The Next Successful Idea…

Google, Microsoft, Facebook and Virgin Enterprises were all started by previously successful business people…not quite. What in our psyche makes us believe that in order to be successful…we have to have been successful? Isn’t it funny when people say “have you ever run a successful company before?” Isn’t it great that Sergei/Larry, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Richard Branson never paid any attention to that stifling question?

What would have happened if the same question had been put to Christopher Columbus? Hey Chris,  “Have you ever sailed before and found new land masses?” Or the same question put to Benjamin Franklin, “Hey Ben…ever discovered electricity before?” If not, then you’d better not try it now, chances are you won’t be successful.

This ridiculous question is usually asked by people who haven’t succeeded or are afraid someone else is going to. Let me tell you about a personal experience regarding a man who didn’t buy into the fear and led a pretty happy and successful life.

Back in the town where I grew up, Harvey, Illinois, my father had a friend named Victor Petrucek. He was a friendly blue-collar worker who had a habit of watching his children and their friends play. Vic watched the children use their imaginations, creating new and interesting toys to play with out of boxes or whatever they might have around.

Victor was smart enough to realize that if his kids would play with these creations, so would other kids. This average blue-collar worker with very little education but a very creative imagination put together ideas such as the Jingle-Jump, still being produced today, and a telescoping dart shooter used on the original Batman series.

So it appears that whether we have an idea for the next Facebook or possibly the next great children’s’ toy our most important thought should be should bringing our idea into reality, not whether we’ve done it before.

Larry Braccio

Successipedia/BuyersLooking

Committed To One Thing…Or Another?

It has been said that successful people have similar traits. There is one requirement necessary for success or failure…committment. This being true, you can probably tell at an early age which children have the greatest potential to become successful adults. Lets examine the opposite of committment, what some might call committment phobia. One of my favorites…a lot of men are said to have a fear of committment!!

What happens if instead of saying they are afraid of committment to another person, we instead say they are committed to personal freedom! Might sound crazy but bear with me for a minute. The dictionary defines committment as pledging oneself to someone or something. So we can actually be committed to marriage or to being single, committed to another person or to oneself, committed to happiness or to sadness every day we make the choice.

This leads me to a rather intriguing thought I had Monday afternoon. If we are not committed to success, we are committed to failure. Let me clarify my definition of failure…not being the success you have the potential to be.

Not long ago in a parking lot in Scottsdale, Arizona, I happened upon a gentleman exiting his vehicle. Without a second thought, I mentioned that he bore a striking resemblance to G. Gordon Liddy. He thanked me, smiled and replied ”That’s probably because I am G. Gordon Liddy.” G. Gordon Liddy was the Counsel to the President during the Watergate investigations. He was well-known as the man who would not implicate anyone above him in the scandal that rocked Washington and caused then President Nixon to resign. Politics aside, I had to admire this man who was so committed to his principles and being the man he wanted to be…that he was willing to spend fifty-two and a half months in a maximum security prison. 

 I enjoyed a great afternoon with Mr. Liddy and even asked him to sign a copy of his classic book “Will”. I took away something very special from that afternoon: when everyone else was pointing fingers and saving themselves at all costs, one man was more committed to being the person he wanted to be. The choice seems simple and every day we have to make it…either committed to the person we want to be or committed to the person that’s less than we can be.

I have committed myself to sharing my thought and ideas on success with you. Let me know your thoughts and ideas and together we’ll prosper. 

Larry Braccio

Successipedia/BuyersLooking

Expect a Miracle…

About three months ago a good friend and colleague of mine, Dr. Steven DoHolis, handed me a white card with blue lettering. It consisted of just three words…Expect A Miracle. I was intrigued by the card and its simple yet profound message and immediately put it in my pocket. I have frequently reread the card to simply uplift my spirits and keep my optimistic nature in high gear. Well…guess what happened recently?

In the mid 90′s I was doing some work for a company called Pitre Automotive in Scottsdale, Arizona. Unbeknownst to me, or unable to remember, during that time I signed up for their Defined Benefit Pension Plan. About 3 years ago, I was notified that the plan was going to be disbursed because of the sale of Pitre Automotive to Auto Nation. I filed the papers away figuring after the economic downturn and Wall Street debacle, my chances of seeing any money from this were slim to none.

Last week I received a certified letter informing me that my lump sum payout was over $25,000. As far as miracles go this is not to be confused with medical, human or earth shattering type miracles. Still, I can’t help but feel when we move in a direction believing that miracles will happen, someway or somehow they tend to manifest. 

I was watching a 60 Minutes segment on the new Spiderman show opening on Broadway. The music for the $65 million project is being handled by Bono and Edge from the musical group U2. Their talent is known world-wide and U2 is one of the most successful rock groups of all time. When Bono and Edge were approached 8 years ago with regards to the show, they had only one requirement..it had to be directed by the visionary Julie Taymor.

During the interview they asked Ms. Taymor if she was scared, realizing that her project, the  most expensive broadway show ever, was about to become reality. Her reply was simply…”Yes, if you are not scared then you are not taking chances.”   

It seems to me when you take chances and expect a miracle you push yourself beyond normal boundaries and into the magic of making things happen. If you don’t believe it, well…. Spiderman opened on November 28th in New York on Broadway and I am off to collect my check. So Expect A Miracle, carry the words with you in your pocket, your purse or maybe just in the back of your mind. When you do you will be opening yourself up to unlimited possibilities and yes…maybe even a Miracle. 

Larry Braccio

Successipedia/BuyersLooking

Old Product…New Twist!

If Apple didn’t invent computers and Starbucks didn’t invent coffee, then why did they become so successful? The race to have the newest and most exciting products, although very intoxicating, is a somewhat crowded field. Instead,  Apple and Starbucks created their own niche. That got me thinking about the ever popular word niche and how it just might be the key to success for many of us in the future. 

The word niche actually comes from the word nicher (1605-10) which meant to make a nest. So lets assume that it means to make my own personal nest (niche). I doubt anyone would disagree with the fact that Apple and Starbucks have created their own special nest. So how do I know which road leads to my niche?

A very wise career counselor once gave Joe Olchefske, a successful superintendent of Seattle’s schools, this simple advice: “Go out into the world, and watch what you naturally pay attention to. This will reveal your interests.”  The belief is that there’s something inside of us trying to get out,  people who don’t have passions don’t struggle. Any market can be created and expanded by good innovation. If you and I focus on a new customer, offer edgy design and execute well…it can lead to a  breakthrough.

In the book The Poisonwood Bible by Barabara Kingsolver, a story is told about a Baptist minister who moves his family to the Belgian Congo on a religious mission. While there he attempts to grow vegetables from special seeds he has brought with him from Georgia.  Unfortunately, after many attempts, the results were always the same: they flowered but there was no fruit. Then an amazing discovery…the insects necessary to pollinate the Georgia seeds did not exist in Africa. Even when we build the right nest, if we do not attract the necessary ingredient (the right customers) our nests will not flourish. 

The night before Thanksgiving I attended the 10:00PM Dane Cook comedy show at The Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix. The first show at 7:00PM had sold out, the second show, the one I attended, was about two-thirds full.  Celebrity Theatre holds 2,600 people, so it’s safe to say that about 4,300 people came to see the show, roughly .001% of the 3.3 million people in the Phoenix Metro area.

Dane Cook has built the right nest (niche), focused on the most interested customers and admittedly become a very successful and wealthy man. We must guard against getting too comfortable in other people’s’ niches and not focusing enough on our own. I’ll bet you thought I’d say I was off to Starbucks with my Apple to watch Dane Cook’s latest Utube entry….no I’m working on my own nest and hoping you are also.

Larry Braccio

Successipedia/BuyersLooking

Everyone has Ideas….

A few years ago I was involved with the Johnson O’Connor Research Foundation, an organization dedicated to the discovery and testing of natural aptitudes. I found it  fascinating that they were able to define the inborn talents of each of their clients.

The Foundation unequivocally answered the question about ideas…yes everyone has them. The Foundation calls the aptitude Ideaphoria…it relates to how quickly a person generates ideas. The defining ingredient is time; some generate ideas rapidly…some slowly, but everyone does generate ideas.

So the next question becomes…if we all have ideas how can we tell which are life changing? Can we actually distinguish what could be a good idea from a bad one? The past has proven repeatedly, the answer is not always obvious. What then should we do…maybe go with our instincts?

Back in the mid 1980′s, Lewis D’Vorkin had an idea: he wanted to work for Forbes Magazine. Going with his desire and building up his nerve, he highlighted three Forbes’ issues with thoughts on how to make the magazine even better. When finished, he mailed them to the infamous editor Jim Michaels.

Good idea?…Jim contacted Lewis, invited him in for a discussion, listened intently and thanked him for coming. Bad idea?…Lewis never heard from Jim for ten years. Great idea!…Jim called Lewis, offered him a job and through a series of events Lewis is now the Chief Product Officer of Forbes Magazine.

I found this story enjoyable because Lewis took the idea and ran with it. Where would it or could it lead…how does anyone ever know the answer to that question? I know that if he had done nothing, he and his idea would have gone nowhere.

As Johnson O’Connor has proven, we all have ideas. Likewise, Lewis D’Vorkin has proven if we’ll run with just one good idea, we can change our lives forever.  Write to me and let me know what you think, I look forward to hearing from you.

Larry Braccio

Successipedia/BuyersLooking

Dedication…Josh Groban!

What exactly are we dedicating our life to? One of my favorite music videos is Josh Groban singing You Raise Me Up. Every time I watch it, I feel more alive and better off for having invested less than 4 minutes of my life.

I started thinking about the video and what the experience really means in my daily life here in Scottsdale, Arizona. What do we invest our time in day-to-day, week to week, and month to month? Josh Groban’s talent is obvious: just watch the video and see what he has dedicated his life to. But then take a closer look and watch the dancers, musicians and singers around him.

I realized while watching, they are all dedicated to spending their daily lives towards the eventual success this long-term investment brings. Success seems funny that way, making other peoples’ achievements appear easier than ours. Then I watch a video full of those who have reached their measure of success…and realize once again that success is preceded by many moments of practice and dedication.

At the end of every day when I look at what I’ve accomplished, it’s obvious what I dedicated myself to. The look in the eyes of the performers in the video and the energy that flowed from them shows me where their ambition lies. Their journey leads them to others with the same dedication and that’s when the magic happens.

The people in the video are not just dancing, singing or playing instruments…they are living the experience! Day to day dedication seems a lonely journey, but it is a force that cannot denied and watching the video I realize once again, it is an exercise well worth the time.  

I am going to take time today and look for more people who want to help each other succeed. I believe in Josh Groban’s song… when we dedicate ourselves to help raise each other up, we’ll all be more than we can be. When our life is at its end, what will we have dedicated our moments to? What will we have to show for the time we were given every day?  More importantly, will we be able to look back and smile knowing our dedication gave us an opportunity to realize our full potential.  Write to me and let me know what you think.

Larry Braccio

Successipedia/BuyersLooking

I Can’t….I Don’t Have Enough Money!

Have you ever had a dream about being somewhere and finding a small amount of money? Then the more you walked on, the more money you found. After reading a very interesting article regarding the creators of PopCap, I am beginning to believe there just might be a correlation with that dream and a successful business.

In case you’re not familiar with PopCap, the Seattle-based game company founded in 2000 is on track to bring in $100 million this year.  Not bad for three guys who thought government cheese was an american household staple. Suffice it to say that there were no golden spoons, lottery winnings or venture capitalists providing money to start the fledgling company. If you want to read their story you can find it in the October issue of INC. Magazine.

I found it intriguing that one of the oldest resistances to success, I Don’t Have Enough Money, was once again surpassed by…let’s just do it. In the beginning of PopCap there was no money, then there was a little, then just like in the dream…MORE. I know what you’re thinking because I thought it also…these three guys in their early twentys were smart businessmen with a can’t-miss business plan. In their own words, “It was not well thought out; more like Let’s live off ramen noodles, play games, and see what happens.”

In the dream we’re not usually sure where we are (mine is usually a boardwalk near the ocean), but as long as we keep walking we keep finding more money. We seem more fearless in the dream because there are no resistances working against us. It’s as if the fun and excitement of the discovery has surpassed any potential hazards. Our minds seem to be focused on one thing, journeying forth to the next big pile of success…money.

It’s been said that you can successfully drive across the country in the dark with your headlights on seeing only the next 200 feet in front of you. Initially, neither PopCap nor our dreams seemed to have all the answers. Maybe the key is to pay more attention to our dreams and less attention to the resistances. Write to me and let me know what you think.

Larry Braccio

Successipedia/BuyersLooking