Thursdays Business Giveaway

As if I’ll be able to keep up a regularly scheduled weekly blog posting, I’ll start by saying that I’d like to give away one business idea each week. Since today is Thursday, we’ll see if I can do it then.

They might all have a common theme, or they could all be different – I have no idea right now, but I do know that I get at least 3 or 4 ideas each day.

Should you decide to use this one, or any of them in the future, please remember me kindly if things work out to your favor.

Today’s Thursday Business Giveaway idea is something called CorporateSlap.

As I write this, CorporateSlap.com is still available, as is the CorporateSlap Twitter name.

The idea itself is quite simple.

CorporateSlap.com would be a site that people use because they are pissed off at a company.

Perhaps it was poor customer service, a bad product, or any number of things.

Your interface would need to be a simple one. The person would choose the company name, either from a drop-down list or by searching. Once selected, the company logo is displayed, along with any customer service contact information.

A reason for slapping them could be shown, perhaps a series of check boxes with a few reasons given, such as “Poor customer service”, “Bad product”, etc.

A text area with enough room for about 4000 characters so that they can really vent if they want to.

Once submitted, the information is email to the company and a notification is sent to Twitter using the CorporateSlap account – something like “Comcast was just slapped because of poor customer service” along with a link to a page showing what the complaint was about.

So, there’s the basic premise of the site – either you like it or you don’t, but I know a number of people who’d use it right away.

If you are thinking long-tail? Well, a year after you launch it, look at how many people might decide to check it out first, before doing business or buying a product from a company  – how many complained (slapped) them already?

Anyhow, enjoy the rest of your Thursday – if you take this ball and run with it, good luck to you. I’d be available as a hired consultant.

Michael

The Breakfast List

My inspiration for this post comes from a few places. I recently watched the movie "The Bucket List", so if you haven't seen it yet, the storyline is simple. Two men, both with terminal cancer and given a short time to live, make a list of things that they'd like to do before they "kick the bucket".

Another reason for this post is that I stumbled across a list that my wife had made, just a few things on it. Some things that she jotted down. Areas of her life that she would like to make improvements.

So, I wrote my own list, but it wasn't a list of things "to do" it was more like a list of things that "I am.

My thinking is that if I can be honest with myself about my current situation, then if there is anything on that list which I do not like, I'll know where to start to make a change. 

Like many lists that I have created in the past, I've decided that I should read this one everyday, perhaps in the morning, while I am having breakfast. Hence the name, "The Breakfast List".

Now, I'd ask you to go make your own list. You don't need to post it online as I have done, but I think that you should write down those things which you already know to be true, and that you don't like about yourself.

Instead of constantly trying to push them to the back of your mind (as I usually do) let's bring them out into the light, make items out of them, and after that we'll be able to deal with them and eliminate or change them.

 So, here's my breakfast list:

• I fail at most things that I do.
• I don't know how to plan.
• I don't know how to prioritize.
• I spend to much time focusing on small things.
• I unrealistically think that people should just offer to help me. 
• I don't know how to ask for help.
• I spend a lot of time being "busy" but not "productive".
• I don't provide a stable income for my family.
• I didn't turn out to be who I wanted to be.
• I make lists and then do nothing about it.
• I've always believed that I would win the lottery.

And that's basically it. I could probably go on to provide a paragraph or two about each one, but that's not really the point of this exercise. I know what I mean by each of them, and you'll know what you mean too. The Breakfast List is yours. It's a way to shine some light into those dark corners of your life, and only by doing that will you be able to take control and start doing something.

Have a nice day, and if you do decide to post your own Breakfast List, please come back here and let me know in the comments section, or do a trackback.

Thanks,

Me

 

The Breakfast List | The Lunch List | The Dinner List