Last week I attended one of the regular meetings of the Wanganui Innovation Network, a regular meeting where creative thinking is encouraged and a forum for ideas for local businesses. It is an initiative I wholeheartedly support because it creates an environment where people can test their ideas and also
get alongside others who may be able to help them bring their concept to reality. At the meeting we did an exercise known as the `wok' _ where ideas are formulated on a group basis and thrown into the middle of the table for development. For the table that I was at the really interesting part was how the ideas were debated.
In almost every case members of our table were able to bring a little extra something to advance an original idea or concept and, as a result, the end product far exceeded the original idea which preceded it. You might have a genius idea residing in the heads of your team which just needs an outlet. Or you may have a concept for taking your business further which just needs a little polish. The encouraging thing about living in a small community like Wanganui is that the encumbrances on ideas are smaller and people who can help you are easier to find. I was inspired recently by a visit to the eHaus which is a revolutionary approach to home building, creating a passive environment in which small amounts of energy are needed to sustain heating throughout the entire house. It is a truly remarkable concept and one which is taking off worldwide. And this pioneering technology is being developed right here and can be visited at their show home. Having recently experienced the pain of paying large power bills, the investment in this technology seems like a no-brainer and must surely appeal to an increasingly energy conscious market.
So, the lesson here is to give your ideas an opportunity to be honed and refined, but also that Wanganui is a highly innovative business community and there is a group where you can get access to other `ideas people' who can help your concept take flight!
Do you have an idea that you would like to make reality? Or would you like some help getting your business to a point where ideas and concepts can be taken to market? Give me a call!
Zenith Solutions is a Wanganui-based management consulting practice. It specialises in providing strategic planning, business process improvement and financial management services. Contact russell@manageable.co.nz or phone 021-244-2421.