I started a new company called Twist Pop Media. Smart, Sticky, Funny. That's my tag line. The rest is being written. Plus a website is being made. We are flying by the seat of our pants.
"How do you sell yourself when you don't have anything to show?" a friend asked. "I don't know," I said, "I just start talking about what we want to do and how we'll do it and people believe me. And then they give me money And then we do it. And then everyone is happy."
So far, so good.
Some days I just want to be like Mary Tyler Moore and take my mannequin Francine to Vegas with Malibu Stacey to get seaweed wraps and spray tans at all the great five star spas before we head off to see U2 in concert. Because Mary probably had a mannequin in her closet, too. Probably.
So the other day I found this industrial designer guy who will make Francine a polarized magnetic rolling stand (with an on/off switch!) so she'll be mobile. Because mobile innovation is my new catch phrase for the year. And I seem to have a knack for finding smart guys. And gals, too.
We decided we'll make some funny videos of our adventures, and get Francine to listen to all kinds of people tell the world cool stories about their cool companies, and make them laugh in the process, just because we can.
But it's not just about Francine. There will be all kinds of important business going on, because I keep finding a bunch of super smart people to help me. I've got people who like to tell stories, and who know how to be real, and smart, and funny:
- People with MBA's who used to work at Apple and make MC Hammer videos in former careers;
- People who know people, and how to get those people to help us do whatever we want;
- People who can make mobile phone apps, but only if you need one, because maybe you just need your website to look good on everyone's phones;
- People who used to manage hi-tech fabrication plants, and people who routinely file patents for creating fancy software algorithms, and for new ways to manufacture thumb drives, and other smartish things.
- People who teach Lego robotics and Ham radio classes, and how to deal with social media in your office, and can take a bunch of kids to the jungle with a water bottle and a GPS and actually make them find their way home; because it's all related, really;
- People who think about making art on the plexiglas leftover from building their passive solar house, and the best way to photograph sanded acrylic paint on aluminum sheets so the colors work on your screen;
- People who can make stuff out of metal and vegetable-dyed horse hair that can be a nob on your kitchen drawer or a belt buckle, or a part of something much bigger you may not have thought of yet;
- People who know how to open up all kinds of distribution channels in the new sustainable world of "let's make a difference."
- People who can draw.
- People who know how to deal with people, so they don't get all whacked out and cry or cuss (too much) when they're having a bad day;
- People who've worked for Presidents and Kings, and have CNN, Vogue and everyone in between on speed dial, just in case we need them.
- People who can talk to Fortune 500's about brand development strategy, and to start up entrepreneurs who need help refining ideas and finding VC's, or help newbies who just need the direct number of the guy at the IRS who gives you your tax ID number for your new business so you don't have to go through voicemail hell. Which might make you cry, or cuss.
In a nutshell, I found people who can speak and write and think creatively, and come up with amazing new ideas every 2 hours, as if they're just sitting around eating peaches on a warm summer day. They'll create, define and push the words, the pictures and the music to tell your stories, so people will listen, and buy stuff from you.
People, who need people, are the luckiest people...
I got lucky, and I'm happy.
Now I just have to find a lovely powder blue pantsuit like Mary's, and maybe do some more wall sits and stuff with Stacey so I can look like Mary, too.
Although I do love Rhoda's orange dress, big time.