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The Scientific Approach to Building a Successful, Innovative and Sustainable Business – The Lean Startup

By on April 29, 2012 | Category: Article

The Lean Startup, by Eric Ries, is a book that leverages the scientific method to redefine entrepreneurship as the process of developing successful, innovative and sustainable businesses.

I just finished reading a book that will undoubtedly influence decisions that I make for the rest of my life. The book is called, The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses, and was written by Eric Ries.

Background

Here is what I have learned about Eric Ries:

  • He graduated from Yale in 2001
  • Ries was the CTO and co-founder of IMVU, a successful startup based on the framework outlined in the book
  • He has received numerous awards and accolades from various business and tech publications
  • In 2010, Ries was selected by Harvard Business School as an Entrepreneur in Residence
  • He is equally well-versed in both the technology and business aspects of leading a successful startup

After being a part of a startup that failed in the infamous dot com boom/crash, Ries went on to achieve great success by applying the scientific method to the art and practice of entrepreneurship. Over the last several years, he has become the leader of the Lean Startup movement that has taken both new and existing businesses, inside and outside of the tech world, to sustainable models of growth. After years of speaking, training, consulting and blogging about these proven strategies, Ries published a book on the subject in September 2011.

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Do small firms need consulting to grow?

By on March 2, 2012 | Category: Article

Small businesses are often lacking in certain business functions that can be outsourced to consultants – provided the pride of small business leaders can be overcome.

This is a question I have been wrestling with internally for a while. Over the past 20 years, I have worked primarily with small/solo professional service firms. As anyone who has worked for a small business can attest, everyone usually wears a lot of different hats at a small firm. That means, quite often, that certain key business functions necessary for sustainable growth are somewhat lacking.

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The BLHill Report – More than just a newsletter

By on February 21, 2012 | Category: Article

The BLHill Report offers insight, tips and techniques to help you achieve More From Less in your business.

Some time ago, I set up a newsletter to automatically inform subscribers of new posts on this blog. But I haven’t been happy about the impersonal nature of the emails, so I spent some time this weekend trying to improve that situation.

The result: The BLHill Report.

From now on, I’ll be personally writing each email sent out by the newsletter. Archives of those emails will be stored on the website. But that’s not all. The BLHill Report will also serve as a repository for cataloguing all of the various links that I share via Twitter. (Since some of you out there aren’t using Twitter, you miss out on a lot of great content that other people are creating.)

Over time there will be even more features coming to the site, including case studies, white papers, etc. – all in an effort to offer something of tangible value.

If you subscribed yet, I encourage you to do so. After all, it’s free!

To sign up, visit The BLHill Report and click on the subscribe button.


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Things to do in 2012 – personal branding, business development, technology

By on January 16, 2012 | Category: Article

Here are some of the things to keep on the radar as we move forward through 2012:

  1. Update your website! If you haven’t touched your website this decade, you are (perhaps unintentionally) communicating to visitors to your site, that you don’t care.
  2. Start a blog! If you haven’t started a blog yet, this could really help you with the first item. Its 2012, folks – blogging is an important part of a cohesive marketing and personal branding strategy.
  3. The Social Network Not the movie, we are talking about real life. Social networking sites are just a different means of communication. In your personal life, you have the right to dictate how you communicate with your friends, family and acquaintances. In your professional life, you need to use communicate with others on their terms.
  4. Google+ Related to the previous item, Google+ is definitely a game-changer, but it isn’t just another social network. While Google still has some issues to resolve, there is no question that the service will affect search engine rankings. Get started now with this book by Chris Brogan – Google+ for Business: How Google’s Social Network Changes Everything
  5. Video The cost of entry is surprisingly low, but the impact has enormous potential. I invested in some equipment, and will be jumping in as well. Why is video an important part of personal branding and business development strategy? Because the majority of human communication is nonverbal. Your personal brand, which drives your professional success, is dependent upon trust and credibility. Show people who you are, don’t try to tell them.
  6. Technology The iPad, iPhone and similar technologies enable you to engage with others and to address business concerns on your terms. Business is mobile, are you?
  7. TCB: Taking Care of Business Make 2012 the year that you commit to taking care of business like a professional. That means following best practices and making investments of your time into improving your workflows. Just because your firm doesn’t have a full-time CMO (chief marketing officer) or CTO (chief technology officer) or CIO (chief information officer), doesn’t mean that the need isn’t there.

Business development, personal branding and technology are integral to our lives as professionals.

Have questions? Let me know.

Image via stockerre


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The Magic of Business: Imagination

By on January 12, 2012 | Category: Article

Ferdinando Buscema is the “Magic Experience Designer” at Trading Factor. He is a magician and management consultant. (Just let that sink in for a moment, but try not to overthink it…)

As part of TEDxVenezia, Buscema gave a fascinating talk on the interaction between magic and management. Below are some highlights:

Three secrets of magic:

  1. “Reality is not always what it seems to be” – the role of the artist is to shape our perception of reality
  2. “Imagination creates reality”
  3. “Reality is made of words”

In his presentation, Buscema cited IBM’s 2010 Chief Executive Officer Study. 70% of those interviewed said that imagination and intuition are two of the most important skills that modern managers must possess. To be successful in business, as in art or magic, the practitioner must be able to translate noise and chaos into signal and meaning. These skills come through self-cultivation.

via youtube.com


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