Apple chooses a high-end, price-insensitive audience.
IKEA, on the other hand, wins you over with value, cutting costs wherever they can.
Apple designs the interior of its Macs beautifully, even where no one will ever look.
IKEA doesn’t paint the backs of bookcases, where no one will see.
Both approaches are thoughtful.
Are they for different target customer?
I buy and love them both.
Standards run our lives.
Some are enforced with punishment, but the most delightful ones are invisible.
The size of paper that fits into every printer. A holiday that reminds us to be grateful. The ease of driving a rental vehicle in a new country.
Savvy business knows that embracing standards benefit everyone in the long-terms.
Or even better, raise the standards. Scientists gave away the COVID vaccine for free. Tesla open-sourced all their patents.
The thing about standard is that it’s created by people.
And we are people.
The other day, I saw someone with a Trader Joe’s grocery bag.
It was the third time I’ve spotted one and I can assure you, Trader Joe’s is nowhere in New Zealand.
Confused, I went up to this innocent lady that came out from the gym. She shared that it was a special gift her daughter brought when she came to visit. Then she offered to give me her bag.
I was caught off guard by her offer. But it made it start liking people whose carrying a Trader Joe’s bag.
It got me thinking, why Trader Joe of all the kind of grocery stores?
Is it the beautiful design and utility of the bag?
Or maybe it’s the innovative snacks you bring to share with loved ones, the conversations you strike up with their overly friendly staff, the glorious frozen food selection, and the tasty wines for $2.
I think it’s all of the above.
What can you add to your business or portfolio of work that people want to carry your brand across the country? Do that.
P.S. If you find yourself in New Zealand and need a place to work in the evening, a BP petrol station is a great option.
Richard Branson wrote an open letter criticising Singapore’s death penalty.
Most countries might ignore and allow the stories to fade away.
Not Singapore. It invited Richard Branson to debate, on a live televised stream.
Singapore has adopted many policies that are unpopular like casino, death penalty and being slow to many social reform.
But if we look closely, these are measured policies and ideas.
May the best idea win.
Because ideas matter, and they make lives better.
P.S. Branson declined the debate.
What if catching up with friends could be more than cliff notes and personal updates? What if catch-ups were magical, psychological, and emotional?
Here are a few of my favourite spells to play:
For old friends…
For new people at parties…
Now, this might be jarring. So a little softener: “Before we jump in, I want to propose a game. Would you be keen to try it?”
To better relationships.
Heroes are important. They are who you aspire to be.
Although you might have not have access to them, you have access to their works, their interviews and their energy.
Before the day begins, before planning my goals, when my tank is empty, I touch their works.
More than what’s said, it’s the energy.
I notice when I bring a different energy, I get a different day.
Economists are smart.
They optimize their decisions to get maximum benefit with minimum effort.
Most people buy similar products from similar brands in similar places.
Most people practice meh economics, not max economics.
Richard Thaler understood this and wrote a book that raised the quality of life for entire nations.
Some ideas in there could raise the quality of your life too.
Inspiration without action is entertainment.
Knowledge without purpose is information.
Are you wasting time or enjoying time?
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