Idea Journal - Entry#9 Cookie package Prototype

I am using this post to show examples of both the storyboard technique and the prototype which will be displayed in class.  The storyboard technique is shown here with actual photos instead of the usual hand drawn sketches.  They are easily interchangeable and provide the visual references needed in the storyboard exercise.  The other component is a certain flow of progression and text to guide the viewer to understand how the story unfolds.  In this case, its a how to create a prototype of a Cookie box.  At the same time, the prototype is an often skipped or misunderstood in the pitch process.  But its actual not difficult to do and help to show how a customer would interact with the potential product, how it compares to other products already available by competitors or through alternatives and generally can open up a discussion for improvements and modifications with members of the entrepreneur's team and or investors.

Idea Journal - Entry#8 Mindmap of Cookie Idea Journal using SCAMPER

The mindmap above depicts the use of SCAMPER to create an idea journal on Cookie related business concepts.  This will serve as a visual summary of tasks already performed which shows the mindmaps can be used as a planning tool or as in this case as a tool to reflect on progress.  The image in the center is a cookie that has been bitten into to reflect that we sunk our teeth into the subject matter of Cookie biz.  Then you can see that Ideas and Journal are also imagined using a light bulb and an open book, respectively.  Going clockwise, each of the letters in SCAMPER is addressed as in each of the blog entries as follows:

Idea Journal - Entry#1 Substitute

Where a pretzel represents substituting traditional flavors for crazy flavors; substituting traditional ingredients like milk, eggs and wheat for others to make them more accessible to people with dietary restrictions.

Idea Journal - Entry#2 Combine

Here we identified how to combine cookies and airlines.  We found the company who has filled this particular niche by becoming a supplier of cookies individually wrapped an perfect for consumption with coffee during a flight.

Idea Journal - Entry#3 Adapt

In 2007, I found a trend emerging of cookies for those in the military.  It seems it was not a fad as I was able to find many companies who are adapting soldier care packages for those serving their country at home and abroad.

Idea Journal - Entry#4 Modify

To modify, magnify or minimize cookies I found a company who tried to outsize their competition by constructing the world's largest cookie and an oven to cook it in which equated to taking up a football field.  The added modification was it was packaged in $10 portion to promote sale for fundraising purposes.

Idea Journal - Entry#5 Put to Another Use

Cookie decoration has beeen elevated to an art form.  We built on this to see business concepts where the decoration and art part were the basis of generating value for customers.

Idea Journal - Entry#6 Eliminate

A core assumption of a cookie is that it is baked.  If we remove the baking, then cookie dough is what remains.  This is a clear trend as well as many offer cookie dough businesses for both cooking later or eating as a gourmet treat as is.

Idea Journal - Entry#7 Rearrange

To explore how to innovate the cookie we looked at popular food items like pizza, fantasy solutions for eating in space, added protein concepts that use ground bugs instead of more common flours and also how inputs like kitchen tools, the not so humble cookie cutter could spin out as a new specialized niche.

All this covered in one hand drawn mind map. 

Idea Journal - Entry#7 Reverse or Rearrange Cookies

Coming to the end of SCAMPER. I also want to rearrange the leading question to "what are the World's most unusual (bizarre, weirdest, etc.) cookies?"  Based on this question I certainly uncovered some ways the Cookie business is being rearranged to create unique selling propositions such as:

Forced Relationship between Cookies and Pizza that two leading brands collaborated on creating the Oreo Dessert Pizza available at Pizza Hut locations.

 and another variety 

Hershey's Chocolate and Pizza

A Webshop called Think Geek offers up strange treats like Evil Misfortune Cookes (with mean messages inside, not nice but I guess theirs a niche) which certainly would not be my choice but does fit the weird category.  They also fill the sweet and crunchy cravings of Geeks and Astronauts alike with Astronaut Ice Cream which is freeze dried in single serve packs.

A Company called Bitty

Bugs and Cookies....say what!&%!???... Yes the Bitty Company slogan is "We make delicions, high- protein baked goods with.....cricket flour!"  The subtle hint can be seen in the dot over the "i" in their logo below.

One of their products can be seen below which is called Chocolate Cardumum Cookies with the (hidden extra C for Crickets)

Here is an entry that focuses on the those who actually do enjoy the process of baking their own cookies.  The business of The Cookie Cutter Shop is to provide a wide variety of accessories to the home and professional bakers to perfect the shape of their creations.  Some of their unusual cookie cutters include

Mystical and Medieval Cookie Cutters in shapes of dragons, castles, mermaids, fairies, wands and beyond.

Girls will be Girls Cookie Cutters in shapes of hairbrush, nailpolish, mirror, blowdryer, dresses and crowns.

Men at Work Cookie Cutters in shapes of drills, screwdrivers, ties and suits to appeal to both the blue collar and white collar male.

Many others too.

For a new business idea a Cookie World concept might features some of these recipes like the Anzac, national Cooke of Australia, the Panellet from Spain or even the pepper Cookie, Paprenjaci of Croatia..

Too weird not to mention include:

The Savory Cookie Trend where you the feature is the saltiness instead of the sweetness.

These odd cookie creations were the brainchild of photographer who is described as a women with the look of the perfect 1940's model housewife and baking skills of Tim Burton.

The wacky and wonderful world of Cookies leaves me with many ideas to reflect on which I will do in my next blog featuring a hand-drawn mindmap of my Idea Journal Journey on Cookies for Entry#8, coming soon.

Idea Journal - Entry#6 Eliminate What? from Cookies to Get....

While many people love Cookies, they often are willing to just simply purchase them from someone else because of the time it takes to buy the ingredients, set up the equipment, pre-heat the oven, bake cookies a dozen at a time and clean up afterwards.  However, there are businesses that could offer ways to reduce these steps to save both time and effort for different types of customers, both consumers and re-sellers.

One such company is FatBoy's Outrageous Cookie Dough catering to those who seek "No Messy recipes to slave over for hours" (problem) --- solution "All you have to do is open the box, break apart the cookies and bake to unlock the magic within."  They offer sales through health food stores like Whole Foods and Garden of Eden Gourment as well as through regular grocery stores like FoodTown.  Directly the product can be bought online and for individual household consumption or for fundraising purposes.

Other models of cookie companies trying to Eliminate to innovate include:

How about not having to cook at all...The Cooke Dough Cafe focuses on edible, gourmet cookie dough you eat as is.  

Cookie dough sales may seem odd to those new to this industry segment this article featured on Bloomberg Business Week way back in 2001 even refers to it as "One Tough Cookie of a Market"

In the article it highlights top competitors including... Pillsbury and Otis Spunkmeyer

Idea Journal - Entry#5 Put to Another Use

Hmmmmm....new ways to use cookies.....as an art form...

A step by step guide to creating Pop Art Cookies like Semi Sweet Blogger Mike

Or building on a skill set in cookie baking and decorating, the website Crafty offers online classes with confectionery artists like Autumn Carpenter.

The website has a transparency feature which shows how many students have signed up for various art courses. The cookie decorating one had over 5000 people sign up for the course which costs $34.99.  The facebook pictures of many of the customers are also present so its easier to create a profile of this segment interested in this niche.

Idea Journal - Entry#4 Modifying Cookies

What business bakes the biggest cookies....

I can change the cookie to be as big as a football field may have been the inspiration for the Immaculate Cookie Company in Flat Rock, NC, USA....

This is just a series of a long list of adventure seeking spirit of the entrepreneur behind the brand and his team who keep imaging what magic they can work with the skills and ingredients they have.  With an ever expanding arrays of ways to modify their own products and service to the community. The record breaking cookie was sold in special boxes in slices and raised $20,000 for the Folk Artist's Foundation which fused talent and special interests.

Idea Journal - Entry#3 Adapting Cookies for....

Cookies are symbols of baking with love.  When you think about the warmth and sweetness in a Cookie, it can conger up memories of family, friends and sharing and caring.  So when you want to communicate a message of love to someone who is far from home a cookie gift is a good choice.  Ideas about cookies can certainly relate to business but the first example we see was a concept born of love with a woman starting an action called "Treat the Troops".  Jeanette Cram has earned the nicknames "Crumbs" and simply "The Cookie Lady" devoted to baking cookies for military men and women serving the US.  She has got an army of volunteers of her own to focus on this cause.

When someone like Jeanette comes along and finds a gap in the market and fills it through a nonprofit seeking initiative it does not go unnoticed. She now fills scapbooks full of the thank you notes she receives from appreciative beneficiaries.  But besides her, others also begin to fill this gap for the same segment as can be seen with other cookie businesses that have popped up to adapt to the military and their families...

The recipe website Allrecipes.com understands this trend and offers a how-to section on their page.

A company opened in 1955, Butter Maid features a service where customers can create Build-A-Cookie Care Packages,

Idea Journal - Entry#2 Combine ---- Cookies and....

What goes together with Cookies....

I can bring together Cookies and Milk to Welcome Santa...

In the City of Sasche, Texas they combine Cookies with Santa, an annual parade and fundraising events for charity.

I can bring together Cookies and Coffee to eat together as a snack....

The Biscoff cookie was founded in 1932 and markets itself as Europe's favorite cookie with coffee and it has designation on its website as the Airline cookie.  They have individually wrapped portions that are kept in sanitary packages.

I can bring together Cookies and Flowers as gifts...

The company Cheryl's Cookies is based in Ohio and started with a simple formula of Cookies and soda pop in a retail outlet but has grown into a thriving Gift Business.  They state their mission and offer as 

"Our Mission

To provide the finest fresh-baked gifts and desserts for all of life’s moments, delivered with warmth and backed by our guarantee of excellence.

Our Promise As our customer, we promise you:

• Delicious cookies and fresh-baked goods
• Only the highest quality standards
• Friendly service focused on excellence
• Trustworthy, dependable products and services
• Unique gift ideas and exclusive packaging
• The strongest guarantee in the business"

Idea Journal for Cookie Business - Entry#1 Substitue

The following 9 blog entries will document my investigation into potential Cookie businesses.

 Using leading questions from the SCAMPER technique combined with Google image searches, I will discover unique selling propositions around the humble Cookie.  Why Cookies?  Well I am a talented cook with training to work in the hospitality industry and it was always a dream to open up a fusion cafe which of course would feature destination worthy cookies.  While it is not conducive to my current lifestyle.  Perhaps there is a potential business model that would work for me and I will explore the ideas here.   

Cookies are made of a combination of key ingredients including:

Flour

Eggs

Sugar

Fat

Flavorings

Toppings

in some different ratios.  But to substitute anyone of these core ingredients could be the seed behind an innovative cookie business like....

Flourless cookies - The Wow Baking Company

based in Kent, WA, USA this company features wheat-free and gluten-free certified cookies for wholesale and retail markets.

Eggless cookies - 

Bloom Cookies based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada this Cookie company focuses on egg-free and dairy-free cookies that are suitable for vegans.  They serve other outlets and therefore are concentrated on wholesale business.

Crazy Flavors - 

Cookieyum based in Chicago, Illinois is a local cookie bakery that tries out unusual flavor combinations to specialize in crazy flavors.  Pictured above is one of the many cookies pictured on their facebook page. This one contains pretzels and chocolate as well as peanut butter chips.  Cookie Yum, indeed!

Therefore, for this first letter S - I tried to find substitutes for the usual to see how several cookie businesses are finding their own niches.

Next up....C for Combine....

Idea Journals based on SCAMPER technique

In our course this semester at ZSEM, we are teaching entrepreneurship with many hands on elements. One of the graded elements is an idea journal which simply enough tasks each student with identifying and industry subsector of their interest and concentrating on developing ideas around a related product or service theme to explore opportunities for their own potential business.  This exercise gives the students alot of choice.  Freedom to choose industry, subsector, product or service in additon to style.  The students can choose whether to approach the idea journal through a D-I-Y medium or aided by technology using a variety of blog platforms including this one, blogger.

The journal is worth 10% of the grade in the course and the students will learn how to use the creative technique SCAMPER to really investigate one focused theme.  Therefore each letter will then create one entry which will include both visual example (from simple Google Image searches) with supplemental text where the student writes down a story about how this image addresses the questions linked to each of the letters (S-for substitute and so on...).  But alas, SCAMPER is only 7 letters so there are some additional entries the about portion of the blog should inform any reader from class or stumbling upon their blog why it was created, when and by whom.  Then there should be the 7 SCAMPER based entry #8 which should focus on using any other creative technique to explore the idea from those we learned in class (Random Input, Forced Relationships, Storyboarding, Mindmapping,etc) and then #9 should be an actual prototype of a product you could develop.

The assignments are due for online versions by 10.10.2014. So for visitors to this blog, you can check back after then to see some of the examples of student work.  Over the next 2 days, I will be posting my own online Idea Journal blog as an example for the students.  My offline version will be photographed and uploaded here as well.

Idea Journals - Summer Session 2014

Students enrolled in my Entrepreneurship Summer School Course at ZSEM learn several techniques for generating ideas in our creativity session.  But mostly it is through independent reflection on challenges and issues presented in the form of an idea journal that forces them to search for new perspectives and opportunities.

An idea journal in our class is comprised of 10 quests which first draws on their initial associations with words or word combinations.  For example, we can break down idea journals into our associations with "ideas" and separately with "journal" as follows:

Idea

Imagine, create, realize, release, examine, explore, find, think, thought, dream, vision, push, boundaries, expectations, concept, clear, light bulb, innovate, invent, combine, define, deliver, prototype

Journal

Write, think, reflect, research, sketch, diary, record, note, observations, understanding, share, personalize, detail, point, doodle, connect, link, blog, entry, date, log, decorate, track, compare, contrast, question, answer

Perhaps my set of associated words are different then yours which then means that I think about those things differently than you and therefore my ideas about idea journals may manifest in a completely unique way as to yours.  I believe ideas can be too shallow and the exercise of completing 10 quests encourages lateral thinking and will in turn be seeds to better opportunities for the future business plan development assignments.

For past examples of Idea Journal Entries see Summer 2013 on this blog as well as visit Idea Journals on Facebook.

Mentoring - finding authenticity and mutual benefit for however long it lasts

Mentoring - finding authenticity and mutual benefit for however long it lasts

I have been both a mentor and a mentee and I have had varying degrees of success in both capacities.  As a mentee, I need and as a mentor, I provide support.  This is a simple breakdown but in longterm mentoring relationships there is more blurring of the lines and a weaving in and out of powershifts and support dynamics.  In my preparation for a role as a formal mentor in the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and through expansion of the Invest for the Future Network's own mentoring agenda, I am feeling reflective.

Short-term mentoring relationships - efficient or incompatible

I believe that short-term mentoring relationships can fall into two categories.  The positive ones which exhaust themselves because of their efficiency and the neutral or negative ones due to incompatitibility.  In an efficient scenario, the mentee and the mentor are united to help the mentee through hurdle, obstacle, challenge or general shift in direction.  Once the mentee has found the path, they may feel sufficiently confident in going it alone and do so.  Therefore, the relationship ends not due to any drama but simply because the relationship has run its course.

When I was a teenager and thought about going to college for hospitality my dad found me a mentor.  He owned his own mexican restaurant in NYC and sat with me to discuss the career path and showed me around his own facility and the different departments and staff roles. I could see myself going in this direction and applied to universities that would give me a foundation in business with the opportunity to learn more about service businesses like restaurants.  He helped me make this decision and it was an important step for me but then the relationship served its purpose and was complete.  In other scenarios, as a mentor, I have had thousands of students who I have mentored for projects in courses and when the course has ended so did the relationship.

Long-term relationships - weaving into each others lives

On the other hand, I do count hundreds of former students as my mentees that weave in and out of my life. When they need me they reach out and LinkedIn and Facebook make this all possible.  I get short questions that I need to answer or invitations for casual coffee conversations to full inclusion in life events like wedddings, birth of first child, new job alerts and so on.  Sometimes a mentor is needed to be a witness to validate the mentees choices and direction in life and/or career.

Its not always a conscious decision to choose a mentor/mentee pairing for life but its the interweaving over time that proves the longevity of the relationship.  I met my long-term mentor, LeRoy Neiman at an event.  He was there to sign his book and I wanted to publish a book and told him about it.  He then invited me to his art studio to support my dream.  This occurred in 1992.  We continued to have meetings throughout our lives.  He took an interest in my personal and professional growth.  At the time of our meeting, I was in my 20's and he was in his 70's.  Throughout my career that took me to international destinations, he would be there for me with words of wisdom in person, through letters, phone conversations and each time it would be more special then the last.  Our mentoring relationship lasted until his death in 2012.  The memories of our time together continue to fuel my ambition,drive and the kind of value I want to bring to a mentoring relationship.

Tina Lee Odinsky-Zec and LeRoy Neiman in his studio, 1996.

Tina Lee Odinsky-Zec and Ivan Zec bring Team Eko-Mavrovic to Meet LeRoy in his studio, 2008.

 LeRoy and his magic shoes and wonderous paint covered studio floor, 2008.

Recognition of the value of multiple and multi-faceted mentoring relationships

A successful mentoring relationship benefits both the mentor and the mentee.  When value is exchanged there is mutual respect, collaboration and trust.  I have been able to learn by both being a mentor and a mentee.  When both parties are prepared for the experience and enter it with open minds it can be extremely meaningful for a specific stage in life or business or it can surpass expectations and become a lifelong bond offering support and guidance at regular intervals.  Even in scenarios when the mentoring relationship becomes incompatible due to conflicts in direction or one of the parties simply outgrows the other, there are valuable lessons.  The lessons can be an immediate recognition and an opening of a new relationship with another mentor/mentee or the lesson can emerge overtime.  I am thankful for all the mentors/mentees that have come in and will come into my life as it is richer for those exchanges.

Reflecting and Preparing...

From 2013 to 2014 - Turning the Page

Measuring the passage of time can add meaning.  When moving from one year to the next, we look back into what has transpired and what lies ahead.  It seems that there was so much activity in the month of December 2013 and October 2013 that I could hardly find the time to document it here.  I am hoping to be more regular on this blog and launch another one devoted to photography which is one of my favorite past times.

As a quick rundown here are a few lessons related to ideas by month based on where I was and what was taking up my thoughts:

January 2013 - Who knew a mall could be such a great place for an aquarium adventure

Visiting the bathroom can actually be a fun/funny experience 

(one of the deluxe features in a mall WC - Bangkok, Thailand)

Demonstrating how things work always makes it more exciting and draws a crowd 

(weaving scarves in Siem Reap,Cambodia)

February 2013 - Sometimes when you try so hard not to follow the rules and fight against being average, the substance of the course can inspire a song (Entrepreneurship@ZSEM, Zagreb)

Working with the right mentor can move from chaos to cohesiveness very rapidly

(with Paul Stubbs, EIZG, Zagreb)

March 2013 - Kids with parents behave very differently when their parents are not watching, have had sugar, watched a movie and are surrounded by their peers in a non-school setting 

(my sons birthday party @9....note to self: "how did I ever host 3 hour parties in our home?" LOL)

April 2013 - Eggs and all the things you can do with them eating wise and decorating wise are absolutely fascinating.

 Wine enthusiasts and experts have such an extended and nuanced vocabulary...this is not a wine cellar but a wine chapel.

May 2013 - Sketching out someone else's story can reduce it in such a way as to help its core ideas spread in such meaningful and magical ways (Original story: Nino Zambakhidze (Tblisi, Georgia), Retold by me and Illustrated by Helena Habdija = legendary collaboration).

May 2013 - Girls scounts teach some very practical life skills like first aid, basic sewing, preparing for camping and making your own net bags for washing utensils:) (with Troop #8001, AISZ)

June 2013 - Amazing how lighting and plants can add to the ambience and decor and transport a dining experience into a cultural immersion.

This tranquil river scene at night hides the mosquitos that require scifi level citywide spraying to maintain post sunset balance between bugs and human beings. (Osijek, Croatia)

July 2013 - I have been teaching summer school since 2006 and its just a great 3 weeks each summer that I look forward to students having 3 hours each day to devote to one subject and make lifelong friends. (Entrepreneurship and/or CRM at ZSEM, Zagreb)

August 2013 - One person's storage space is another's Ralph Lauren-style setting for a high end fashion shoot. (Sutivan, Brac, Croatia)

September 2013 - The Croatian ritual of sharing conversation and coffee is so therapuetic, I so appreciate enjoying both with eclectic friends like Irena Sophia.

October 2013 - Being a mom, I have had my share of stuffed animals and what to do with them when they have completed their usefulness as toys.  I was always amazed at the furniture I saw people make of them so I tried it myself. (Zagreb, Croatia for Animingles)

November 2013

November 2013 - This year marked the first required prototype for Entrepreneurship class which at once gave a new dimension to students pitching ideas as well as being the inspiration for leaders to rise along with opportunities. (Entrepreneurship@ZSEM)

December 2013 - A student brought me a creative idea they saw on the street...a priest handing out crosses inspired by the pharmaceutical industry packed in neat little boxes with prescription style directions.  Liked the student identifying enteprising examples, but not so sure how to feel about the faith being inspired by drugs to reach youth????