IdeaEconomy.Net

Social capital is the idea that our networks and connections have value. Strong relationships with the right people can be worth far more than cash. Here are some ideas to build your social capital.

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One of the funnest places I have ever eaten is Kurasushi in Japan. The popular Japanese chain a a perfect example of how to turn business more into a game to enhance the customer experience, excitement and even lower costs.

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Use the Question Framework Exercise to discover new business models and better ways to create value for your customers.
Let’s face it, most businesses are pretty underwhelming. They offer similar goods at about the same price points, generally with lousy service. For every Apple, there are dozens of other companies competing on price. For every, Zappos, there are countless competitors basically doing the same as everyone else. Creativity and innovation are the only ways to stand out above the competition. That generally means radically reinventing your business model.

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The Uniform Project, started by Sheena Matheiken, is a great example of the four S’s of a great idea: Simple, Story, Surprising and Social Good. Matheiken wore the same dress for a year to raise over $100,000 for disadvantaged children.

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Game dynamics are invading real life and they have big influences on how we buy and behave. A key psychological catch is essential to making these new business models work. In games, we behave as the best versions of ourselves. We need to make real life more like a game. Games are helping to solve real world problems like oil shortages and environmental degradation.

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1) There are numerous examples of companies prospering by giving away their product for free. Can a free business model transform your business? 2) In a world of information overload, quality curated content is highly needed. Can you create evergreen content that your customers will search for and bookmark?

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The people most likely to buy your premium products and services are also likely to be your biggest fans. It always struck me at wrong to charge these people high prices for ebooks and membership programs. Shouldn’t you be rewarding your best supporters rather than trying to squeeze as much profits as you can out of them?

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I love the idea of co-working type environments where freelancers and smaller businesses can minimize some of the costs of having an office, yet still get the benefits of a shared work space. There is a buzz and energy when you work around other creative entrepreneurs that is near impossible to duplicate when in cafes or at home. These benefits can be amplified if you take time to find a company that you might work together with or for. ShareYourOffice is a fantastic idea that I hope is really successful.

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While companies like Kickstarter and Kiva are proving that corporations can do good, I am still not convinced that ‘business’ is the best avenue for social change. Talking profits under the guise of making the world a better place still reeks of opportunism to me. It is not that companies shouldn’t strive to behave more ethically and try to create more good, it is just that profits cloud judgement.

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“Technology is threatening to dominate our lives and make us less human. Under the illusion of allowing us to communicate better, it is actually isolating us from real human interactions in a cyber-reality that is a poor imitation of the real world.”

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