Scanning opportunities and inroads to social networking

Old photos fade away.   Literally!   No matter what paper they are printed on, even in good storage conditions.   So as I started to scan a few from my vast – pre digital – collection I couldn’t help but feel there is a better way.   Not even an automated scanner would save me.   I want to… Continue reading Scanning opportunities and inroads to social networking

How GrecoGerman family businesses will rule the world

It is fashionable (and easy) to target family run businesses as the source of a country’s problems.  Whether it is the Economist’s view of a region or the complaints of a middle manager who “just couldn’t get a promotion in there”.   I have studied family businesses as clients, as numbers and statistics.   I… Continue reading How GrecoGerman family businesses will rule the world

Google can destroy you. “You” being anyone and anything. Scary?

I remember the debate in some English Literature class: will the future be like George Orwell’s “1984” or Aldus Huxley’s “Brave New World”?  I am a social media scientist by nature it seems because Huxley was always where I would put my money.  But the “soma” of our time isn’t a drug, it is information.… Continue reading Google can destroy you. “You” being anyone and anything. Scary?

Branding and social media lessons from Muhammed

We live in a sandstorm of information.   Blogs, tweets, status updates, emails, sms and everything raining down on us.  In such a desert 1500 years ago a man worked as a merchant meeting various people of the region and listening to them carefully.  He gathered data. And then what did he do?  Inbound marketing!… Continue reading Branding and social media lessons from Muhammed

Using paradigms to find opportunities: how an inkjet is like a coffee machine

“So people get this 100 euro coffee machine, but then have to pay almost double the price for the capsules?”  I love consulting because you get to play with different business problems every day.  “This sounds a bit too much like the ink jet business!”   They are selling the machines below cost to people… Continue reading Using paradigms to find opportunities: how an inkjet is like a coffee machine

Facebook ads don’t add up: how I proved they are cheating

“So why don’t you cheat?”  It took me a while to recover.   My father has always been my moral compass.   He has stood through many decades of doing business with absolute integrity refusing to bribe anyone in a country where this is unheard of.   He didn’t fall for the trap of taking… Continue reading Facebook ads don’t add up: how I proved they are cheating

Why the Business Software Alliance can’t sue me

When the BSA started out, it was pretty obvious that they were making up the numbers.   Having studied statistics and living in the IT world, to me, it was painfu to watchl.  Not only were they generalising in a bad way but they were communicating too forcefully.     This is a recipe for… Continue reading Why the Business Software Alliance can’t sue me