Innovate in 2008
by January 2nd, 2008 Patrick GreerA couple of days ago I was meeting with fellow organizers of the Upstate Entrepreneur’s Forum at Port City Java on Main Street in downtown Greenville, SC. One idea I brought to the table was the term innovation was special to Entrepreneurs. An entrepreneur can mean different things to different people. One concept of a entrepreneur is someone who creates a brand new innovative product and their is a big push for this kind of innovation in the state of South Carolina, especially in the tech and manufacturing industries. One program that fosters and supports this is SC Launch.
Innovation however is more that the new gadgets that get so much attention. Innovation is developing alternative fuel sources, new business models, construction methods, food preparation, etc. An example of innovation in the resteraunt industry I mentioned during the meeting was Chick-Fil-A . Chick-Fil-A went against the trends of traditional hamburgers, the operate under the owners moral convictions and when other fast food chains are looked down upon the work force and standards of Chick-Fil-A stand tall. They would be a company who would be a “purple cow” according to Seth Godin’s book.
To me innovation can involve several things or a combination of them, creating something to solve a problem you see everyday, bring a fresh look or product to the table or flying in the face of difficult times. How will you take advantage of the new marketing and technology tools out there to promote your business or even *gulp* change your business or organization? Will you see rising gas prices as a source of depression and difficulty or will you see a problem like that as an opportunity to innovate? Alternative fuels come to mind but how can you help your business and clients save fuel with the Internet and portable media technologies? How do you plan to innovate in ‘08?
