Startup Revolution

15 Ways To Funk Up Your Startup
Watching Mr. Dynamite, HBO's great documentary about James Brown, got us thinking of ways to FUNK UP your startup including:

* Crowdfunding - James Brown knew how to ask for help.
* Content Marketing - Share your journey DAILY.
* 'Splainer Video - broll your elevator pitch & put on YouTube.

* Daily Social Media Shares - Build Your Tribe NOW.
* Contest - When in doubt create a low cost high yield contest.
* Games - Make your startup a game with many winners.
* Arresting Visuals - STOP THEM NOW.
* Stories - Share yours and they share theirs.
* Awards - Find the under appreciated and give 'em an award.
* Daily Difference - do something (anything) different today.

* Listen More, Talk Less.
* Curate - mashup this, that and the other thing.

* Coach - say something nice about something YOU didn't do daily.

* When THEY tell you there are RULES don't believe 'em.

* Teach - Watch one, Do one and then TEACH ONE to really get the hang of marketing in a digital age.

Greatest Movie Never Made & Lessons Learned
"To fail is only to change the way," says Topo and Holy Mountain director Jodorowsky in this must view documentary for anyone trying to create anything. Such an important documentary I'm double posting here in Startup Revolution and in Design Revolution.

Here is what I posted in Design Revolution, the 30 Lessons in Creativity from watching this magical film:

Greatest Film Never Made
"What is he purpose of life," the director Jodorowsky asks in this must view documentary film for any creative, "to create a soul". The amazing creativity and vision of El Topo's director is shared in a series of linked stories.

Much like any creative's mind, this film flies between the surreal, heroic, mystical and crazy. Stories about Orson Wells and Pink Floyd are rich in "sounds true" detail, but pales in comparison to the "I can't type that fast" advice shared.

Advice such as:

* Be all in.
* Be a prophet.

* When it comes to missions THINK BIG (something important for humanity).
* Start with clear ideas, but find and respect "light of genius".
* Challenge people to find their best.
* Give Morning Motivation speeches.
* Your VISION should become OUR IDEA.
* OUR Ideas become art.
* When you think you are looking at a rock its an object & vice versa.
* Lucky enough to meet a prophet FOLLOW HIM.
* Be supportive of others.

* Transport people. MOVE THEM.
* Look for and work with WARRIORS (life is too short for anything else).
* Imagine and then imagine again.
* No such thing as "too far".
* Let the work rule.
* One man's obsession is another man's art.
* MOTIVATE others.

* If you can Seduce Salvador Dali DO SO.
* Create enigmas.
* If chance puts Dali at your hotel, send him a strange note.
* When you find a clock in the sand discover who lost it.
* Create MOVEMENTS and ART with your life.
* If Dali asks you for a helicopter, GIVE IT TO HIM.
* Dali gets you Giger, Giger gets you Magma (and so on).
* If you can get a meeting with Mick Jagger, TAKE IT.
* If Andy Warhol invites you to the FACTORY, go there.
* Plan everything, Plan Nothing (chance).
* When you see Orson Wells in a Paris restaurant, send wine.
* Live a EULOGY Life not a Resume Life.

That last bullet picks up on a great David Brooks TED Talk I wrote about on LinkedIn yesterday: http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140717125545-13925622-are-you-living-a-resume-or-a-eulogy-life 

Hope you are living a Eulogy Life. Jodorowsky sure did. I had to be shoved kicking and screaming on the Eulogy train by the Big C. Glad I got on this train even if it turns out to be the last train from Clarksville :). M

Are you a "plural being"?

If you FAIL it's not import. It's important to try.

Getting hired or bought by Warren Buffett would be cool. This Haiku Deck includes tips inspired by Buffett's interview process so YOU get HIRED or BOUGHT by the Oracle of Omaha.

5 Tips Inspired By Buffett's Interview Process
* Solve puzzles & challenge yourself daily. DO SOMETHING NEW today.
* Achieve a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG).
* Develop PATIENCE (take a lickin' keep on tickin').
* VIDEO yourself CONSTANTLY.
* LISTEN Better and have loved one GRADE you.

Also tossed in the 5 rules of improv (mostly because I love 'em). Do these things, practice these these ideas and you will be ready when the Oracle calls.