Of course I had identified a clearly defined market for Bun Yom’s book Tomorrow I’m Dead. I knew who would buy it, who would read it, where they would buy it and how long it would take them to finish it. I am a marketing expert who knows this sort of thing. I knew that our primary market was equally disbursed between male and female over 18 years olds and I knew that our market was highly correlated with education, socio-economic status and readership of related material. I knew all about this market, but I was wrong, dead wrong.

After Bun’s presentation there was a line waiting to meet him and have their book signed. I stood there paying little attention until I heard a young man, maybe 12 years old, insist “I just want to meet him Mom!” I watched the struggle until Mom relented and the boy got in line.

Then it happened. Right before my eyes the truth unfolded. A truth that had alluded me. Half of the people in line were under 18! Many were not yet old enough to drive. The woman talking to Bun was buying three books he was signing for each of her children. How could I have missed this? How could I, who preach this daily, have been so presumptuous that I would base all of my knowing on my own preconceived beliefs rather than careful observation of the truth?

These young people weren’t alive during the Killing Fields, they don’t know about world history, and they probably can’t spell Cambodia, how could this be? Once again I missed. The prerequisite for interest was not prior knowledge or academic prowess, it was curiosity. Curiosity about this world, its inhabitants, and a profound inquiry into their own nature.

My faux pas was confirmed this morning as Bun spoke to 200 High School students. In these youth this curiosity was vibrant, alive, insistent. They had not yet learned to replace inquiry with history as I had done. Training is good, education is good, expertise is good, but there is no substitute for truth.

One of the only contests I have ever won was a regional resume writing contest my English professor required us to enter. I was badly in need of a boost to my English grade so I decided that if I was going to enter this contest, I would do my best to win. As the resumes were turned in that day, I could see that there were many adept graphic designers and many excellent writers in my class. I could also see that I would have had little chance of winning the contest had I not figured out a unique way to differentiate my resume from all the rest. You see, all of the other resumes were printed on 8 1/2″ x 11″ paper, the virtually required standard in the resume world. Mine, however, was printed on 14″ legal size paper and cut down to 11  1/32 long. Only 1/32 of an inch longer than all the others. An imperceptible difference you would think. I saw my professor flip through the stack of resumes and watched her stop on mine, for just an instant, as her finger moved across that extra 32nd of an inch. I knew at that moment I had won. Sure enough, I did – first place!

It is interesting to note that the judges stated the reason for my winning as: clean format, well written with clearly defined categories, but I know the real reason. Out of thousands of resumes they picked mine, not because it was written better, neater, or more graphically appealing, but because I had differentiated it from all the rest, in a way the judges didn’t even realize. That was the day I learned that you don’t have to beat your competitors by much.

Our decisions are not made in our brain. We think they are, we get a headache from thinking too much, but in the final analysis, even for the most left-brain autocrat you know, our decisions are made elsewhere. Whether we are selling our product, negotiating with a child, or trying to get our way, a conscious awareness of this will be infinitely valuable. First off, we have been taught that our thinking cells are all inside our cranium, but we now know that this is simply not the case. Our thinking cells are everywhere, all of our cells participate in the process. Not only that, but consider the possibility that our brain is not a reservoir of accumulated knowledge, but a communication device, not a hard drive, but a modem (with a processor).  In Mac terms, its an airport express (hard drive & hot spot). Then we really start to wonder where the thinking process is taking place.

So, we go to a restaurant and have a delightful experience

My son and I went to a pizza restaurant last year. They brought us the wrong meal and forgot our drinks, then, to make matters worse, we couldn’t find a waiter, for a long time. We finally got ourselves water and ate the unordered food. When our waiter finally showed up we explained our displeasure. He apologized profusely and when her returned told us that our meal was on the restaurant and gave us each a coupon for another free meal.

MAKING IT RIGHT WITH YOUR CUSTOMER

How many times have I heard “My resume has to be two page so I can include all the stuff I’ve done.” True, possibly, but your resume reader is only going to catch about seven point on the entire document, might be a good idea to take out all the less-important points. This is true for virtually everything you write. Figure out what is most important and get rid of the rest. Then, you control what is read, and it might help keep your reader from getting lost. Could you figure out the way to Mt. Hood while you’re moving? Neither can your reader.

Give up controlling interest! “What?” you say. “Let someone else have control of my life’s work?” You’ve got to be kidding?

I understand this is a hard pill to swallow, but look at it from an investor’s point of view. Why should they put their hard earned money into coffers that you control? There is a reason they have that money. They’ve played the game and won more than they’ve lost (or they picked their parents well). Wise investors know that inventors can be a shifty lot. I’ve watched it happen. Just when they are about to hit a home run, the inventor decides to finish up another project first, redesign for the umpteenth time, or spend the investor’s money on a “research trip.” The investor without controlling interest stands there while their money pours down the drain, and there is nothing they can do.

Sometimes this can be resolved by bringing in a mutually agreed upon third party who is given two shares to participate in the decision making process should there be a disagreement. With 49% ownership neither party can move without the blessing of either their partner or the 2% shareholder.

Once your invention is thriving there are all sorts of buy-back plans, stock options, and other vehicles that will allow you to gain back controlling interest. Until that time your controlling investor may be your best friend. They are providing the capital you need and they are keeping you in line. If you’ve picked your investor right they know what they are doing, they want you to win, and they can bring business savvy to the venture that the typical inventor often lacks. It’s a good deal for you!

If you insist on maintaining control 90% of your investors are going to walk out the door – and do you really want the remaining 10% on your team?

I appreciate the many responses to the earlier post, so I will say this again, and yet again after I’ve had some sleep. Thoughts cause feelings, circumstances do not. I know, I know, it sounds backward from everything you have ever thought. Yet, one moment of introspection and you can see that this is true. Feelings are caused by thoughts. Watch yourself for a day and this will become apparent. Then try to grasp the fact that feelings cause circumstances, all circumstances. When you understand that conundrum, and apply it, you will have mastered the world.

I appreciate the email discussion, but how about posting your thoughts as a comment so others can see our discussion.  I will eventually get to all of your questions.  My best,  Bill