Tony D'Onofrio
Blog
" The (RFID) industry got out in front of its headlights and over invested in a phenomenon that just wasn't ready to take off yet—and that, by the way, happens all the time. The RFID industry, in general, has underperformed, because it was impatient and tried to drive toward a tornado too quickly. It is easy to see that in hindsight. There are real problems to be solved, and in the current market's state of adoption, end users want to give RFID companies money, but not for tags and readers. They want to give them money for solutions to their problems. If the RFID industry responds to that, it will be successful." -- Geoffrey Moore, Author of Crossing the Chasm, as quoted in RFID Journal (June 4, 2012)
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Building on last week's blog on your own unique success formula, this week we focus on translating those personal skills into profitable business ventures. My favorite news item this past week led me to re-read the Top 10 Rules for BUSINESS SUCCESS written by Wal-mart's founder Sam Walton that are on display in my office. These top ten business success rules are all about focus, passion, discipline, commitment, boundaryless communications, and motivation to win. In other words, familiar themes that build on the personal success formula discussed last week.
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My favorite post this week went viral on the Business Insider web site with almost 1.4 million views. The article reminded me that the journey of life that we are all on is unique for each of us. There is no magic formula for success. Ultimately, we make the choices on which path to take in our personal future. In many ways, information around us is the food to our thoughts that leads to the choices we make. What we choose to read, what we believe in, how we decide to turn our thoughts into action helps shape the journey.
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To promote excursions and products from the country, the India Ministry of Tourism has been running a marketing campaign with the brand line "Incredible India." My favorite post this past week was a reminder that this same tag line "Incredible India"can be applied to the nascent modern organized India retail industry.
Favorite Weekly Post: Government of #India opens #retail supermarket sector to foreign chains. http://ow.ly/dJask Good news for global retailers, eg #Walmart- Details
For the last several weeks, Time magazine has been running a series of articles on the "Future of Retail". Following are the four topics highlighted to date:
(Retail) Companies That Profit By Investing in Employees - http://ow.ly/dK1rQ Will Amazon Take Over the World? - http://ow.ly/dK1uu Reports of the Shopping Mall's Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated - http://ow.ly/dK1wB- Details
Meet Michelle Phan, a retail consumer turned YouTube video star by simply going shopping. Follow this link to see her "$20 Makeup Challenge Haul (video)" http://ow.ly/dzhdI that has gone viral with almost 1 million views from around the world.
Eighteen months ago, ran across an article highlighting a new YouTube phenomenon labeled "Haul Shopping Videos". Always keeping on eye on the future of retail, pondered at that time whether this was a fad or a trend of the continued industry evolution.
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The current pace of RFID retail expansion and its historical roots sometimes reminds me of that age old question that an innocent child always asks on that long car trip - Are we there yet?
Contemplating that question led to the selection of the following as my favorite post from this past week:
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The 2012 London Olympics are now history. As we all cheered through the thrills of victory and yes the agonies of defeat (ABC Sports), we probably missed were some key marketing lessons as they relate to branding. For the Games of the XXX Olympiad, a new technology subplot emerged that in the future will lead participating companies that understand it to either win gold in branding or go home without a medal. Thinking of the marketing lessons from the 2012 Olympics led to selecting the following as the most important post of the week:
Four Leadership Lessons From The Olympics http://ow.ly/cOrdWSome key 2012 London Olympics statistics to set the scene:
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Welcome to my blog, the next logical step in my social media journey that started about 2 years ago. You may not have known it, but this educational journey started with some central themes that were defined very early on. Initially exposed on Twitter and slightly refined at the top of this blog, the main themes that have driven the weekly postings are:
Ideas on leadership, innovation, technology, and global retail trends. Interest in mobility, social media, e-commerce, security, global cultures, and emerging markets.- Details
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It is a Small World
“Even monkeys can fall from their trees.” – Japanese Proverb
Continuing our global learning journey, our next stop is Tokyo Japan. Founded, in 1603, this city was once a small fishing village called Edo. In 1890, it became Tokyo which means Eastern Capital in English.
In Tokyo, you will find the world’s busiest intersection, the Shibuya crossing where 2,500 people cross the intersection, every time the lights turn green. This city also holds the record for the most Michelin starred restaurants at 212 places to enjoy amazing food.
Tokyo is the most populous city in the world with 37 million people. Uniqueness is everywhere, even in vending machines, where you can buy hot meals, fresh produce, and even umbrellas. There is one vending machine in the city for every two people.
Have lost count on the many times I visited Tokyo to experience their modern retail industry. This picture is from the New Otani Hotel gardens, a favorite during multiple visits.
As the Japanese proverb that opened this summary reminds us, no matter how accomplished we become, you can always make a mistake. Overconfidence can lead to missteps. Life is one sweet ride and Japan provides many reminders on how to enjoy it.
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Brilliant Research
Deloitte Global Retail Outlook 2024
After a prolonged period of suppressed consumer spending, macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty, and rapid changes in consumer behavior (among other things), the global retail industry stands at a crossroads; forced to make decisions about long term investments in new technology and business models while at the same time managing the rising cost of doing business and a decline in the spending power of consumers. - From Deloitte Insights Read more
Smart Infographic
The World's Top Flight Routes by Revenue
In 2024, a record 4.7 billion people are projected to travel by air—200 million more than in 2019. While revenues surged to an estimated $896 billion globally last year, airlines face extremely slim margins. On average, they made just $5.44 in net profit per passenger in 2023. Today, the industry faces pressures from high interest rates, supply chain woes, and steep infrastructure costs. - From Visual Capitalist
Insightful Videos
The World Ahead 2024: five stories to watch out for
From the biggest election year in history, to how to control AI and even taxis that fly, The Economist offers its annual look at the world ahead. Read more
