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  Javier Enrich 10:02 am on October 25, 2011 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: entrepreneurs ( 21 ), innovation ( 34 ), optimism, SME ( 2 )   

  How to be an SME and not fail in the attempt? 

  Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

  Note from the editor: This article was published in the blog Optimismo Digital (Digital Optimism) on the 18th October 2011 (In Spanish).  The author, Javier Enrich (@xenrich, CEO at Advinci, co-founder at Home Staff and tucomercialonline.es) has been so kind as to allow us to publish it in ZyncroBlog.

  Congratulations Javier on your article, for your advice and for the positive energy you share.  We share this philosophy at Zyncro 100%!

  

  3,300,000 SMEs in SPAIN.  HOW CAN A COMPANY BE AN SME AND NOT FAIL IN THE ATTEMPT?

  After having attended the launch of the new edition of MIB 2012 in Barcelona including talks by Juanjo Azcarate (CEO) and Javier Rodriguez Zapatero (Managing Director, Google Spain, Portugal), many refreshing ideas, many aspirations and in my case, the reason why I embarked upon a change a year ago.

  Our MIB 11 promotional godfather Juanjo Azcarate provided a top-up of his positive energy through “no fear, no reluctance and no shame” and Javier gave a vision of the entire journey we had in front of us with a few relevant Internet figures for example there are 3,300,000 SMEs in Spain that could be converted into medium sized businesses.

  I take a quick look back at my last 365 days during 2011-10 and as Steve Jobs (genius to many) said at Standford: “you only know the effects of good and bad decisions on your career when you take a look back”.  A lot has happened to me in 365 days in all of its hours, minutes and seconds.  I have developed many ideas, have failed in many others, have learned a lot and continue to do so but the feeling I get is more important…I feel like I am on a roll and do not want to stop until I make my dream come true.

  Taking Javier Rodriguez Zapatero’s words into consideration about SME growth, I can understand my responsibility as an SME and that growing in size will also help generate more wealth for the country’s economy as well as provide stability for the system but I do feel that this is a difficult change to make in Spain and overall, I do not think that the politicians involved who can actually make this happen, are actually prepared to support it.

  In order for an SME to grow in a hostile environment such as Spain, we should have the ability to convince the involved politicians to change (at least with regards to the following 5 points):

  • Short term mentality.  To be replaced with A STATE VISION (responsibility, rigor and work)
  • They have never been entrepreneurs.  To be replaced with ENTREPRENEUR (create initiatives to improve the system)
  • They are idea killers.  To be replaced with SUPPORTING PROJECTS with micro credits and other measures.
  • They do not use small or local companies.  To be replaced with BUYING Spanish and small companies.
  • They pay little and late.  To be replaced with SETTING AN EXAMPLE and abstaining from debt.

  So what can we “SMEs” do and not fail in the attempt?

  I do not have the answer otherwise I would be giving talks on TV but, these are my 10 points to work on:

  1. Work a lot more and work whilst others are having a break.  I have not studied Chinese nor have I been to China but the chinese have lifted the country’s economy by working, amongst other things.  I myself, do not like to work that much, I am exhausted but I need to keep working at full speed in order to survive.
  2. The first point is important but, making your dreams come true and working passionately is what delays recovery from exhaustion.
  3. If you fall, you pick yourself up.  That is all.  It has passed, do not give it a second thought. Thinking about it brings you to a halt.  Do not allow your environment to swallow you up and do not be ashamed of having made a mistake.  You have learned from it and next time, you will overcome it faster.
  4. Break the vision down and establish achievable goals and objectives. You are the first to jump into the new market.  The only one who has visualised the whole journey is you.  Your team is blind and needs to feel as though it is achieving its objective.  It motivates you and your team.
  5. Developing your ideas quickly and counting on others to create your project in order to grow rapidly.  If you settle for being small, the system will beat you.
  6. Support your business idea with all of the possible technology.  Crowd-effort!!!   Lean on othes.
  7. Communicate your project to others.  Do not be afraid of sharing your idea with your friends and people you think may be able to help you, you will get there faster.  They could copy it but it is a big world, there is enough room for everyone.
  8. Constant analysis and evaluation. There are not enough resources in a small company to produce sophisticated reports but this part is fundamental for constant improvement.   Listen to people, clients and to your team.
  9. The world does not end with Spain nor with Europe, but it will not come looking for you.
  10. Growth will allow you to keep on innovating. If you are an entrepreneur and you enjoy entrepreneurship, grow in order to continue whilst others manage your previous projects.

  One thing is certain, when you speak with other entrepreneurs you will realise that there is no secret.  The answer to “where do you get the energy from?”, “how do you find the time?”:

  Lots of work, more work, plenty of passion for good ideas and a brave face when times are tough.

   
   

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  Diana Moret 10:10 am on April 15, 2011 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: communication ( 32 ), engagement ( 4 ), humanism ( 3 ), idealism, optimism, social mobilization   

  Optimism, idealism… “digital humanism”. Sound familiar? 

  Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

  Anyone would say that we professionals of the digital world live in a bubble of optimism.  I would like to contribute my own reasons as to justifying a certain idealism to this effect.

  It is true that we are living in pseudo-apocalyptic times with all the earthquakes, political schisms, economic downturn, energy and climatic crisis.  But perhaps the world situation is blurring a hopeful social phenomenon, an unusual opportunity that affects us all in one way or another.  It refers to the power we now have to be able to change the course of history.

  Up until 10 years ago, it was all about globalisation.  To summarise, access to worldwide information.  The common user was just a mere globalised spectator, basically a passive recipient of a lot of information.

  But technology 2.0 arrived and the greatly simplistic collaborative platforms converted the recipient into a transmitter.  Things got complicated.  I would say more like things got interesting…  Now we can position ourselves and act in accordance to the information we receive, play an active part in that communication and convert it into action.  We could call this social mobilisation.   2.0 sector experts are already foreseeing that the consequences of 2.0 will be social to the extent of being philanthropic.

  With projects such as the Actuable petition  in sight, software open source for conflict visualisation and geolocalisation Ushaidi or the educational crowdsourcing portal  that is revolutionizing the teaching of mathematics; Khan Academy, collaborative 2.0 technology (over and above social networks) is already successfully contributing to a world change.

  Continuing with the idea of the optimism bubble, amidst the sheer economic crisis we see the investment in Social Media growing every day.  Companies have become aware of the great opportunity to connect with the public by means of these platforms.  But more or less creatively, as the message is not seemingly conveyed in a purely aesthetic and/or ludicrous manner.

  Yes, without a doubt the experience makes the brand more memorable in the consumer’s mind.  But an entertained client is not the same as a loyal client.

  In an environment of relatively democratic information such as today’s, the brand has the same position of influence or even one inferior to the actual user.  Everything seems to indicate exactly what somebody knowledgeable on the subject once said to me, that dogmas takeover the position of brands and slogans.

  Egotistical and irresponsible brands and promises do not sell anymore.

  Social Media, that almost omnipresent hiper-conscience has made us more demanding in every possible way.  Also in terms of responsibility.  The brand has no choice but to leave its castle and approach its public, step into their shoes, empathise with it, share its interests…  But overall, its concerns.  From a purely marketing perspective, this is how a cause gains importance.  But there is much more than this…  When I say cause, I do not only mean humanitarian help if not philanthropic in a wide sense of the meaning, humanism in general terms.

  Let me explain… it is not about doing big things, of making a contribution to the wellbeing of developing countries nor boasting about it in order to connect with the public.  In a company with a solid philosophy it may be enough to find a space in which employees, collaborators and friends can communicate and express the intangible aspect of the company, its essential values.  ZyncroBlog is a good example of “digital humanism” focussing on connection with the user.

  However, companies that wish to vote strongly in favour of this should have philanthropy (not just humanism) in their DNA as they are being presented with the opportunity to take advantage of investing in Social Media to multiply the social impact of their actions.  It is clear that the benefits are twofold, involvement in the global change and engagement with the user.

  After months of projecting it but only a few days of actually helping companies gain engagement online via humanism, it has become my dream as a consultant.  So, I will take the opportunity of this post to say my farewells as Zyncro digital marketing manager and present myself as a ZyncroBlog collaborator.

  What about you?  Do you share this idealism?

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