Let's kick of the Remix Session with a discussion I had with Mani Iyer, CEO of Kwanzoo.

Kwanzoo Presentation At Leadscon Las Vegas 2010

Iyer: Yes. In fact that is our core premise is that people online want rich, engaging, interactive content. They also want to know who the source is, which is why the idea of being branded is pretty important. So I know that this content comes from this business that I know about.

If I am then willing to share with my friends, the peer recommendation is much more powerful. The idea is that I do spend time reading my Facebook or Twitter feeds. If I see a Facebook update from a friend that talks about "I tried this (x) on this website..." and then recommends it to me, it's trustworthy.

Tim Andren is the founder of Guideas, Inc. an innovation and marketing company.

There was a time when the risks weren't so obvious, or so painful. Sadly, those days are gone. That's why it's important to understand and embrace risk, even use it to your advantage. (Part 1 of a series)

Risk, risk, everywhere

Many companies fear the word 'risk' because by definition it echoes the unknowns, and therefore, the greatest fears of business life. 

Does a company like Toyota have enough money or power to avoid risk? Of course not.

No matter how much data is analyzed or research is done, nobody can predict what might occur - from natural disasters, to competition, product recalls and customer disinterest. 

And that's just the beginning...

The volume of risk a business of any size assumes in a day is monumental given economies, globalization, fragmentation of markets, etc.

The sword of data

Market research as a discipline has grown in lockstep with our technological ability to collect data - and for good reason.

In business, well-researched data is like a sword - a tool with immense power. It is crucial to the life of a company or product. 

Sound, researched data will do much of the heavy lifting when it comes to making decisions about markets, prices, etc. Good data acts as a compass and strategically steers the ship away from risk in many important business decisions.

Some conclude that the data harvested from the sword of research is a cure-all. Since many companies believe that they 'can't have too much of the good stuff,' there's also a tendency to make every other business decision by it.

Business evolution

New ideas and products represent the very evolution of business. These ideas are like newborn babies. They must be created in a nurturing environment and handled with care. 

It reminds me of a friend who developed complex variable spreadsheets to assess the affordability of having a child in 2007. He did it out of love and learned that he eventually needed to scrap the spreadsheet in favor of assuming some reasonable amount of risk. His beautiful daughter reminds him every day that he made the right decision. If parents only took risk into consideration, there probably wouldn't be any children in the world.

In parallel, many companies attempt to birth business models and products with risk analysis charts and spreadsheets. When the creative process is led by data-driven dummies, the results end up not being very innovative at all. It's like trying to spark a romantic conversation with someone who's in the middle of doing their taxes. Sure, it's possible, but not very likely.

When it comes to innovation, it's important to begin focusing only on what is next, desired, attractive, and effective outside of the boundaries of anything involving budget or risk. Once a great idea has been examined, only then should it be molded into the framework of possibility.

New ideas can potentially be the most powerful asset of all for a company. They should be nurtured and cared for like a newborn. 

There is a time and place for risk avoidance, and it must be separate from the creative process or else it's hardly creative at all.

Tim Andren is the founder of Guideas, Inc. an innovation and marketing company.

Here's a fresh video on global internet usage that details the eye-opening growth of the online world. The video aptly titled 'State of the Internet', has some staggering statistics.

For those of you familiar with the 'Did You Know' series of videos, it may not be quite as powerful, but the updated stats and graphics are well worth the watch.

This statement, in many ways, exemplifies the stance of this blog. It resonates as truth because it sheds the traditional mold that so many place both art and creativity into these days.

I'd add that the creative abiliity required to see the an object, combination or situation and create a transcendent solution is art at it's best.

Many people I've met make statements such as 'I'm not creative.' I find myself wanting to counter their statements, to help them see that they're using their creativity in business every day.

I've come across a lot more 'artistic' entrepreneurs than many of the self-indulgent painters out there.

Peter Drucker's quote is most compelling:

“Not every new small business is entrepreneurial or represents entrepreneurship… entrepreneurs innovate. Innovation is the specific instrument of entrepreneurship.”

The debate hinges on whether entrepreneurship must be based on innovation or not. 

My take is that it's not mandatory to start a business on an innovative idea or concept, franchises are proof of point, but the key is that innovation is essential to differentiating the company or idea in the marketplace. This can be done by product or service, processes or operational methods.

What are your thoughts?

Tim Andren is the founder of Guideas, Inc. an innovation and marketing company.

"Show me you care, don't tell me", my old advertising teacher used to say.

Sun Chips have done exactly that and strengthened their brand with their new compostable packaging. 

This leap forward in their brand perception allows Sun Chips to more effectively weave into the eco-friendly community. A deeper relationship can now be forged with the customer based on action and product.

This example shines golden compared to the empty corporate logo plastering that occurs with earth-friendly communities and events. I remember being invited to a benefit concert in an effort to clean up the beaches where I live that was sponsored by a certain energy drink. I was shocked to see their cans and promotional items littered all over the sand.

Packaging can have as much effect on consumers as the product itself. It is the visual representation of, and container for the product. In many cases packaging has a 'remarketable' staying power as in Altoids tins, shoe boxes, etc. 

Since the package is a significant visual cue toward purchase of said product, then Sun Chips has answered the question - how can packaging be legitimizing? more effective?

The recent concerns of greenwashing and overuse of the words 'natural', 'organic', etc., have created a more skeptical consumer. In this case, it should be noted that with every passing day, this same consumer is able to perform a solid background check about a brand online on sites such as Good Guide, a "...source of information on the health, environmental, and social impacts of the products in your home."

Given that the Sun Chips brand has always had a solid niche in the saturated (pun intended) world of chip companies, the biodegradable bag is a strong statement of walking the walk. 

Sun Chips passes the test by doing what they represent. How can your brand do the same?

Tim Andren is the founder of Guideas, Inc. an innovation and marketing company.

What will your future look like? How can you reach that exercise or diet goal? Can you imagine the day when you'll interface with your doctor through a smartphone? Many of these types of questions will be answered by wireless devices.

Treat 'em right

The innovation of wireless health or mHealth devices are especially exciting as they will have an impact not just on the health of you - the patient, but also the thousands of hospitals and clinics that see people like you daily. 

Smart sensors and wireless devices such as the smart patch (also known as a band aid) are leading the charge of this wireless revolution. These tiny transmitters are adhered to the body and measure functions such as heart rate, temperature, blood pressure, glucose, etc. 

The data is then sent to a smartphone or computer application that provides feedback in the form of prescription aid or assist in scheduling a doctor video conference, among others. 

The potential benefits are huge. The treatment and cost efficiencies will greatly improve the situation of crowded hospital beds and outpatient visits. Assisted living treatment can be improved as well, especially in the areas of emergency response.

The direct impact on chronic disease maintenance is also very exciting. Imagine a diabetic or heart patient having this technology at their disposal? In this case, information is power.

An apple a day

In addition to the treatment of diseases, there are many exciting new advances in health maintenance and preventative care.

You're probably already familiar with the revolutionary Nike+ running shoe. This technology uses a similar type of widget that transmits data to an iPhone or iPod which will then track your progress, provide recommendations and connect you to a community of other runner enthusiasts.

Another interesting application to try out is the Sleep Cycle alarm clock iPhone app from LexWare Labs which tracks and analyzes your sleep patterns. I'm using it to examine my sleep phases and to find ways to get a better night's rest. 

There are a slew of other applications to help you stay on track toward your health or fitness goals. These range from assisting with diet and nutrition to optimizing your energy for working out or managing a training schedule.

The time is right for healthcare to evolve. People are much more clued in to prevention and disease control than in years prior. The network is built and the catalyst devices are coming. 

What will your future look like? Are you hacking your way to health? I'd love to hear about it.

Tim Andren is the founder of Guideas, Inc. an innovation and marketing company.

A semi-regular feature here on the blog will be to examine what I believe to be the most creative, inspirational form of art - music. Music is such a fluid, malleable substance that it is most often the fastest to respond to and define the leading edge of cultural movements. 

Music is also the universal language and can inspire and emote creativity in all of us. To understand music is to gain insight into the hearts of men and women and that is a beautiful thing. 

I have always been deeply into music since a very young age. My passion for the latest sound or music movement drove me to the record store on a regular basis. In college, I became a DJ - and what began as a college hobby stoked the fires even more - the pursuit of what's good and what's next. 

This love of music and creativity led me down a path to my current profession. Studying creative patterns, people, and how they think and respond to color or sound has given me an ability to forecast trends or create new ideas for businesses.

My posts here on the blog will more often target up-and-coming bands and artists. Innovation is the key (surprised?), but of course it's not always essential to make great music.

The first artist to be featured here is Dan Black. His sound is a fusion of indie rock with an electro dancey flavor. Some are referring to this sound as 'wonky pop' which is a loose term that describes the sound of modern pop that is catchy yet substantial. No saccharine Britney Spears stuff here. Naturally, it's fanbase tends to be much stronger online in niche blogs than in big media outlets.

Alexis Petridis from the Guardian hilariously states: "Wonky Pop artists are unmanufactured but unashamedly melodic and capable of playing live without recourse to lashings of dry ice, troupes of dancers and an interlude during which they fly around the stage on wires." I'll just say they tend to be less manufactured and more melodic than many of the manufactured products of major labels.

Listen to Dan Black - 'Wonder'

Listen to Dan Black - 'Life Slash Dreams'

Tim Andren is the founder of Guideas, Inc. an innovation and marketing company.

"Mr. Autumn and scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, were responsible for the research that enabled Mark Cutkosky, a professor of mechanical engineering at Stanford, to develop a prototype for a tape based on gecko adhesion."

"The tape, which is reusable, was so strong, Mr. Autumn said, that when they tested it, he was able to stick his 50-pound, 8-year-old daughter to a window with it."

Product innovators often find inspiration in the most random places in the natural world. There's gotta be a cross-promotion they could do with Geico.

ARTICLE: A Sticky Little Lizard Inspires a New Adhesive Tape from the New York Times.com

With all the talk in recent months about the iPad, e-readers and tablet computing as a whole we've seen very little about the actual experience of using one.

Steve Jobs was clearly presenting the common denominators of the iPad for it's broad appeal. What was left out was the true potential of the multimedia experience of magazine/media content. What will the iPad apps be capable of with so much more screen real estate?

Gaming

While I'm not a big gamer, game development is essential to pay attention to because it often represents the cutting edge of user interface design. We're on the cusp of really developing a new physical language of interaction here. Think Nintendo Wii.

Newspapers and Magazines

On the other hand, the New York Times interface was weak. Their attempts to 'capture the essence of reading a newspaper' is archaic thinking. Forcing users to adhere to old media types of interaction on this type of device is silly. I don't want to read a newspaper, that's why I have a tablet. I want the information and articles presented to me in a slick, formatted style that is easy to use.

There are a handful of interesting videos that show the awesome possibilities that magazine publishers will have on tablets. Here is a great one.

Every magazine or newspaper has the potential to develop their own app which will include multiple levels of media content and interaction. Where things go from here will be fascinating for sure. How do you plan to use computers and tablet devices in the future?

Tim Andren is the founder of Guideas, Inc. an innovation and marketing company.