3D printing has suddenly become a hot-topic everywhere, catalysed it seems, by someone printing themselves a working gun.

What opportunities for your business (or for a new business aligned to your outside interests) do the advances in 3D printing present to you? Is it time to reassess your business strategy or diversify with a start-up?

And how beneficial it could be for a good old fashioned and sensible measure  like the ‘Balance of Payments’ if we could repatriate at least some of our manufacturing back from China et al

Chatting to a mate today who runs a small shop, he was bemoaning the retail situation and lack of High St footfall.

But nevertheless, he would also like to expand by opening a new shop but the property costs are simply untenable. Happily for him, online is not a real competitor, with a static 3% market share.

So is the answer to small retailers like my friend a ‘store-in-a-bus‘, a bit like the mobile libraries of yesterday?

No rent, no rates, a mobile bill-board when driving about. Perhaps some parking issues to manage though.

Nevertheless, I quite like the notion

These are really neat. Full marks if you knew more than 4 of these. From a Ted Talks

It seems to be a fact of life that most of us are so busy dealing with day-to-day matters that our life and business goals tend to get left on the shelf, perhaps until we get a nasty shock that forces us to reappraise things.

One way to rectify this is simply to write them down and stick them on the wall. But does that work? If it was that easy, we would have just done it surely. Aren’t life goals more like the cliche of eating an elephant – they have to be done one bite at a time. Which brings us back to never truly committing to make it happen – it is all too intimidating; procrastination is the line of least resistance.

But I am not here to talk about life coaching, but some software. Developed by a German to manage his Olympic sailing campaign, (have a look at this amazing, scary footage to see why it takes some effort ) it is a great tool to help record, break down and manage all sorts of goals, whether business, personal, family, spiritual, sport whatever. You can also track progress which becomes immediately visible, delegate tasks and more. Attach data files, audio, video, pdfs, Office, etc too. The online version enables collaboration with associates.

It is even better than powerpoint for presentations sometimes (as the narrative need not be time-linear) and certainly has replaced mind maps in my life.

Whilst I would be very happy if anyone clicks the link below and buys a copy, (its not expensive either) this is more an exhortation to think about personal goals then do something about achieving them. On the way, if you can join the community that shares its templates for success, even better. If you would like my input on growing a business, managing pubs and restaurants or improving your dinghy sailing just shout.

To investigate further, the link is here

If you want a business to fail, here are some top tips. If you don’t want to fail, avoid these errors:

1. Don’t bother understanding what your business is truly about. There is a legendary story about the MD of Rolex denying all knowledge of the state of the watch business, declaring “Rolex is in the luxury business”

2. Believe your own propaganda. Being in the right place, at the right time, with the right business model, might be a sign of true entrepreneurial genius. But is that as likely as you got [even deservedly] lucky? Even when you have notched up 20 hits and no misses, in different sectors and methodologies, Murphy’s Law can still get you.

3. There is a wise sailing rule: spend a lead to save a lead. Of course, in business,you do not need to reinvest in the business, you can just keep on keeping on, taking the dividends. Not.

4. Believe selling is somehow unsporting, unBritish or somehow beneath you.

5. Believe you cannot sell. Surely someone loves you unconditionally – see, you sold them…

6. Be optimistic as to time frames, of course it will come in on time and budget, whilst exceeding specification.

7. Don’t worry about managing cash, finances or understanding how cash flows through your business model. As an example, overtrading is where you go bust through profitable growth, but you spend cash faster funding stock and suppliers than you get the cash in from customers. Faster you grow, quicker you go bust

8. Everyone else is just as honest/ethical as you. I never case to be amazed how mischief can come from the most unlikely characters

9. Recruit only Yes-men, muppets who lack the bravery or intelligence to disagree with you

10. Assume your customers only want what you want to sell them. This was the first lesson I learnt in business, from a Noddy and Big Ears story. Noddy did not like Jelly Beans so would not sell them in his sweet shop until the consultant hero Big Ears pointed out his error.

11. Manage the urgent not the important

12. Marketing is 100% bullsh1t [this comes easy for a bean-counter to say!] OK, 80% maybe 🙂

13. Never think about business risk Business may be about reward in exchange for risk, but the latter is negative thinking so should not be indulged.Besides which, life is so much more fun when nasty surprises keep biting your arse

14. Never bother getting (or better yet, ignore) professional advice on things you know nothing about

15. Ignore succession, you are going to live, fighting fit, forever. And anyway, someone coming after you and making a greater success of it would be disrespectful to your memory

and finally for now…

16. Ignore change. Everything is always the the same. Who needs to adapt and evolve?