Why BlackBerry Failed -- And It's Not What You Think

Last Friday BlackBerry announced the axing of 4,500 jobs and that they were taking the company private to restructure the troubled smart phone maker.

We've seen, heard and read about the ongoing problems sinking the once golden child of Canada's tech industry.

The Ottawa-based company just can't seem to get it right, every new product they release is ripped to pieces in the press.

Recently, news broke about how the company purchased a private jet, despite lagging sales and constantly falling stock prices. The story shocked us -- who goes out and spends millions on a private jet, when your company is tanking?

We shake our heads upon another sob story in the press about BlackBerry, and instantly blame that company's leadership team. It must be all their fault. 

To a degree, the leadership team is to blame. To a degree.

Whenever a company fails or succeeds, part of that failure or success can be directly attributed to the decisions at the top.

But there is more going on here than bad management -- there's a whole lot more which is actually well beyond the leaders, the managers, or even the staff.

It's public perception, driven by a media machine which is designed to kill successes.

Our news media loves a great story, and many successful stories are sexy enough to sell ad spots as they scream their successful headlines.

But those success stories aren't very common and don't have legs. Once you report on a company's success, it becomes stale news. Who wants to keep hearing about the millions Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has made, or the wonders coming out of Tesla Motor's Elon Musk mind?

BORING!

But tell the world about a tech giant's fall -- that's hot! That story can be spun for weeks, months, and even years.

Think about it -- what draws more of a crowd -- a crane hauling metal up to the floors of a building being built, or a man counting down the detonation of a building about to be blown to pieces?

We like watching things blow up. Watching things go "boom" is fun. It's part of our DNA.

SO when the vulturous media gets hold of a story about a company that's about to go "boom" they drop everything and feed that destruction.

No one wants BlackBerry to fail. But because things that go "boom" are more exciting than anything else, once a company enters that slippery slope towards doom, the media will continue the push down that slope.

BlackBerry has come out with some remarkable pieces of new tech over the past few months, but not if you read the reviews of their new tech.

Every tech reviewer has biasly slashed the wrists of the once popular smartphone company, even if their new tech is pretty good, by harping on the tech's failings.

BlackBerry itself was rebranded -- it was originally known as Research in Motion or RIM -- in an attempt to distance itself from it's negative about to go "boom" image.

But once labeled a problem child, it's hard to unstick that label, and the media continued to focus on the newly minted BlackBerry's troubled past.

And so regardless of what BlackBerry does, it will fail.

It can't win.

Which is really unfortunate, because BlackBerry has been working hard to change things around.

But perception is reality.

Even it it isn't.

The Five Most Powerful Words In Business

Business is all about people and problem solving. 

It doesn't matter what your business, it's made up of people, solving problems. Be it a doctor healing the sick, a burger joint feeding the hungry, or a bicycle courier getting your product to the customer, all businesses are made up of people solving problems. 

It's all about giving others a hand.

So it makes sense that the five most powerful words in business are:

How can I help you?

These simple words, when strung together as above are more powerful than any supercomputer program.They are more powerful than anything you'll ever Google. And they are more powerful than anything anyone else tells you.

Because all business is about people problem solving. 

I was reminded about the power of these five teeny-tiny words when I was at a networking event and after the usual small talk, my new connection asked me:

How can I help you?

I'm always looking for help from friends and colleagues, but when someone you just meet says those five little words, they powerfully resonate louder than anything you've ever heard before. 

Because hearing them from a complete stranger isn't common in our inclusive individual universe. 

At first I was in a state of delighted shock. Then I remember reading how the best way to network in business, is to offer to help wherever you can. 

Being bewildered.

Even if it means offering to help the competition.

YES -- even the competition.

Before his death, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates became friends, yet they both ran highly competitive companies against one another.

Though you don't have to be networking with the competition to see the power of these five extremely powerful words.

Try it for yourself the next time you meet a potential customer, client or colleague. Ask them

How can I help you? 

At first they may look uncertain, bewildered even. The look of bewilderment disappears quickly to that of joyous understanding and warmth, as your offer -- if genuine, as it should be -- is warmly accepted. 

The request won't be rocket science, and will be something which forges and strengthens your working relationship. Which is the whole point -- to build a stronger relationship with those you work with -- or against -- or want to work with or against. 

And remember, what goes around comes around. 

So if you can help, do. 

You'll WOW the person you helped, and they will reciprocate back tenfold. 

That's human nature. 

All just because of five little words.

5 Tips to Win Over a Crowded Room with your Elevator Speech

I've been crafting a new business, which is really an amazing process. 

Going out and talking to people to find out what they like and don't like about the current products and services, and then working to resolve those issues is an incredible journey for my new company and my own self-discovery.

There's more to networking than business cards.

A wise person once told me, the best bosses don't command their staff to do their jobs, they ask them how they can help their staff do their jobs better.

But what happens when the uber boss -- mainly moi -- is looking for someone to assist me in doing my job better?

It's an interesting paradox, because part of being a good leader is to always -- always -- remain confident in your abilities to lead. 

I'm not saying when in doubt, make it up. When I don't know the answer, I say so -- but I always follow-up with: "I'll find out."

No one knows everything. 

Which brings us back full circle -- who's the boss go to for help?

For years, I've been a big fan of the whole meetup phenomenon. A handful of years ago, I stumbled upon meetup.com for a social group related to one of my many hobbies.

I was instantly impressed at finding people in my neighborhood, interested in the same things I was, and even more impressed that they were interested in getting together to swap stories and experiences.

I've made some great friends through meetup.com -- which really is amazing, because not to knock the fabric which this blog is written on, but most people online are crazy.

Well, okay -- not most. But there are a lot of whackos out there in the cyberworld.

A real elevator speech?

I've been looking for people to share my experiences with professionally. I've joined professional development organizations in the past -- great people, but the most dull and dreary events.

It's one thing to find someone you can spend hours talking shop with, it's another if the venue or the event you are at is so dull, you're about ready to roll up in the corner and go for a snooze.

So I was hesitant to join any meetup groups for professional purposes. I prefer to sleep in my own bed thank you very much comfy corner.

But I've since attended a handful of professional meetup events, and been quite impressed. They were well run, well managed, and definitely not dull.

I can talk shop, and even more interesting, by simply listening to others, often solve my own issues.

And I'm learning -- I'm always learning -- but from these meetups, when we're asked to give our 30-second elevator pitch, I am learning from others what works, what doesn't, and that there are still a few crazies on the net that make their way into the room.

Like the guy that began to chew out one of the presenters in front of everyone in the middle of his presentation, simply because he didn't agree with the perspective of the presenter.

Awkward.

But in honor of yesterday's iPhone 5S and 5C release, as Steve Jobs used to famously say, but wait, there's more . . . 

Here are 5 things I've learned so far about winning over a crowded room with your elevator speech:

1. Be Front and Centre
   We were in a packed room of about 250 people, and I was constantly cramping my neck trying to see who was speaking, as most just stood up wherever they were to speak. Then, this one guy got up, started giving his speech, and while talking, waked up the middle isle, and right to the front of the room. Then he began to go back, again down the middle isle, as he wrapped up his speech. BRILLIANT! All eyes followed his every move, and made him all the more memorable.
   
2. Wear Bright Bold Colors
   I'm no fashionista, but even I washed out in my black suit and colourful tie. I noticed I paid more attention to men and women in bright red, blue and yellow as they stood out from the rest of the group.
   
3. Be Bold and Brief
   Half the room appeared to be developers and SEO specialists at one event. Then this guy stood up and declared: "I'm the best developer in this room, want to know more, I'm here." Got my attention, and showed some moxie.
   
4. Be Generous
   Of all the speakers, aside from the organizers, only one stood up, and thanked everyone for coming, sharing their stories, and then he thanked the organizers for a wonderful event. Not all business is rough and tough conquer and divide, a lot can be said for leaders that show some humility and humanity.
   
5. Love Bacon
   A woman concluded her introduction with: ". . . and I love bacon." Everyone laughed. Actually, later at the start of another elevator speech, a guy said: "and I love women that love bacon." Humour goes a long way in winning over people, especially if you want to be the one with the long line of people awaiting to talk to you during a break or at the end of the schedule of events. No, you don't have to love bacon, but it certainly doesn't hurt.

Lesson Learned from Verizon: Canadian Telecom Leaders are Wimps

There's much to be proud of in being Canadian.

Being a third-generation Canuck, I'm fortunate to live a country free of the oppressiveness of corrupt totalitarian governments, civil war, and anarchy such as the current state of Syria -- for example.

Canada only has three primary wireless
carriers -- Rogers, Bell and Telus.

However, that doesn't mean we Canadians are completely free of the corruption from politicized governments and wealthy corporations.

As murmurs trickled down about American telecommunications giant Verizon's interests in expanding north into Canada made there way up here, our Canadian telecom companies began shaking with fear.

Or more correctly, they began plotting a politically charged, purely self-interested campaign to cry like babies in need of a good spanking.

Aside from the dis-information Rogers Communications, Bell and Telus spread through television, radio and newspaper advertising about the impending doom and gloom for consumers, should their monopolies be finally broken by a foreign competitor, a far more sobering lesson was learned.

Canada's telecom leaders are wimps. 

Leadership.

The word conjures up images of strength balanced by wisdom. 

Great leaders energize their teams by demonstrating the best characteristics of humanity at work -- they lead by example. 

The greatest of leaders inspire not just those who directly report to them, but even those who don't, because they are so great -- we just want to be like them.

American telecommunications company Verizon
was showing interest in coming to Canada.

Great leaders are brave in the face of challenge, running headlong into everything that comes their way, no matter what.

They don't cry wolf.

Which is what Canada's telecom leaders did, when they petitioned the Canadian government to block Verizon's entry into their turf. 

Rogers, Bell and Telus joined forces to fight Verizon before they even landed on Canadian soil, claiming the Canadian government was showing unCanadian favoritism by allocating a highly sought after wireless frequency to a foreign competitor. The big three Canadian telecom companies claimed Verizon's entry into Canada would cost Canadians more money as their wireless bills would increase, and would cost Canadians jobs as a foreign company entered the market.

Ironic, as all three of Canada's telecommunications companies either have or currently do outsource their customer service call centres to non-Canadian companies operating outside of Canada.

Canadian telecom companies either have or currently
do outsource their call centres to "offshore" foreign
countries, which does take jobs away from Canadians.

Rogers, Bell and Telus wimped out. Or rather, their leaders did, by acting on some of the WORST characteristics of humanity -- fear, deception, pettiness, and greed.

Through deceptively worded ads, they tried to scare Canadians into joining their fight to keep their monopolies. Instead of running headlong into a challenge, they ran away from it, hiring an ad agency to do their dirty work.

Good doesn't always triumph over evil, and Canada's wimpy-led telecoms won, as Verizon announced over the weekend they decided not to come to Canada, and all three Canadian telecom companies stock prices rose with the news.

However, Canadians lost as the monopolies held by the big three continue. Canadians lost, as the big three continue to outsource some of their services to foreign contractors. Canadians lost, as the wireless spectrum continues to be dominated by companies which believe in using fear and deception instead of bravery and transparent honesty.

And far worse, Canadian leaders lost, as we are all made to look like fools, by the lack of true leadership of our telecommunication's leaders.

Despite Our iSociety, If You Want to Grow Professionally, You've Got to Do It Face-to-Face

I use the Azumio Heart Rate Monitor
iPhone App to measure my heart rate.

I love my iPhone.

I really do, it is my life. 

I wake up to my own custom alarms, check my heart rate when I wake, when I work, and before I go to sleep. It even reminds me to drink enough water throughout the day, tells me where and when I'm supposed to be, keeps me from getting lost, and warns me when the skies are about to open up so I know to take cover from an approaching storm.

Apple's iPhone was the spring that bounced in a whole new world -- one so dependent on personal mobile tech, we sometimes -- correction -- we OFTEN -- forget there are others in our world.

And that's really tragic, because rarely do we as individuals excel. Although everyone remembers Steve Jobs, none of your Apple devices were created single-handedly by him. Even Mark Zuckerberg's concepts didn't solely create the Facebook timeline we so love to hate today. And do you really think Sir Richard Branson could have created a record store, an airline, a telecommunications company and now a spaceship all by himself?

We live in an iSociety dominated world.

If you want to grow your brand, your business, or even just yourself, you've got to get out there and mix and mingle in the real world, with real people.

I'm not talking about cheating using instant messaging services like Skype, and don't even get me started on the dangers of limiting yourself to 140 characters in a tweet, or some poorly shot 'selfie' on Instagram.

Don't be afraid to spill some coffee, and get some sticky sugary crumbs all over that mobile device, because the only way to be anything in this world, is to step outside our self-created iSociety to live, work and play with real people.

I'm doing this now, as I do what many do when they start-up a new company, I'm linking in with people in the real world that I think may be the right people to grow that business. I'm reaching out to people that catch my eye, and making the owners of numerous coffee shops orgasmic with delight as I take the time to meet with as many people as I can, to chat in a relaxed unhurried cafe, to learn about someone that has what I need, and see if I can help them with their needs.

And that's really what business is all about -- helping each other.

Even Skype and other forms of video calls don't solve
the problems created by our mobile world.

Be it joining forces to create the next big thing, mentoring each other, or even just referring someone to another person, there really is truth to the saying: 

It's not what you know, but who.

Which is where our iSociety fails -- how well can you really ever know anyone just from the online world?

Emoticons are cute, but don't convey the whole gamut of facial expressions, which can vary from culture to culture.

Spill coffee together to really get to
know someone, to grow your business
and you.

Video conferencing solves that problem, but not very well, because body language is just that -- body language, encompassing the whole body. So someone's face may say "tell me more" but it's out of context without the rest of the body, which may actually be saying just the opposite.

And regardless of how advanced our tech becomes at bringing us closer together, there's something to be said for the shared experiences of being in the moment with someone.

I can share with you the experience of being on a rollercoaster, using my iPhone's camera and mic, and a WiFi signal. But unless you are ON that same rollercoaster, you won't experience it the same as I do, with all the bumps, and jolts, and LOOK OUT FOR THAT . . . 

Grow yourself today, right now. Invite someone you've only ever had virtual online connections with to join you over a coffee.

You'll be glad you did.

Tesla: An Example of How Being Hot Can Cool Off Customer Relations to the Point of Being Cold

Motor Trend's Car of the Year Issue

Things were looking up for Elon Musk's Tesla Motors after Motor Trend named it's Model S the car of the year.

The highly respected auto magazine's annual car of the year story -- featuring the all electric Model S -- made international headlines as newspapers, radio and television news outlets carried the story.

Suddenly, the world woke up to a whole new way to drive, as it was the first time a non-combustion gas-powered vehicle won the much coveted Car of the Year award.

Being a motorhead, I love cars. I watch numerous automotive podcasts and television shows, and I've been a fan of Tesla since they first came out with their sporty two-seat all electric Roadster model.

However, the cutting edge car company is an example of what happens when being hot can suddenly cool you off to the point of alienating your customers.

About a month ago, I went to a Tesla dealership in Toronto Canada. Unlike traditional car dealerships, Tesla's are located inside high-end shopping malls, so while you're picking out your next pair of blue jeans, you can pick up a brand new car.

Cool concept, to change the buying experience. Make it more of a retail customer-friendly store, than a cold, stale parking lot, filled with shiny cars and fast-talking sales people.

Tesla stores are like retail outlets in a mall.

Though a lack of sales people was a big issue at Tesla's store. When I went into the luxuriously appointed Tesla store -- complete with massive touch-screen TVs allowing you to customize your car -- there were only two kids working the store.

One was closely watching the one and only car on display in the store, as parents let their screaming kids hop in and out of the car, while they texted on their mobile devices.

The other sales person had about 20 people swarmed around him all hollering questions at the poor kid, that looked overwhelmed, uncomfortable, and frustrated with his career choice.

I was patiently standing around, roaming the store, looking at all the cool swag -- they have Telsa-branded hats, shirts and other items on sale, so if you never get to talk to a sales person, at least you can pretend you did.

I waited about 25-minutes, while my girlfriend sat waiting for me on a bench outside the store doing her crosswords.

Cool tech in the Tesla store allows you to 

customize your car.

Eventually, I did get to ask some questions about the car, and getting a test drive -- because who buys a car without first taking it out for a spin?

All the exasperated sales person said to all my questions, was to check out the website!

I waited for almost half-an-hour just to be told to go to the website. 

Nice.

I'm thinking that if I were to buy one of these electric vehicles, what if something went wrong? Would I experience the same horrible customer experience? 

I did go to the website the next day, found some information and signed up for a test drive.

It's been over a month, and I haven't even received an email thanking me for my interest!

NOT A SINGLE COMMUNICATION.

Anyone who's in business to stay in business can see right off the bat that's exceptionally piss poor performance. 

Tesla Swag -- buy a Tesla T-Shirt so even if you can't
get an answer about their cars, you can still promote
their brand.

You never ignore a potential customer -- because that potential customer will move on.

There is only one Tesla. But there are lots of other luxury cars that offer far better customer support -- which at their price point, is ultimately what their customer's expect.

A typical base-model Tesla Model S comes in over $80K.

We're talking high-end, high performance, and exceptional customer service from their competition at BMW, Mercedes, Cadillac, and Lexus, just to name a few.

Yes, Tesla is the car of the year, big whoop.

As a potential customer, I expect -- NO -- I demand the same if not better customer service as their competition, otherwise, I'm not buying their car.

Tesla is an example of what happens when your company goes viral, and everyone is coming to you.

Can you spot the salesperson at the Tesla Store?
Neither could we.

That's any company's dream.

How you deal with that, determines whether your company will continue it's momentum, or fizzle out due to letting it go to your head.

And that, unfortunately appears to be what happened with Tesla. After becoming the poster child for the Electric Vehicle (EV) market, they let all that wonderful press go to their head -- because their customer service is so bad, I wouldn't tell my worst enemies to go their.

So be like Tesla -- invent and create amazing products. But don't be like Tesla, and give up on your customers, before they become your customers.

How You Eat Your Oreo Cookies Determines Your Success at Entrepreneurship

Which type of Oreo cookie eater are you?

Are you a dunker?

Maybe you are a splitter and licker?

Or do you just pop it in your mouth?

We're talking about the famous chocolate-vanilla cream filled cookie -- the Oreo -- and how you eat them, because that may determine whether or not you've got what it takes to be an entrepreneur.

Some dunk their cookies in milk, others split them open, and lick out the cream filling, and some just take bite after bite until they are all gone.

So which one is the sure fire sign you're an entrepreneurial type, and more importantly, why?

Dunkers are builders, they see they've got a great thing -- the Oreo cookie -- but look for ways to make it better, by adding milk.

Dunking Oreo Cookie In Milk

Entrepreneurs are constantly seeing necessary needed things, and looking for ways to improve them. Just ask former Apple founder and CEO Steve Jobs -- he took the standard cell phone and turned it into a mobile office, gaming system, and personal assistant all in one.

People that take the time to carefully pry open their Oreo cookies, revealing the sweet creamy goodness in the middle are meticulous adventurers, willing to take risks, yet they know how to take care when needed.

Someone like Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg fits the conservative risk taker -- he took a risk by combining the best of the social networks at the time, to create Facebook. And he's constantly adding new ways to monetize the free Internet, by collecting, using and selling our data -- yet he knows when to take care when the media and governments start raising concerns about privacy.

It takes practice to carefully pry open the cookie.

Then there are those that know ideas don't happen by themselves, they need to be bold, and brave and just do it -- so they just pop the cookie in their mouths.

Anyone who's seen the documentary "Who Killed the Electric Car?" would have told Elon Musk, founder of Tesla Motors, that creating an electric car company was a bad idea -- the oil industry would trample him like they did General Motor's when GM released the first fully electric car in the 1990's.

However, Tesla's Model S not only is already on back order anywhere in North America, it was awarded the best car of the year by Motor Trend Magazine and made history by becoming the first non-gas-powered vehicle to ever win that title.

Sometimes it's best to just go for it and pop it in.

So the truth is, anyway you eat your Oreo cookies, you have the right stuff to be your own boss.

All three are excellent traits to have if you want to be an entrepreneur.

Dunkers build, splitters and lickers plan, and poppers do.

You need to be a builder of brands, relationships, products, services, even your own personal brand as you ultimately build a company. So dunkers -- the builders -- are a much needed character trait of all good entrepreneurs.

Just ask Richard Branson, that started his empire by building a major record label out of nothing more than an idea in his parent's garage when he was a kid.

Being in business for yourself is very risky, but you need to take the time to plan, to prepare and to be ready. People that pry open their Oreo cookies and lick out the inside embody all of these attributes, just ask anyone that has tried -- and failed -- to separate cookie from cream. It's a delicate balancing act indeed.

All entrepreneurs have great ideas. An idea -- we are told -- is a dime a dozen. Which is why it's important to take the best ideas, and make them happen. We can sit in our homes, offices, or in the park, thinking up amazing ways to change the world for the better. But unless you actually act on any of these ideas, nothing happens. So those that pop Oreo cookies in their mouths show us the necessary sense of adventure needed to tackle the risks of being an entrepreneur, and going out and just trying it out.

So there you have it -- three different ways to eat a childhood classic and how each one is an important element in being an entrepreneur.

Now go out there and change the world.