Pulling Out the Monkey Wrench
You’ve heard it before. And probably many times, too. “They just threw a monkey wrench in my plans.”
Okay, so what now? Sorry for stating the obvious, but pull it out. I learned, long ago, the difference between those that succeed and those that fail. Those that succeed are the ones that can find a workaround, and don’t quit until they do. Here’s some advice for how to do it.
- Focus on the problem you’re trying to solve, not the problem caused by the wrench.
I find that most wrenches aren’t problems at all, if you focus on the real problem. Problem-solvers often get fixated in the details of their solution, and forget to consider other potential solutions. I’ve seen this just about every week of my career, be it a technical problem or a business problem. For example, let’s say you’re designing a car, and decide that it needs more battery power than any existing battery can provide. Instead of trying to solve the problem of creating the most powerful car battery, why not see if you can use a two-battery solution? - Don’t Go it Alone
You don’t need to be a hero, and you’re not the smartest person you know (usually). And even if you are the smartest person you know, others may be able to see things from another angle. Don’t be afraid to ask for help; even from those who may not be experts in the area of your problem. In fact, that can often be an advantage. - Don’t Get Discouraged
This is easier said than done. But depression and frustration inhibit creativity. If you find you’re getting down over a problem you’re trying to solve, it may be a good time for a small diversion. I’m not suggesting laziness or avoidance, but something to help you walk away and return with a clear mind. For example, if you’re editing your own writing, it’s best to walk away for a while and come back. Otherwise, your mind may recall what you were thinking while you’re reading, and inadvertently ignore mistakes seen with your eyes. Go watch a hockey game instead, and come back later. - Extend Your Circle
You asked your co-workers and friends, but they couldn’t help. Don’t stop there. Try your LinkedIn network (and build it up before you have a problem in the first place). Ask you friends and co-workers to ask friends, or to give you names of people who could help. Hire a consultant. Post your problem on bulletin boards. Hold a brainstorming session, and invite outsiders (offer beer and pizza).
The bottom line is don’t quit. Keep attacking the problem, and keep looking for help, but don’t let it consume you 24×7. Same of these things may seem obvious, but when the wrench is in the machine and the pressure is on, they could be forgotten, so it’s good to keep this handy.
Please post your suggestions too!
Mini-size Me: Web Businesses Think Small
Aspirations. Aim high. Reach for the clouds. Thing big. Take over the world.
Not anymore. More than ever, I’m seeing businesses with small ideas. Niche ideas. Some that have symbiotic relationships with other small businesses. Perhaps there are bigger ideas they haven’t let out of the bag yet? Here are some examples, and why they might be onto something. And why they may not be.
- ShareThis
This site offers a social sharing button. An API. And a Sharebox for users. That’s it. At its core, this is a button. I love it for a few reasons. It offers the publisher reporting, an API and customization. Also, if you don’t want to keep up with every sharing service, ShareThis takes care of it for you. For ShareThis, they own the data on usage of social sharing sites. Business model – perhaps advertising, perhaps sharing data, perhaps a tiered pay model? Who knows. But they got $15 million in funding in March ‘08. Still seems niche and small to me, and it’s dependent on all of the sharing services – which do not yet have a proven business model either. - TweetDeck
This application is a Twitter client. Twitter is still fairly niche, although many are betting for it to go mainstream this year. There are also a large number of Twitter clients out there. And Twitter doesn’t even have a viable business model yet. Yet, TweetDeck closed an angel funding round at $500k. I highlighted TweetDeck, but there are a ton of Twitter piggy-backers, like Qwitter, who’s only feature is notification of tweeps that stop following you. That’s about as niche as you can get. - Plinky
One of the newest entrants into the micro-blogging arena (kind of), Plinky managed to get a lot of hype before finally making its premise known yesterday. They ask a question each day, and you provide an answer. They basically just prompt you for something to write about, and allow you to share your response on the social grid. This managed to get a $1.5 series A.
Is this niche company phenomenon due to the recession, or is this a bi-product of Web 2.0? I think both. There’s no question that a bad economy triggers more start-ups. Enter Web 2.0, and we have all of these opportunities for apps with symbiotic relationships. If you can run a small business and make a little more than you made working for someone else, why not do it? As long as these businesses are reasonable to support with small teams, they have a good chance to bring in more than they cost.
But the risk is high. Twitter, and even the major social networking sites still don’t have proven, viable business models. If these businesses fail, the ecosystem of apps that are dependent on them also fail.
I love the idea of these small businesses, although finding the apps you want becomes difficult in this crowded app environment. Enter twitdom.com to solve that problem, too.
TTFN. I have to go start a micro-biz 
Heard of Inbox Zero? What about Twitter Zero?
If you’re like me, you’re not in the top 5% of Twitter users (regardless of which system you decided is the best at rating you). Most likely, you follow more than you’re followed. Perhaps you follow @scobleizer, @davewiner, @skydiver, @mashable, @guykawasaki, or any number of tweeple that have 10,000 to 50,000+ followers. Have you tried keeping up with the tweets? I check every half hour or so, and realize that I still can’t keep up with everything that’s been posted despite following only about 150 tweeps. @scobleizer follows over 20,000.
I remember the Inbox Zero project; epic fail for me. But what would be the equivalent for Twitter, rather than just missing all the tweets I simply can’t keep up with? Well, my honest and disheartening opinion is that I have no alternative.
Not today.
But, perhaps, there is some hope? Let’s take inauguration day as an example. At least 60% of my friends’ tweets were about the inauguration. If my Twitter client could group tweets on similar topics, perhaps this would have saved me from having to read tons of similar posts. Sounds simple, although I know in practice it’s quite challenging. Wouldn’t it be a great start, though?
In the meantime, here are some tips:
- Continue to follow people who follow you. It’s not social media if it’s not social.
- Use an application like TweetDeck, that let’s you create groups. I have one group for people I actually know, another group for news, and another group for social gurus.
- Perhaps you can’t keep up with all of your friends’ tweets, but make sure you read replies and direct messages.
Want to know how to be interesting enough for people to follow you? I can’t help you there 
But perhaps the @scobleizer and these other folks can.
