Business Model Experts

In the world of business planning, there are many different ways to model a business plan. There are a couple people I found interesting. Their business models were easy for me to understand and they are both great business owners.

Steve Blank is successful business owner and teacher of 35 years, from New York. He is the founded of E.phipany, the marketing software company. He has taught at many schools including U.C. Berkley, Stanford University and Columbia University. After retirement, he wrote a book called Four Steps to the Epiphany.  The book basically highlights his five steps to a business model proposal. Each step is a question one asks about his or her business. What did you think was your initial business model or hypotheses? What did you do or build? What did you learn or what parts of the business model were wrong? How did the business change? The fifth step is simply to repeat the steps again. These four questions can help anyone succeed with his or her business. It helps people stay focused on all aspects of the business and to learn as the business progresses. It also shows that no business will ever stay the same from when it was first started, and neither will a business plan.

Carlos Slim is a successful business owner and billionaire from Mexico City, Mexico. As of March 2013, Carlos Slim is worth $73 billion. He is the richest man in Mexico and has six children. Slim has a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Carlos Slim has many different business perspectives. He believes that companies should have a simple organization structure and should start small with only necessary assets. A business owner should reinvest the profits back into the company and be positive, creative and hard working.

These things Steve Blank and Carlos Slim inquire in their business plans are key to a business plan for many reasons. Most of these reasons are obvious, such as being positive, creative, working hard and to reinvest. A business will never grow or even last if these elements are not included. A simple business structure should be inquired in every small business plan. The questions that Steve speaks of are good to ask regularly because it keeps the owner aware of the business progress and allows for him or her to make note and change the issues. Also, starting off with necessary assets is smarter than buying everything at once, because not all the startup capitol should be used at the beginning. These are great tips to keep in mind when starting or owning a business. 

Resources:

Blank, S. (n.d.). About steve. Retrieved from

http://steveblank.com/about/

Burhoe, S. (2012, August 9). Steve blank and carlos slim business models. Retrieved

from http://bpexpertviews.blogspot.com/2012/08/steve-blank-business-models.html

Clark. (2010, November 22). World’s wealthiest man carlos slim interview: no scarcity

for slim. Retrieved from http://therisetowealth.com/?p=607

Crunch Base. (2014). Steve blank. Retrieved from

http://www.crunchbase.com/person/steve-blank

Forbes. (2013, March). Carlos slim helu & family. Retrieved from

http://www.forbes.com/profile/carlos-slim-helu/

Analog vs Digital Recording

Music has been through many transformations throughout the centuries. From plays to concerts, vinyl to compact discs, and analog to digital, music has done it all. The issue is that some people like to stay with the old, and others prefer change. Some believe that analog recording sounds better because all the sounds are raw, whereas others believe that new age digital music sounds better because it is better quality. There have been many arguments over which recording method is better, right down to the equipment used. “The analog vs. digital debate has been raging for nearly three decades, and there's still no clear winner, because it's really just a matter of personal preference” (Guttenberg, 2011).

Many people believe that the analog method of recording preserves the sound of the instruments. The tape gives them a warm feeling and records exactly what is heard, nothing more. Of course, dynamic and time-based processors can be added, but overall, everything has to be perfect when recording on tape. Many different outboard gears and microphones were perfected over years, specifically for analog recording. With the elements of the natural sounding instruments and the perfected gear, the music produced sounds as real as it ever possibly could. The issue with analog recording is the timing, editing, and unwanted sounds. Issues within the analog music are hard to fix because everything is recorded to tape.

Lately, digital music has been making its way to the top. It is hard to find analog music now because of the digital movement. Many like this new style of music because recording is easier, sound quality is crisper, and the songs have fewer errors. Technology has definitely made it more convenient for people to create, record and distribute music. Beats are always on time, instruments and vocals are always on key, and all the processing is done in a snap. The digital music definitely shaved the cost of recording and made things much simpler. Unfortunately, nothing is perfect. “I'd admit that analog's distortions, speed variations, and noise/hiss make it less by-the-numbers accurate, but digital sound can be cold, hard, and uninviting” (Guttenberg, 2011).

No matter which way this is analyzed, each of their good qualities can also be viewed as their bad qualities. Overall, this question will never have a correct answer. The answer will always be based on personal preference. “Peaceful coexistence between the analog and digital faithful is the only way forward, and each side should enjoy music in its own way” (Guttenberg, 2011). Now the question will be left for everyone. Which is better, analog or digital?

References:

Guttenberg, S. (2011, April 21). Digital vs. analog audio: which sounds better?.

Retrieved from http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-20055650-47.html

Kagan, A. (2013, January 26). Analog tape vs digital recording: which sounds better?.

Retrieved from http://recordinghacks.com/2013/01/26/analog-tape-vs-digital/

Digital Music Distribution

Within the past fifteen years, music has made a huge transformation, as well as the rest of the entertainment industry. Because of the burst in technology, all entertainment has gone digital. Many people see this to be a good movement because of the ease of distribution. Others see this as a bad movement. Companies are shutting down and going out of business.

In the film industry, places like blockbuster have closed down their stores because of the digital movement. Many small music stores are being closed because of the movement as well. Even places that offer all aspects of the entertainment industry, such as FYE (For Your Entertainment), have been shut down. This caused a lot people to lose jobs and money. No one wants to buy the physical representation of music anymore if they can get the music as a file.

The upside of the digital age is the simplicity of obtaining music. There are countless websites that offer music downloads. Some of the main sites are iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play. With sites such as iTunes, buying music digitally ensures that the consumer will always have the product. Once a song is purchased, it can be downloaded again for free, if it gets deleted. Every department in the entertainment industry is moving in this direction. It gives security and simplicity to the consumer.

The only flaw to the digital distribution is the piracy. Physical products are not simple things to steal. It takes planning and it is very risky to do. Now that music is mainly digital, people steal music or violate rights all the time, and many do not even know. Music is very easy to duplicate, and computers make that easier than it has ever been. The music industry will always be a battle zone of rights and money, but is the digital movement really a good revolution?

References:

Gibson, D. (2008, March 25). Shocking news: record stores keep closing. Retrieved from

http://www.idolator.com/372089/shocking-news-record-stores-keep-closing

Go-Gulf. (2013). Online piracy in numbers – facts and statistics [infographic]. Retrieved

from http://www.go-gulf.com/blog/online-piracy/