Are Newspapers in the News Business or Fish-wrap Business?

Doc Searls: “If your paper is worth so much (and it is), and you want to charge for it, how about charging for fresh news, and giving away the stale stuff?” The ‘more-for-new-less-for-old’ model is a good one. Let’s take a look a couple industries where it seems to work well: Movies If Jen and …

Best Buy Focuses on Personas

Best Buy has taken the first step in their persona-centric model. According to the Wall Stree Journal’s Analyzing Customers, Best Buy Decides Not All Are Welcome, the sales associates have received training to briefly interview customers to determine if they are a Barry, Jill, or Ray Buzz. In an effort to keep their store relevant …

Gate 3 Work Club Opens

The Gate 3 Work Club officially opens this week in Emeryville, CA. The culture of work in the US is dramatically changing. No longer segregated to the industrial parks and office buildings, knowledge workers and other members of the Creative Class are more mobile, more collaborative, and more flexible with their work. This cultural change …

When Brand is the Bottleneck

Recently, a collegue and I went to lunch at Pancheros, a 14-year old burrito chain started in Iowa City, IA. I’ve spoken about the power of lunch before as well as the lunch experience. Always enlightening. This time was no exception. I’m a big fan of Chipotle, they’ve taken the Subway model and transferred it …