Mary Carty

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianwade1975/4142984073/

Tomorrow I am giving a talk to graduating students from Tralee IT, students from new media, broadcasting, music technology and information systems.

I will be talking about branching out on your own and the opportunities for creative and talented people working in these sectors. The Transmedia world is growing apace these days and companies like beActive prove there is a market and a need for services that bridge TV, Film, Broadcsting and Digital. I sincerely believe it’s a great time to be a graduate with skills like these.

I fully understand how scary it is starting out for the first time, making that decision and constantly moving your idea forward. There are many barriers to branching out but there are a host of great reasons why you should.

So in preparation for my talk, I surveyed the class to find out just how many have thought about going it alone. Happily 60% have given starting their own business some thought. Of course the respondents worry about the cost (63%), the current economic situation (25%) and (13%) feel they need further training. But the fact that they are thinking abut starting up, despite these concerns is a really good thing. Now our job is to support these recent graduates to bring their ambition to fruition.

Is it a good time to startup if you are a graduate? The supports for startups is really good in Ireland right now. There are so many free events from meetps to Open Coffees where you can and discuss your ideas and network. Tap into these networks and the knowledge you can gain is immense.

I am very excited to find out more about our newest graduating class and like every other time I present, I am sure I will learn way more than I will teach.

My thanks to Louise for the invitation.

Image thanks to Disorganised Photographer

For your inspiration Friday fix, here is a truly joyful trailer for the documentary Beauty is Embarrassing about American artist Wayne White. Wayne says you should “Do what you love, it will lead to where you want to go.” Can’t wait to see it when it comes out, this man’s energy is infectious! Happy Friday everyone!

If you are in Carlow make sure you see Lithosphere by Eileen Mac Donagh in VISUAL opening February 5th. Eileen works with very large scale sculpture and has created a forest of 8 metre high trees. As well as showcasing other work in timber, gemstones and stone; this exhibition is a retrospective of over 30 years work. This image from Cathy Fitzgerald shows the scale and the beauty of Eileen’s work as it is being installed. Just wonderful. Eileen will discuss her work on 19th February and 24th March at 3pm in VISUAL. Tickets are €5 so make sure you book your spot.

FEBRUARY 05 – MAY 07

EILEEN MACDONAGH : LITHOSPHERE FROM 5TH FEB 2012

Working locally to Carlow for the past 21 years MacDonagh has made a tremendous contribution to the arts nationally and internationally. LithoSphere presents new work by the artist and surveys a career that has been dedicated to the tender command of elements; stone, timber and the geometries found in nature.

This exhibition is for VISUAL the most ambitious installation of an artist’s work to date. Echoing MacDonagh’s Medusa Tree (2009) which sits in the forecourt of VISUAL and the George Bernard Shaw Theatre, the artist has created a forest of 8 metre high trees, taking on the scale the Main Gallery, the largest white gallery space in the country. Alongside this installation other works will illustrate the breadth of her career to date. This is a unique opportunity to experience sculpture in facilities that were designed to showcase the immense affect of large scale work.

Eileen MacDonagh (b. Sligo, 1956) has been working as a sculptor for over thirty years. She has participated in Sculpture Symposia all over the world and has completed almost 20 public art commissions around Ireland. In 2004 she was elected to the Aosdána and stands as one of the countries pre eminent artists working with stone. MacDonagh lives and works in Athy, Co Kildare.

A case bound full colour catalogue with texts by Canadian art critic John Grande and arts advisor Jenny Haughton will support this exhibition.

Image (C) Cathy Fitgerald.

Here is something to ponder over the weekend. I have just read this very interesting article from Steve Blank about the film industry and their reluctance to innovate and embrace new technology. I wondered if there are similar parallels happening in the Arts and Culture sectors; where embracing new technology and new business models is viewed as a negative rather than a positive thing.

2011 was a good year for film. $30 billion came from box-office sales with the total revenue earned standing at $87 billion. Where did the other $57 billion come from? Other sources came from pay-per view, online subscriptions and digital downloads, as well as dvd rentals and sales.

In each case, the film industry argued strongly against these models saying they would mark the end of the movie business as we know it. So “Instead of leading with new technology, the studios lead with litigation, legislation and lobbying.” Shockingly, the film industry spends $110 million a year on lobbying. Unfortunately, the music industry has had a similar history.

Blank charts how each new technology since its introduction has had a positive impact on the film industry from radio in the 1920s to VCRs in the 1970s to the Internet revolution today. Blank asks a really important question: “Why was the movie industry consistently wrong? And why do they continue to fight new technology?” In conclusion Blank asserts that:

History has shown that time and market forces provide equilibrium in balancing interests, whether the new technology is a video recorder, a personal computer, an MP3 player or now the Net. It’s prudent for courts and congress to exercise caution before restructuring liability theories for the purpose of addressing specific market abuses, despite their apparent present magnitude.

This fear of disruptive technologies comes with a heavy price. Customers are certainly not the winners and innovation and personal freedoms are attacked once the focus is on control and not innovation. It might be some time before we see a film and music industry becoming as innovative as Silicon Valley.

So what can we learn?

Studios are run by financial managers who lack the skills to exploit disruptive innovation
Studio anti-piracy/copyright lawyers trump their technologists
Studios have no concern about collateral damage as long as it optimizes their revenue
Studios $110M/year lobbying and political donations trump consumer objections
Politicians votes will follow the money unless it will cost them an election

Now getting back to your practice ask yourself:

1. Are you embracing new ways to promote, sell and distribute your work?

3. Are you actively fighting against it? And if so why?

Drop me a line and let me know where you fit. Your comments and thoughts are very much appreciated.

Image thanks to Cian Ginty (CC)

I was first introduced to Lean Startup when I participated in Enterprise Ireland’s first ground breaking iGap programme in 2009, with our email marketing platformToddle.com. Since then, lean principles have completly changed the way I do and think about business.

Last night, I went along to the launch of the Dublin Lean Startup group. Keynote speaker was Eric Ries, creator of the Lean Startup Methodology and author of The Lean Startup. Eric writes an influential blog Startup Lessons Learned and has been Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Harvard Business School.

The term “Lean Startup” coined by Ries, came from lean manufacturing theory as practiced by the Japanese motor industry after the second World War. Lean manufacturing sought to cut out waste and any work that did not produce value for customers. In the same way, Lean Startup seeks to lower development costs, get product to market quicker and cheaper and produce products users actually want.

This is achieved by constantly asking questions;
– testing your business idea regularly, with real people (customers)
– not waiting for the product/website/service/idea to be perfect before launch
– continuously iterating and improving
– learning from real customer data and metrics.

This is how Eric first described Lean startup back in this post in September 2008

The good news is, Lean Startup works just as well for all organisations, technological, cultural and non-profit. At a time of enormous social and business change, coupled with financial uncertainty; Lean Startup is more important than ever in how you manage your business or organisation.

Here are my top 10 takeaways from the event:

1. Stop wasting people’s time

2. Most startups fail. Not because the technology is too difficult

3. A startup is an experiment

4. Build-measure-learn

5. Create a Minimum Viable Product to establish a baseline that is true for your business

6. A pivot is a change in strategy not a change in vision

7. Most companies wish they pivoted earlier

8. Pivot earlier and validate learning, move away from achieving failure by constantly executing a bad plan

9. Get to the pivot or persevere meeting earlier. Schedule this meeting earlier and regularly

10. In companies treat each departments like a startup and use agreed data sets for validation

Get in touch if you would like to apply Lean Startup thinking to benefit your services and organisation. I promise things will never be the same again!

I wonder how many cultural institutions would be brave enough to try this? IKEA Essex opened its doors to 100 lucky fans for a sleepover party like no other last November. A great night in with good food, entertainment, massages, and a few tips from a sleep expert kept everyone well amused for the evening. Guests were encouraged to come dressed in their pj’s and a TV celebrity read them a bedtime story!

This is not the fist time IKEA have opened their doors after dark. Last March 50 lucky ladies were treated to the ultimate girlie night in IKEA Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. The idea for the sleepovers came from a Facebook fan community called “I wanna sleepover in IKEA” The page has gathered over 100,000 followers to date. Bringing your social media networks into the real world is certainly a great way to engage with fans and give them a whole new experience of your brand.

If you are looking to harness the potential of your social media campaigns and bring them to life, get in touch. It is time to make 2012 the best year yet for your organisation! Drop me a line at mary@marycarty.com and I will be delighted to help.

I have been thinking about people; specifically people talent, having the right people on the bus to drive your organisation forward.

Joel Spolskey talks a lot about A, B and C people in Smart and Get Things Done. Joel writes from the perspective of coding and engineering, but the same principle applies to every organisation.

A people are rare, like diamonds, worth their weight in gold, and not to be allowed leave the building. Ever. A people are categorised by their strong innovative streak, clear vision and ability to set out a clear path to get things done.

B people are competent; they do their jobs but don’t sweat the big stuff. They don’t push the boundaries and can become a B player if coached well from a C grade.

C people are just about competent, some days. They like the status quo. They hate change and don’t like A players as they show them up. Unfortunately, most companies, particularly larger organistions, are great hang outs for C people.

The question is how many players of each category do you have on your team? Would hiring an A player put your organisation at a crossroads or in jeopardy? Would you be able to handle it?

As Eric Paley remarks in The Curve of Talent

“Large companies have very few A players. A players don’t want to be at large companies because, more often than not, corporate bureaucracy and process not only fail to reward, but actually punish A players. By putting the objectives ahead of process and politics, A players step on bureaucratic toes and don’t retreat based on false territorial claims. Though there are exceptions, few large corporations create cultures that give A players room to win. It’s not fun trying to innovate at a large company when co-workers feel that you’re threatening the core inertia on which the business is based. They’ll say things like “that’s just not the way things work around here.”

Maybe it is time to change the status quo.

How do you identify an A player at interview? According to Paley “One way these candidates can be identified during an interview is when they actually teach the interviewer something about how the company can win.”

If you are interviewing in the New Year and want an A player on board, I highly recommend Joel’s Guerrilla Guide to interviewing.
The latest version of the post is here.

There is no time to loose.

Have a read of my post the art of people management for other thoughts on this really important subject.

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Image thanks to cardmom (CC)

20×200, the online affordable art store, has announced the introduction of a new business model via TechCrunch last week.

“E-commerce site for art collectors 20×200 is expanding to new territory —frames. Founded by Jen Bekman, 20×200 simulates the feel of a gallery, except online. Each “online exhibit” is curated with limited-edition prints and photos, all priced affordably. …..
In fact, framing now accounts for roughly 20 percent of 20×200′s total revenue. The company has sold over 150,000 prints, with revenue doubling each year since inception.”

I really like 20×200’s business model. The affordability makes collecting art very easy. This new service really ehhances the buyers experience and gives the collector a chance to personalise their piece, without the hassle of finding a framers once the print arrives. Smart work 20×200.

More about 20×200 here

In this insightful piece Amol Sarva gives some astute management pointers when evaluating your employees’ contributions. I really like Sarva’s thinking, particulary this piece of advice for managers:

“You need to fire people to protect your good people, undo your hiring mistakes, and move the direction of your business.”

“If you are a manager of other people at any level, you should be following this action plan:

Fs – Fire people who are not contributing anything at all instantly –> this is an easy one for most
Cs – Make a move on your “requires lots of oversight to deliver” people –> this is the hardest one
Bs – Coach your good but not great folks to be more innovative as they continue to deliver what is asked of them with little oversight –> also pretty easy, often you pair one of these with an A
As – Admire your A players who make plays and write new playbooks –> also easy

This is summarized well by Nivi of Venture Hacks from the more detailed and excellent post by Eric Paley. Read them to understand the “write the playbook” thing better.

In general, it’s hard to fire people at all but if you are going to be a CEO or manager of any type, you are probably aware it has to happen sometimes and the Fs are a slam dunk case. And As help you get through the day. You do need to give though to harnessing Bs (rather than naively thinking your company is going to be all As), and most important is to deal with Cs.”

If you are not a manager in your organisation, Sarva provides a test to evaluate where you rank in your company. How your organisation solves your users’ problems and engages with your customers is up to you. The question is, are you adding value to your organisation or are you holding your company back? Is it time to call it quits and go to a place you can add real and lasting value?

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Image thanks to ilike

Address Is Approximate from The Theory on Vimeo.

Most beautiful animation by Tom Jenkins. Promises to make your heart sing on a cold November Friday! Music by one of my favourites Cinematic Orchestra. Bravo Tom!
Thanks to @marcusmacinnes for sharing.