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Opportunity is all around you. ☀️ Managing energy. B2B to B2C to P2P and A-teams: a love affair with acronyms.
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Hello there:

Opportunity is all around you.

But it's important to focus on the parts that matter to make an impact. Which ones is part science, part art.

Much depends on how you train your thinking to observe. Managing energy, and not time helps you see new vectors. It's harder than it seems.This week I wrote about how opportunity is in the gap between what you know and what you don't. (see link at the bottom)

Let's make things tangible with some other examples.
 

1.

Shopify's CEO Tobi Lütke is not afraid to do that. You may recall is thinking is unconventional. First off, the German coder was an accidental founder, starting the business 10.5 years ago after trying unsuccessfully to launch an online snowboard shop.

Lesson No. 1: as you try and stay two steps ahead of developing issues, think where your competence intersects with "new thing" and opportunity for others.

Shopify example: "by removing all the barriers to setting up a slick-looking website with all the e-commerce trimmings — from site design to tracking inventory to taking payments to capturing customer data to promotion to customer service — Shopify was by far the most comprehensive and streamlined."

The type of work they do fits into the story of this time (first 15 minutes).
 

2.

Italic's CEO Jeremy Cai digs a bit deeper. You know how we talked about some aspects of the subscription model. There are so many creative ways to make it work. I'm not going to lie to you, I love the name... Italy-related.

Lesson No. 2: as you adapt to a new context, think where existing success intersects with current pain for people.

Italics example: There's a wait list for new members in the thousands. 93% of members say they break even on the first order.

Cai has advice for potential founders looking for unexplored opportunity in real estate and financing (see at the link, if interested).
 

3.

Hong Kong's Mark Luther on creating an International Charter City in Ireland. You know you're not thinking big enough when someone goes ahead and blows your mind with a (controversial) proposal that sounds like a cross between science fiction and the Roman Empire.

Lesson No. 3: look at capabilities as opportunities bigger than individual companies, think were existing movements intersect with future opportunity

Hong Kong's Mark Luther: "Our priority is to acquire land and build political support in the host country to build a city for the Hong Kong people with the target population being 50% HKers and 50% citizens of the host country. Of course, we wouldn’t say no to tax and regulatory relief, but that is not our focus.
 
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These three example have two things in common: think more deeply about the gap, who and how others benefit.


Spread the ❤️.
 


Sentiero Italia is the longest trek in the world: 4,349 miles.
Sentiero traverses 20 regions and 6 UNESCO natural sites,
includes 368 stages with a total altitude difference of
1,148,294 feet.

The idea was born in 1983.
A red thread (as you can see in the image) that connects Italy
from north to south, including the islands took 37 years to see.

Volunteers and associates of the Italian Alpine Club
worked on making it visible. It takes special observation
and commitment to keep a project of this scope alive
.

To date only a few people can say they have completed it.
Biggest challenge: set up and manage stopovers
for hikers away from home.

More here and here.

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How do you make the transition from businesses that market to other businesses (B2B) to businesses that market to consumers (B2C)?

Look at it as people reaching out to other people (P2P):
 

1. Lead nurturing.


In B2B you’re essentially marketing to groups of decision makers. Often your direct contact can say "no," but not "yes" without consulting with others. (Even the CEO may need to talk to the Board for some things).

This is the opportunity: Help your contacts by providing the tools and resources they need to persuade their colleagues on your behalf (and theirs). Make them look good personally.

B2C: Think word of mouth.
 

2. Customer decision journey.


In the decision process for B2B, you identify the ideal outcome for most (if not every) member of the group selecting your product or service.

There’s a group also for B2C: the spouse, family, children, parents, friends and other people who influence a person.

Think context in which the decision is made.
 

3. Technology changes, people don’t.


Psychology helps here.

Think hot buttons and jobs to be done. How can you help people reframe their thinking by minimizing anxiety and habit, while maximizing push and pull toward a new solution/product?

Leverage choice forces.
 
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One more thing.


A-teams depend on selection. How do you select yours?
Thinking about thinking can be exhausting, energizing or anywhere in between. It depends on how you look at it.

The line moves based on mood and context.
 

“A person walks into a library
and asks the librarian for books about paranoia.
She whispers: 'They're right behind you'."

- Anonymous

 



Opportunity is in the gap between what you know and what you don't
 

Wisdom from books
 

I ground all my sites here.
If you're a creator and are planning to ground your digital presence using WordPress, check SiteGround out.

Graduate to fast, affordable WordPress hosting.

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Thank you for reading. I appreciate you.
Valeria
Conversation Agent LLC / @ConversationAge
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