Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Hot Type

Word play is essential in the creativity exercises I play in class with my students. While on vacation, I am still on a quest to find ways to make students embrace these techniques as a way of thinking rather than just for a grade. On these summer days, the indulgence in magazine reading gave me the opportunity to spot a couple hot text trends. Word play is alive and well in magazine design. Take a look at some examples from the August 2013 edition of Company magazine, a Hearst publication.  

1. Handwritten fonts
2. Highlighted text to emphasize key sentences.
3. Major underlining to make it look like its a work in progress in edit mode
4. Paint effect headlines in black ink with grainy texture
5. Asterisks that are computer generated equivalent of scribble
6. Text over notebook paper background    
7. Typewriter font  (see 1, 3, and 5)
8. Collaged text as if its been cu tfrom a magazine and newspaper and glued down again in contrasting and complimentary interplay with other words and images.
9. Doodles
10.Comic book hero retro text bubbles with sound effect text  




Overall thoughts about the Hot Type trends from this magazine..."the grass is always greener" as there certainly seems to be a yearning to embrace simpler times of handwritten, handcrafted and even typewriter driven text in personal communication of times gone by. 

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

"Your Best Teacher is Your Last Mistake" - Ralph Nader

Everyday if you visit facebook you will see quotes being shared.  Most often they are moving copy over an image or even simply handwritten snapped with an iphone and then uploaded.  If liked, they are also often shared and passed around.  This movement is great to spread ideas but whose idea was it originally is being lost.  Today, like many mornings I did this very same thing...looking through the newsfeed, I found an image posted and shared by Shale Hrvoje Salkovic, a writer.  He and I must have some common connection but I do not know him outside of Facebook. He does have over 76,000 likes to his Facebook profile.  To this particular post after just 11 hours on July 18, 2013 there were over 3,000 likes and 202 shares.


I moved on to thoughts of my class today where students have to prepare business plans and carefully document their sources.  Then I shifted back to the saying Your best teacher is your last mistake that Mr. Salkovic was inspired to share and then for me to pass on.  In a matter of seconds, I verified my thought that someone must have said it before today.  Yes, indeed it was Ralph Nader, an American consumer advocate and one-time Presidential hopeful.  I tracked back and added a comment with the link to make sure he was name checked in the future.


About 6 hours after I posted my comment, it had received 2 likes.  I was very glad to see that the Shale Hrvoje Salkovic was one of them.  I have around 900 Facebook friends, he has over 84 times as many fans but yet he read and acknowledged the comment relatively quickly so it was validating that the effort was worth while.  Its not always appreciated but from his choice of quote, he is always open to learning.

Now as an example I will use the tool I recommend to students in order to properly document their references, Son of Citation Machine, which generates properly formatted citations with its online generator. There mission is to get users to recognize that "Someday the information someone else wants to use....will be yours" which is featured on their home page.

Here are a list of references for this blog entry:

A E Television Networks, LLC. (1996-2013). Ralph Nader biography. Retrieved from http://www.biography.com/people/ralph-nader-9419799

Salkovic, S. H. (2013, July 18)."Your best teacher is your last mistake." [Web log message]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shale-Hrvoje-Salkovic/171890232948967

Warlick, D. (2000, October 29). Son of citation machine. Retrieved from http://citationmachine.net


Thursday, July 11, 2013

Results of the Idea Journal experiment


The Idea Journal experiment was to give a simple idea starter kit to students.  Substance should be 10 ideas and style could be online or offline.  The results have been beyond my expectations.  There were baloons with QR codes linking to different online sites and commentary.  There were wall coverings neatly compartmentalized with impeccable handwriting, there were Pinterest boards, Smilebox animated scrapbooks and more.  I still have to read through them but over the next couple days I will keep updating this post and show examples of some well thought out and designed idea journals.  Bravo students.



Sampling of Idea Journal Links

Idea#10: Repurposing the Mall



One problem that I see is underutilized spaces.  When I spoke at the TedxZagreb event in 2010 this was my platform as the "Huntress of Hidden Potential" I reimagined spaces and the audience was with me but I am not sure what impact it had as I did not move it in any particular direction except to make an awareness building exercise in my entrepreneurship course.  The students regularly have to take pictures of places they think could be something as in take a picture of an vacant building, lot, field, etc and reimagine what it could be.

Luckily, Candy Chang and her powerful Ted video on "Before I die, I want to..." really helped to elevate this issue.  She also has prepared with a team a toolkit where the community can be more involved in transforming their cities and places and connecting citizens.  In our class, we did an experiment during the last session and put on the white board "I wish..." and it was interesting to see the cooperation and resistance of students to share their wishes.

One wish I have is that spaces are fully utilized.  Empty spaces to me represent missed opportunities.  For every square meter of space underutilized...how many people are equally underutilized?  I have selected for my issue of space the large mall complexes that are built and then despite of all the financial investment that goes into them, they quickly turn into vacant "should have beens".  This is not just locally which is illustrated with the beautiful, modern, conveniently located Cascade Mall before/after in Zagreb but many others like
New South China Mall, North Street Arcade in Belfast, and the rise of people who are tracking this urban dilemna like www.deadmalls.com, http://www.urbanghostsmedia.com/ and other stories of the retail wasteland.

We can choose to look it as a problem or see it as an opportunity to reclaim these underutilized properties like the excellent NYT piece on 101 different ideas for unused malls.  Their article featuring (contributors to deadmalls.com) offer examples of reuse for the following purposes:
- Libraries
- Incubators/Accelerators for Small Business Startups
- Educational space, college classrooms and campuses
- Urban clubs and recreational centers
- Non governmental and other civic services organizations
- Mixed use centers for housing, business, religion

Comments from some of the readers of this article include other suggestions like
-  Biospheres and Urban Gardens
-  After-school programs for kids
-  Entertainment complexes (Paintball, Skate parks)
-  Food kitchens and Free clinics
-  Ethnic and Cultural Centers
-  Museums and Exhibition Showcases
-  Senior Centers
-  Health and Wellness Centers
-  Prisons
-  Science Centers and Space Labs

What does it get you thinking about?


Idea#9: Trend Inspiration Unconferences and DIY


As I sought in an earlier post to rethink conference signage, I need to see what other elements are possible to infuse an "Unconference" with DIY techniques without it becoming a distraction.  If it can still keep the right tone of the theme then it has the potential of adding dimension and a personalized atmosphere to the event.

The conference we are preparing is for Invest for the Future.  It will have 2 days of full programming and first day and last day for travel to the destination of Struga, Macedonia, a resort area.  What signage is needed is usually a welcome sign in the lobby to signify the conference is being held and currently in progress.  But before they even get to the hotel they will be travelling to the destination some attendees (mostly women entrepreneurs and those in related positions representing government, corporations, ngos and the like) will come in by bus from their points of origin in regional countries or via airport connections from Skopje.  There is then an opportunity to put some type of signage in the bus windows and inside of the bus to signal they are attending the IFTF#Talent: Mine, Yours and Ours unconference.

The DIY touches that could add to the event for women could be:

Pennants with the Invest for the Future logo sewn in.  If we do these on white fabic with the red logo it will not be too complicated and we can source a local ngo to sew based on a pattern by one of our talented contributors, Helena Habdija could make.

We can add diy touches to the onsite catering that personalizes brown bag take-away, the buffets and coffee breaks like:

Take-Aways: Simple Snack Packets - which could be distributed on the bus rides so that everyone has a drink and snack along the way, Gifts could also include a handcrafted business card holder or luggage tags.

Coffee/Tea Time: Tea bag wallets - which could be part of the in room welcome basket, Make the ordinary, extraordinary with happy sugar cubes,

Buffet Decorations - which could make up the style quotient of the dining experiences with custom centerpieces, or some shabby chic touches mixing recycled (but sanitary) items with elegant trimmings.

Networking Enhancements - for the unconference sometimes you want to make sure people with similar or divergent interests find each other and there are a few options like Chalkboard Placemats, Photo Place Cards, Table Name Tags

While all together it may be overboard, the point is that even the little touches of customization and using talents of local ngos could add a hint of feminity and style with a jolt of creativity from them unexpected.  It also lends itself to csr of an event of including an ngo in the value chain instead of just paying for printed materials that are the standard.


Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Idea#8: From Parade Banner to a DIY Event Banner


In order to realize and idea and investigate more about its opportunity potential, an entrepreneur how to know how to implement.  But if entrepreneurs are really on a journey to explore new and create value then they often will be on a constant path of research, prototyping and refinement.

For my example, I thought of diy (do-it-yourself) event banners. Instead of buying the regular pop up displays that help conference attendees identify the conference facilities and direct them around the venue, we might draw inspiration from sports fans and parade participants.  The more enthusiastic, the more banners, signs and detail they put into slogans and communicating those messages in a form that reflect their passion for their home team, marching band or any other organization they represent. Since we would model after them, to some degree, I needed to find out "How to make a DIY Banner".

After reading what Ehow advises, I summarized that when making a banner the following considerations should be taken into account:
1. Material - Cheap/Expensive, Shortterm/Longterm, Before Care/After Care, etc.
2. Dimensions - Shape, Size, Weight, User-friendly
3. Content - Organizational Restrictions, Design Standards, Elements, Motifs, Lettering, Finishing


Idea#7: Springwise.com (or a substitute) Inspiration


For years it seems I have been recommending visits to springwise.com for unlimited inspiration.  However, it seems that the site itself in now limiting viewers by membership fee.  Monthly and Yearly membership is now emphasized and blocks the visitor who has not committed to recognize the value of an idea clearinghouse to enter beyond today's top picks.  In light of this new blockade, I discovered moreofit.com which finds sites similar to the ones we might like as alternatives.  Here are some of their suggestions to finding entrepreneurial inspirations...

Cool Business Ideas  which upon my first visit features Solar Powered Rental cars, Digital Dog Collars and the zoomable paper map.

Unusual Business Ideas that Work  which featured wireless provider, lice eliminator and crm solutions

Trendwatching.com featuring a newsletter with trends now and what's up next

But I still miss the free version of www.springwise.com for my fix...(I may have to give in and subscribe).


Idea#6: Ted Talk Inspiration




The idea about Entrepreneurs usually centers around the pioneers.  The entrepreneurs who stand out from the crowd and make change happen.  However, Derek Sivers illustrates through this on point video that we should also herald the importance of the first followers.  First followers are the ones that spot the idea and trigger others to join in on the movement whether it be to consume the product, service or simply join in on the experience, they ignite the crowd around the pioneer making it acceptable if not even, fashionable.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Interview Assignment/Entrepreneur Biography Investigations

Students in the course for summer semester have to investigate potential entrepreneurial role models.  They start with a basic shell with the template above and transform it to something more like below, an example of Clara Stones' entrepreneurial duo Anja and Vittorio.


Idea#4/10 - Starting with the Product a vs. perspective and Idea#5/10 - Starting with the Customer/Breastfeeding Moms


Starting with a product first can help focus on the features vs. benefits issues.  A product can possess certain qualities which can be listed as features of the that offering.  However, the benefits of those features need to be clearly communicated to existing and potential customers in order for them to understand the value they are getting or could gain by buying the item in question.  When examining a product in this way it is easier to examine motivations to consume this product and how other solutions could offer innnovative alternatives or how that product could be improved or enhanced.

Bottles vs. Breasts

Features of the Bottle
  • Nipples come in Silicone or Latex
  • Shape come in straight or wide
  • Angled top or vented
  • Materials come in glass, plastic or steel

Features of the Breast
  • Nipples are genetic match to you and your baby
  • Shape shifting design
  • All natural design and material

Benefits of the Bottle
  • Wide shape made for easy cleaning
  • Design can lend to reducing colic in babies
  • Mothers have more freedom as others can feed the baby too

Benefits of the Breast
  • Convenience - No purchase necessary
  • Affordability - No refills necesary
  • Economical - Most economical. money saving option
  • Connection - Promotes bond between mother and child

(try it yourself, what are the features and benefits of disposable vs. reusable diapers?)

Further Product readings include:

Profile of a Breastfeeding Mom

The point of this exercise is to come up with a profile of a particular market segment and to start with your first customer in mind.  If your group that you want to focus on are the "breastfeeding moms" then identify and name someone to represent the group.  This will help you better understand the lifestlye of your customer and where their needs are being filled and where there may be gaps to fill.  Even if you start with assumptions, it will give you the basis of checking those assumptions through real research to refine your brand communication and marketing mix strategy.  Here is the exercise using the image above...

Name: Sarah Templeton
Age: 36
Place: Austin, Texas
Status: Married
Family: Husband Peter, Children: Delilah, 3 years old, Daphne 8 months

Lifestyle: Sarah is a working mother.  She chooses to breastfeed with her second child as she learned how with her first child and now can find the balance between pumping while she is at work and using a combination of breastmilk through bottles during the day and breast at night and mornings.  She also works out 2x per week with stroller jogging in her nearby park.  She is a multi-tasker and feels productive when she can get 2 things done with one activity.

Owns: a hybrid car that runs on electricity and gas.  She has a smart phone to keep herself organized as she is constantly on the go. She has a nanny who came with references as she raised Delilah without a nanny and with 2 children she needs a little extra support as her husband travels for work.  She buys music and smart toys for her kids development and limits tv time.  She enjoys nature and especially likes planning gourmet picnics.

Products/Services/Experiences that she does not own but might be predisposed to purchase if offered:
Annual pass to the children museum
Travel and Leisure Magazine

(Knowing her profile, what would your recommend for Sarah?)


Further Customer readings include

Monday, July 8, 2013

Idea#3/10: My 2 Words/Unusual + Conference = Unconference



Everyday you need new ideas to help solve problems.  Currently, we are working at the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center @ZSEM to create a meaningful gathering for Female Entrepreneurs to exchange skills, talents, abilities and experiences.  Many times conferences are planned around speakers rather than on the more numerous participants.  I needed to come up with new ideas for an Unusual Conference.  Blending these two words together, I discovered a new trend called the "Unconference".

The Unconference was probably influenced by the Ted Talk format where even the most groundbreaking "ideas worth spreading" must be condensed to less than 20 minutes.  The emphasis has been gravitating to getting to the point and conveying ideas in a condensed format that leaves audiences wanting more not less.  As conference attendees crave interaction and networking opportunities, events that encourage and facilitate connections before, during and after a gathering are highly valued.  A gathering in Halifax called Growing Inclusive Markets in 2008, the TEDxZagreb in 2010 and Ashoka University in 2011 and 2013 really shaped my view that this is the way forward.

The traditional layout of the room is often organized with a distinct head table as opposed to the Unconference which may still have speakers but then offers channels for creating subthemes and breakout sessions that can be carried on further throughout the day.  One style of room setup for the unconference is called the "fishbowl" which features a center and participants radiate out.  There is usually a facilitator in the center who then can have speakers share as well as leave room for audience members interested in coming into the center to join in on the conversation while others watch on but also engage with questions and answers.  

Another feature of the unconference is that it often utilizes principles of the open space technology.  This open space technology has been developed over 30 years but continues as an alternative to the more usual conference setups.  I will continue to study the approach so that we can facilitate our gathering for our upcoming Invest for the Future#Talent: Mine, Yours and Ours in an unconference style.



Sunday, July 7, 2013

Idea Journal #2/10 - Social Worker Inspired


Last week, my friend Brigita Jeric invited me to join her at University of Zagreb, Faculty of Law to speak on the topic of Social Entrepreneurship.  We were participating that day in the Summer School for Social Work and Community Development and hosted by Professor Nino Zganec and the participants who were mainly social workers from across Croatia.  In our 2 hour block, Brigita spoke about her work with Slava Raskaj and the problems with high unemployment (60%) among vocationally trained graduates with a range of special needs that come out of her program.  Slava Raskaj has some excellent international and local collaborations which try at once to provide training and sustainability through social enterprise activities like catering operations.  The together, Brigita and I shared the nonprofit and social enteprise initatives we are trying to support with our friend Vedran Habel.  The last component, I did an encore performance of my Ashoka U 2013 presentation on Creativity as a New Competency for Social Change.  This helped the audience members see a few ways of how social ideas are changing communities through different degrees of innovation.  The series of our conversations were well received and I felt we could make change happen that day.

I asked each participant to write two words, one a social cause and one a business idea, on a piece of a paper with their name on it.  I collected all the words and typed them up in a powerpoint presentation.  When I arrived at my own Summer School class in Entrepreneurship at ZSEM, I paired up students and asked them to do word associations building on the clues the social workers had given.  Each word was then elaborated by word associations from the students.  Example here:


A different set of words were given two 14 other sets of students for 14 other social workers or entrepreneurs.  The following day the students who came up with the word associations had to then transform them into 3 potential social enterprise ideas that the social workers could implement.  From the audience, I connected with Ivana, the social worker who also shared the story that her husband happens to be a paraplegic artist of great talent, Ante Teskera and provided me with a catalog to his impressive artworks.

For this series of idea entries then I also needed to discover how these two words paraplegic and art are combined to generate awareness and revenue.  Paraplegic is a medical condition which is most often associated with trauma to the the spinal cord resulting in reduced mobility of limbs.  Art is used as therapy to release and communicate feelings, emotions and desires like the explanation given at myhandicap.com.
But this creative outlet can go from therapy to hobby to profession.  I found musicians, make-up artists, fine artists, and a wide array of paraplegic and quadraplegic artists.  One in particular, Mariam Pare, even makes videos of her process of creating beautiful oils on canvas by mouth.  





Saturday, July 6, 2013

Idea Journal #1/10 - Three of a Kind

This is the first entry of my series of 10 ideas.  I am developing an example of an Idea Journal for my students.  The first assignment was to find 3 businesses in the same category and compare and contrast them.  The students were asked to find businesses in Zagreb and shoot the photos with their smart phones for the simple exercise.  I am doing this from home so I used examples found online. The goal of this exercise is to frame an ordinary business idea around how it can manifest into different business models.


I selected the segment "specialty candles".  Candle making dates back to 5,000 years starting in Egypt according to the National Candle Association.  Today, I have three examples selected for different reasons:

The examples include:
  1. The Milkouse Candle Company in the USA
  2. Fruit of Care, Social Enterprise in Hungary
  3. Cupido Candles in Croatia
The Milkhouse Candle Company is a candle company that features a clean design and concept that offers candles made of soy base and are targeted at those with allergies and environmental sensitivities.  They focus on the customer benefits.

Fruit of Care based in Hungary is a social enterprise that has over 7,000 people with some form of "disability"( I prefer different ability) working in their workshops.  They make a range of high design products including fine scented candles.  They were inspired by Anita Roddick's The Body Shop.  The by-products of their workshops are sold online, as corporate gifts as well in select duty free and other retail outlets.

Cupido Candles is based in Opatija, Croatia.  They have four distinct segments of candles that they manufacture and distribute including a) tombstone lanterns/graves, b)fragrant candles/home or office, c) sea candles/tourists, d) garden candles/outdoors.

This exercise is useful in realizing that each candle business can take up a unique space in the market to define itself and its potential customer segments.

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Deconstructed Ideas

My summer school students from Armenia, Croatia, France, Turkey, Mexico, Portugal, and the Ukraine will soon be on their own personal journey to explore how they have and will come up with ideas.  We have been working on breaking down the idea process before and after.  I will also prepare a graded exercise for them to complete an idea journal.  They will create little diaries along with images, articles and event objects that trigger ideas to create businesses.  

One of the techniques they will look at is reverse brainstorming. This is very popular as it results in very humorous results.  The students all know the technique for brainstorming which they generate possible solutions to address an issue in a group setting.  However, sometimes there is a pressure to sound smart in front of ones peers by generating the best ideas.  The result is less ideas to choose from at the end of the process or even more predictable ideas.  The fun enters when there is no pressure to come up with a good idea but instead the facilitator encourages the worst possible ideas which ends up in outrageous and unpredictable results.  In the end, sometimes the "bad" ideas are actually good ideas that just need tweaking and in other cases "the bad" idea can be reversed into the opposite which results in a good idea.  Regardless, in my experience these upside down exercises in reverse brainstorming are very productive and enjoyable for all.

In light of that this spirit, I offer up some "bad" combinations that are seemingly opportunities for a few brave entrerpeneurs to turn into real enterprises.  When one thinks of restaurants and operations, its not unlikely that properly functioning toilets would be on the list but the way in which some have combined restaurants and toilets may surprise you as it did me.  Check out this medley:
A Medley of "Shitty" Ideas Toilets and Restaurants
Here is a rundown of 2 restaurants with Toilet Themes and 2 restaurants running in former public restrooms:


Future Entrepreneurs

Teaching in higher education in Croatia for almost 20 years, I have mostly been in the private sector.  But I am happy when learners re...