Amsterdam Fashion Week

At fashion shows across the world, high fashion couture has proved itself an innovator and early adapter, with the introduction of clothing printed via 3D printer.  Featured at the right is an exquisite dress by Iris van Herpen.  While a recent trend, each year articles pose many questions about whether 3D printing will produce sustainable textiles to make current materials obsolete.  Is it time to throw out the sewing machine, and depend on the computer?  Will today’s programmers be tomorrow’s fashion designers? To the latter, I certainly hope not.

3D Printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is the process of making three dimensional objects from a digital model.  The object, even if complex, is created through successive layering of material, and is easily replicable once it has been successfully printed.  In the future, as the technology steadily progresses and prices fall, clothes, shoes, and jewelry may be downloaded and printed.  Clothing could custom fit, printed in stores which only require a 3D body scan.

Makerbot recently announced it’s new Digitilizer Desktop 3D Scanner, which allows objects to be copied and printed; 3D printers will make their way into the homes of people everywhere.  Perhaps it will be a while before the average American dons clothes that have been printed, but it wasn’t that long ago Americans were consuming paper clothing (I believe mid-1900s).  Is this all that different?   No matter what, the advent of 3D printers signals many changes for fashion, as well as for multiple other industries.  Fashion is but one area that would be affected by 3D printing.

One of the most important ways a business can market itself and create differentiation is by telling its own unique story of creation. This idea not only applies to traditional, brick-and-mortar businesses, but also internet-based businesses or even companies with an online presence. There are many ways to present one’s story to customers online. Scott Steinberg posted a terrific article to Mashable.com’s business section about this very subject.

Steinberg says in the article a business can create customer loyalty and brand awareness by developing a compelling narrative about the brand. He lists eight different ways this can be accomplished:

1. “Rise above problems and offer meaningful solutions.” This first method simply means to chronicle exactly how the business solved a customer problem. Use various methods to convey this point, including video and customer testimonials.
2. “Take viewers behind the scenes.” Let the customers experience who exactly makes the business work. Let them see the individuals responsible for the company’s success. This tactic allows the customer to empathize and identify with the business, which engenders loyalty.
3. “Act as an industry insider.” Build original content on the website through employee-run blogs, etc. This original content should include tips and information about the specific industry in which the business is competing. Not only will customers appreciate the attempt to educate them, but it will also serve as a way to reinforce the expertise of the business and its employees in whatever industry it competes.
4. “Find unique ways to recount your origins.” Steinberg cites Facebook and Craigslist as two examples that use this tactic well. The way this can be accomplished is by revealing the personal struggles and tribulations that built the business’ foundation. From the customer’s perspective, this gives the company a “face.”
5. “Explore interactive solutions.” Use creative means to tell the brand’s story. Videos, visuals, apps, and games are just a few of the possibilities.
6. “Discuss your future.” Tell the customers your hopes and dreams, as well as the practical ways you plan on reaching them. Of course, this does not mean revealing potentially damaging information. Another interesting option here is to include the customers in this by giving them a voice for input and advice. This gives them a personal stake in the company’s future.
7. “Salute your community and your heroes.” Tell the customers who was integral to the success of the business. Who provided inspiration? Who did the founders admire and aspire to emulate?
8. “Speak about topics close to your heart.” Speak about social issues in which the business can be involved. Steinberg mentions TOMS and how their charitable element has made them a success.

The eight tactics above can increase customer loyalty and brand awareness by revealing the business’ brand narrative. Great advice from Steinberg for any e-business.

Every day, I pass one of three or four women at the front of the cafeteria, who man a desk to check that anyone who enters swipes their ID and gets charged for a meal.  Over the course of the school year, hellos have turned into small talk, and recently into drawn out conversations.  Last week, I talked with a woman named Cheryl for an hour.  And who could have foreseen the wisdom I would encounter, from a stereotypically “unexpected” place.

What No Lunch Lady Actually Looks Like

You’ll have to meet Cheryl, or any one of the lunch ladies, to hear their stories.  But let me summarize Cheryl’s.  Cheryl grew up in a small town and saved money while her husband worked for a medium-sized business.  She had no college education.  When he lost his job, she had enough in the bank   to open a women’s clothing store, so she did.  She pursued this until moving to Naples, Florida and managing an art gallery for thirteen years (she credits getting the job to her Saks Fifth Avenue outfit).  After that she managed a bank, did a few small entrepreneurial endeavors, and now works at the cafeteria. Why?  Because she likes the environment, and it’s a restful break from everything else.

Cheryl may not be the most successful entrepreneur, but she has tasted of life’s difficulties and joys.  She said an entrepreneur should be willing to take risks, to meet new people, to pick up and follow opportunity, and to fall back on friends when things get rough.  But one thing she said stands out above all else: hope for the best, and cope with rest.  Life is not what you wish for, but what you make of it.  I think real people, who live in the real world, often  have the most wisdom to share.  Make an effort to meet those people, and to learn from them. 

Phil Wahba writes in his article for Reuters that Barnes & Noble has seen declines in both Nook sales and retail revenue over the last year. Wahba theorizes that this signifies the company’s failure to react to literature’s shift towards the digital. The article notes that Barnes & Noble’s digital content revenue has slowed in growth dramatically over the last several years; dropping precipitously from 113% growth during the holiday season in 2011 to a mere 13% growth during this last holiday season. This demonstrates Barnes & Noble’s tenuous grasp on its market share in this industry.

Despite a slight bump in sales after its rival Borders Books closed down, this is just one example of Barnes & Noble’s inability to adjust to the shift towards the internet in the book-buying industry. Years ago, as an industry leader, this company was poised to retain its control over the book market despite the shift towards internet. However, Amazon beat Barnes & Noble to the punch, releasing its Kindle and focusing on the online aspect of selling books. During this time, Barnes & Noble failed to realize the importance of the internet for its future success.

Hopefully other businesses will learn from Barnes & Noble’s mistakes. We are in an internet age, where success is often impossible if the online aspect of a business is ignored.

Any entrepreneur considering building a website needs to strongly consider making it mobile friendly. Having a site that is designed to be viewed on a big AND small screen is now more important than ever. With the prevalence of iPhones, Android, and Blackberry phones among most target markets, the likelihood of a potential user visiting via mobile devise is tremendous. The real question is whether or not your site will be up to their standards.

Do you have the mindset you will need to design and keep track of such a site? If not, I would suggest you go over to LimeCuda and read their article about The Mobile Future of Your Business. The concepts, such as having realistic expectations, keeping track of statistics, having goals for mobile based usage, taking the time to gain an accurate understanding of what your users are looking for, are all familiar to the internet entrepreneur. But, that being said, there are some unique ways to implement the ideas.

Looking to schedule a meeting with some friends or colleagues? “When is Good” provides a quick and simple method for groups to indicate what times they are available so that a meeting time can be selected.

When is Good

It can be pretty confusing when a group needs to establish when their next get-together will be. Everyone starts talking at once and really nothing gets heard. When is Good has the solution — let each individual inform the group leader all at once while still being clearly heard.

How is this possible? When is Good provides a single individual (ideally the group leader) a password and a link. The individual provides the rest of the group with the link which leads to a calendar. Each individual simply selects the times that will work for them by clicking or “painting” by clicking and dragging. The single individual with the password is then able to go onto the website, input the password, and access the results (example results shown in the picture above). Times without conflicts are highlighted and all other times have the number of people with conflicts indicated with red dots, providing a clear and succinct report for the group leader to make a quick and well-informed decision.

The website is funded by advertisements and sale of premium and branded accounts which provide users with additional features and removal of the advertisements. Branded accounts also enable the user to further customize their own subdomain which is dedicated to their individual company.

A simple solution with a simple website layout to accomplish this complex task? Ockham and his pointy little blade would be proud!