Thinking At The Edge
By Jason Drohn • Dec 4th, 2006 • Category: business building 101
What do you get when you mix technology with business? Besides this blog at least :0) You get a very exciting mix of new trends that could pretty much change the world. In most cases it is not necessarily that a brand new product is invented or a new way of thinking starts, although that indeed does happen occasionally, but it’s the mixing of two different areas that spurs the innovation.
When I refer to being at the edge, I am pointing to where two disciplines connect. Using the previous example, business and technology, think about MySpace. Its not that people are new to the concept of making friends. Myspace just gives them a new route in doing so. In the process, they figured out how to make incredible money through ad placements which has made the company infinitely valuable.
Now take a look at a different sort of animal; photography, the internet, and traditional media. When you put all of those together, you get a service like JPG Magazine. Users upload their own photos, vote on them, and the results get published in a magazine that you can buy at any Barnes and Noble. Now whether the company will be successful or not, only time will tell. But you get the idea.
When you get right down to it, how many people think like that? How many programmers are in the world. Millions. And what could possibly make any one of them special? If they understood how to make a database work on a mobile phone. Then their competition would be cut down to what, maybe 5,000? That would not only catapult him/her into a much higher income bracket, but allow them the opportunity of being an expert in their field.
So where can you start? What can you do to be ahead of the curve?
Start thinking about what you are good at or what you are in school for; programming, animation, photoshop, sales and marketing, starting companies, whatever you like. And then start getting very familiar with ‘the edges.’ The things that are possible but not many people understand. Start mixing and matching your interests and see what you come up with. Who knows, your idea might be really bad but the thing is, it will increase your understanding. On the other hand, your idea could change the world as we know it.
Jason Drohn is a blogger, business owner and consultant concerned with helping others build their businesses. So far, he has founded Tech Solution, Axiium, JDsBlog, and a host of other properties both on and off the web.
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I love this post. You know, with so many new ideas, technologies and concepts that keep cropping up, it feels like I’ll never come up anything awesomely new and innovative in my field. I keep asking myself “What do I have to say or do that hasn’t already been said or done before?” I guess this self-limiting thought won’t get me anywhere. I love your suggestion of sailing the edge… I think I’ll start there and see where it gets me!! Thanks for the inspiration.