Ideas or hotcakes?

The world is going through a financial crisis and so is the common man. But this is not the first time that such an economic slowdown has happened and whenever it has occurred it has come as a blessing in disguise for a small fraction of the society.

What is so special about this fraction? It is only the fact that they did not course the world market and sit back. And nor did they devise new plans to save capital and assets like many others. So what did they do? They thought differently. Their thinking made them stand out. That is why today, they have established themselves in the market. Did you know that 30% of the multinationals that exist were set up in the time of the financial crunch?

In the commercial market the most valuable commodity that exists is called an idea. People sell ideas for billions, and incredibly they do get buyers!! Nowadays, companies and media like Google and Economic Times run initiatives to literally ‘purchase’ ideas and promote them. Initiatives from the ingenious media like Lead India and Teach India sell like hotcakes. Why have ideas become suddenly so valuable?

In today’s highly competitive commercial market, intelligent ideas are highly sought after. A modern-day multination brand cannot afford to advertise itself through a typical rhyme of the nineties, and nor can they do by just keeping-in a few stars or sportsmen like Sachin Tendulkar and Dhoni. Along with famous faces, they also need breakthrough ad-scripts.

A recent hotcake concept was that of the chairman of Ontend Creative Partners-Stephen C. Lundin, also a business school professor and author of the bestselling FISH philosophy. He describes “FISH” philosophy in his own words: The idea behind the “FISH” philosophy was derived at a fish market in Seattle.  This market creates such a powerful experience that it has become an international tourist destination.  People from all over the world travel to Seattle to hang out with a group of happy and motivated fish mongers.  The philosophy describes the essence of what constitutes a workplace with a high level of natural energy.  We labelled the ingredients found in the fish market, ingredients that are found in a work place that has a high quality of work and an amazing connection with workers. We called the ingredients ‘Play’, ‘Make their day’, ‘Be there’ and ‘Choose your Attitude’’’.

How has he followed this discipline? : “People ask me how I can have so much fun when things are so bad. A few years ago, my girl was killed in a car accident with a drunk driver. I made my choice. No matter how things were, I was alive. The fish! Philosophy is free. It honours life. It is a source of energy which leads to productivity and it creates an innovation promoting environment. And that my friend is the power of ideas.