Just for Fun - Disco Buddha

Saw this one evening during a walk near my hotel in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.

Trends for 2013 from Peter Day of BBC

I'm a big fan of Peter Day's "World of Business" BBC podcast.

His December 29th, 2012 "GlobalBiz: 2013 Look Ahead" podcast features great interviews with a couple of my favorite trend forecasters:

Mark Anderson, Strategic News Service

• technological security threats through the hardware and chips, not just software and hacking.
• Hacktivists as our friends.
• Driverless cars coming sooner than we think

David Mattin, Lead Strategist, TrendWatching.com

• Emerging markets targeting other emerging markets with their brands, products, and innovations. 
• Our smartphones will be interwoven into every aspect of our lives'. It will be a "lifestyle revolution". Our personal assistant. The more we personalize our apps, the better our assistants will know us.
• QR codes are the future ... ? Peapod as an example. (Forbes article , Instore Trends,  as well)
• M-health will make our healthcare providers smarter and safer. Democratizing and empowering healthcare.
• 3D printing  - "Again Made Here", The return of manufacturing to "developed markets". Greater innovation. (my 2012 3D printing report)

Caroline Webb, Seven Shift Leadership

• The new normal
• VUCA = Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity
• Personal endurance is a skill we need to master individually
• Planning for an uncertain future in organizations

Shapeways: 3D Printing Direct from Designer to User

Cool!

Business Lessons from MMA & Sumu Fighters

Forget David and Goliath, this is the 21st Century!  If you are in business, and feeling like this poor little MMA fighter watch this match. Yes he is smaller by more than 400 lbs, but he has strength, perseverance, agility, and focus.  Watch, however as he tries to conquer this behemoth using a traditional MMA strategy of taking the opponent down. It's a mistake which he quickly learns and he finds himself in survival mode.  However, once he is out he goes back to swift attack mode, and .... through persistence and tenacity, he conquers the giant.  So, next time you feel like you are this poor little dude with retail giant Amazon or Wal-Mart coming at you with their full 600lbs, consider your strengths and use them to conquer your market. $AMZN $WMT

SHARK TANK Alum, Kiersten Hathcock, Shares Brand Building Tips At #LVmkt

Kiersten Hathcock, CEO of Mod Mom Furniture, will share tips on what worked and what didn't work while building a brand with $0 and running a company despite roadblock after roadblock during her session, “Building a Brand From The Beginning.” She'll also discuss how she learned to trust her intuition even when the world was saying she was nuts to try to build and design furniture without start-up capital, design know-how, and carpentry experience.  “I’m honored to have been asked to speak by World Market Center to share my experience with my industry peers.  Going from a corporate marketing job to carpentry was never my career strategy but lay-offs, the economy, and a crazy idea made it a reality.  If what I share helps even one person better their situation, I’m over the moon,” says Kiersten.


BUILDING A BRAND FROM THE BEGINNING takes place on August 1, 2012 from 10:00 am - 11:00 am at Las Vegas World Market World Forum 16^th Floor - Building B.  For more information, go to http://www.lasvegasmarket.com/show-highlights/calendar-market-events.html.

Hathcock will also share her experience on ABC’s SHARK TANK as well as working with celebrity clients.  Attendees can expect to take away easy-to-apply brand building techniques from a down-to-earth entrepreneur who succeeded at building a respected brand in a tough economy. 

Most recently, Kiersten was invited to be a speaker on the “Influential Women in Home Furnishings” panel for World Market in January of this year as well as a keynote presenter for the American Society of Furniture Design annual dinner in High Point, NC in April 2011.  Katie Hatch, founder of Design | Intuition and former American Society of Furniture Designer Vice President said,  "I've been in the furniture industry for twenty years, and when Kiersten contacted me out of the blue asking for sourcing advice, I was blown away by the amazing brand she had built for herself in such a short time and for quite literally zero dollars. In my experience, the home furnishings industry is strong on product, sourcing, and infrastructure, but we lack brand recognition. Every retailer, manufacturer and designer can and should capitalize on this wonderful session and learn from Kiersten's experience and brand building know how.”

Julia Rosien, CEO of Social North and WithIt President adds, “Kiersten and I met when we sat on a panel together for a WithIt event. To say I was impressed with her sincerity and passion on stage would be a gross understatement. Kiersten connects with her audience because she’s fought a hard battle in the trenches of entrepreneurship and she’s happy to share both the missteps and the successes with her audience. She knows true learning comes when we’re open and honest with each other about how hard (and rewarding) is to be an entrepreneur."

Kiersten Hathcock presenting to the 'sharks' in the tank.
She was offered several deals and accepted 
Robert's offer of $80k. But the story does not
end there. Come see Kiersten
at Las Vegas Market to hear the rest of the story.

Mod Mom Furniture was born in a Los Angeles garage in 2007, the product of self-taught designer-turned-carpenter Kiersten Hathcock.  Her unique, eco-friendly, child-proven furniture has been sold throughout the United States, Canada and abroad.  Hathcock’s storage pieces have been featured in Dwell Magazine, Elle Décor, Los Angeles Times and Better Homes and Gardens as well as in episodes of ABC’s Shark Tank and the Nate Berkus Show.  For more information visit modmomfurniture.com.

Trend Update: Yellow

"Yellow" 2012 #colorTrend slideshare | pinterest | dropbox folder link request

The 12th of 12 Color Trends for 2012 forecast by Design | Intuition is Yellow. 


Bright yellow. Pale yellow. Mustard yellow. All appear in fashion, decor, and consumer products en masse beginning in 2012.


In fact, I believed yellow would be one of the top contenders for Pantone's 2012 color of the year. 


While "Tangerine Tango" is great and more unique and dare I say strategically more savvy to sell new branded merchandise, I don't see the bold hue being a wardrobe or home decor staple that can be pulled out and updated year after year. 


Yellow and gray are hot #colorComboTrend for 2012. Yellow and green are popping up in the 1970s inspired fabrics for 2013. Yellow, black and white are also making a come back in fashion and decor in nods to the 1970s, neo-classicism, comic books, and Andy Warhol pop art. Thoughts?


See all the Design | Intuition colorTrends for 2012 on the blog here, on Slideshare here  , on Pinterest with updated images daily here 

Trend Update: Yellow & Gray Color Combination Trend for 2012

slideshare | pinterest | dropbox link request

Trend Update: "Pink & Orange" Color Combination for 2012

slideshare | pinterest | dropbox link request