Earth Day Message: Businesses Need to do More

April 22, 2009

earth-transparent1April 22, 2009 is Earth Day. This is a day when we all should remind ourselves that innovation is not only about making more money and helping more people, but truly about thinking outside the box and creating newer, forward moving strategies.  Going green and helping the environment in business is a great way to kick off your innovation discussions this year.

To help get you started, here are a few blogs that focus on Green Business practices that should inspire you to change the way you think about the environment.  This will show you that there are a lot of businesses out there that are starting to do the right thing, but so many more have to join them in order to make a difference.

http://www.greenbiz.com/ – GreenBiz is a great resource.  Reading this blog on a daily basis will show you what companies, large and small, are changing to put themselves in a better position to help the environment.  Included are stories on innovative new business practices, “green” jobs, and energy and climate data.

http://www.futureofbusiness.info/ – Future of Business is a blog which features some fantastic videos and interviews with professionals in the green business landscape.  It is a great place to find out what we can look forward to in the area of environmental innovation, and what companies are planning on doing to go green in their business ventures.

http://www.cleantechblog.com/ – The Clean Tech Blog is a good source of information related more specifically to alternative energy and clean technology innovation.  With posts ranging from Government policies to international updates, this blog gives you a good mix of important information when thinking green.

http://got2begreen.com/ – Got 2 Be Green is a very interesting green blog that I was referred to by a friend.  I have been an avid reader for quite some time.  They offer everything from lifestyle advice to charity features to green events that are coming up all around the world.  I recommend that anyone interested in the spread of the environmentally friendly lifestyle check out this site.

And finally, a little self promotion.  I am the main contributor to a legal blog called The Legal Beat over at http://www.lawline.com/blog.  We have put together a series on Going Green for Lawyers, with a focus on a more environmentally friendly legal community.  We offer various tips for lawyers and law firms to implement in their day to day practice of law.

The world is changing, and that means you have to change with it.  Businesses have a moral responsibility to help move us forward as a people.  You can start by helping the environment one day at a time.

Happy Earth Day!

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3 Comments | change, Clean Energy | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Zach Heller

Dear Facebook: Don’t Listen to Us(ers)

March 23, 2009

markzA big deal is currently being made about the recent redesign of Facebook.  You can read about it anywhere, see it in a new Facebook poll, or check it out for yourself.  It’s the same old story from the same people about the same problems, blah, blah, blah.

In the most recent round of design changes, Facebook changed the Homepage, made company pages more like profile pages, and made some minor font and layout changes on the profiles.  All of these changes were announced ahead of time, and users were updated as the changes came closer.  And then it happened, the changes took effect, and people got angry.

This is nothing new in Mark Zuckerberg’s world. In fact, nearly every time Facebook has changed something about the website they have encountered a backlash from their own community.  And when you serve as many people as the most popular social network does, you would almost expect it.

The crazy thing is, the backlash is usually followed by an explanation from Zuckerberg himself, but no real change (or a very small one), never going back to the way things were before the change.  And what happens to the people who hated the changes?  They just accept things the way they are.  Why? Basically because they are already so hooked as a Facebook user that they will shut their mouths and continue to use the network anyway.

I have a feeling Mark Zuckerberg knows this, and he uses it to his advantage.  Whereas other companies who may shake things up when this many users complain about a new program or design, Facebook seems to be sitting back and waiting for the latest round of craziness to pass.  And I think that is exactly what they should be doing.

Remember when Facebook changed their homepage the first time, adding the news feed that everyone is talking about.  For the first time as users, we were privy to a constant stream of updates from all of our friends.  Remember the backlash that created among the community.  What happened?  People threatened to leave Facebook forever, Mark Zuckerberg issued an apology for springing this on us without telling us before hand, updated a few privacy features, and left the news feed exactly as it was.  Those who fought back against it eventually stopped talking, accepted the change, and moved on.

This is will no doubt happen again with this design change.

In addition, this round of changes increases the value that Facebook has to corporate members and paid sponsors.  By updating these pages and feeding them into the profile-like stream, they allow companies to connect with more people on the network, increasing the chances of Facebook finding new and successful business models.

So when I say that Zuckerberg, and the rest of the team at Facebook, should not listen to the naysayers on this one, I mean it.  Just keep doing what you are doing, focus on improving the service and finding a monetization strategy (one that works), and let us complain all day.

I know this might sound odd coming from someone who discusses the need for companies to listen to their customers to drive forward moving and successful change.  And I also know that many people will disagree with this.  But the point is, Facebook is in a different league.  They are not defined by what their users think because their users have already shown how fickle they are.  No one is going to leave the network because of these design changes, Facebook will not lose any money, and truthfully, the service is not worse.  Sorry guys, Facebook wins.

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4 Comments | change, web 2.0 | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Zach Heller

Steve Jobs to Take Over at GM

February 23, 2009

gm_chrys_fordIt looks like there is a different reason for Steve Jobs’ leave of absence from Apple than was first reported, a spot at the head of the American Auto Industry.  Not really, but that is the suggestion that a recent open letter to the President brought up.

Posted on TechCrunch, the letter written by Todd Dagres suggests that the one thing that the auto industry needs, along with this bailout, is an innovative leader with the ability to think outside the box.  Someone we should use as a model, Steve Jobs.

Steve Jobs has the ability to see the big picture, outside what is being offered to the public.  He has always done right by his employees, his shareholders, and most importantly, his customers.  His innovative spirit has made the companies he leads forward looking, creative, and successful.  And the truth is, we need to be describing the auto industry in the same way.

Here is a short piece from the letter:

“It is time for us to put tax payer money behind an executive capable of transforming the automotive industry. I respectfully submit that neither the current leadership behind these companies nor government officials are the answer. We need entrepreneurs, consumer product savants and creative managers capable of effecting change. We need great leaders who can transform cars into computers rather than horse-less carriages.”

I tend to agree with the thoughts presented in the letter, and as someone who spoke out against the idea of bailing out failed companies, would see this type of solution as a positive step.  We do need to rethink the auto industry, as failed practices continue to hurt the market and foreign car companies continue to outpace us.  Technology has offered solutions that have previously been only figments of our imagination.  From fuel to design, from function to form, things need to change fast to bring these companies back to the head of the field. And who better to lead a technology innovation than a tech genius like Jobs, or anyone else at the cutting edge of technology and Silicon Valley.

I recommend giving the letter a read.  For the full text, click here.  Tell me what you think in the comments area below.  Thank you for the suggestions Mr. Dagres.

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3 Comments | change | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Zach Heller

When Will Google Take Over TV

February 20, 2009

googletvThe question is not if Google will make it as the dominant Television Advertising company, but when.  And yes, I know that all those defenders of the old world view will debate me on this one.  To tell you the truth, I am looking forward to it.

For starters, I think that the entire television advertising model is on its way out. We already see the need for alternate sources or means of advertising thanks to the power of technologies like DVR, TiVo, OnDemand, and TV online.  Advertising dollars seem to be going to waste more times than not in the tv world.

Secondly, Google has revolutionized the delivery of ads online by controlling the largest network of advertisers and delivering relevant content in all environments.  They are an advertising company, and they are damn good at it.  So why shouldn’t they try their hand at television?

They already started to look at the possibility.  In fact, they set it up so that through your AdWords account, you can set up a commercial that you produced to be aired on stations and in regions that you like.  Google acts as the media buyer in this case and uses a bidding system to decide how often and when the ads will show.

This is a nice start, but give it time and I think things will change a great deal.  First, the price for ads will go down, with a true bidding system in place, owned and operated by Google (and maybe other likeminded advertising companies).  The networks will have to buy into this new system or risk missing out on the last hope of commercial advertising dollars.  Second, I think ads will start to become more personalized and content relevant, just like they have become online.  This makes commercials easier to deal with for the everyday tv viewer.

I believe that with Google at the helm, ads will be more direct, with ways of tracking success like never before.  Spread out the commercials within the show, with more, shorter breaks, and they become part of the viewing experience again.  I think Google can save TV advertising. Do you agree?

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8 Comments | change, Tech | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Zach Heller

Lend a Finger Follow Up

February 2, 2009

et-fingerHow do you define success? Depending on the venture, there are always going to be a variety of goals and tools to use as measurement. Do you calculate the ROI of a project, or set small goals and consider achieving each one a success? It all depends.

Last week I posted a blog of significant importance to me. It was about my father, who had died of cancer, and the little steps that we can all take to help others. To read that post, click here and view the Lend a Finger Campaign.

I was not completely sure what I was looking to achieve with the post, but I did have some goals. I obviously wanted it to be a well written piece, one that sincerely related my thoughts to anyone who read it. I also wanted a lot of people to see it, more so than my average blog post. And after that, everything was gravy.

Well, after a few days of calculating stats and viewing the comments and emails of everyone who read it, I consider the post an incredible success. And I wanted to thank everyone for their help, though I can’t name you each individually, for helping to spread the message.

Many of my followers were quick to comment and retweet on Twitter, this lead to a lot of visitors and a large number of new followers, for which I am gracious. A surprising number of people used the sharing tools to share it on Facebook, which relayed the message to all of my friends and family. This brought in an overwhelming amount of emails and phone calls about the post.

After taking a look at the number of visitors to the Lend a Finger post, it is easy to see that when you are sincere and you have something interesting to say, others will take notice. My traffic from the day it went live through the weekend was 7-8 times higher than usual. I added this Twitpic of my stats on the day of the post.

Additionally, I was moved by the number of people who told me that they had or they planned on donating to cancer research and care, many in my father’s name. A quick mental calculation, of course I don’t know exact numbers, seems to show that 10-15 people donated to various charities that day after reading the blog.

I wish to thank everyone for their continued support. Know that if you got in touch with me that day, you moved me. If you helped relay the message, I appreciate it more than words can say. Because of the overwhelming feedback, I plan to use this blog as an outlet to bring to light many more things that we can do to help. I hope you will join me in the fight to make the world a better place.

To receive more information in the future, add my blog to your blog reader, or subscribe to receive updates in your email.

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3 Comments | change | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Zach Heller

Facebook and Change

January 27, 2009

Facebook AdvertisingIn the past few weeks a lot of things have been happening around the Facebook community.  Police made an arrest after someone made a positive identification of a bank robber off of a Facebook photo.  A woman was fired from his job after staying home from work “sick” and posting that he was too hung over to work on his profile.  Another woman was notified that she was fired through a message on her Facebook account.  Prince Harry was dumped, and the only way he found out was a Facebook profile update.  In addition, Burger King ran an interesting, successful viral ad using Facebook as a platform.

We have to realize that we are living in a world that has changed.  And not because we elected a black man as President.  But because he addresses the nation weekly using YouTube.  It’s not because Comcast offers a number of free movies on demand.  It’s because they have a Twitter account to deal with customer service issues.  It’s because the online world is no longer the online world.  The online world has crossed over into the real world.

No longer can you live in this world without being affected in some way with what is going on online.  The virtual space isn’t virtual, its physical.

This day was coming. It wasn’t long in the making, in fact, it just kind of popped up on us.  But it’s here.  And it’s time to recognize that and stop running from it.

There is a bounty of information out there, go find it.  There are millions of ways to connect with people, start connecting.  There are thousands of products competing for your business, find the best one.  Stop ignoring the world that you don’t understand.  Start taking advantage of it, otherwise the rest of the world is taking advantage of you.

There is no longer a divide between the internet and the physical world.  We’re all living in both.  Start living again.

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4 Comments | change | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Zach Heller

Where is Our News Going?

January 19, 2009

breaking-newsSeth Godin will have you believe that major media companies are on the way out. But is that really the case?

I would argue the opposite, though I add a warning that if these companies do not innovate in the way they obtain and dispense information, they’re dead. I think that, in the area of news, these major corporate networks are still best situated to develop their technology and deliver information to the public in new and relevant ways.

Why Major News Organization Can Still Win

  1. Access – these organizations have the credibility and network skills to get inside information. They can access people at the highest levels, in all parts of the world, and deliver the most up to date information from anywhere.
  2. Money – Established corporate networks have the resources needed to overhaul their technology. It’s true that they need to re-evaluate their real time and web efforts, but they have the ability to do that. Find the value that your readers are looking for and give it to them, no questions asked.
  3. Loyalty – People are less loyal these days to brands or companies because “shopping around” has become much easier. However, when it comes to news and other important information, there is a credibility factor that is difficult to get around. People are not as comfortable getting news from lesser known blogs or other online sources.

What They Need to Do

  1. Personalization – The web and other mobile technologies have allowed people to customize the information they get, and how they see it. Make it easy for readers to sign up for alerts in certain areas, and give them the information how they ask for it.
  2. Email – Utilize email systems to let people get the news they want when they want it. All the stories you run should be available in email format, and people should not have to ask for them more than once.
  3. Social Media – Twitter and other social networks have become valuable resources for providing and passing along important news as it breaks. There is no reason that a news service cannot tap into that “real time” power and use it. Learn how to capitalize on these systems and incorporate them into your strategy.
  4. Blogs, blog readers, and bookmarking – Stories need to be passed from person to person to spread. Newsworthy is a term that now applies to something that deserves to be relayed on to friends. Incorporate blogging and social bookmarking tools to your website to give people the option to spread the best stories. This builds brand awareness and keeps you relevant.
  5. Feedback – Reach out for and pay attention to your readers’ opinions. This can be on a story by story basis or feedback on your services in general. Listen to people because if there is anything that the social web has taught us, it’s that we all have something to say.

The major thing that these corporate news services and media companies have to acknowledge is that the old way of doing things no longer works. Evaluate where your information is coming from and how it is getting out. Learn that people want access to the information they are interested in, no fluff, and they want it free. Give that to them and then rebuild accordingly. It’s time to fight for your readers our die.

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4 Comments | change, Corporations | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Zach Heller

Think Innovation, Not Bailout

December 5, 2008

Making headlines today will be the announcement of the decision on whether or not to bailout the US Auto Industry.  What started as a $25 Billion request has turned into a $34 Billion request, and will most likely continue to grow if congress goes with the bailout option.  I read a great quote yesterday that made me think about this issue, saying that if the Big 3 could not handle the money that they earned, how do they expect to handle the money that we give them as a gift.

I am not one to relentlessly praise and uphold the free market, deregulate everything and let the chips fall where they may.  But I do think that when a company, or group of companies, are in danger of failing because of poor business practices, we need to let the market determine their fate.  The automakers have continued to be stubborn, throwing billions away on advertising campaigns, and dismissing the needs to provide more efficient vehicles that consumers have been asking for.

Now, I know that many proponents of the bailout will argue that these companies are simply too big to fail.  The fact that their downfall would affect so many other people is troubling, and the one point that makes me think a bailout is necessary.

But what if we take that money and put it into startups within the industry, or outside the industry?  What if the government would set up a program whereby entrepreneurs and small business owners could submit ideas through a selection process and get government backed loans to grow and develop?  Let others have a chance to succeed where the big 3 have failed.

Help out an innovative battery manufacturer in Toronto gain access to, or start their own, production facility.  Help out the more efficient manufacturers by allowing them to hire more people and expand production.  Help out parts manufacturers, allowing them to upgrade their shops with the latest technology.  Shake up the entire industry, then let the market play out.  New leaders will rise to the top, and soon, if the big 3 are still in business, they will learn to compete in the NEW auto industry.

It’s time to send a message to the various sectors of the economy.  Be smart, practice good business, and grow and develop efficiently.  There will be no more handouts to companies with flawed business practices.  That would be real change, and though it may take awhile to catch on, it would leave us better off in the long run.

I want your opinion.  Check out the poll below:

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4 Comments | change, Politics | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Zach Heller

2 Emails Worth Mentioning

November 20, 2008

In the past week I have received two emails that I feel are worthy of a mention on a blog about Innovation. Both were from people I do not know, have never met, have never talked with online, and most likely will never talk with in my lifetime.

The first was from Steve Gentile at Think Tank NYC, and he probably had no idea that he was emailing me. You see, Steve decided to leave a social networking group that we were both a part of called Sta.rtUp.Biz. In deciding to leave, Steve emailed all the members of the website explaining his reasons for leaving, and also saying that he is interested in communicating with any of us who would still like to remain in contact with him.

This email stands out for two reasons. The first, is a direct shot at Sta.rtUp.Biz. We are in a world where everything you do can and will be used against you, online. And word travels fast. When you market yourself as a social networking site for entrepreneurs, where we can enjoy the freedom of idea creation, open discussion, and useful information to start our business, you better follow through with that. Now I don’t know if it was the creators or the members who transformed this site into what it is now, but Steve is blaming the creators. “A fool’s game of mindless invitations and posts delivered with the purpose of point building without substance, and not networking or provoking deeper thoughts”, is how he described it in the email. That got my attention, and I am sure many others’, and will hurt the website’s credibility.

Two, this is a semi-ingenious move on Steve’s part to get some attention. As an entrepreneur, what better way to promote without promoting. Take something you are going to do anyway and send an email about it that gets in the heads of people that you may want to work with. I don’t know Steve, but I emailed him with interest after receiving that blast.

The second was from John Podesta. John is the co-Chair of the Obama/Biden Transition Team, and apparently the one in charge of sending out the emails (or at least the name that someone else puts on their emails). I got this email because I had signed up at the new website of the Obama Administration, Change.gov. I encourage all those who have never seen it to check it out. It is still quite bare right now, but very promising.

It is interesting to think about a presidency that will be more in touch with the people. Even if this is all an act, which I don’t think that it is, it’s still a strong step. A president who devotes time to including people and getting involved in online communication, what a concept. Well, we already saw how well they used this sort of internet grassroots promotion in the campaign, now we get to see if they follow through with it during the next 4-8 years.

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3 Comments | anti-innovation, Branding, change, Politics | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Zach Heller

Mobile Battles, Monetization of the Social Web, and Risk Taking

November 14, 2008

Economists and writers are still stuck in the bad news area. And why shouldn’t they be? Look at the stats that keep rolling in. They are not good.

But here’s something to think about. As more and more of the traditional companies that dominated the old economy (pre-internet) struggle and go under, the new economy companies are finding new ways to develop. In fact, this whole meltdown could in fact be the final transition between the old and new economy, where new technologies win out over dried up 20th century business.

Michael Baxter points out that risk taking has been the thing that has led to many of the great innovations of91052290-ce47-36c5-6628f34fc51e972c_1 the past. Companies, scientists, economists, advertisers all took risks, made mistakes, and stumbled upon the next great idea or invention. And those “inventions” carried us to the next level. New companies form, old companies die, but the economy as a while continues to move forward.

But in this economy, it seems that all of those companies are scared for their lives. And because they are so scared, they seem to be pulling out the risk taking business. In an effort to save cash, they cut marketing, they cut R&D, and they cut people. I have said it before, but it bears repeating, the companies that will succeed are those that find the opportunities in this mess and exploit them.

blackberry_2_430So who is taking advantage? Look at the Technology sector, look at the web. Social Media seems to be moving forward at the speed of light, and looking for the right way to make money and develop into valuable commodities. Youtube and other online video platforms continue to experiment with advertisements and partnerships to find revenue. The more people that watch videos online, the more traditional marketers try to enter the market, the more important a revenue stream will become.

Social Networks are starting to see the dollar signs. A week after MySpace announced $1 Billion in ad revenue, Open Social discussed how they will monetize their applications. The valuations of companies that connect people online used to be based on the idea of monetization, and now we are seeing the first real signs of those possibilities in action.

And let’s not forget about the Mobile Web. With the popularity of the iPhone as high as ever, here comes Google’s G1, and the new Blackberry Storm. The battle is on to connect more people to the web from a touch-screen phone. This means new opportunities for mobile service providers, platform developers, and third party applications. This is a battle that is sure to be waged for years.iphone_3g

Am I saying that traditional companies are dead in the water, of course not. But I am saying that it is time to wake up and see that online strategies are paying off. Technology is moving forward far faster than any other sector of the economy. They are the ones taking all the risks, and it appears that all the rewards are falling in their direction. So are we on the verge of a major transformation? That is for you to decide.

To here more on this topic and others in business and innovation, you can now sign up for email updates. Happy reading.

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5 Comments | change, Tech, web 2.0 | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Zach Heller

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