushi

Maybe I've still got food on the brain following our first Food Issue, but I'm fascinated by a recent story in the Chicago Tribune about Sun Myung Moon's sushi empire. Yes, that Sun Myung Moon. Founder of the controversial Unification Church. Hailed as the messiah by followers. Considered a cult leader by critics.

In the 1970s, Reverend Moon set his sites on creating an elaborate fishing enterprise to fund his church. The now global business does it all, from building the fishing boats to catching, processing, and delivering the fish. True World Foods, a subsidiary of the non-profit Unification Church International, supplies most of the sushi restaurants in the country, about 7,000 restaurants in all.

True World is obviously not the only business straddling religion and commerce. Chick-fil-A, a past winner of our Customer First awards, certainly isn't shy about espousing its Christian values. At the store opening I attended, they were a big draw; some customers even conducted a Bible study session while waiting in line for the doors to open.

But Reverend Moon's dominance of the sushi industry was news to me. And while I haven't given up sushi, it's definitely given me pause. How about you? Does it matter that your spicy tuna roll ultimately supports the Unification Church? Can you separate the cause from the product?

Posted by Chuck Salter at 2:51 PM | 19 Comments

May 1, 2006

Beyond Organic

Anyone who took interest in Fast Company's recent issue on the future of food will surely be fascinated by Michael Pollan's new book, "The Omnivore's Dilemma." Pollan shows that the loosely worded government standards have enabled big food producers to hoodwink consumers by charging a lot more for "organic" food that's hardly different from the industrial variety and probably not much better for you (or for the environment). In contrast, he heralds the virtues of local, small-scale producers who call themselves "beyond organic." Pollan's book is already on the bestseller lists and it's sparking serious discussion--also check out Carol Ness' fine front-page story in yesterday's San Francisco Chronicle.

Posted by Alan Deutschman at 12:16 PM | 1 Comment

April 19, 2006

Too... Many... Management... Theories!

Forgive me if I've brought this online resource up before, but thanks to Businesspundit, I just revisited Value Based Management's online guide to management theories.

Looking at this roundup of management theories blew my mind. It'll at least strain your eyes. And if you need a quick refresher on something like the Deming cycle, the human capital index, or the theory of reasoned action, start here.

It's like an online crib sheet for Business: The Ultimate Resource.

Posted by Heath Row at 3:36 PM | 3 Comments

April 17, 2006

Cost Cutting Gone Wrong

One company I used to work for used to have a pop machine that sold 25-cent sodas. That's right: A quarter. Particularly for the Diet Coke addicts, that was a huge perk -- and a sensible solution; you buy in bulk, you can keep prices closer to cost. One fellow I worked with took ample advantage of the deep discount, even buying multiple cans of soda to take home for the weekend.

Then the company decided to cut that out (not because of his bulk buying) and increased the price to 75 cents. I stopped buying soda at work. Having experienced the loss of a simple but effective perk, I was somewhat amused to read about the Minneapolis Star Tribune's recent decision to no longer provide free copies of the paper to... its staff of reporters and editors.

Wait a minute. You work for a newspaper and can't quickly and easily -- cheaply or freely -- get a copy of your daily product? That'd be like Fast Company deciding that staffers have to buy the magazine we make every month. (Don't get any ideas, folks!)

What are some ways you've experienced cost cutting that didn't impact your productivity? Or take away a small, but simple perk?

Posted by Heath Row at 12:34 PM | 7 Comments

April 10, 2006

Going Global... Accidentally

In today's New York Times, there's a piece in the business section about the surprising international adoption and success of Google's social network service, Orkut.

The story is interesting at two levels. One, Orkut wasn't designed to jump the pond and get picked up with such eagerness in Brazil. I was an active member of the service when the Brazilians first arrived, and I think it's largely a matter of the right early adopters showing up -- and then quickly establishing a large country- and language-oriented usage base. But what can we do in our businesses to encourage such avid response -- without necessarily targeting specific international markets?

Secondly, the articles relatively quick turn to the dark side of social network services -- Brazilian leaders are concerned about people stalking folks through the service, just as American are concerned about services like Facebook.

But, if it's true that the street will find its own use for things (thanks, William Gibson!), it's also true that people will find multiple and extremely focused uses for things. What business applications might Myspace and other social network services not specifically aimed at business users have deep inside that we just haven't picked up on yet?

Posted by Heath Row at 8:43 PM | 1 Comment

March 18, 2006

Raising the Boom

There's a great article in today's New York Times about the reintroduction of iTulips, a F****d Company-like site that shuttered three years ago.

Did it pick up where it left off after the bust -- our own tulip bust? While F****d Company has remained basically the same, iTulips is reportedly taking a different tack this go 'round. So, what did they learn in the new economy?

It's easy to poke fun at irrational exuberance. It's harder to take it seriously and know what to do about it.

Posted by Heath Row at 1:04 PM | Add Comment

January 12, 2006

Cinematic Starbucks!

Not too long ago, Fast Company considered Starbucks' foray into the music industry. So it's only sensible that I'd learn about the company's move into movies (WSJ subscription code required) so soon after our look at the future of the film industry.

Only time will tell while this brand extension makes sense, but I do have to question Starbucks' first-movie advantage. "Akeelah and the Bee"? How many movies and musicals does one world need about the humble spelling bee? Between that and the forthcoming Disney project High School Musical, can I soon expect "The Secret Kindergarten," "Study Hall of Mirrors," and "Milk Ticket to Paradise"?

Posted by Heath Row at 5:45 PM | 1 Comment

January 10, 2006

Doughnuts for Dollars

In a column yesterday in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Nancy Hauge comments on the role junk food can play in team development, project management, and a business's success.

The rapidity with which an enterprise creates value is directly related to how well it stocks the company kitchen. The lower the nutritional value of the food choices, the greater the intellectual property produced.

While Hauge touches on the morale increases brought on by a well-stocked cupboard, there's a larger point about productivity: When there are snacks to be had, people arrive at work later -- and stay later. Food makes people linger longer because there's less impetus to leave in search of sustenance.

What's in your office kitchen?

Posted by Heath Row at 7:36 PM | 8 Comments

December 30, 2005

First Mover Resorts

Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal published an interesting article about company-owned resorts and how organizations such as Kohler, Cuisinart, and Viking are using them as marketing tools -- and auxiliary spin-off businesses. See the article here. (Online subscription required.)

It's an interesting idea: Vacation property as showcase for a business's products and services. Certainly, not every company has a natural hospitality sideline opportunity, but how else might this be pursued? The concept reminds me of Chip Conley's Joie de Vivre properties, which are inspired by magazines.

Posted by Heath Row at 1:14 PM | 3 Comments

December 5, 2005

Ten Steps to Turn Around Wal-Mart, Part 2

[Editor’s note: This column was published in two parts. Click here for Adam Hanft's first five suggestions for Wal-Mart.]

6. Expand your vendor base. It’s no secret that it can be excruciatingly difficult for small and mid-size companies to do business with you, because you require all sorts of sophisticated enterprise software and other technology solutions. (The joke is that only elephants can sleep with elephants). That’s an essential part of your business model; by getting the giants like P&G and Coca-Cola to connect their systems to yours, you monitor sales trends, assure faster delivery, reduce inventory, and manage your other marvels of efficiency.

Continue reading "Ten Steps to Turn Around Wal-Mart, Part 2"

Posted by Adam Hanft at 1:49 PM | 3 Comments

December 2, 2005

Visionary Revisionism

It's long been held that one of the reasons why Silicon Valley-based companies have been so innovative is the free flow of talent in the area. But one of the major works supporting such thinking, Annalee Saxenian's book Regional Advantage, was relatively light in quantitative analysis.

In a column yesterday by Virginia Postrel, it is suggested that even though Saxenian's book wasn't overly data driven, its contention is indeed true. A new study done by two Fed economists finds that people working in Silicon Valley do indeed change jobs more frequently than workers in other areas.

What's even more interesting is that it might not just be the tendency toward migration that increases innovation -- in the 19th century, California passed a law that made noncompete agreements unenforceable. So it's not where you go that matters: It's whether you're able to use what you know.

Posted by Heath Row at 5:09 PM | Add Comment

Ten Steps to Turn Around Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart has succeeded as a highly-evolved culture of the tangible by creating a dazzlingly efficient logistics operation, shaving cent-splinters off an item, and driving down overhead. This is the whole relentless apparatus that brings us "everyday low prices" and it is made up entirely of business practices you can touch, feel, and measure. And no one is better at it than they are.

But when it comes to the culture of the intangible -- an increasingly crucial aspect in today's marketplace of corporate self-presentation and perception -- Wal-Mart's skills are unrefined, to say the least. Its history has been both cynical and tone-deaf, and its present behavior is in many ways even worse. For years, Wal-Mart's management ignored legitimate complaints, ranging from criticism about the company's lack of employee health-care benefits to labor conditions in its captive offshore factories to the very real social cost resulting from the demolishing of traditional Main Street business centers and the pandemic death of mom-and-pop retailers.

Continue reading "Ten Steps to Turn Around Wal-Mart"

Posted by Adam Hanft at 1:24 PM | 22 Comments

November 30, 2005

Real Estate and the Retail Magnet

Fast Company recently recognized Cabela's with a Customers First Award. In today's New York Times, Kate Murphy takes a slightly different look at the company's business model -- particularly its approach to real estate acquisition.

Not only does Cabela's actively seek tax incentives and the like, it often restricts what other businesses can locate near their properties -- and even buys adjacent land so they can control its management and development. It's an interesting read.

Posted by Heath Row at 3:46 PM | 3 Comments

November 28, 2005

How to Business-Blog

Blogs can be treacherous terrain for companies that leap into the blogosphere willy-nilly. An article in the latest Harvard Business Review has some tips for getting it right:

• Take a lead in the conversation
• Have a distinct focus and goal
• Feature an authentic voice
• Be open to comment.

Several companies have already managed to blog fairly successfully, such as Sun Microsystems and General Electric. What corporate blogs have you seen that get it right -- or those that are still figuring it out?

Posted by Laura Rich at 12:55 PM | 6 Comments

November 22, 2005

No Longer under the Radar

Forget Peyton Manning's 365 yards and three TDs for the undefeated Colts last week. Forget Reggie Bush's 500-plus yards against Fresno State. The top performer of the week was Under Armour, the sports apparel company we profiled back in August. On Friday, the company held its IPO and scored big. It was the first U.S. IPO to double on opening day in five years.

When we visited the Baltimore-based company, Kevin Plank, its 33-year-old founder and president, was wrestling with how to manage the company's tremendous growth (retail sales have increased five-fold in four years). The former college football player had taken a niche product, a sweat-wicking gridiron undershirt, and helped build a hot new category called performance apparel. As Nike, Adidas and practically every other sporting goods company introduced their own performance gear, Under Armour moved fast, branching out with products aimed at new sports and new markets, women in particular.

Under Armour plans to use some of the cash generated by its IPO to introduce cleats. It's another aggressive move, a direct challenge to the footwear giants. Should be a great match-up. We'll be watching.

Posted by Chuck Salter at 2:01 PM | Add Comment

November 16, 2005

Apple: Demand-Driven, or Diva

The chief executive of record label EMI suggested today that Apple may raise its prices on iTunes. This news follows lots and lots of other announcements involving Apple, from the glamorous (deal with Disney to sell downloads of popular ABC show episodes) to the triumphant (Apple shares hit all-time high).

No one at Apple is saying anything yet -- maybe part of some big open-secret campaign of which they're so fond -- but, anyway, what of it Should Apple raise prices, would that be simply a natural response to market demand, or is it more of a diva-ish turn, dictating the way the market will go

Posted by Laura Rich at 4:21 PM | 14 Comments

October 7, 2005

Building a Better Business

FC Now reader Kate emailed us today about an awesome project she's involved in. Alane By Day is a blog -- and business development experiment -- in which Transformist (Kate's firm) and a team of experts help a woman build a dynamic architecture business in 10 weeks.

There's quite a bit to catch up on, as they're already on day 11 of 82 -- 13% of the project! -- but entries to date appear quite in depth and insightful. Content comprises commentary by the architect Alane Ebner herself, interviews with the design panel of experts, and reports on meetings and discussions among the participants.

It's like reality TV, only better. A business blog to watch!

Posted by Heath Row at 1:23 PM | 1 Comment

September 16, 2005

An 800-Pound Partnership

AOL and Microsoft are discussing a possible joint venture online. Possible options include merging MSN with AOL, combining advertising sales forces, and making the separate IM services interoperable. Other options loom large in the imagination.

More than 10 years ago, AOL rebuffed a buy offer from Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen, while AOL's Netscape was instrumental in inspiring the antitrust action taken against Microsoft just earlier this decade. So why is Microsoft interested in AOL now? Perhaps because... it's not flying as high as it once was? Is this Google fear, manifested?

Regardless of the companies' motivations, the partnership raises several intriguing issues. Many of us know how challenging it can be to work with an 800-pound partner -- one everyone wants to align with, which doesn't really need to work with you, and ends up driving the deal. What happens when both partners are corporate behemoths and used to having their own way? What needs to happen for this to work well?

Posted by Heath Row at 11:12 AM | 5 Comments

July 21, 2005

Delivering the Profits

I've been thinking about Heath's previous blog entry about MaxDelivery. It's tough reviving a business concept that has already failed and failed spectacularly. But former Kozmo.com employee Chris Siragusa has resuscitated the one-hour internet delivery model. His new company MaxDelivery offers one hour delivery below 24th street in Manhattan.

It's an idea we can all get behind -- getting groceries and non-food items delivered all within an hour. Diapers, ice cream and now even DVDs can be delivered by a bicycle messenger. We don't even have to leave our front doors. Reviving an idea with all the hindsight that the dot com era has brought us reduces some of the perils associated with starting a business. But I wonder if it doesn't cause some shortsightedness too.

Manhattan has a deli or bodega on every corner and many of them carry more than just food. Why not just run down to the corner and get something you really need and not wait the whole hour? There are already several successful delivery businesses like Freshdirect.com and Bestyetdirect.com that offer next day delivery so why are we so enthralled by the idea of getting non-food items in an hour? Large companies like Barnes and Noble have tried same day delivery service in Manhattan with success. But they have limited that service to the city because its just too costly. Surviving the pitfalls this time around means offering more than just swift service.

Posted by Kerry-Ann Austin at 1:01 PM | 1 Comment

July 12, 2005

Kozmo Comeback

Remember Kozmo? New York-based MaxDelivery seems to be reviving that failed dotcom business model. Oddly enough, they don't deliver to where I live... or where I work. They don't deliver to midtown Manhattan?

What do you think: Does the old Kozmo model still have promise?

Posted by Heath Row at 6:04 PM | 2 Comments

Mergers and Trepidation?

Fancy this: Six months following Zwilling J.A. Henckels' acquisition of Tweezerman's, no employees have been laid off, no work has been outsourced, and no facilities have been moved. Among the keys: decentralized leadership combined with shared services.

[Thanks, Jeanie!]

Posted by Heath Row at 5:57 PM | Add Comment

June 29, 2005

Open for Business

The Open Business Guide is a Creative Commons project supported by George Soros' Open Society Institute that aims to collect a wide range of case studies and business strategies. The organizers hope to "share, mix and facilitate the spread of innovative business ideas" in a wiki-like setting.

One example already populating the business strategy section is the idea of making the original cheaper than a copy. As this resource is used by more innovative leaders around the world, I'm sure it'll become quite the useful tool.

[Thanks, Peter!]

Posted by Heath Row at 5:31 PM | 2 Comments

June 27, 2005

Mission Eyrie

Last month, Keith Hammonds shared some insight on a recent Fast Company mission statement revision session. The work built on earlier thinking from a couple of years ago, and with the recent news, we can continue to reinvent and refine the magazine.

Yesterday, FC Now reader "JLP" turned us onto his blog-based collection of mission statements. Man on a Mission compiles mission statements from organizations such as Albertson's, Barnes & Noble, Dow Chemical, and P&G. It's an interesting assemblage of what may be best-practice mission statements, and as the collection grows, it'll be even more intriguing.

What are the best mission statements you've ever encountered?

Posted by Heath Row at 12:02 PM | 1 Comment

June 24, 2005

Keeping Customers, Creatively

Concerned about losing your customers? Maybe you need to find a new way to work with people and teams who've grown beyond your existing products and services. Ebay has done just that.

Rather than lose experience, high-volume vendors to their own online storefronts -- fancy that -- Ebay has found a way to keep working with vendors, even as they go independent. The plan? Ebay will provide a suite of online commerce tools and charge users between $6.95 and $249.95 a month depending on the depth of the tool set.

It's important to keep working with former employees. How do you keep working with former customers?

Posted by Heath Row at 12:42 PM | 1 Comment

June 14, 2005

Fast Company's Future

It's a strange wait-and-see game at the magazine these days. While we're busy writing, editing, and designing the pages of our next issue (which will be a blockbuster), we're also anxiously awaiting word about our new owner.

A second round of bids from at least five finalists, according to media reports, are now due tomorrow afternoon. The earliest outcome of this auction is now Thursday morning, though it could be even later. The wait has been excruciating. Who buys both Fast Company and Inc. from G&J USA, which is exiting the U.S. magazine business, will largely determine the fate of both magazines.

Some bidders clearly have little, if any, interest in Fast Company. So the staff is quietly and obviously rooting for an acquirer who believes in what we do and wants to support us. The most difficult part of this process is working through the uncertainty with focus and purpose. Luckily, we love what we do here. We take great pride in bringing you a magazine that is unique and different. And we do it as a team and as a community. We're friends as much as we're colleagues.

That's probably why it's also so worrisome. We cherish this little community of ours. Many of my staffers believe they've never worked in as supportive an editorial environment with as many people they genuinely liked. It's hard to even imagine or accept the loss of something that special. So stay tuned. We'll try to keep all our fans informed of the decision as soon as possible. And we're hopeful that we'll land in the hands of an owner who knows our true value and believes in our mission to serve our readers.

Best,
John A. Byrne
Editor-in-Chief
Fast Company

Posted by Editor in Chief at 6:23 PM | 27 Comments