In an Uncertain Environment, Being Irrelevant is Death!

This morning two things happened that illuminate an important truth - being irrelevant in an uncertain environment is death to a brand.

1. After acknowledging they had lost contact with their client base several weeks ago, Sears, announced they are accelerating store closures in favor of a new focus on Ecommerce. Analysts are dissing Sears as a 'too little, too late' brand manager and there is growing evidence the brand may already be out of business.

2. My personal reading took me to check-in on Reid Hoffman, the co-founder of LinkedIn. An internet search located a presentation to graduates earlier this year. This presentation is really worth the investment of time to view:

http://www.businessinsider.com/career-advice-from-linkedin-founder-reid-hoffman-2014-12#

The highlights for me:

1. His worldview of relentless change and uncertainty and the need to be comfortable in this environment;
2. His extrapolation of feelings to the 'real' questions in life; and,
3. The three things successful people eventually figure out - Competition, Networks and Risk.

LinkedIn began in December 2002. I joined LinkedIn in the fall of 2006 upon the advice of Andrew Seto a colleague and investor at PetLynx Corporation. This network has become the source of great value to me with 11 million professionals around the world. According to industry reports, LinkedIn is now valued at more than 20 Billion dollars. Much of that value accumulated after the first decade in business. 

If you are in a service business, there are lessons to be learned from reviewing the LinkedIn path to success. However, I want you to focus on three things:

• Uncertainty is the common denominator of present experience.
• Irrelevancy is a disease no brand can survive. 
• Maintaining contact with the user/client base of your brand is the essential element to finding certainty and relevance.

Enjoy and Employ this wisdom in your career and in your brand management. 

Branducation:

1. How can you create a competitive advantage from the uncertainties you face?
2. What are you doing to maintain contact with your professional network, your brand users/clients and your personal network of supporters and mentors?
3. What risks are you incorporating into your activities and which risks are you avoiding?

Ben always looked for differences