Phil Simon's Blog, page 114
February 25, 2012
When Laziness Trumps Technology
I awake early (as usual) this morning and feel inspired to post on platforms. I go to my site ready to write and it's down. According to the über-useful downforeveryoneorjustme.org, it's not just me. Time to call BlueHost.
I make the call and, after waiting for ten minutes, talk to a rep who tells me that the site is undergoing maintenance. I suspect that my waiting time stemmed from the fact that other people like me placed similar calls. Within an hour, my site should be back up, as should www.thenewsmall.com.
I get it. These things happen and you get what you pay for. BlueHost is no WPEngine (affiliate link), a premier hosting service that costs four times as much and powers the site you are currently reading.
I don't have a problem with the site being down early. I do, however, have a problem with a company not using basic tools and data to proactively communicate with customers. Why not shoot a quick email out to customers before or during the outage? Why not preempt angry calls to your reps? Why not be proactive? Hell, give me 140 characters! (A search for the last hour revealed no performance updates from @bluehost.)
Today, we have no shortage of tools and data to get things done. Too many companies, however, have a shortage of common sense and business acumen.
February 22, 2012
New Course: How to Build a Platform
I am pleased to announce that my new Udemy course is now available.
Course Overview
Why are companies such as Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, and Twitter so successful? What specifically are they doing and, more important, what you can you learn from them? How can I use platforms to benefit my business?
In this 48-minute course, I answer these very questions–and more. Specific examples are provided from the histories of today's most successful companies
I first up discuss key terms like platforms, planks, and ecosystems. I tie these relatively new concepts into more traditional business topics, including innovation, leadership, risk management, customer retention, and social media. Limitations of platforms are also discussed.
If you think that only large companies can embrace platforms and learn from Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google, you're wrong. I should know. I have adopted the management principles from these companies and seen tremendous results.
General management principles are discussed, as well as specific technologies such as APIs and SDKs (at a high level).
Click here to access the course. The price is $39.99.
February 17, 2012
Rehearsing to Rehearse
There's a reason that the members of Rush are considered some of the most accomplished musicians on the planet. Natural ability? No doubt. But that's not the whole story.
Even to this day, the guys continue to practice and experiment while many other musicians just mail it in. I'm not talking about rehearsing for a few weeks before the band goes on tour. As drummer and lyricist Neil Peart explains in this recent interview, they actually rehearse independently for a few months before "formally" rehearsing for a few months. In effect, they rehearse to rehearse. Even as they approach 60, they still want to get better–and live up to (no, exceed) the ridiculously high live standards they have set since the mid-1970s.
As a writer, I can churn out what I think is good copy in short periods of time. Why? Sure, I enjoy it, but that's not it. Creative folks have to keep at our craft.
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