Teryl @ Work

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All play and no work makes Jack a mere toy – Unknown source We all want different things from work: The list is diverse and, if you do some research, there are significant differences in the combinations of goals that people have. And this impacts on the workplace they want. The most significant feedback I have received over the years is: I need to feel safe, but I need to be stretched . While I know lots of people, mainly entrepreneurs, who love to live on the edge, already considering the next high risk project while the current ones are starting to roll out, it seems to me that there is a general resistance to change and risk.   Of course, with high risk comes high reward, although simply staying in the same position can leave you in the right place at the right time, too. So #WhereIWork was a thought process that I had considered for many...

The Internet of Things (IoT) is inspiring some new (and some not so new) lines of marketing speak. Notable is Segment of One. What does that mean? Simply , knowing vast amounts about your spending patterns, marketing effort is so tightly targeted on your needs, aspirations and requirements, it’s like a homing pigeon bullet, straight to the heart of your wallet. So, I am talking to you, Segment of One! Where can this kind of use of big data go wrong? Once again,  simply , in the delivery! Personal Story As a child growing up I lived in the seaside village of Muizenberg. Everybody knew everybody, we went to the same schools, shopped at the same stores, sat on the beach over the weekend, and if you didn’t know somebody, there was always a connection.  It was literally one degree of separation. If I popped into Raad’s, the local greengrocer, he would greet me warmly, and send me home with a watermelon that was just the kind my dad liked. At the pharmacy, the...

Recently, I was in Istanbul for the first time.   Wandering around one of the many, fantastic street markets, I saw a display of the most luscious looking dates. My son loves them, so I walked over.   Within moments, one of the men in the store came over, and started discussing dates with me and which would be the best choice.   He told me where he sources them, as well as some of his more interesting other merchandise. He shared that he ships products internationally, and took me around the store to show me.  He insisted I tasted them, just the best pistachio nougat ever.   He slipped a few samples into my bag, and I added saffron to my purchases. Then my family joined me in the store, and they were all offered nougat to taste, as well.   By this time, we were on first name terms. On our way out, we walked through the adjoining carpet and silks store.   Silk scarves were on my shopping list, so I had a look.   It turns out he owned that s...