The think (here) Blog

Andrew Swenson (@wordpost) is the brilliantly sharp mind behind wordpost.org.  If you have been following Tt(h)B for any amount of time, you will recognize Andrew as his influence of topics, projects, and posts was greater than than any other t(h)inker in 2009.

Tt(h)B is honored to shine the spotlight on the first Featured t(h)inker of 2010.  Below is the transcript from an email interview taken January 1st in it's entirety. 

What are three of the most influential books that challenged the way you think as an entrepreneur?

1. Free Prize Inside
I know this isn't one of Seth Godin's more famous titles, but it's a more practical version of Purple Cow. The book suggests that big ads and big innovation (think massive R&D, like a new processor) are less effective than soft innovation, the "free prize." Apple does this well—some people call it a "Mac tax," I glady shell out the extra bucks for an improved user interface.

Maybe more valuable than laying out the concept of the free prize is the outline of several practical ways you can champion your idea that's also included.

2. Microtrends
Written by the guy who helped Bill Clinton discover the "soccer moms" voting block, this book shows that smaller, "micro" trends that aren't obvious can be more powerful than the big trends we can all see.

This book pushed me to think of the smaller, less obvious trends that I was missing. Soccer moms were what won the election for Clinton. So the question is, do you know who your soccer moms are? What are you doing to engage them?

3. Contemporary Rhetorical Theory, A Reader
This is an academic book, but rhetoric is sort of where philosophy, argument, logic, psychology, and communication all collide. This book challenged me to think about the underlying factors of humanity that effect how I communicate in marketing, and how and why people respond to marketing.

It's not light reading by any means, but if you want to dig deep into the soul of humanity, this is a good place to start.

What are your two most effective brainstorming techniques?

1. Reading
I tend to see brainstorming as a constant process. I don't block out time to brainstorm because I feel like I should be actively engaged in the activity all of the time. That said, I most often end up devoting time to brainstorming after reading.

I have hundreds of blogs in Google Reader that I scan through every day. There's a mix of news, blogs, feeds from Google alerts and more. With that mix I can stay on top of trends and I'm receptive to the challenges posed by bloggers.

If ideas were a fire, reading would be my kindling sticks.

2. Writing
If there's and issue that I'm struggling with in particular, I use my blog as a lab of sorts to write toward an answer (like when I wrote about the paradox of constant connection). This practice not only forces me to take what I've read and construct an argument, it also gives me the chance to test my ideas with the people who read my blog.

Sometimes, people come up with really creative answers to your problems (like when Jason suggested an antwipod to solve the paradox of constant connection).

Sticking with the fire analogy, writing would be the spark.

When and where are you most productive?

It used to be my desk with my headphones on. But that all changed when I got my iPhone.

Now, I'm more or less productive when I want to be. What I mean is, if I want to catch up on emails or see what's new in my Google Reader I can when I'm walking between meetings or riding in the car (not driving!).

Now as we are increasingly connected and increasingly mobile, I don't see productivity as tied to a specific time or place—just a mindset. The tools are there, you just have to commit to using them.

What do you think is the next big trend in the business world?

Greater personalization.

I think the next big trend in the business world is really a bunch of small trends. As data becomes more readily accessible, and as we find new ways to leverage that data to make people's experiences with our products richer, the market will demand more personalization.

This answer was originally longer, but it turned into a standalone blog post that I'm not ready to share (I'm still thinking through writing!), so look for that soon.

What do you hope to accomplish in 2010?

At the beginning of last month I had a 1-page strategic plan with all of my goals for 2010 outlined and finalized.

Then I came to the realization that my goals were really static, too static. Some of them had changed two weeks after I wrote them. So I'm in the process of finding a way to write more flexible goals, but still scuttle the boats. What I'm learning is that business, life, everything human really, isn't a "being," it's a "process."

I do know that I hope to build connections with smart people in 2010. How that turns into collaboration and ultimately, revenue, I'm still working on.

The Last Question: What is the one thing entrepreneurs should t(h)ink more about?

There's one question I ask myself every day: "What am I doing to add value in my customer's lives?" If I can't answer that question then I change directions.

The point is, even if your aim is to make a profit, you still have to add value to your customer's lives in some way to get them to buy your product. When you think that way, it's easier to put the needs of your customers first (even in front of your own). After all, whatever your selling isn't all about you (unless you're Paris Hilton), it's all about them.