Sometimes I catch myself thinking "oh crap - wrong time to start freelancing" when it comes to the coming recession in the world (which I believe will show up at our doorstep sooner or later). Most of the time I am thinking in a very Louise L. Hay way, that if the recession is coming then I won't be influenced by it.
If you look at what the economy of abundance has brought to society it is kind of a "have it all" feeling - everything you can possibly think of can be yours... Business models are starting to be formed around giving stuff away for free. Oh yeah sometimes I feel like a spoiled little brat...
Anyway, something tells me that economy of scarcity delivers more creativity and more eagerness than the economy of abundance, which is probably a result of the " I-could-have-it-all " kind of life. Why try harder when it is brought to us ?... why make excellent stuff when we can get by with mediocre ? I think a new economy of scarcity will make society work more creatively towards global problems than now where there is this "all is well" feeling to everything. If we need something we will just borrow the money for it in the bank - We are so wealthy it's incredible.
All is good for now - But my idea is that if the recession comes it's going to separate "crap" from "gold" and the more substantial people will make a better living than the ones that are in it for the money and the hype.
As Sanjay said in
geekarmyknife # 6 " we are looking at a reversal of stereotypes" - good call, and an really genuine idea to ponder about.
[creativity, business, businessmodel, economy, geekarmyknife, scarcity, abundance, alliswell, recession]
[14 comments]
Seth Godin wrote a blogpost the other day about getting closer to the pain of the customer.
Meaning that if something is scarce - people will pay more for the product.
John backs it up by saying:
The customer who has a scarcity of time will value convenience.
The customer who has a scarcity of expertise will value competence.
The customer who has a scarcity of style will value design flair.
The customer who has a scarcity of contacts will value network effects.
I don't know where my scarcity lies right now, what I am searching for at this point of my life is
"substance"...
I am so sick and tired of people and businesses who doesn't have substance and who are just living day by day without any greater vision. They don't contribute to a better cause, and when they do, it's to take advantage of it... these companies are sleek and smiley, probably really good business people, but - when you get to be in their presence for a while, you can see it's a fad....
My problem is... that they are not in business because of the better of the world or the better of their co-worker or employees or anybody.. they are in business because they are all about business...
Business + personality+ attitude + loving thy neighbour = a business full of substance and meaning
Business without the above is just "business emptyness" - nothing except a product and a framework to make money... gah...
In the movie
"almost famous" ( one of my absolute favorite movies) the leadguitarist with mystique is looking for something "real" and decided to go to a party with a bunch of teenagers on acid. He's tired of the "industry of cool" - so he goes somewhere completely different - to people who admire and love him for who he is.
I love some parts of the "industry of cool" - and there's a lot of really good companies in business everywhere - but I have to add something to Johns list:
A business ( or a Toothless Tiger if you please) who has a scarcity of substance, will value authenticity and opinions
And I think this is one very important key for the future of business. We need real and we need it to work with the industry of cool.
When the designers did the new design for Toothless Tiger a while ago ( I know it's not up yet - but it's coming.) they asked me how I wanted it communicate. I found out that I am probably 70 % personality and 30 % business. Maybe even closer to 80 % personality and 20 % business.
Anyway when you get people who says that they are more than 40 % business ( I know some people who I would say was 95 % business) you really have a problem...
[business, people, scarcity, substance, authenticity, attitude, industryofcool, opinions]
[506 comments]