Matthew Lesko's Thoughts on BizTechWorld 2010
I collected some interesting thoughts from attending BizTechDay in New York City this past week. We all
need help trying to figure out where the world might be going, and entrepreneurs depend on seeing the future
first. We want our lives and businesses to be on the frontlines of new opportunities, not behind them. It helps
to listen to what goes on in an open think-tank of business visionaries.
For a techie conference, there was a great group of diverse thinkers, and everyone seemed open about struggling
to figure out where the world is headed. People recognized me from television, but most do not know that I have
an MBA in computers and had a failed computer business 30 years ago. http://www.biztechday.com/
Highlights and Sources
1. Seth Godin, NYT Best Selling Author, Mindset, Tribes, etc http://www.sethgodin.com/sg/
- More people are killed by deer than sharks but we are all afraid of sharks.
- We live with illegitimate fears.
- If people are not skeptical about what you are trying to do, you are probably not thinking big enough.
If you desire to be a leader, at this point go back to the drawing board.
2) Scott Heiferman, Founder of www.Meetup.com
- Now you can watch Oprah and get excited about something and immediately find 20 like-minded people in
your neighborhood who want to meet and do something about it.
- Technology is taking the middleman out of the picture. People don't need high priced experts any more.
They rely on each other. Wikipedia is an encyclopedia written by your neighbors, and You Tube is TV produce
and directed by your neighbors.
3) Dana Mauriello, New Ways To Fund Your Business www.Profounder.com
- 87% of busineses are funded by family and friends.
- Profounder is a way for small business to have more family, friends and other interested people, all
over the world, invest in an idea without complicated legal forms and legal fees.
- Investors are paid with a share of the sales.
- Crowd Funding - crowd funding is a new way to find investment for your business by allowing anyone to
give you money (fund) your venture.
4) Lisa Gansky, Cofounder of Ofoto and Author of Mesh http://lisagansky.com/
- In the future, sharing will replace a lot of ownership, like Zip Car
- This is not just because of the Green movement, but because it seems to make sense in our economic
lives.
- Having a home you can't sell at any price in Michigan means people are less likely to move to where
there are new opportunities, but renters can go to where the action is.
New Fun Web Services
1) www.wildfireapp.com
a free way to generate customers and new leads via social media marketing campaigns like contests, quizzes and
coupons
2) www.textaurant.com
you get a text on your phone when your table is ready at a restaurant
3) www.venmo.com
text money to anyone with a phone for free
4) www.elance.com
a simple and cost-effective way to hire temporary workers. I’ve been using a similar site for years with lots
of success (guru.com) but with elance, people bid on jobs
5) www.eventnow.com
get quotes almost instantly for all you need to throw a party, food, entertainment, space, etc. You can even
put in how much you are willing to pay for these items.
5 Big Takeaways
Creating the Next Big Thing was not the underlying buzz at the conference. Instead talk centered around:
#1:
Making life more about people versus things, and using technology to achieve this.
#2:
Relationships and good communication trumps the HARD SELL (like me screaming on TV)
#3:
Helping society and achieving personal fulfillment were mentioned far more often than money as major
motivators.
#4:
Technology not only can provide the next big idea, but it can also be a way to make traditional businesses and
organizations more competitive.
#5:
Of all the speakers I listened to, there was barely a mention of the government, even though they are missing
out on what 33% of the economy that can help them be a success. I wondered if most of these people were
initially excited about an Obama presidency, and are now as frustrated as the Tea Party people, but take it out
by starting a business instead of protesting.
We are always here to get the help you need to do what you want in life see http://myamericanbenefitsplan.com/custm3.php
Author: Matthew Lesko, New York Times Best Selling Author and Entrepreneur | http://www.lesko.com
