A story for your business

Businesses need a story. Not a traditional one with a beginning, middle and end (at least not an end you would ever plan), but a path with a clear storyline.

One of the reasons Apple has so many fans, is that every big announcement they make extends their story in a clear manner. For example, early this year they announced an improvement to their Apple TV box making it easy to rent movies over the internet without a computer. More content and easier to get. Prior to that they offered the original Apple TV with movies to buy. And prior to that we had the development of the iPod and the iTunes store. So in the future we can expect them to make more products which make it easy to buy lots of media and watch it on our various Apple products.

Their story is clear and predictable. Yet there is also a sense of mystery; we don't really know how they will achieve this goal.

About four months ago I did not have a clear story for Humte. I had a vague concept of where it was heading but as far as a concrete storyline was concerned my ideas were muddied. I'd completed a goal, but not yet dreamed the next one.

So I kept this problem in the back of my mind for a couple of months, daydreamed and talked about my business with various people. Eventually a clear plot materialised. And now I have a plan for the next twelve months or so to take my business to the next stage. A stage that flows naturally from the first.

Of course, I won't spoil the story now.