“It’s kind of fun doing the impossible” ~ Walt Disney

Doing The Impossible

Have you ever felt like you did something that others said couldn’t be done? There is not better feeling than completing something that the antibodies said couldn’t be done. Even when they try to use government regulations as a roadblock.

When you look at companies who have ignored the antibodies and delivered true ground breaking innovations, they tend to be small business and not the large corporations. Why? They are more focused on the one idea they are achieving to bring to the market. They don’t have time for distractions.

Background on example: e-magine platform for Teligent created in 1996.

What could/should governments do to encourage small business innovation?

Guest: Rahul Sood

“Associate yourself with people of good quality, for it is better to be alone than in bad company.” ~ Booker T. Washington

This weeks guest was Rahul Sood, the CEO of Unikrn, a Seattle based eSports startup.

Previous to Unikrn, Sood created the first incubation fund for startups at Microsoft, and eventually Microsoft consolidated their global startup activities under Sood’s leadership.  In June of 2013 he launched Microsoft Ventures.

A serial entrepreneur, Sood spent 18 years in multiple startups prior to joining Microsoft. He founded luxury and gaming computer manufacturer VoodooPC, which was acquired by Hewlett-Packard.  Voodoo brought the ENVY and OMEN product lines to HP, contributing advanced technologies, such as commercial liquid cooling, and an increased focus on design.

Killer Question/Mind Hack

Who will not buy your product because they feel something is objectionable about it?

If you are inspiring enough such that some people love what you are doing, odds are you are going to be inspiring others to dislike your product with an equal passion. Plenty of companies trade on the fact that they represent something the mainstream culture will find offensive or questionable. Look at any business that sells rebellion or a gritty counter-cultural message.

Even more mainstream products such as those found in the tobacco or alcohol industries subtly sell themselves as being a little dangerous and outside the norm.

So ask yourself …

* Have you ever tried to market your product based on what it doesn’t supply rather than on what it does?

* Can you use the thing that’s objectionable about your product to create a community of customers?

* How could eliminating the objection help or hurt you?

Creative Exercise

Just as you go to the gym to work out your physical muscles, we all need to exercise our creative muscle.

So your assignment this week:

Find 3 ways to make your product objectionable to a segment of the market

If you discover some interesting idea, post them in the comments section. That way, you can inspire others to look beyond the obvious.

Link to the podcast: Doing The Impossible S11 Ep18