Reaching for the Stars and Shooting for the Moon!

There used to be a radio show called American Top 40 hosted by Casey Kasem. Casey would always close his show with these words "Remember to keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars!" I was never quite sure what that meant as a teenager but it sounded good.

"Reaching for the stars" and "Shooting for the Moon" are two phrases that are inspiring but also can become just words about dreaming and hoping and moving toward unattainable goals.

Now, don't get me wrong, I am all for positive thinking and dreaming but at some point you have to take the lead and learn from people who have accomplished something and take initiative, make a plan, and seize the opportunities in front of you!

So, the next question is, has anyone ever reached the stars and made it to the moon and if so what was their philosophy?

Ahhhh I am glad you asked....of course it is NASA and here is their motto:

Do it. Do it right. Do it right now.– NASA

God has made you with great potential! But you're not supposed to die with your potential. A life well lived squeezes all the potential placed within and does something with it....Do it. Do it right. Do it RIGHT NOW!

I think we are prone to sit and wait and hope something happens and then jump in. If something isn't happening or doesn't go the right way we can always blame someone else and say "Hey, it's not my fault!"

Do you find yourself in this scenario?, "What can I do? I am only one person. Everyone else is more qualified than me. I don't know enough. What if it doesn't work?"

Jesus said, "You're asking the wrong question. You're looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do. We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines. When night falls, the workday is over. John 9:4 (The Message)

THERE IS THE KEY!

"Look instead for what GOD can do!!"

What can God do?
ANYTHING!

So, get up, get going, the God of the universe is on your side and working with you and for you!

By the way, He doesn't reach for the stars or shoot for the Moon......
He doesn't have to....HE MADE THEM!

Creating the Future!

I think as humans it is easy to be imitators of some sort.......derivatives of......trying to copy success.

When we choose to live in the land of imitation, I think we miss the new, the innovative, the experience and it becomes difficult to venture out past the "safe zone".

You know I am a fan of Seth Godin's thinking on marketing and I think one of his best quotes is this:

Safe is risky and risky is safe
- Seth Godin

I think this is true especially in the area of marketing and creativity in today's world where technology has radically changed how we receive and distribute information, products, experiences, etc....(not mentioning any names....music industry)

Yes, I hear you "let's wait and see how some of this plays out before we try something different". I think that plays to Seth's point, we are just creatures of habit.

We don't want to get out of our box!

My friend Mark Batterson just posted "Imitation is Suicide" on his blog and said this:

At some point, most of us stop learning and start copying. It's so much easier. We stop living out of right-brain imagination and start living out of left-brain memory. And that is when we stop creating the future and start repeating the past.

Creating the future, now there is
something worth
aspiring to accomplish!

How do we start creating the future.......well the irony is it comes back to imitating. That's right, imitating the Creator of all things.....God. He wants you and me to live the ultimate creative experience.....Creating the Future!!!

Dream big. Dream God-sized dreams and have the courage to live them…. Never again surrender to the thought, Well, I’m only human. There is no ‘only’ before human. You are human—created in the image of God…. It is a gift to be human. - Erwin McManus

Your HOPE!

David said it all: I saw God before me for all time. Nothing can shake me; he's right by my side. I'm glad from the inside out, ecstatic; I've pitched my tent in the land of hope. Acts 2:22

Are you living in the "land of hope"?

Have you ever heard a child say,

"I hope I get a......"

at Christmas, Birthdays etc..... They are expressing a confident expectation for something that hasn't happened yet. Their hope is an expectation of something good to yet to come. They never hope for what they already have. It is always something new. The expectation gives them energy. Their enthusiasm and energy is contagious.

Paul wrote in Romans 8:24

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?

It is easy to look for hope in all the wrong places or maybe it is just easier not to hope at all. After all, this world doesn't give a lot of hope for the future. It would rather tell us how bad things are.....just check the nightly news.

But that is not God's vision
for you or for me.....
He wants us to dream,
to plan, to expect, to love......
and to HOPE!

Don't put your life in the hands of experts who know nothing of life, of salvation life. Mere humans don't have what it takes; when they die, their projects die with them. Instead, get help from the God of Jacob, put your HOPE in God and know real blessing! God made sky and soil, sea and all the fish in it. He always does what he says— he defends the wronged, he feeds the hungry. God frees prisoners— he gives sight to the blind, he lifts up the fallen. Psalm 146:3

Sounds like a good place to pitch a tent.......
the land of HOPE!

Your ATTITUDE.....

Your attitude draws people to you, or repels them.

It is never content until it is expressed.
It is the "LIBRARIAN" of your past.
It is the "SPEAKER" of your present.
It is the "PROPHET" of your future!

Maintaining a POSITIVE ATTITUDE
is the KEY to personal success in life! - John Maxwell

You never acheive real success unless you like what you are doing!

-Dale Carnegie

All your dreams can come true --- if you have the courage to pursue them!

-Walt Disney

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity!

-Albert Einstein

Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently!

-Henry Ford

The greatest thing about tomorrow is, I will be better than I am today. And that's how I look at my life. I will be better as a golfer, I will be better as a person, I will be better as a father, I will be a better husband, I will be better as a friend. That's the beauty of tomorrow. There is no such thing as a setback. The lessons I learn today I will apply tomorrow, and I will be better.

-Tiger Woods

Choose the remarkable LIFE!

On May 5th, 1977, in Ghana, West Africa, Emmanuel Osofu Yeboah was both born - and abandoned. Upon discovering Emmanuel had a severely deformed right leg, Dickson Kwadjo Ofosu, disgraced by his son’s disability, walked out on his family. Emmanuel’s mother, Comfort Yeboah, was advised to kill her son. But rather than surrender to society’s perception that disabled children are the result of a family curse, or a punishment from a deity for a parent’s past transgressions, Comfort neither killed Emmanuel, nor sent him to the streets to beg, as expected.

Instead, she enrolled him in school and taught him to believe that he deserved the same treatment, opportunities and privileges as able-bodied Ghanaians.

Before she passed away on Christmas Eve 1997, Comfort Yeboah taught her son that disability does not mean inability. In the years after her death, he felt an increasing desire, if not duty, to share that message.

In short:

*a missionary gave him a bike

*he learned to ride a bike...with one leg!

*he rode the bike in a Tri Athlon event for 56 miles!

*he met disabled American athlete Jim MacLaren and remarkably was given the opportunity to get a prosthetic leg

*he got an award from NIKE

*he was recognized by the King of Ghana for his willingness to help other disabled people

Never before has a King invited a disabled person to his palace, let alone have a ceremony in his honor and guarantee his support.

*Emmanuel distributed over one hundred wheelchairs, donated on his behalf, by The Free Wheelchair Mission, to fellow disabled Ghanaians who literally crawled on their hands and knees

And along his remarkable journey, Emmanuel reached some milestones in his personal life, as well. In 2003, he married Elizabeth Yeboah, after having asked her father for his consent. The idea of a disabled man asking for, let alone receiving permission to marry an able-bodied Ghanaian woman was simply unheard of....they had a daughter, Linda.

...on July 14, 2005 Oprah Winfrey presented Emmanuel and his friend, Jim MacLaren with the prestigious Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPY’s. The two men received an emotional, five-minute standing ovation. Previous winners include Muhammad Ali, Jim Valvano, and Billie Jean King.

I place before you Life and Death, Blessing and Curse. Choose life so that you and your children will live. And love God, your God, listening obediently to him, firmly embracing him. Oh yes, He is life itself! - Deutoronomy 30:19 (The Message)

You get to make a choice.
You can remake that choice every day,
in fact. It's never too late

to choose optimism,

to choose action,
to choose excellence, to CHOOSE LIFE.

The best thing
is that it only takes a moment
-- just one second -- to decide.

Read the full story about Emmanuel here: Disability Does Not Mean Inability

5 Remarkably Creative Patents

If you have been reading posts here you know I am all for creativity. I think we are all creative and have the ability to approach any given challenge or situation and bring our own unique solutions that combine experience, relationships, and our remarkable ingenuity to the table.

A favorite place of mine to look at new and unique creative ideas is the U.S. Patent office. Obtaining a patent is a costly and time consuming process. Inventors must have unstoppable faith in their vision in order to realize their dream of acquiring a patent. But sometimes these inventions come from a creative place so deep, they can be perceived by some as offbeat, unusual and possibly a bit eccentric.

So, here are 5 Remarkably Creative Patents
AND REMEMBER:
IF THEY CAN DO IT, SO CAN YOU!
All of these patents are real and hold U.S patents.

1. BULLET PROOF BED

Do you need protection from bio-chemical terrorists attacks? How about natural disasters? Kidnappers and stalkers? Or would you just feel safer sleeping in a bulletproof bed? If you answered yes to any of the aforementioned questions, you need the oh-so-versatile Quantum Sleeper. Not for the claustrophobic or light of check book, this $160,000 coffin-esque "saferoom" does not include the optional microwave, fridge or entertainment center.

2. SUBLIMINAL GLASSES

The Subliminal Glasses come with various graphic messages that you place inside your special subconscious lenses and stare at them all day and all night. The inventor suggests you won't even notice them after a while. So next time you want to cut down on your vices, or smile more or I'm not really sure what the message is with that ping pong paddle thing, but next time you want to change your personal behavior, maybe modify your mind and become one with the smiley face, then it's time to stare through your Subliminal Glasses and go to that happier place.

3. TOILET LANDING LIGHTS

What happens when you go to the bathroom in the middle of the night? Do you turn on the light and squint, open your eyes and blind yourself or poke around in complete darkness? Have you ever fallen into the toilet because the seat was up but "who knew", it was too dark to see or heard any complaints about missed targets? Well not any more with the extraordinary Toilet Landing Lights! This unprecedented bathroom brainchild can save you from a very embarrassing breakfast conversation by illuminating your way after bedtime, and you know what we mean.

Waterproof indirect lighting is placed under the rim of the toilet adding a beautiful almost mystical glow to the throne. A switch attached to the lid can signal heads up or safe landing ahead. We suggest pulsing blue airport landing lights to bring you down safely.

4. FLOATING FURNITURE

Tired of looking at your table and chairs all day long? Does your bed take up entirely too much space? This invention patented in 1989 will allow you to roam your home with no obstacles during the day and sleep easily at night! This lighter than air furniture can be levitated with helium gas and stored on your ceiling when you're not using it! Need a nap? Just grab the tether rope (see item no. 34) and pull your bed down from the ceiling. Imagine, you will never have to make your bed or clear off the dinner table again! Simply inflate your furnishings and messy beds and untidy tables are out of site! Just be sure the pets don't get trapped between the sofa and the ceiling.

5. HURRICANE HOUSE

Thunderstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes, as we have recently witnessed, can devastate conventional homes. The shear force of Mother Nature can rip apart seemingly sturdy structures and the cost to build a hurricane-proof house has been prohibitively expensive. That is, until now. Welcome the Hurricane House!

Hey, that looks like a jet airplane, you may be saying to yourself. Well, it is, because commercial airliners are designed to withstand winds in excess of 500 miles per hour. So the inventor ripped out this retired planes seats and filled it with suitable home furnishings. Then he mounted it on a rotating base that is securely embedded in the ground. Now when the winds whip up, the Hurricane house automatically "weathervanes", rotating into the wind, as if it were flying at 30,000feet, providing the smallest cross-sectional area to the destructive wind forces.

A WORD OF CAUTION: In windy conditions you may need some Dramanine and in case of flooding, the seatback cushions may be used as flotation devices. You are now free to move about your home.

Source: Totally Absurd Patents

Unremarkable email legality language

Legal stuff amazes me. Sometimes it shows up in the most irritating ways. A lot of time and effort to make sure that we understand that something could happen but IT BETTER NOT!

Over the years I have been seeing more and more e-mail confidentiality notices. Some even parade as being legally binding somehow. Who thought these up? Some lawyer looking to make a buck? Are they of any use? Should we all be using these on our business email? Do we really need them?

Today I received an email from someone that had this written at the bottom:

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information of this communication may be privileged or confidential and is intended solely for the use of the intended recipient(s). If you are not the intended recipient of this communication, please (i) do not read, disclose, reproduce, distribute, disseminate or otherwise use this communication, (ii) immediately delete and destroy all copies and backup copies of this communication, and (iii) notify the sender immediately by telephone at XXXXXXXXXX or by reply e-mail that you received this communication in error. Delivery of this communication to any person other than the intended recipient(s) is not intended in any way to waive the privileged or confidential nature of the information of this communication.

1. This was at the bottom of the email and it says IF you are not the intended recipient....then it says (i) do not read.....WELL, too late! I read the email which came before the notice. If their notice was at the top instead of after the message that would make more sense.

2. (ii) delete and destroy backup copies? I just received it! how could I have backups?

3. (iii) immediately call? this is crazy. I now have to take extra effort because they sent it to the wrong person?

Here is one that a friend sent me when I told him I was writing about this today.....very funny!

FUNNY CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: If you do not know the sender of this email erase the contents from your mind and reply to ask what idiot sends emails to an unintended recipient. Close your eyes because this email will automatically self destruct or else click 'Delete'. Oooops!

Don't get me wrong, I understand the concept for these things but I am pretty sure they do not have an affect on anyone until you actually take someone to court. And if that is your motivation then I am not sure I want to get the email.

Ok that's the rant for the day......hope all of your emails are notice free today:-)

Will your pajamas catch fire?

When Americans were asked what was their best chance of becoming a millionaire, half of all Americans said winning the lottery. Currently the odds of winning the California Super Lotto Plus Lottery are 1 in 41,416,353.

To put this in perspective, you are more likely to die from ignition or melting of nightwear/pajamas (1 in 30,589,556) and you are over four times more likely to die from being struck by parts falling off an airplane (1 in 10,000,000) than you are to win the lottery.

When you purchase a lottery ticket you are simply playing a game of chance and there is nothing you can do to increase your odds for success.

You are basically counting on blind luck that your pajamas will spontaneously combust!

This blind luck doesn't seem like a plan for success. I have always enjoyed looking at why people are successful. The most majority of people have two things in common:

1. They have a passion for what they are doing and

2. They work diligently toward achieving their goals

So, in that mindset I went to one of the most successful inventors of all time Thomas Edison who had over 1000 patents and changed our world and future with the light bulb, phonograph, motion picture projectors to name a few.

Here are 5 tips (quotes) toward success from Edison!

1. “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
One of the problems in life is that people just give up too soon. We are sold in our society the quick fix; become rich instantly, lose weight with no excercise, etc....
It has been proven throughout history that if you keep trying and work toward goals then the likelihood of success often increases. It is rare that it happens quickly.

2. “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
How do you approach failure? You can look at failure as a part of a process. You look at it as ways that won’t work. You draw lessons from those ways. Then you let that go, focus on the present and try again (this time perhaps in a different way).

3. “The value of an idea lies in the using of it.”
Information is good but you have to put it to use or you’ll never reap any benefits or success.

4. “Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration. Seeming to do is not doing.”
Plan, set goals, and work toward accomplishing these things everyday. Remember the old saying; How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! (not sure why anyone would eat an elephant but hey, I did not make up the saying, it is the principle...stick with me here:)

5. “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”
What is seldom mentioned or seen is how much the really successful people work (see my previous post on Michael Phelps) and how far the people that just practice, practice, practice can go.

I believe that we are created with a sense of purpose and meaning and when we work toward fulfilling that purpose and meaning with creativity, hard work, and helping others we will accomplish great things and live our life to the fullest!

So, there you have it, tips from one of the greatest achievers of our time! In the meantime, although it is unlikely, I hope your pajamas do not catch on fire or parts of planes fall on you!

Hard work always pays off;
mere talk puts no bread on the table.
Proverbs 14:23 (The Message)

Stand before KINGS!

Michael Phelps trains 365 days a year, with two practices on 40 percent of those days. Over a four year time period, Phelps might have gotten in six months more work than the average elite swimmer. Because the momentum of his career does not get disrupted, he is adept at maintaining momentum in the pool.

What are you doing to maintain your momentum and increase your skills?

Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will serve before kings;
he will not serve before obscure men.
Proverbs 22:29 (NIV)

ENOUGH SAID:-)

Why you should quit the music business!

That's right quit!

Here are the facts:
* a seven year decline in music sales
* retail stores closing everyday
* radio is a broken model
* the distribution systems are struggling and can't promote products the way they have in the past
* big box retailers are reducing floor space in their stores for music
* the RIAA can not help you Some of you have just sighed in relief.

You have been waiting on someone to tell you that it is ok to quit.

You are welcome!
_________________________________
NOW, for those of you still here, you probably have a real passion for music and artistry. The people who are in it for the fame, money, and an easy way have finally left.

Now, we can consider what's next! The old way of creating, producing, distributing, and marketing is gone....what do you do?

I think there is a remarkable opportunity!

There are three things you should consider:

1. Innovation and invention usually comes out of necessity and struggles

2. God has not changed and is bigger than the broken system we have been relying on.

3. You need to become an expert at how you distribute your music.

Digital distribution and interacting with people who are looking for what you do is not going away!

The opportunity of digital distribution is this:

When you can distribute something digitally, for free, it will spread (if it’s good). If it spreads, you can use it as a vehicle to allow people to come back to you and register, to sign up, to give you permission to interact and to keep them in the loop.

Build websites, email lists, blogs, and connect with people! Be great at customer service and tell your story well!

Will it be easy? NO

Will it be fast? maybe but probably not

So, here is the big question:
Will you be open to the NEW thing God is doing?

Forget about what's happened; don't keep going over old history.Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new. It's bursting out! Don't you see it? There it is! I'm making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands. Isaiah 43:19 (The Message)

P. S. If you are not in the music business this still applies......if you are not now you will go through a transition! Ask the right questions and either quit or be determined to discover the new way!

Remarkably UNgreedy!

I found an example of a remarkable company that is worth noting of how they treat their customers but it is also worth noting because the principle behind their action can work for all of us.

Fog Creek Software is a small, friendly software company in Manhattan.

(see those friendly people below)

They have a no-questions-asked 90-day money back guarantee.

Ok, not unusual, so do a lot of companies but try this: use Fog Creek CoPilot software for a full 24 hours, call up three months later and say, “hey guys, I need $5 for a cup of coffee. Give me back my money from that Copilot day pass,” and Fog Creek will give it back to you. But get this, try calling on the 91st or 92nd or 203rd day. You’ll still get it back.

"We really don’t want your money if you’re not satisfied. I’m pretty sure we’re running the only job listing service around that will refund your money just because your ad didn’t work. This is unheard of, but it means we get a lot more ad listings, because there’s nothing to lose", said Joel Spolsky CEO of Fog Creek.

Over the last six years or so, letting people return software has cost Fog Creek 2%.

2%.

And you know what? Most customers pay with credit cards, and if Fog Creek didn’t refund their money, a bunch of them could call their bank. This is called a chargeback. They get their money back, Fog Creek pays a chargeback fee, and if this happens too often, the processing fees go up.

Know what our chargeback rate is at Fog Creek?

0%. I’m not kidding.

By the way, It’s working. Fog Creek has been continuously profitable since inception, without any outside investments. Also here is an internal bonus Fog Creek serves lunch to its employees everyday FREE!

Thought for the day; God Principles work no matter what your job is!

"Be easy on people; you'll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you'll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity." Luke 6:38 (The Message)

Let me eggertain you!

Ok I could not resist after seeing the pictures. Ideas are amazing to me they sometimes come out in the most unusual ways and you never now how they will hatch but they may become eggnormous! (ok enough with the egg jokes)

Here is the scoop!

EggFusion, which was founded in 2001, started production last year with one egg company, Radlo Foods, which has since produced 30 million Born Free brand farm-raised eggs with etching. In May, EggFusion landed its first large grocery chain, A.& P., which will use the imprints on 400,000 America's Choice conventional eggs sold each day in A.& P., Waldbaum's, Food Emporium and Super Fresh stores from Connecticut to Maryland.

The company is targeting middle-class mothers aged 22 - 54. EggFusion has already attracted the likes of CBS who was shameless when it came to the corny jokes – 35 million of which were cracked last year:-)

Here is Eggfusion's vision statement:

Leveraging the power of a product that reaches millions of people daily to increase confidence, promote freshness and strengthen relationships.

What? Increase confidence? Strengthen relationships? With Eggs?

Every experience. Every interaction. We’re either drawn closer – or further away – from each other, whether we're a company, brand, politician, etc.

Everything counts.

Is advertising on eggs clutter or clever? I don't know yet, I will let you judge for yourself. Here is my point, let your imagination run with ideas and then test them....ok so you might lay an egg or two but that is ok. Try another one!

Creativity is a gift from God.....go ahead and use it!!!!

Oh yeah, have an eggcellent day!

In a moment

I had the opportunity to take a few days with the family this past week for a trip that included sightseeing and my nephew's wedding. We had a great time in Northern California and enjoyed exploring as well as taking our kids to places my wife and I had been to before that we really wanted them to see. Culminating in a wonderful celebration of marriage with our nephew and his new bride.

It was a great trip overall but I have to admit it was tough for me to be "in the moment" everyday and not think about what needed to be done and responding to all the "needs" at the office.

We did something I have always wanted to do this trip. We visited the Apple headquarters in Cupertino, CA.


I am an Apple fan! Ask anyone who knows me, I can go on for days of how I think Apple is remarkable and their products and marketing have changed the way we use media, work, and integrate technology in our entertainment.

So, here I am walking into "The Company Store" at Apple Worldwide Head Quarters and what am I doing? I am checking email on my iPhone. Ironic in a way, maybe that is what Steve Jobs would want me to be doing. But my wife (who I listen to before Steve Jobs) knows how much I had always wanted to go to Apple, looks at me and says, "Hey look where you are! Be in this moment!" She was right of course, how could I possibly enjoy where I was if I had my thoughts and attention somewhere else?

A simple conclusion I know, but how many "moments" am I missing? How can I fully be engaged where I am now? Can I be fully engaged all the time? Probably not, but still I do not want to miss "the now" God has for me.

It comes down to this.... choices! Choosing to be here....now!

Here is what my friend Erwin says,

The most spiritual activity you will engage in today is making choices! When we talk about spiritual activity, we think of praying, meditating, or reading God’s Word, but there is nothing more spiritual than choices. All other activities we describe as spiritual are a result of choices. Choices unlock divine moments.

Let's don't miss what God has for us!

Let's choose to live our life to the fullest
and step into the indelible moments He has for us now!

Service with a SMILE :-)

In order for business to succeed, innovative customer service goes side by side with innovative products.

My family and I have been traveling this week. We are taking a whirl wind tour of Northern California on our way to my nephew's wedding near Santa Barbara.

We booked several different hotels in different cities in an effort to see as much as possible. Unfortunately, because of the fires near Yosemite National Park we were forced to look at other places to see in the area. We waited as long as possible to change our reservations in hope of still making it to Yosemite. (in other words we were within our 24 hour time of canceling)

I stay pretty much exclusively with Hilton properties (Hampton, Homewood Suites, Embassy, Hilton, Doubletree). The reason I relay this story to you is that we messed up and waited to long to cancel but the Hilton customer service was great. They went the extra mile to not only help us but to find us another place in another city we were interested in seeing.

Point: it only takes a minute for you and your staff to do the right thing and make a lasting remarkable impression and increase the value of your brand and business!

Interaction = Innovation

Here at Indelible we have a few core values:

Serving, Media, Experiences, Partnership

I want to share some ideas today about partnership and the process. We are working on a project with some partners right now Son Companies & e3 Resources.

It has been an exhilarating few weeks as we have seen the seed of an idea turn into what I believe is something that is going to have real impact by encouraging and helping others. The products themselves create a true synergy that is a compelling call to action! (more to come on the project at a later date)

As I thought about partnering over the past 15 years of my career it even makes more sense now (see earlier post on monopoly thinking) and I think we need to focus on the fact we can not build our own kingdoms at the expense of creating meaningful and impacting products and experiences.

Here is how our process has worked for this project.....

Let's call it OPERATION FREEDOM BELL (aha you are already interested, aren't you?)

Let's start with RULE ZERO:

O. PRAY and ask for help:)
(the creator of all God sized ideas)

1. Intent - Ideation The seed of the idea

2. Partners Who can help us with elements and bring ideas to the table that will make the idea BIGGER and will help implement a strategy

3. Context Meet with partners and see if this is worthy idea and does it have potential? Also, this is a good time to look at financially what it will take to make it happen if you move forward. What are the responsibilities of each partner?

4. Insights Gather the experience of the team....have they done anything like this in the past? what worked? what didn't work? Put everyone's experience "on the table" and create the new thing!

5. Concepts Mock the idea up.....make it real.....this starts the partners saying "ok this is real, how do we make it work?"

6. Plans Start putting your execution plan into action (release dates, marketing) and start talking to outside people about it and get others "buy-in" - distribution channels, vendors, other partners

7. Offering After you have all of this in place GO FOR IT! You have a great idea, you have put the team together, you have looked all of your options, you have weighed the financial risk.

Remember, there is no guarantee of success but in this "new world" of product development and distribution it helps to have like minded people with you on the journey!!

It's better to have a partner than go it alone.
Share the work, share the wealth.
Ecclesiastes 4:9 (The Message)