Month: January 2013

Crime Pays

‘Crime Pays’ project is a fictional monetary system set within an alternative present. The project is designed to disrupt the current technological direction of our cashless payment systems by proposing a different system, which demonstrates both the need for accountability and anonymity within our finances continue

YouTube could roll out paid subscriptions for select channels as early as this April

YouTube is about to launch a paid subscription model for a selection of channels on its video-sharing network, according to a report by AdAge. Sources “familiar with the plans” have told the publication that YouTube has already contacted a small number of content producers, and asked them to file applications for a new channel that viewers would need to pay a monthly subscription for. If true, the introduction of premium content would be a significant shift for the service, which has so far relied on pre-roll advertisments for revenue. Given that it’s owned by…

Trends

Are You an Entrepreneur–Or a “Wantrepreneur”? Find Out…

There are a lot of people running around these days calling themselves “entrepreneurs”. However, I’ve discovered a few fool-proof ways to quickly see the differences between successful entrepreneurs and wantrepreneurs–or people who want to start a business, but who actually aren’t going to take action and create a real business. Here are five traits I’ve noticed in startup founders and entrepreneurs that don’t exist in “wantrepreneurs”: 1. A willingness to learn…

Obvious but Hard Lessons in Small Business Advertising

There are two kinds of small businesses: 1) Those with a very specific niche, but a nation-wide target market (e.g. taxidermy services for exotic animals). 2) Those with a broad enough scope, but a geographically limited market (e.g. an upscale bistro). As someone who has marketed businesses in each of these categories, the lessons in this piece apply far better to the latter category then the former. 1. Limit Advertising Efforts Geographically No matter how tempting it is to include a few extra zip codes when sending out flyers or to increase the geographic radius of a Google Adwords campaign, to…

Trends

Owning vs. renting

You don’t own attention or trust or shelf space. You don’t even own tomorrow’s plans. It’s all for rent, with a cancellation clause that can kick in at any time. The moment you start treating the rental like a right, it disappears.