It seems so basic. Why is it so hard to actually get right? According to innovation expert Phil McKinney, the real problem is that we're teaching people to ask the wrong questions about their businesses--or none at all. There has to be a better way. In Beyond the Obvious, McKinney will help you use his proven FIRE (Focus, Ideation, Rank, Execution) Method to dig deeper and get back to asking the right questions--the ones all companies must ask to survive. Full of real-world examples, this book will change the way you operate, innovate, and create, and it all begins with battle-tested questions Phil has gathered on note cards throughout his career. Shared for the first time here, these "Killer Questions" include:What are the rules and assumptions my industry operates under? What if the opposite were true?What will be the buying criteria used by my customer in 5 years?What are my unshakable beliefs about what my customers want?Who uses my product in ways I never anticipated? These questions will reframe the way you see your products, your customers, and the way the two interact. Whether you're a company of thousands or a lean startup, Beyond the Obvious will give you the skills and easy-to-follow plan you need to make both the revolutionary changes and nuanced tweaks required for success. Praise for Beyond the Obvious "Human beings are creatures of habit, so getting ourselves and our teams to think beyond the obvious is a challenge we face all the time. Phil McKinney is an innovation expert, and his killer questions and hit-the-spot anecdotes provide a great way to get out in front of opportunities we otherwise won't see." -- Geoffrey Moore, author of Crossing the Chasm and Escape Velocity "I've always believed that asking the right questions is the essence of design. Phil McKinney proves that point with this wonderful set of killer questions that will jumpstart-or greatly enhance- your innovation efforts." -- B. Joseph Pine II, co-author, The Experience Economy & Infinite Possibility. "Product Innovation is a prerequisite to building great brands. Phil's questions are a prerequisite to building innovative products." -- Satjiv S. Chahil, former global marketing chief, Apple"

    Yet innovation is notoriously difficult. Only one in 100 new products is successful enough to cover development costs, and even fewer impact a company's growth trajectory. So how do you pinpoint the winning ideas that customers will love?Sifting through purchasing data for clues about what might sell and haphazardly brainstorming ideas are typical strategies. But Jobs to Be Done offers a far more precise and effective approach: determining the drivers of customer behavior - those functional and emotional goals that people want to achieve. Using the Jobs method, it becomes easy to see that people don't really need a quarter-inch drill bit but a quarter-inch hole. They're not buying just ice cream but also celebration, bonding, and indulgence. This simple shift in perspective opens up new insights about your customers and a wealth of hidden opportunities. Social media newcomer Snapchat, for example, used the Jobs process to capture the millennial demographic. By reducing functionality, the company satisfied its users' unmet need to document real life in the moment, without filters and "like" buttons.Packed with similar examples from every industry, this complete innovation guide explains both foundational concepts and a detailed action plan developed by innovation expert Stephen Wunker and his team. From unlocking customer insights to ideation to iteration, you'll learn how to:- Figure out what customers really want, even if they can't express it- Sort out valuable insights from less useful customer data- Dig into the underlying "why" of consumer behavior, not just the "what"- Target unaddressed jobs to be done that have the power to disrupt- Identify key customer segments you didn't know existed- Develop solutions that work with ingrained habits, not against them- Use a Jobs-based lens to get a broader view of the competition- Generate better ideas in brainstorming sessions and vet your solutions- Sidestep common mistakes, such as engaging in "feature wars"- Spot emerging trends that are changing how customers will behave- Work customer insights into the design process- And much moreJobs to Be Done gives you a clear-cut framework for thinking about your business, outlines a road map for discovering new markets, new products, and new services, and helps you generate creative opportunities to innovate your way to success.

    Each recipe has been tested and perfected by a true practitioner of hoodoo. From finding love to banishing a spirit, you can find it all in this book!

    Complexity can be a terrible and overwhelming force, or it can be a delightful source of new energy and possibility-it all depends on your ability to escape the mindtraps we fall into and create new habits for a new world.

    Whether it's improving customer experiences, trying out new business models, or developing new products, even the most experienced managers often get it wrong. This is especially true in the online world, where predicting customer behavior is virtually impossible.Managers can, however, discover whether a new product, service, or business model will fail or succeed--by subjecting it to rigorous experimentation. Think about it. A pharmaceutical company would never introduce a new drug without first conducting a round of experiments based on established scientific protocols. Yet that's essentially what many companies do when they roll out new products and services.As Harvard Business School professor Stefan Thomke shows in this eye-opening and essential book, the "best guess" approach to innovation is changing fast. There are now leading companies that conduct more than ten thousand online controlled experiments annually, engaging millions of users. These organizations have discovered that an "experiment with everything" approach has a big payoff, giving them a considerable competitive advantage.How can you do this at your company? Leaders and managers need to create an "experimentation organization" that masters the science of testing and puts the discipline of experimentation at the center of the innovation process. It used to take companies years to build the infrastructure and develop the expertise to run hundreds of experiments each day. But Thomke shows how, with advances in technology, these capabilities are at the fingertips of almost any business professional. By combining the power of software and the rigor of controlled experiments, today's managers can make better decisions, create better customer experiences, and generate huge financial returns.Filled with engaging and instructive stories of leading experimentation organizations, Experimentation Works will be your guidebook to a truly new way of thinking and innovating.

    These specialists have begun forming shops of their own - the new modern version of the agency. Increased marketing fragmentation and brand's need for specialists means that the time has never been better for a freelancers or niche service providers to build their own small firms. All they're missing is the guidance they need to find their footing.While specialist agencies and freelancers are highly skilled, most have a lot to learn about the mechanics of starting and running an agency. Many of these specialists come from a different background than those who traditionally started agencies: they come from the internet, not the ad world. In Agency, Rick Webb provides a comprehensive guidebook - giving readers the knowledge, strategies, and understanding they'll need to make the exciting transition into a modern creative services firm. Drawing from his experience running his own digital ad agency and working with countless innovative tech start-ups, Webb focuses not just on how to get started, but how to survive in a competitive marketplace. This is a hands-on master class in everything that the agency manager needs to know. From understanding small business banking, to deciding how to price a job and manage procurement, to winning new business, Agency provides everything from basic business and leadership skills to insider tips and industry information. Webb outlines the shape of the ecosystem in which new agencies will be finding their place. Packed with personal anecdotes from his time starting and running the highly successful Barbarian Group, Webb provides practical techniques for building an agile company.Modern agency upstarts need a different sort of education, and Agency provides a remarkable crash course.

    Google amazes us by generating answers before we've even finished asking a question. These companies know who we are and what we want.The key to their magic is Big Data. Personalizing the consumer experience with the collection and analysis of consumer data is widely recognized as one of the biggest business opportunities of the 21st century. But there is a flip side to this that has largely been missed. What if we were able to use data about employees to personalize and customize their experience - to increase their engagement, help them learn faster on the job, and figure out which teams they should be on?In this book, Leerom and his colleagues outline the six principles they've used to decode work and unlock the maximum potential of their talent, and share success stories from other organizations that have embraced this approach. The Decoded Company is an actionable blueprint for any company that wants the best from its people, and isn't afraid of radical approaches to get it.Leerom Segal is the president and CEO of Klick and has been named "Entrepreneur of the Year" by the Business Development Bank of Canada, won the "Young Entrepreneur of the Year" award from Ernst and Young, and was named to Profit Magazine's Hall of Fame as the youngest CEO ever to lead a nonprofit company.Aaron Goldstein is the co-founder of Klick and is a Senior Certified Project Manager Professional.Jay Goldman was Head of Marketing at Rypple, a venture-backed startup acquired by Salesforce in 2012 and now known as Work.com. He is the author of the O'Reilly Facebook Cookbook, and he has been published in the Harvard Business Review.Rahaf Harfoush is the author of several books including Yes We Did. She was a contributor to the best-selling Wikinomics and Grown Up Digital.

    Now you can study at the office, on a plane or even in your car with RMC’s portable and extremely valuable Hot Topics PMP® Exam Flashcards—in hard copy or audio CD format. Over 300 of the most important and difficult to recall PMP® exam-related terms and concepts are now available for study as you drive, fly or take your lunch break. Order them both! This product is aligned with the PMBOK® Guide Third Edition (2005).

    I have been starting and running businesses for the past 13 years. My entrepreneurial journey began with multiple businesses offline, but in 2011 I discovered the 'internet as a business' and decided that I would never work offline again. By 2012, I was running a successful software company from my laptop, travelling the world with my wife and daughter, and playing drums in a punk rock band. I had the freedom to work when and where I wanted and had achieved the 4 Hour Work Week, but I had the desire to do something meaningful. Up until now, I had spent a large portion of my life picking the brains of entrepreneurs that had walked the entrepreneurial path before me and I wanted to share what I had learned -- entrepreneurs are not born, they are created through mindset, hard work, and a desire to do meaningful work. 200+ interviews and over 1.2 million downloads later and I want to give you the best hacks. That's exactly what this book will give you. I love how the internet has changed mine and my family's life and I cannot wait to help you start, build, and grow your very online business. The entrepreneurs and experts you will learn from (plus 40 more inside!) How to stop struggling with failure, with Seth Godin, best selling author. It is all about overcoming each obstacle as it hits and not giving up, with Brian Smith, founder of UGG Boots. Most things in life fail - it's okay, with James Altucher, entrepreneur and bestselling author. True success comes from having a ton of failures and then learning from them, with Nellie Akalp, founder of CorpNet. Entrepreneurs are not born, they're made, with Landon Ray, founder of OntraPort. Why you need to become the CEO of your own business, with Brian Clark, cofounder of Rainmaker Digital. You have to learn to love what you do, versus trying to do what you love, with Kate Matsudaira, founder of PopForms. The best way to be wrong, with with Chris Brogan, founder of Owner Media. Let your challenges become your super powers, with Dominic Johnson-Hill, founder of Plastered Tshirts. Choosing the path of unpredictability, with Jon Stein, founder of Betterment. Who should read this book Are you stuck and don't know what to do next? In this book, Jonny will be your personal mastermind, coach, and mentor as he gives your the guidance and kick in the ass you need today. Do you want to control your destiny? If you want to design a lifestyle that puts you in control of your time and income, this book is for you. Do you want to do work that matters? If you want to work on projects that make a real impact and have meaning to you and others, this book will let you discover your true value. Want the freedom to travel? If the idea of working on your business while traveling the world makes you smile, digital entrepreneurship and Hack the Entrepreneur is for you. What's Inside 1. Getting Started There are similar obstacles we all face or have faced when getting started in business. Once we've broken through and started, we all wish we could've started sooner. Now you can. 3.

    But all too often we fail to adapt, clinging to outdated models that are no longer delivering the results we need.The brains behind The Business Model Navigator have discovered that just 55 business models are responsible for 90% of the world's most successful businesses. These 55 models - from the Add-On model used by Ryanair to the Subscription model used by Spotify - provide the blueprints you need to revolutionise your business and drive powerful change.As well as providing a practical framework for adapting and innovating your business model, this book also includes each of the 55 models in a quick-read format that covers:What it is Who invented it and who uses it now When and how to apply it "An excellent toolkit for developing your business model."Dr Heinz Derenbach, CEO, Bosch Software Innovations

    I hope this book will help and inspire you to pursue your passion while avoiding some of the mistakes I made.”It’s easier than ever before to launch a startup. But in a world where barriers to entry are virtually nonexistent and everyone wants to be the next Facebook, competition is fierce. If you’re just beginning and lack the money and clout to make an automatic splash, how do you differentiate yourself from all the rest?Jason Baptiste knows firsthand what it takes. After launching his first company while still in college, he cofounded his current venture, Onswipe, in his early twenties, turning it into a multimillion-dollar company in less than a year. Now, drawing on his own experience as a bootstrapping but hungry entrepreneur, as well as on examples from today’s most famous companies, he guides would-be tech moguls through every stage of the process—from testing a concept to acquiring customers to determining the best pricing model—in a cheap, practical way. Among his strategies: • Build the product you wish you had: Four­square founder Dennis Crowley created an early version of his product because he wanted to keep in touch with former colleagues. • It doesn’t have to be sexy to make money: Dropbox took the world by storm by offering a great solution to a mundane problem—online storage. • Be bold when promoting yourself: Online payment service WePay capitalized on dissatis­faction with industry leader PayPal by dumping six hundred pounds of ice in front of a developer conference.• Attract fans to attract customers: Budget tracking site Mint.com created its initial user base by offering original and useful content about per­sonal finance.Baptiste shows you don’t need an MBA, a trust fund, or even experience running your own com­pany to become a star in the tech world. The Ultralight Startup is a comprehensive, easy-to-follow guide that will prepare any entrepreneur to take his or her idea to the next level.

    Discover the real reason why people around the world are adding network marketing to their lives. In this book you will learn: * Why network marketing is a natural thing for us to do. * How to present network marketing so that prospects "get it." * The real power behind our business. * Why jobs are nice, but risky ... and what we can do about it. * How to take a different view of the big picture. * Chances of failure and the absence of guarantees. * Understanding wealth ... and being broke. * The easiest way to spread your message. Short, compact, and to the point. A fast read, and a faster life-changer. Here is your chance to see what others see. Scroll up and get your copy now!

    This book contains a review of critical care nursing and practice questions and answers designed to prepare nurses to earn AACN certification (or renew AACN certification) by passing the required exam. Utilizing an outline format and the revised blueprint for the certification examination, it's the easy to follow, comprehensive and portable, quick-study tool that nurses can take anywhere.

    Creativity For Sale is the story of how Jason took a crazy idea (IWearYourShirt) and turned it into social media marketing empire that generated over $1M in revenue in just a few short years. Whether you work at a 9-5 desk job, currently own your own business, or are an aspiring creative entrepreneur, this book will serve as a practical guide to helping you make money doing what you love. Jason shares his exact strategies, tips, tricks, and processes that have helped him create profitable businesses that get noticed by the likes of The Today Show, CNBC, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and many more media outlets. In Creativity For Sale, Jason shares stories of realigning his values and goals in life to become happier, healthier, and more focused. The world of online marketing and social media are noisy and crowded, this book will help you learn how to stand out from the crowd.

    What if they'd already been solved and you didn't even know it? In The Power of Positive Deviance, the authors present a counterintuitive new approach to problem-solving. Their advice? Leverage positive deviants--the few individuals in a group who find unique ways to look at, and overcome, seemingly insoluble difficulties. By seeing solutions where others don't, positive deviants spread and sustain needed change.With vivid, firsthand stories of how positive deviance has alleviated some of the world's toughest problems (malnutrition in Vietnam, staph infections in hospitals), the authors illuminate its core practices, including:· Mobilizing communities to discover "invisible" solutions in their midst· Using innovative designs to "act" your way into a new way of thinking instead of thinking your way into a new way of acting· Confounding the organizational "immune response" seeking to sustain the status quoInspiring and insightful, The Power of Positive Deviance unveils a potent new way to tackle the thorniest challenges in your own company and community.