Monthly Archives: October 2010

The Changing of the Guard has begun

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Despite the fact I’ve been involved with Internet related business for the better part of the last decade, I’m still amazed from time to time at just how powerful a means of communication the web has become. Not just for catching up with old friends, sending pictures and inviting people to ball games; but as a catalyst for social growth, change and progress. Never before in the history of humankind have ideas had the ability to spread so quickly; or have global (in the truest sense of the word) conversations, about the future we are in the midst of shaping, had the ability to take place with such a dynamic force.

Case in point: this weeks The Enlightened Business Summit. For the next 5 days, 40 of the world’s leading thinkers, innovators and luminaries from the world over will be giving FREE lectures about the very change we all know is so necessary for not only global business, but the global fabric that binds us together as inhabitants on this planet.

I’m pleased to say that brilliant business mind, and dear friend of myself and the PRO community, Simon Sinek (author of Start With the Why) will be among the guest lectures this week. Simon will also be joining us at our MME in Vegas right around the corner on November 20th.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to engage in a truly global conversation about the future of socio-responsible business, and the chance to learn from pioneers of the next phase of entrepreneurship, and business-at- large.

Click here for more details and to Register.

All the best,

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Jay Kubassek

The New Beauty of Disruption

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Traditionally, when we think of a disruption, the natural associations are of something that sends order into chaos. An article of some kind; that soils, spoils or ruins a system or program, turning it for the worse. We’ve entered a new paradigm where the status quo is no longer sustainable. Things have to change, progress and grow; life isn’t stagnant, so why should ideas be?

Disruption led Louis Pasteur to find cures for small pox, it led George Washington Carver to find over 300 uses for the peanut in the 19th century, it led people like Elon Musk to believe that hybrid automotive engineering was not just for trade shows and comic books.

I don’t think any of us believe we were born just to be dutiful lemmings. Happy to remain trapped on the hamster wheel, simple cogs in the wheel. We are all UNIQUE! With gifts, talents and ideas that the world (and yourself) deserve to experience and enjoy. We often talk about social responsibility in the context of recycling, or lowering our carbon footprint; but what about our ideas, passions and abilities? Don’t we have a responsibility to explore these as well? Those sketches in the drawer, that site you wanted to start, the self-tying shoelaces….whatever it may be, you owe to yourself (and maybe the rest of us) to give it a try.

Rock the boat, make a stink…DISRUPT! We’ll all be better for it.

“If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought.”
-Peace Pilgrim

All the best,

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Jay Kubassek

Branson: On The Importance of Not Being Earnest

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Richard Branson is one of those rare public figures who never seems to oversaturate their audience; whether it be with their presence, speeches or products. Instead, it’s more like: “Oh wow, what’s Branson up to now? “Did you see that new Branson article?”

This rare ability is not some magical, alchemical allure that Sir Richard has (or a not so silent stake in multiple media outlets a la Rupert Murdoch). Instead, Branson has an exceptional ability to draw relevant, emotional connections from large concepts of business strategy, to the simple facts of humanity we all share.

A recent article where Branson describes the importance of making sure your business is FUN, is a sterling example of that very talent. My favorite quote in the article happens to be the last:

Branson: “Try taking yourself and your business less seriously. You may be surprised that many others will take you more seriously.”

Check out the full article here: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/217440 and the new Virgin Atlantic ad below:

Tesla and Toyota hop Into bed

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A couple of weeks ago I wrote about Tesla motors, and their leading vision for electric hybrid vehicles. Well yesterday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk took one giant leap forward in making that vision a reality.

At Toyota’s annual dealer meeting in Las Vegas yesterday, Musk and Toyota President Akio Toyoda announced a $60 million dollar agreement to develop a new version of the Rav4 with the super cool Tesla electric powertrain.

The filing reads:
On October 6, 2010, Tesla Motors, Inc. entered into a Phase 1 Contract Services Agreement with Toyota Motor Corporation  for the development of a validated powertrain system, including a battery, power electronics module, motor, gearbox and associated software, which will be integrated into an electric vehicle version of the RAV4. Pursuant to the Agreement, based on preliminary specifications, TMC will pay Tesla approximately $60 million for the development services to be provided by Tesla.

Tesla expects to have a fleet of RAV4 prototypes later this year, and a commercial model of the vehicle will be ready by 2012.

News organizations, and more important every EV startup around the world, is now swooning after seeing the possibility of going from, well…just a well funded startup, to the parts provider for one of the world’s biggest automakers! Does this spell a paradigm shift in auto-making? Are we finally waking up? Or have the “auto-crats” just finally found a way to make electric vehicles profitable?

Maybe it’s all of the above. But regardless of the reasoning, it spells a victory for entrepreneurs, efficient energy initiatives, and more importantly for our children.

All the best,
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Jay Kubassek

Facebing! Get ready for it…maybe?

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Ya know, in the movie The Social Network (heard of it? Ha!) there’s a scene where Mark Zuckerberg, still in college at Harvard, goes to hear a lecture from Bill Gates where he says: “the next Bill Gates could be in here right now!” (pretty meta huh?)


Whether good ole’ Marky took that very moment to heart we’ll never know, but he sure is doing what he can to emulate him, and now, he’s working with him!

It used to be an algorithm game; now you can throw math by the way-side, they will have knowledge of just what you and your friends like through your Facebook profiles. The two companies (who started working together four years ago)  are basically looking at your Facebook Like buttons you and your friends have clicked, then inserting a module into the search results that spotlights pages they’ve given a thumbs-up.

This shift into a more integrated and personalized search experience spells a massive chink in the armor of Google. Check out this great article on FastCompany for The Six things you (and Google) should know.

All the best,

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Jay Kubassek