Anti-branding: Why the Starbucks "15th Ave" Store Is Doomed to Fail

Perhaps my biggest beef with 15th Ave is that it's fundamentally dishonest.

via blogs.harvardbusiness.org

A friend used the term 'anti-branding' in the context of what Starbuck's is doing to not be Starbuck's. Not sure the term is original. Not sure anti-branding is new although it's goal - to not be something (as opposed to for example, diversifying and/or reorganizing to enable a different financial model) seems unique. What other brands might want to anti-brand? Some airlines? Some banks? Some newspapers? Other restaurant chains (like, say McDonalds)? Some car companies (Saturn didn't work out so well for GM). Interesting to see how this goes.

Posted via web from Jim's posterous

Cedarvue: Those Pesky Independent Directors

"The new Independent member has asked for a lot of background material about the company, our shareholders, suppliers, accounts receivable, contracts, payables, risks, issues and opportunities, personnel files, incentive plans - the list was long and the more I provided the more information I was requested to deliver."

via cedarvue.blogspot.com

Really good insight from my friend and relatively new blogger Dave Pasieka. Dave knows a ton about governance and running businesses.

No question strong governance depends on the kind of depth and effort that Dave describes here. And with training, more Boards and Directors are demanding it. What's a challenge, especially in smaller companies is being disciplined and organized enough to provide it. Finding the time to balance governance demands with day to day operating priorities can become a real challenge, especially for smaller company CEO's. My experience in dealing with this is that having the right help makes life a lot easier - a management team that's also well versed in the objectives and processes of good governance, and someone in particular - usually the CFO - who spearheads much of the information gathering, pre-meeting set-up and post-meeting follow-up.

Understanding, supporting and fulfilling the needs of good governance is important for the CEO. Doing it all is impossible.

Posted via web from Jim's posterous

Got a comment? Keep it to yourself - The Boston Globe

By the way, don’t bother posting any comments directed to me when this article appears on the Web. I won’t see them. Instead, go start your own website or blog or buy a legitimate newspaper, or write a letter to the editor, or an op-ed (and sign your own name to it). If you really have something interesting to say, I’ll find you.

via boston.com

Wow. I thought the Boston Globe had gone out of business. It employs people like this and survived? How?

On a separate but related topic I see this author sharing a point of view that others in the traditional media seem to be hanging on to. That somehow they are more credible and trustworthy than other forms of media. That they are 'real' journalism. I swear, not getting this one is THE major miss that is sideswiping newspapers, with TV following right behind. Audiences learned something really important over the past 5+ years - they learned that the traditional media and many traditional 'journalists' are lazy, biased, frequently wrong, and in the business for one thing - to appeal to their own particular market niches. The Fox's and the Lou Dobb's have done more to devalue traditional media than the internet and goofy commenters combined. If traditional media has any hope, that hope would be to truly return to unbiased perspectives and quality reporting. That seems especially important given the new pay-for-content business models being floated about for newspapers that can only work if audiences find something that is good enough - and unique enough, to pay for. The odds of that happening seem pretty slim right now.

Posted via web from Jim's posterous

Naked girls plow fields for rain | Oddly Enough | Reuters

Farmers in an eastern Indian state have asked their unmarried daughters to plow parched fields naked in a bid to embarrass the weather gods to bring some badly needed monsoon rain, officials said on Thursday.

via reuters.com

rain? just rent a cottage or book a two week family vacation with your in-laws.

Posted via web from Jim's posterous

Board Governance Best Practices Assessment

Over the years, this Board Governance assessment



has proved very useful and popular with Directors and Boards. Comprehensive and straightforward, it enables Boards of Directors to create an accurate snapshot of how their Board is performing in key governance areas including:

- Board Composition, Nomination and Sucession

- Responsibilities and Processes of the Board and Committees

- Code of Conduct and Board Ethics

- Board Orientation and Development

- Director Assessment Process

- Audit Committee characteristics

- Responsibilities and Activities of the Chair and Directors

- Board Information and Communication

Go here, if you'd like a copy to download.

Full disclosure before you get there. I'm charging for it. Judging by its usefulness and popularity, I believe it has significant value and the charge is a pittance for Boards and Governors who are serious about governance. The fee is fully refundable if you are dissatisfied in any way.

Tell us how you really feel (check the comments section). Pepsi must be thrilled.

via steverubel.com

Posted via web from Jim's posterous

Tim O'Reilly: add more women panelists to Web 2.0 summit

We’ve had women protest about the lack of women speakers, then join the program committee to remedy that lack, only to come up short themselves when they actually try to put together a program that hangs together and will draw an audience.

via act.ly

Posted via web from Jim's posterous