Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Diamond on my soles: Ahnu Shoes


Don't you love it when someone says to you, "Nice shoes"? 
Every single time I wear my Ahnu shoes, whether they are sneakers, boots or shoes, I get that great compliment. 
But I shouldn't be surprised - this is the same team that brought us Tsubo. Don't know Tsubo? Well, there you go - Two diamonds to check out! www.ahnu.com and www.tsubo.com

Saturday, September 24, 2011

A Diamond in the Rough, with room for cream: Bicycle Coffee Co.

Locally roasted in one, open flame, 20-pound drum, every single pound of this organic, fair-trade, family-farmed coffee is delivered - get this - by bicycle! Yes, Bicycle Coffee pedal their weekly deliveries up the hills of San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley. Even their stand, with propane burners brewing over 500 cups for farmers market shoppers is biked to its destination.

And here's the kicker: their coffee is so good, I'd ride 20 miles for a cup! Not really, but they do make great coffee.
www.bicyclecoffeeco.com

Monday, September 19, 2011

Where's my wallet?

Earlier today Google announced that is releasing Google Wallet. A mobile app that turns your phone in your wallet. It holds your credit cards, your coupons, your plane tickets etc... We all knew this was coming, but is this for real? It will take time to tell, but it should give you a glimpse of the future. The companies that think different, not just big, win. It used to be that the big companies sat in a tall tower and the small guys had to wait their turn in line. Now startups are showing us every month that if you can't compete with what is out there, recreate the market. Even though they are a big company, Google is trying this with Google Wallet. Let's give them credit (pun intended) for being innovative and forward thinking, but I think they could have gone further. Partnering with MasterCard and Chase and the other big guys in a few months doesn't recreate the model, it perpetuates the existing model that is broken. Big banks don't work and people don't trust them, so why jump in bed with them on this project. We all know there are a ton of reasons, but Google is big enough to take on the big banks and they could have used Square or SimpleBank as their partner, giving a leg up to a couple startups. It would have sent a message and given the banks a real competitor who could have encouraged change. If we do use Google Wallet as our day to day payment tool, we don't what it to look like what we have already, we want it to be better. Google should know that, and if you are thinking different

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Birth of a Brand

Where do brands come from? They come from inside and the good ones remain authentic. Branding is Non-fIction, ok it isn't always true, but the ones you remember and believe in are real. They have stories that have to be true because no one could make them up. Take Teton Gravity Research (TGR for you skiers). Here were a couple of brothers from Cape Cod that worked on commercial fishing boats in Alaska, saved up their money, moved to Jackson Hole, WY and started filming their friends skiing. Now 15 plus years later, they are on top of the outdoor industry with more traffic to their website then many other outdoor brands. They got there by living the brand. They hiked the mountains, they skied the cliffs and sacrificed other things in their life to do it. When they tell you about great places to ski, you should listen because they have skied a lot of places. When they recommend a jacket, listen, they probably wore that jacket for two weeks of outdoor camping last season and they know it works. When you look at your brand, are you passionate, are you the target demo or are you just faking it. If your passion isn't real, if you don't live the brand, people will know. Take the time to sit down and understand who uses your brand and why. Are they your age, are they younger, are they older. What do they say about you on Twitter? Do they tell their friends about you or not? Brands come from inside of all of us. What is your brand and how are you going to live it?