I was recently asked by Microsoft to host a Chalk and Talk session about Windows Mobile at the Visual Studio 2005, SQL Server 2005 and BizTalk 2006 launch event in Birmingham and London.
I promised the audience I would post the source on my blog so I've done just that on my technical sub-blog:
http://www.businessgeek.com/technical/2005/11/sms-lottery-source.html
Enjoy!
J.
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Thursday, November 03, 2005
Gaming the System
Do you like to play games? Did you play games as a child? Do you still play games?
I love playing games; anything from Monopoly (which my family wont play with me any more because I’m such a rubbish loser) to the personal space shuffle (email me if you don’t know this game)
Why is this relevant to Business I telepathically hear you thinking?
Well, some of the most successful people I know are gamers. Not the nerdy computer games type gamers but the successful entrepreneurial type of gamers.
What do George Soros and Guy Levine have in common for example?
They have both made a lot of money from gaming the systems.
George Soros is fondly remembered in the UK for Black Wednesday where forced the UK out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) making himself a reputed $1bn in the process and in my opinion saving the UK from the Euro (thank-you George).
Guy Levine is a Google Guru and has found a way to use Google to generate him a passive monthly income of £50k+. Not quite the £1bn George made but £50k each and every month cant be sniffed at. Ask Guy how he does it – it’s very simple.
So what’s the point I’m trying to make here.
Ok, firstly, how can you game the system for your personal benefit or the benefit of your company/employer and secondly, what systems have you created that people are gaming to their benefit?
Are you the hoover company who suddenly sold lots of appliances when people realised the value of the bonus gift was greater than the equipment cost.
Are you the telecoms company who couldn’t understand why you had calls from phone boxes without matching payment records only to discover people to tap the phone number instead of dialling it?!
I know, I still haven’t made the point!
The point is two fold; what money can you save by gaming other peoples systems and also what money are you loosing from people who are gaming your systems?
Do you need an answer? Ask your business geek.
J.
I love playing games; anything from Monopoly (which my family wont play with me any more because I’m such a rubbish loser) to the personal space shuffle (email me if you don’t know this game)
Why is this relevant to Business I telepathically hear you thinking?
Well, some of the most successful people I know are gamers. Not the nerdy computer games type gamers but the successful entrepreneurial type of gamers.
What do George Soros and Guy Levine have in common for example?
They have both made a lot of money from gaming the systems.
George Soros is fondly remembered in the UK for Black Wednesday where forced the UK out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) making himself a reputed $1bn in the process and in my opinion saving the UK from the Euro (thank-you George).
Guy Levine is a Google Guru and has found a way to use Google to generate him a passive monthly income of £50k+. Not quite the £1bn George made but £50k each and every month cant be sniffed at. Ask Guy how he does it – it’s very simple.
So what’s the point I’m trying to make here.
Ok, firstly, how can you game the system for your personal benefit or the benefit of your company/employer and secondly, what systems have you created that people are gaming to their benefit?
Are you the hoover company who suddenly sold lots of appliances when people realised the value of the bonus gift was greater than the equipment cost.
Are you the telecoms company who couldn’t understand why you had calls from phone boxes without matching payment records only to discover people to tap the phone number instead of dialling it?!
I know, I still haven’t made the point!
The point is two fold; what money can you save by gaming other peoples systems and also what money are you loosing from people who are gaming your systems?
Do you need an answer? Ask your business geek.
J.
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
You are the talent
Take a look around…
Are the people you work with truly amazing?
Do the people you work with inspire you?
What are you going to do about it?
Now here’s the real deal – you can’t change other people you can only change yourself.
What are you going to change about yourself today?
Are the people you work with truly amazing?
Do the people you work with inspire you?
What are you going to do about it?
Now here’s the real deal – you can’t change other people you can only change yourself.
What are you going to change about yourself today?
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Omnipresent Software Friends
How would you feel if you asked a friend for help and the response was "I can only help you if you are sat as your desk"?
So why do we accept this from our software friends?
These little programs we have created to make our lives easier are now tying us to our desks rather than setting us free.
I for one want my software friends with me at all times. I can't predict when I'll want to write, read, communicate or transact and I certainly do not want my moment to be lost because my software buddies are hanging out at the office.
There is no reason today for your software friends to be at your side 24-7. The technology is not yet perfect but it is available. I can write my blog for anywhere, I can read my email from anywhere, I can view my contacts from anywhere, I can access our corporate collaboration space anywhere, I can access my desktop PC from anywhere - you could too!
I love having my software friends with me at all times; I can react to the moment which makes me more effective and requires me to write less post-it notes to remember things!
If your software is not omnipresent, find yourself a business geek and set your software free!
J.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Company 2.0
Hi
I am the Business Geek. What does this mean?
For me this means looking at the world of business through the eyes of someone who is deeply technical. It's kinda like looking at the world of business with the Matrix style digital display.
Applying technology correctly to business problems can make any business go vertical. We have seen companies like EBay, Skype, Yahoo, Google and even Amazon go vertical in the past 5 years but no traditional businesses have achieved this yet. Why is this?
My belief is that any business can go vertical but traditional businesses have too much baggage to make the transition which is why these newer companies without the baggage have achieved this dream status.
At the same time we have seen traditional businesses who went vertical previously like Microsoft get bogged down by their baggage and have their position challenged by the likes of Netscape and now Google. This really is the innovators dilemma in all its glory.
So, what does the Business Geek propose...
The Business Geek's proposal is Company 2.0. If you are the CEO of a major business and you want to go vertical create a version 2.0 organisation, find yourself a business geek, hand them a pot of cash (say 1% of your profits) and tell them to eat your lunch. Challenge 2.0 to become more successful than 1.0 within 2-3 years.
Sounds scary doesn't it? But at least this way you'll end up owning the business that is eating your lunch powered by technology rather than someone else!
Even if 2.0 fails to eat your lunch you'll have collected a whole bunch of technology, people and experiences that you can incorporate into your 1.0 business and probably more importantly these people are not working for your competition!
The caveat; choose your business geek well. Giving the wrong person 1% of your profits may all go horribly wrong!
Decide carefully.
J.
I am the Business Geek. What does this mean?
For me this means looking at the world of business through the eyes of someone who is deeply technical. It's kinda like looking at the world of business with the Matrix style digital display.
Applying technology correctly to business problems can make any business go vertical. We have seen companies like EBay, Skype, Yahoo, Google and even Amazon go vertical in the past 5 years but no traditional businesses have achieved this yet. Why is this?
My belief is that any business can go vertical but traditional businesses have too much baggage to make the transition which is why these newer companies without the baggage have achieved this dream status.
At the same time we have seen traditional businesses who went vertical previously like Microsoft get bogged down by their baggage and have their position challenged by the likes of Netscape and now Google. This really is the innovators dilemma in all its glory.
So, what does the Business Geek propose...
The Business Geek's proposal is Company 2.0. If you are the CEO of a major business and you want to go vertical create a version 2.0 organisation, find yourself a business geek, hand them a pot of cash (say 1% of your profits) and tell them to eat your lunch. Challenge 2.0 to become more successful than 1.0 within 2-3 years.
Sounds scary doesn't it? But at least this way you'll end up owning the business that is eating your lunch powered by technology rather than someone else!
Even if 2.0 fails to eat your lunch you'll have collected a whole bunch of technology, people and experiences that you can incorporate into your 1.0 business and probably more importantly these people are not working for your competition!
The caveat; choose your business geek well. Giving the wrong person 1% of your profits may all go horribly wrong!
Decide carefully.
J.
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