Cuddle Class….
I love this idea from Air New Zealand… really clever… they are easily the best airline out there…
The national carrier yesterday unveiled the interiors for its new Boeing 777-300 aircraft, which includes the Skycouch, the first economy seating that allows the traveller to lie flat, or a couple to curl up… The arm rests between the three seats of the Skycouch fully retract and flaps come up to meet the seats in front to create a platform … The new economy seats come with small added comforts, such as a pillow that fits over the winged head rest, a port for your iPod, and a larger entertainment monitor.
Dingo Deans Ought To Stop Whining
Australia didn’t deserve to win. Their lack of finishing kept them way out of the game – as did the All Blacks defense. Moreover, they were awarded a dubious try on the basis of the Ref getting frustrated with the TV officials. Pathetic.
At some point here the Australians need to face up to the fact that Deans isn’t quite cutting it right now. They have some remarkable players who aren’t coming together on the field.
While we are on pathetic – why cant the NZ Herald keep their site up. Down again from over here. I’m guessing routine maintenance. Do they understand they have an international readership?
Lets also stop the nonsense about next years game being in Japan. When you consider that the population of the greater Tokyo area is 33 million, a crowd of 45,000 or so is equivalent to a crowd of about 1400 people in Auckland. So, a good turn-out but there are other places that need a spectacle like this – the US being one. Denver would be a terrible location though. Play the game in a major metro like LA.
Thoughts From The Garage
I had the chance to listen to a great address by Bill Reichert from Garage Ventures at MORGO. He shared a range of thoughts on the new rules for entrepreneurs. I like his observations and ideas on the shifts occurring.
- What is the fundamental objective? Is it creating wealth or creating value? Today the emphasis should be on creating value.
- Getting started: Shift from brilliant founder to brilliant team. Mythology of the brilliant founder is wrong. Bill gates had his Paul Allen. It’s about the team. Need complimentary attitudes and skills.
- Sharing the Vision: Shift from crafting a mission statement to creating a mantra. Be very clear about what you are going to do. Garage Ventures – “we start-up start-ups”.
- Management style: “Plan the work, work the plan” to “get going”. Get out in the market and walk the streets. Not going to get there sitting in a conference room and collecting data.
- The Business Model: Shift from raise venture capital to bootstrap. Old Rule – raise VC money and then get going. Now, just have to get going. Chances of raising VC money are very low. Most great entrepreneurial companies were started without venture capital – Microsoft, Google, eBay. Lots of ways and resources. Leverage other people’s resources, money, people – go get your first customer.
- Foundation of innovation: Old rule = ingenuity (duct tape, number 8 wire…). new rule – it’s all about global know-how. Be global day one. need to have an global strategy and competence day one. NZ is almost always by definition more global.
- Competitive Advantage: Shift from first mover to fast Adapter. Bill Gates did not invent the OS. Many of the great companies did not invent the technologies that they are known for. They grabbed innovations around them and integrate them in innovative ways.
- Marketing Strategy: Shift from build it and they will come to “everyone has to sell”. Everybody has to know what the customer really wants and how to satisfy those customers.
- Pace of Change: Shift from pace of change is accelerating to … change takes time. Bill is right that change takes time but I disagree is that the pace of change hasn’t accelerated and that radio was the fastest adopted technology of the 20th century. Where I agree with Bill is that technology shifts yield false positives… and while these companies inspire greatness, they also inspire a fair degree of delusion.
- People trump the technology. Shift from, its all about the technology… to its all about the people.
Interesting ideas and thoughts and a great speech.
Xero to $23m
Xero just raised $23.2m, again proving that great ideas secure great investors. What’s interesting is that they were able to attract the founder of traditional software maker in their space – MYOB – to invest. A massive endorsement of their strategy and product.
What is really amazing is that they have passed the 6000 customer number milestone, double the customer figure at December 2008. It also announced it had entered into a strategic partnership with Telstra in Australia.
I’m thrilled to be an advisor…
