Staring At The Blank Page

And the blank page stares back. Taunting you.
How often have you been slain with this situation:
You sit down to craft killer copy for a client. Or need to pull from your mind some insight that really communicates your heart and mind at the moment…
And if you were driving, speaking into your iPhone recorder… or to [...]

Idea Innovation-Making the Shift from Creativity to Productivity

At ThoughtOffice, we’ve made a real emphasis on helping users move from “idea hamsters” to producers. Why? Because in the real world, it’s APPLIED CREATIVITY that moves us forward. Now, this is not being critical of true artists. People who have the freedom to create with no end game in sight are great. But in my world, we have to create something of value that people will exchange for some other value (money, for instance).

How does ThoughtOffice Compare to MindMapping?

How does ThoughtOffice Compare to MindMapping? First, let me state I’m a big fan of visualization of ideas. Get me within 10 feet of a whiteboard and I can’t help but grab a dry erase pen, pop the cap and start doodling. I’ll share where that came from someday. Suffice to say, when your big brother is on stage making a presentation and you just KNOW you can do better, you grab the pen and prove it…

How Important Is A Business Plan?

How Important Is A Business Plan? Depends on a lot of factors, as it turns out. Factors include your time to market, your need for venture capital, the target market for your product or service, and so on. That’s a lot of stuff to consider. Let’s say you need a loan to buy a building or tools. In a recent post by Shara Rutberg of CNNMoney.com, (link at bottom of page) she spoke with an assistant director of the Service Corps of Retired Executives, and asked him about business planning:

Success Through The Columbo Principle

On January 9, 2010, in Brainstorming, Business, Creativity, IdeaFisher, Success, ThoughtOffice, by newAdmin

I can imagine the eyebrows going up all over the Internet, the quizzical looks, the frantic Google searches on "The Columbo Principle". Allow me to explain myself.
For those of us old enough to remember Detective Lieutenant Columbo, masterfully played by Peter Falk, in his rumpled raincoat and battered Peugeot convertible, we will also [...]

BusinessWeek.com Gets Smart

On December 25, 2009, in Advertising, Brainstorming, Business, Innovation, Music, Success, Technology, ThoughtOffice, by Samantha

Very cool. Our very own ThoughtOffice was mentioned in a recent blog on BusinessWeek.com by Dr. Richard Mammone of Rutgers University. Dr. Mammone’s blog post is entitled “Humility and the Successful Startup”, and he offers a number of useful suggestions to budding entrepreneurs.

An Innovation in Online Media

On December 25, 2009, in Brainstorming, Business, Innovation, RichContent, Success, Technology, ThoughtOffice, by Samantha

Today’s post is about a new launch we’ve been working on for well over a year now… some say since 1998. It’s not about brainstorming… but it IS an innovation. And it took plenty of brainstorming to pull it together.

An Answer to Cancer?

On December 22, 2009, in Business, Creativity, Innovation, Medicine, Success, by Samantha

Creativity and innovation come from asking all sorts of questions. Either previously unasked, or just asked from a fresh perspective.

A Super Collider Update

On December 22, 2009, in Business, Creativity, Science, Technology, ThoughtOffice, by Samantha

As anyone who follows this blog knows, we are Big Fans of Big Science. The more it looks like Star Trek, the better we seem to like it. This time, I’d like to share a little update on one of our favorite projects, the Large Hadron Collider at CERN.

A Passionate Idea – AMD’s REAL Race

On December 22, 2009, in Business, Children, Environment, Family, Science, Technology, ThoughtOffice, by Samantha

I just watched Hector Ruiz, CEO of AMD Corporation (the OTHER x86 microprocessor guys). Moving. Stretching.

I grew up in a middle-class but empowering environment. Six kids and a Dad who worked his butt off as an HVAC sheetmetal worker. Mom? Did I mention 6 KIDS? You know how she spent her days.