Reality Bites

I guess I just don't get it. I love independent music and have high regard for independent musicians but I can't stand American Idol. It's painful. Paula has to be drunk but is in denial about it. Simon is rude and socially unacceptable…albeit accurate most of the time and Randy, well, he just wants to fit in.

The songs they select are dated and lately all sound like a commercial for Michael Jackson…remember him? The contestants are as rough as they can be. Is this some weird attempt to show a before and after photo of how Idol can make barely talented common folk rock stars?

Host Brian is surprisingly, normal this year. He tends to comfort the verbally and emotionally whipped wannabe stars and asks nearly closed-ended and simple questions after each performance. This reality bites.

Widgets are everywhere

Yup, another technology bandwagon...

These powerful mini applications are fast-tracking a new way to advertise, connect and transact business. Watch out for a cool, newly evolved approach to help embarka race to become the leader in the new music business. So, here's our version...I can't wait for this baby to be up.

Here's the plan: Everybody wins... Got it!

Morphing can be a great thing

Great ideas never ever become great companies because the founders stayed the course. Good ideas become great ideas because great entrepreneurs and their advisor's continue to modify and evolve the idea from original concept from polished great idea to launched company.

Case study:
SnapX, a code name for an idea that has morphed so many times the only thing left is 50% of the original name. But, that's a good thing. The founder's original vision was a good idea not a big/great idea. Over a year has gone by and only one of the original three founders remains. And, only about 10% of the original idea remains too. New founders, bigger idea, better team, better timing and now it may just be a great big idea than can be financed.

Being a patient technology start-up is an oxymoron. But the reality is, in most cases, the amount of time it takes to bring an idea to market is exactly the right amount of time. Rush it and it will likely be the wrong idea, managed by the wrong team and launched at the wrong time. Ideas, like cake, need time to bake. The team must take the time to vet the concept, conduct research, take surveys, write the concept paper...again and again. Change the revenue model...again, and again. Add excited advisors...then remove them for lack of enthusiasm. Hire an attorney and a fund raiser, then fire them both. Change the name, the logo, the color, buy then sell office furniture and write the business plan...again and again and again...

Long before an idea is ready to present to the world, it must twist, change, bleed and morph into something great; otherwise it's just a good idea. The world doesn't need another good idea.

Focus and execute

Whatever happened to being able to focus and execute? Being focused requires one to not multi-task. Focusing means putting what you are working on at the center of your attention. Once you have focused on this one thing…then execute. Simple?

No. Life doesn’t work that way. Not today. Not with Blackberries and Apples. Not with cell phones and PDAs. Not with laptops and email. Not at our pace and not in this century.

Are we fundamentally better off now than we were 20 years ago? I wonder. Technology is shaping our lives and I wonder if I really like where we’re headed. Yes, I do have more freedom and flextime…to work longer hours. I sometimes feel captured by the attention my gadgets require. I can’t hide. But, I don’t have to be in the office either. Good trade off?

So, I did an experiment. After catching myself talking on the cell phone and sending an email with my Blackberry…while driving from Reno to San Francisco, I said this has to stop. I canceled my T-Mobile service and my Blackberry. I did miss it. But, my business hasn’t evaporated and I did survive, and not just a potential car crash!

I think we should pace ourselves a bit more, leave the cell phone and Blackberry in the car once in a while, and try to focus and execute a little more too.

Greedy Bastards

Exxon! Unbelievable! Sickening! Greedy! Bastards! Incredible! Amazing! Did I say greedy!

Thirty-nine billion dollars and change is what Exxon make in 2006. That's $39,000,000,000. Of course it's a record...beat 2005 handily. Something has to change and I am not talking about saving a few cents per gallon. I'll gladly give that up if we can focus on the ball. The big blue ball called Earth! When is congress going to go to work? I've totally given up on Bush, so has the 70% of American and 99% of the world. But, really, we have to leave something for the kids don't we?

We have debt and we have global warming to leave them. I could go on but it's depressing.

Focus people! Global warming is not a concept it's a fact and we are screwing up the environment. We need some help here with our elected officials. What is about Washington D.C.? As soon as our freshmen congressmen and women take office they forget who they represent. I thought we were in charge here.

Going green is intelligent, mandatory and critical to our survival. The environment better be a big part of the forthcoming campaign in 2008. If any candidate accepts money from Exxon, s/he will lose my vote. Greedy Bastards!

Please take a few minutes and write your representative.

Just click here...hey, it could work!: Please protect the environment.