Business

  • Are You As Good As You Once Were?

    Toby Keith has a song that claims: “I ain't as good as I once was … But I'm as good once, as I ever was.”

     

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    Probably not … but it was fun to get back in the Shot Put circle at Duke University.

    I was there for Graduation Weekend.

    Apple CEO Tim Cook today delivered the 2018 commencement address. Here is a video.

     

    Cook challenged students to "think different" rather than accept the status quo, and to leave the world better than they found it, by following in the footsteps of leaders like Steve Jobs, Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr.

    An excerpt from his speech:

     

    The pace at which progress is possible has accelerated dramatically. Aided by technology, every individual has the tools, potential, and reach to build a better world. That makes this the best time in history to be alive. Whatever you choose to do with your life, wherever your passion takes you, I urge you to take the power you have been given and use it for good. Aspire to leave this world better than you found it.

    I didn't always see life as clearly as I do today. But I've learned that the greatest challenge of life is knowing when to break with conventional wisdom. Don't just accept the world you inherit today. Don't just accept the status quo. No big challenge has ever been solved, and no lasting improvement has ever been achieved, unless people dare to try something different. Dare to think different.

    I was lucky to learn from someone who believed this deeply—someone who knew that changing the world starts with following a vision, not a path. He was my friend and mentor, Steve Jobs.

    Steve's vision was that great ideas come from a restless refusal to accept things as they are, and those principles still guide us at Apple today. We reject the notion that global warming is inevitable—that's why we run Apple on 100 percent renewable energy. We reject the excuse that getting the most out of technology means trading away your right to privacy. So we choose a different path: collecting as little of your data as possible, and being thoughtful and respectful when it's in our care.

     

    Cook graduated from Auburn University and got his MBA at Duke's Fuqua School of Business in 1988.  He is a member of Duke's Board of Trustees.

  • Trading Eyeballs… What Comes After “As Seen On TV!” with Shark Tank’s Kevin Harrington

    It's a lot easier to manage something you measure. 

    Here at Capitalogix, we measure the expectancy score of trading systems.

    Former "Shark" Kevin Harrington does something similar with eyeballs. 

    For years he killed it on TV with products like Ginsu Knives, the George Foreman Grill, etc. 

    But TV viewership has dropped over 50% … and that's not a sustainable model anymore.

    Luckily, like a true "Shark" he realized something that many people don't…

    You have to be committed to your goals, not the tools you use to accomplish that goal. 

    I shot a video with Kevin where we talk about that … and more. Check it out

     

    If you have been doing the same thing for 18 months (or longer), chances are the practical realities of time, technology, and a changing competitive landscape implies that you should be doing something different (or at least differently).

    What are you doing to stay relevant in your space?

  • The United States of Apathy

    When I think about World Leaders (in places like North Korea, Russia, or Syria), I recognize how lucky we are to be able to elect our leaders in fair and free elections. 

    Unfortunately, that's not an opportunity that we take advantage nearly enough. 

    America has a two-party system,  and we count our votes down district and state lines to decide which candidate will end up with the electoral votes for that state … but what if abstention was counted as a vote for nobody?

     

    4272018 The United States of Apathyvia Philip Kearney

    It's an interesting exercise to visualize what our absenteeism in voting looks like … in the last presidential election, four times as many voted for nobody as for Trump and Hilary (combined!). 

    For all the people who whine and moan in any Presidency, you'd expect more people would have taken action to support their beliefs.

    Now, try to imagine how few people vote in the more minor election cycles.

    There are many interesting practical and theoretical discussions to be had about voting – engagement, education, etc. – but looking at this graph certainly puts one of the problems into perspective. 

    It's easy to point out a problem.  It's more productive to propose a solution.

    • Making election day a national holiday?
    • Allowing mail-in or digital ballots?

    Many individuals feel they don't need to vote because their state uses an "all or none" electoral college approach, or because they feel they already know how their state is going to vote. 

    In addition, unless you're in a battleground state – it can often feel pointless – whether or not it is. 

    What do you think it would take to increase turnout?

  • Disney’s Imagineering Process – An Overview

    180422 Magic of Disney

    How do you build something new and bold?

    What steps help make thoughts become things?

    What does it take to transform a vivid vision to a revolutionary reality?

    Disney calls it 'Imagineering'.

    What follows is a simplified version of the process Walt Disney Imagineering uses when it designs and builds theme park attractions, resorts, and other venues.

    There are seven pieces or stages in the process. Five stages form the core of the process, while the other two serve as its Prologue and Epilogue.

     

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    Prologue: Needs, Requirements, and Constraints: Before the process actually begins, you must identify the project’s specific Needs, Requirements, and Constraints. These form the core parameters of your project.

    The goal of the Prologue is to define your overall objective, including what you can do, can’t do, and must do when developing and building your project.

    Blue Sky: The initial stage of any Imagineering project is the Blue Sky stage, where initial ideas and concepts are created through a combination of brainstorming and concept design.

    The goal of the Blue Sky stage is to create a vision with enough detail to be able to explain, present, and sell it to others.

    Concept Development: Once a concept born from the Blue Sky stage has been selected for development, it undergoes a period of concept development where the idea is more fully fleshed out and realized.

    The goal of the Concept Development stage is to develop and flesh-out your vision with enough additional detail to explain what needs to be designed and built.

    Design: The Design stage is where detailed design documents and specifications are created that will guide the physical construction of the project. These can include architectural documents (blue prints, plans, elevations, etc.) but also more Imagineering-specific documents such as Show Information Guides (documents that outline the story behind the attraction).

    The goal of the Design stage is develop the plans and documents that describe and explain how your vision will be brought to life.

    Construction: The last major stage of the process involves the actual physical construction of the project, including land development and fabrication.

    The goal of the Construction stage is to build the actual project, based on the design developed in the previous stages.

    Models: At each main stage in the process, the Imagineers build models of various sizes and scales to help identify and solve potential design challenges.

    The goal of creating models and prototypes is test and validate your design at each stage to help solve and/or prevent problems that may arise during the design and construction process.

    Epilogue: Openings, Evaluations, and Show Quality Standards: Once construction is complete, the attraction is opened for Guests (including Cast Member previews, Soft Openings, and finally a Grand Opening). In addition, once in operation, the attraction is periodically evaluated to ensure that it maintains a level of quality and that the original Creative Intent of the attraction is intact.

    The goal of the Epilogue is to present your project to your audience, allow them to experience it, and evaluate its success and effectiveness over time.

    [taken from “CHAPTER TWO: An Overview of the Process” of The Imagineering Process: Using the Disney Theme Park Design Process to Bring Your Creative Ideas to Life]

  • Hyper-Reality: The Future of Augmented Reality?

    Our physical and virtual realities are beginning to blend.  Animation is becoming more realistic.  Virtual and augmented reality are becoming more affordable. Wearables are becoming pervasive.  And, the internet of things will soon overtake the Internet.

    We're moving towards a world where technology envelops every aspect of our lives … figuratively and literally. 

    The following (still fictional) video is thought-provoking.  What happens when these new technologies are used to influence behavior, decision-making, and even your identity?  

     

    Keiichi Matsuda via Vimeo

    Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are not new fields – but, they are evolving quickly. Technology and infrastructure are getting to the point that AR and VR will become common for us.

    You have already started to see it (from Google Glass, to the NBA, and of course, to porn). 

    "Not too far in the future you will begin to see the integration of AR and VR together eventually leading to having your favorite performer on your lap, in your bedroom doing a custom performance for you and responding to your verbal and physical cues."

    – Anna Lee, HoloFilm Productions

    Your doctor or nutritionist could help you make better choices for you.  Your therapist or coach could help you perceive and respond differently to the challenges life presents you.  Marketers could better influence your purchases.  Employers could better monitor and measure your performance and productivity. And governments will not be far behind … doing what they do.

    Like many things, these technologies make possible awesome new capabilities (if used well) and horrific consequences (if abused or used in authoritarian ways).

    Similar issues are being dealt with in the fields of BioEthics and AI Ethics. In addition, there is a growing discussion of the impact these technologies will have on society. 

    We live in interesting times! 

    Related articles
    What Effect Will VR and AR Have on B2B Customer Service?
    Rumors of the demise of augmented reality developers have been greatly exaggerated
    Get ready for augmented reality *everything*
    Remember Google Glass? It just got its first update in 3 years. Seriously.
    Chinese police are using facial-recognition glasses to scan travelers
    23 concepts that show what Apple's futuristic smart glasses might look like (AAPL)

  • Here Are Some Links For Your Weekly Reading – February 18th, 2018

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    Here are some of the posts that caught my eye recently. Hope you find something interesting.

    Lighter Links:

    Trading Links:

  • Slaughterbots Assemble!

    Technology can be scary – especially when it is used to move towards autonomous killing machines. 

    Recently, a UC Berkeley computer science professor helped to create a video that imagined a world where nuclear weapons were replaced by swarms of autonomous tiny drones that could kill half a city and are virtually unstoppable.

    Stuart Russell, the professor, said these drones are already a technological reality.

    The video takes the viewer to an auditorium where a speaker showcases a drone roughly the size of a mockingbird. At one point the drone lands on his hand, the speaker quickly recalibrates it and then throws it out into the audience again. After a few seconds, the small drone turns back to the stage and crashes into the forehead of a dummy standing off to the left of the speaker.

     

     

    The video was released earlier this month by the Future of Life Institute, which is backed by Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk. It was presented by Russell at a United Nations Convention on Conventional Weapons in Geneva, according to The Mercury News.

    “Trained as a team, [the drones] can penetrate buildings, cars, trains, all while having the capacity to evade any countermeasure. They cannot be stopped,” the speaker told the audience in the video.

    Russell said that although A.I.’s “potential to benefit humanity is enormous, even in defense,” allowing the widespread use of machines that “choose to kill humans will be devastating to our security and freedom.”

    Expect to hear a lot more about Swarm Intelligence (and some of the more positive things it can do).

  • What Is The Internet of Things?

    The Internet of Things (IoT) is literally just a connected network of digital "things" that can interact with each other through the internet (or intranets). 

    Yet, the IoT also represents a paradigm shift (and the next big upgrade to the web). By 2020, over 26 billion (with a b) things will be connected to the internet.

     

    But how does it work, and why do you care?

     

    Information Is Beautiful created a helpful interactive primer on the IoT that's worth a look.

    Click here to see it. It answers questions like "What kind of things? and "how will the things be used?" but also gives you a chance to look at the innovations, the innovators, and the challenges involved. 

     

    4132018 Internet of Things

    via Information Is Beautiful

    Ultimately, things like cars, buildings, home appliances and wearables will communicate and interact to create a connected world. 

    People's homes are already becoming more connected. With smart hubs you can control your alarms, your lights and HVAC, all the way down to starting your coffee machine. 

    Now imagine that connectivity in a hospital or a supply chain. It's going to be a huge breakthrough. 

     

    But what about challenges?

     

    As we get more technologically advanced and interconnected, there are inherent issues and weaknesses. 

    For example, as more devices access the internet you have more chances for attacks by hackers. 

    Computers, smartphones and other devices often come with virus protection, security measures and more. The same isn't true of your fridge or your coffee machine…

    If there's one vulnerability in your network, that can easily affect all other devices on your network. 

    In fact, hacker's just stole a Casino's high roller database through a "smart" thermometer in their lobby aquarium. 

    As well, there are privacy issues, bandwidth issues and the unfortunate reality for many companies which is … you may not be nimble enough to keep up with this innovation landscape. 

    What do you think about IoT? Do you have a connected home already? Can you start your car with your phone?  Does your hedge fund use technology like this to let trading systems communicate, coordinate, and collaborate?  Can you imagine what that would be like?

    I can!

  • Executing Your Vivid Vision of the Future

    Many companies have flashy mission and vision statements. Fewer have mission or vision statements that truly capture the spirit of the business or inspire proper action.

    Likewise, some companies have identified their core values (but fewer have identified the values that truly represent the business and what it aspires to become) … and even fewer have real actionable plans to get where they say they are going. 

    This is easily fixed!

    Cameron Herold is famous for helping entrepreneurs and other organizational leaders translate their "Vivid Vision" into a complete and actionable roadmap for their companies. 

    He originally presented the Vivid Vision exercise in a chapter of his book, the Double Double.

    The basic idea is that most entrepreneurs have an idea in their mind of what the company will look and feel like in the future (literally, a Vivid Vision),  but that employees can't read their mind.  The exercise translates those ideas into actionable direction.

    Here is a short video of Cameron explaining the process. 

     

    It's a fun and useful exercise.  Ultimately, you end up with a 4-5 page document.  Here is an example of Cameron's Vivid Vision for himself.  This can be used internally, for recruiting, and as a way to align with stakeholders.

    He just released his fourth book  (called "Vivid Vision") – and it goes into more detail on how to align your business around a shared vision of the future.  It's terrific … and surprisingly short.

    And, if you want help generating or writing your vivid vision … email Jennifer Hudye.  She can write it from scratch or take your draft and make it “pop”.  Tell her Howard sent you.

    Cameron also has a podcast and offers some tools and exercises you can download.

  • Do Not Adjust Your Set … We Are Now Controlling The Transmission

    There is nothing wrong with your television. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are now controlling the transmission. We control the horizontal and the vertical. We can deluge you with a thousand channels or expand one single image to crystal clarity and beyond. We can shape your vision to anything our imagination can conceive. - The Outer Limits (1963)

     

     

    It almost feels like an episode of Black Mirror, watching these stations quote the same pre-determined diatribe on fake news and it's danger to our democracy.

    The very message they are purportedly supporting directly contradicts their actions. 

    I think most people realize this happens to some degree … but, it's different when it's presented like this.

    Personally, I believe I am reasonably aware and somewhat immune from propaganda.  That probably isn't as true as I'd like to believe.

    To put it in context – Sinclar Broadcast Group owns nearly 200 stations in 80 different markets, and are looking to buy out more. That is a powerful platform to deliver mass messages and influence the zeitgeist of its audience.

    It used to be true that winners wrote history (think empires, wars, etc.).  Now, the one that delivers the most broadcast narratives shapes the emotional and seemingly logical responses to what we perceive to be happening around us.

    The result impacts elections, financial markets, buying choices, and countless other areas of our life. 

    As A.I., Bots, and social media grow, our ability to discern truth from 'truthiness' weakens.

    What do you think about this?