My Global Hustle

What you reading YG? ( March 2010 )

I was @ Brooklyn Flea over the weekend & stumbled upon these 2 interesting titles. Lets keep our fingers crossed and hope that these books are good reads. I’m almost done with Linchpin & overall I have mixed feelings about the book. Some spots are great & others not so much.  If you’ve read Linchpin… please give me a shout. I would love to hear your thoughts. -!YG

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The Power of Unreasonable People Summary

Renowned playwright George Bernard Shaw once said “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world, the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” By this definition, some of today’s entrepreneurs are decidedly unreasonable–and have even been dubbed crazy. Yet as John Elkington and Pamela Hartigan argue in The Power of Unreasonable People, our very future may hinge on their work.

Through vivid stories, the authors identify the highly unconventional entrepreneurs who are solving some of the world’s most pressing economic, social, and environmental problems. They also show how these pioneers are disrupting existing industries, value chains, and business models–and in the process creating fast-growing markets around the world.

By understanding these entrepreneurs’ mindsets and strategies, you gain vital insights into future market opportunities for your own organization. Providing a first-hand, on-the-ground look at a new breed of entrepreneur, this book reveals how apparently unreasonable innovators have built their enterprises, how their work will shape risks and opportunities in the coming years, and what tomorrow’s leaders can learn from them.

Start investing in, partnering with, and learning from these world-shaping change agents, and you position yourself to not only survive but also thrive in the new business landscape they’re helping to define.

MicoTrending Summary

In 1982, readers discovered Megatrends.

In 2000, The Tipping Point entered the lexicon.

Now, in Microtrends, one of the most respected and sought-after analysts in the world articulates a new way of understanding how we live.

Mark Penn, the man who identified “Soccer Moms” as a crucial constituency in President Clinton’s 1996 reelection campaign, is known for his ability to detect relatively small patterns of behavior in our culture–microtrends that are wielding great influence on business, politics, and our personal lives. Only one percent of the public, or three million people, is enough to launch a business or social movement.

Relying on some of the best data available, Penn identifies more than 70 microtrends in religion, leisure, politics, and family life that are changing the way we live. Among them:

  • People are retiring but are continuing to work.
  • Teens are turning to knitting.
  • Geeks are becoming the most sociable people around.
  • Women are driving technology.
  • Dads are older than ever and spending more time with their kids than in the past.

You have to look at and interpret data to know what’s going on, and that conventional wisdom is always wrong and outdated. The nation is no longer a melting pot. We are a collection of communities with many individual tastes and lifestyles. Those who recognize these emerging groups will prosper.

Penn shows readers how to identify the microtrends that can transform a business enterprise, tip an election, spark a movement, or change your life. In today’s world, small groups can have the biggest impact.

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