Is it only a year since Chattie kicked off the AI party??
A year ago I stumbled across ChatGPT for the first time, had a poke around, and wrote this post. Over the following few months, I tried to keep up with what was happening, but at addendum 20, called it a day. Generative AI became the fastest growing...
The second best word to close a sale.
The best word in sales is 'Free', it will close more often than any other, by a long stretch. However, being free also implies there is no value to the buyer, and in any event, it is not really a sale, as there is no money involved. At best a 'freebie'...
The disruptive impact of information ½ life.
Following on from a previous post about the value of information, it seems relevant to ask how long any value created lasts. We are all familiar with the notion of the '1/2 life'. The time it takes for radioactivity of an element to decay by 1/2. Uranium...
How should accountants treat investments in the future?
We make many types of investments in the future, brand building, capability development, process optimisation, building the foundations to scale, and significantly, R&D. Each is aimed at generating future cash flow. The management and strategic...
8 things the leader of an SME can learn from a dead genius.
One of Charlie Mungers better known quips was: ‘All I want is to know where I am going to die, so I’ll never go there’. He avoided that place assiduously, but last week, after 99 years, Charlie went there. Perhaps by mistake, perhaps because even he recognised...
Why do politicians undervalue their leverage?
Of the many objections to the inequity and shortcomings of the tax system I harbour, the most egregious is the seduction by the fossil fuel industry of governments of all persuasions over the last 30 years. I have two profound objections. The first: They have...
Retailers cost of living party trick.
Every time I go through a supermarket checkout, I find myself surprised at the total of the bill. Should be used to it by now, but no, I'm not! The two supermarket gorillas, Coles and Woolworths have both released their annual results in the last month,...
Why bother to write?
Last week I was copied on an email one of my clients sent to a now former supplier. It was polite, respectful, thanking them for their service, and wishing them well. What struck me immediately was that it was not in the ‘voice’ of my client. A moment later, I...
Great minds do not think alike.
‘Great minds think alike’ is a common saying. Sometimes it might be right but the greater value of having a few great minds in the one place exchanging views is the fact that they will bring different ideas, values, backgrounds, and depth of knowledge to...
How to ruin a great idea
Ideas are usually great because they do one of two things, sometimes both: They focus on a deep and genuine need, obvious or not, to the casual observer. They remove a problem that causes irritation. Great ideas have a common characteristic: they are focussed....