Author Archives:
Ashton Kutcher (and His Followers): Tech’s New Power Brokers
In case you missed it, Dwolla, a new mobile phone payment service, became one of the hottest new startups recently when it landed an investment by Ashton Kutcher. Kutcher has had a Midas touch when it comes to investments. Word of his participation has helped propel such…
Kodak Bonuses Are a Bad Move
On Friday, Eastman Kodak (EKDKQ) asked the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for permission to pay out $13.5 million in “stay” bonuses to 300 of its top managers so they don’t quit during the reorganization. This latest request is a sure sign that the company simply doesn’t get it—and that any…
2012 International Housewares Show Speech: “Simplify and de-clutter peoples lives.”
“Most people today have too much stuff – they don’t need another gadget or gizmo. You need to think about how you can help people simplify and de-clutter their lives,” GameChanger CEO Larry Popelka told the International Housewares Association this week. “The reason why Apple has…
Too much cash is bad for innovation
Check out Larry Popelka’s latest Bloomberg Businessweek article and find out why Apple Computer and other companies are struggling to grow – because they have too much cash. Too Much Cash isn’t Good for Apple Apple Computer is under fire from dissident shareholders for hoarding too…
New Automated Store Demos and other CES Innovations
Top Innovations at CES 2012 Regardless of what business you’re in, there was a lot to be excited about at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, which wrapped up last Friday in Las Vegas. Here are the Top 10 “game-changing” innovations for Consumer Packaged Goods marketers:…
How Starbucks, Nike and Apple build low-cost test products
For Successful Innovation, Sell Imperfect Products Read Larry Popelka’s new Bloomberg BusinessWeek article on MVP Test Products: How Companies use Early Stage Test Products for Better Innovation If you had tasted the very first PowerBar, you probably would have gagged. It was a chewy, tasteless…
For Successful Innovation, Sell Imperfect Products
If you had tasted the very first PowerBar, you probably would have gagged. It was a chewy, tasteless mass of goo: barley malt, nuts, brown rice, molasses, and nutrients blended into a taffy-like bar, packed in a metallic wrapper with a crude logo. Created by…
Moneyball Marketing – Get more out of your ad budget
Moneyball Marketing – Get more out of your ad budget Read about the new marketing program everyone is talking about –Moneyball Marketing – in Larry Popelka’s latest Businessweek Article, “Why Geeks are the Best Marketers.” Moneyball Marketing is a new approach to marketing that has helped companies…
Why Geeks Are the Best Marketers
In the movie Moneyball, the cash-strapped Oakland Athletics baseball team finds a way to compete with the high-spending New York Yankees by using superior analytics called “Sabermetrics,” a term coined by baseball statistics guru Bill James. In the world of advertising, small companies are trumping big-league ad…
Find your Innovation MVP The Start-Up Book for Corporate Innovators
Find your Innovation MVP The Start-Up Book for Corporate Innovators There’s a great new book out on innovation called “The Lean Start-Up” featured on the cover of thismonth’s Inc. Magazine. While the title might sound like it is just for start-ups, this book provides a…
