Insights With Trent Munday

Remember when we all used to say that Time was our most valuable asset? Well, then we had a Global Pandemic and the world basically ground to a halt. For most of us, Time is the one thing that we have more than enough of now. When the pandemic first started to take hold, it looked like medical insurance would be our most valuable asset. Then, as health systems got overwhelmed, it didn't really matter if you had insurance or not. You still couldn't get to the front of the queue. The reality is that what assets we consider the most valuable can shift over time. And it's often related to just how much of that asset we have. In that sense, maybe we should be thinking about this in terms of our Most Valuable Resource, not Asset? #priorities #valuable #assets

The world needs Builders. People who make stuff. People who create things. But I believe the world also needs Breakers. People who try to break thing. People who question and challenge. Because in doing so, the Breakers help make the things that the Builders make even stronger, more powerful and more resilient. Strong companies need both those that Build and those that Break. To all of you Builders...we salute you! BUT...to all of you Breakers...I'm glad to be one of you! #builders #creators #breakers

We tend to make a deal of privacy. Especially our digital privacy. We hate the idea of a company tracking our activity online and then showing us ads that are relevant to that activity. But here's the thing...you're still going to see ads! Any time you're using an app for free, like Facebook or any number of social apps, chances are you'll be seeing ads. So, if you're going to be seeing ads anyway, isn't it better that those ads are at least vaguely of interest to you? Surely that's better than seeing ads about stuff that is of absolutely zero interest to you? If so, maybe it's time to turn your data sharing back on? #datasharing #digitalprivacy #advertising

Many people who have lost their job over the past 18 months or so as a result of this pandemic have turn their hand to consulting to generate an income. One of the biggest concerns they have is finding enough clients. But that's the wrong way to approach it. You actually only need ONE client...if they will pay you enough. If you're good enough. If you can bring them enough value. So, instead of worrying about how can find enough clients, focus on adding more value, charging more and then ultimately you'll find you don't ned so many clients at all. #clientacquisition #consultingbusiness #value

Initialized Capital is a Venture Capital firm that focuses on startups that have not yet found Product-Market fit. So, when founder Garry Tan says there a no general customers, only specific customers, it's worth thinking about. No doubt Tan has seen countless Pitch Decks talking about 'general customers'. The danger with that approach, of course, is that you can lose sight of the fact that your customers aren't generalisations. They are all unique individuals. But in practical terms, you can't really treat every individual customer differently from all those others...or can you? It's certainly a discussion worth having. #customerfocus #productmarketfit #individuals

I know for a fact that I have lost some of my edge during these never ending Lockdowns. A simple list of tasks that would once upon a time be knocked off in an hour or two, now seems to take me the whole week to complete. And that's not because I'm trying to stretch them out to fill up the week. It's because I struggle with the motivation and focus to just get it done. I think it's to be expected. I know many people are struggling with this. So what's the answer? Well, for some people, you might find a new motivational course or time management course will help get you back on track. Not me. I know that stuff doesn't work for me.  I just have to knuckle down and make it happen. But maybe the focus shouldn't be on maintaining your edge.  Instead, during these trying times, just try to stay in touch with your edge. Just like in a football game or a tennis match, no one side ever has ascendency for the entire game. The key to winning is to focus on staying in touch when the momentum swing is against

No doubt one of the biggest problems many companies face is their inability to change, adapt and evolve their product or service offering to remain relevant. But you don't always have to be the bright, shiny new thing. You don't always need to change. Just take a look at the now ubiquitous Bic Biro. First launched in the early 1950s and here we are today, almost 70 years later and nothing has changed. It is basically the exact same product. The clear plastic tube, with a stopper on the end and simple lid on the top. That's it. It is beautifully simple. It hasn't changed. Why? Because it works, just the way it is. Sometimes, you don't need to change. NB: Thanks to Nic Day for sharing the Bic story with me a while back. #change #simplicity #marketing

Just do you. Just be yourself. It all sounds simple enough.  But what about if you don't really know who YOU is? What if you don't know who you are, what you stand for, what you believe in, what you don't? How can you 'Just do you' if you don't know you? It seems like crazy thing, but many people find themselves in exactly this situation. And if you don't know YOU, if you're still working it out...then that IS you. You are uncertain. At least for now. Until you work it out. That means it's ok if your stance on something changes from one day to the next. You're evolving. You're working it out. You don't have to know who YOU is...to Just Do You! #uncertainty #selfawareness #beyourself

Singer Ed Sheeran says the reason he's able to write some many great songs...is that he also writes so many bad ones. It's part of his creative process. Ed compares his process to the flow of water in a pipe. The good ideas are in there somewhere, along with the bad ideas. The only way to let the good ideas out is to let the bad ideas come out too. The reason most people struggle with creativity is that they're afraid to let the bad ideas out. They're afraid of failing. Afraid of looking silly. There's also a suggestion that you begin to recognise what makes a bad idea and pattern-match the elements that make a good idea.  So, all in all, if you're struggling with creativity...just let it all out.  The bad ideas and hopefully the good ones too. #creativeprocess #goodideas #creativity

Recently, I was telling a mate of mine how much I've enjoyed my Nespresso coffee machine during lockdown. He called me a Coffee Snob. Instant coffee is no longer good enough for Trent. He's a Coffee Snob. I had the same conversation with another mate. He called me a Coffee Neanderthal! How could I call myself a coffee drinker and drink that rubbish? It turns out, snobbery, like most things in life, is relative. So don't worry too much about who thinks your a snob and who doesn't. Just do you. #selfawareness #justbeyou #perspective

The early days of ship travel was something for the elite. Same with the early days of airplane travel. Only the elite could afford it. Over the years, we've come to expect that travel is available to the masses. But what will happen in the Post-COVID Age of Travel? Airlines and Cruise Ships have lost a lot of money during the pandemic. Will they need to increase their ticket prices now? If only vaccinated travellers are permitted, that will surely exclude many of the poorer nations initially. If hotel quarantine and multiple COVID tests are required, this will again mean higher costs. Thus, potentially limiting travel to only the wealthy. And IF travel is, for at least a period of time, only for the elite, what happens to the many travel and tourism related businesses built for the mass market? A 3 star resort? Where will their guests come from? Lots to ponder. #postcovidtravel #postcovid19business #travelandtourism  

Having someone experienced on your team is great. Someone who's been there and done it all before. That depth of knowledge and experience in the field is invaluable. But what is often neglected is the potential Nostalgic value that can also come with that Experience. If you can also tap into and leverage the Nostalgic Value in that person's Experience, you've got a Double Whammy!  #nostalgia #experience #unlockingpotential

Heineken has a great ad campaign called 'Cheers to all.' The key tag line in the campaign is 'Men drink cocktails too'. Of course, Heineken don't really care about men drinking cocktails. They sell beer. What they care about, is the opposite. If men can drink cocktails...then women can drink beer. It's a clever way to deliver their message without actually saying it. It almost challenges the consumer of the ad to engage and to think beyond what is being said to discover the hidden message. Maybe you should think about how you could do the same with your messaging? #advertising #branding #messaging

If you believe in God...go spend some time with the atheists and learn about their perspective on this crazy old notion of God. If you're a vegetarian...spend some time with the meat eaters to hear their thoughts on nutrition and why they believe meat is the answer. If you believe in the vaccine...open a dialogue with the anti-vaxxers to get a better understanding of why they are so vehemently opposed to it. Spending just a little bit of time in 'Opposite Land' helps give you a more rounded world view of the issue at hand. From a business perspective, it's a no-brainer. You must do this. And from a personal perspective...well, it just can't hurt. #differentperspective #opposite #opinions

We all procrastinate.  For most of us, probably more than we'd like. But Daniel Remon reckons Procrastination can actually be a great productivity tool. Dan suggests Procrastination is a trigger. It's a feedback mechanism. When we're Procrastinating, it might be telling us that we need a break. That's valuable feedback that will ultimately increase your productivity. Maybe you're Procrastinating because you need more information before you're comfortable making a decision? Again, great feedback. Or maybe you just need to get more organised and strutured. If you recognise Procrastination as a feedback mechanism and use that to trigger the right responses...that's bound to help you be more productive. Thanks Dan! #productivitytips #productivityhacks #procrastination

Thomas Jefferson said... “Ignorance of the law is no excuse in any country. If it were, the laws would lose their effect, because it can always be pretended.” The onus is on each of us as individuals to know what the laws are and live within them. Now, I understand that Mr. Jefferson was a pretty smart fella. But...he didn't have to deal with Twitter and other social media channels and 'Fake News'. So what happens when the laws are constantly changing? And...when we're bombarded with 'Fake News' on social media about people breaking the laws? And...when there is no place for us to check what the current laws are? Not to mention how those who are not on social media and the internet. How do they find out what the laws of the day are? Is it time to rethink this fundamental tenet of our legal systems? #legalsystem #society #truth  

We all worry about what other people think of us. What their perception of us is. Some, more than others. But as long as we know why we're doing it, as long as we understand, it doesn't really matter. The rest is all about managing other people's perception of you. Or maybe even just managing the way you deal with other people's perceptions of you. Of course, it is important that the market gets it too. If the market doesn't perceive that your product or service is worthy, that's a problem. But ultimately, that too is a question of Perception Management. Here's a link to Thought Leaders Practice - https://bit.ly/30pr7e1 #perceptions #selfawareness #thoughtleadership

We all know that guy who just always seems to be Happy. We probably also know a few folks who just seem to be happy being unhappy. It's just the way we are, right? Maybe not. Research would suggest that happiness is a skill that can be learned. So, if you're unhappy, there are steps you can take to change that. Maybe you can check out Happify to learn how to be happy... https://bit.ly/2T5Vg0T #happiness #learnnewskills #behappy

If you do me a favour, chances are, I'll do you a favour in return. I'll reciprocate. It's kinda how we're wired as human beings. It's part of the human condition. Of course, there will always be those who, know this, try to game the system. They opt for 'The Reciprocity Hustle', as Seth Godin calls it. These are the people who do you a favour only because they want a favour from you in return. But that's a dangerous game. Maybe I just decide not to reciprocate? Or maybe, the favour I do you in return is not the favour you were hoping for. Better to just do the right thing for the right reasons. Just leave it out there. More often than not, reciprocity will find you. #reciprocity #karma #dogood

We've all got limited resources. Time. Effort. Money. Energy. So, when it comes to using those resources, you'd best make sure you're directing them towards people who have intent or interest around your product or service. To spend your resources on potential customers who have neither the intent to use your product or service or, at the very least, an interest in learning more about it...is just a waste of time.  A simple business lesson. But like all things simple...not necessarily easy. #resources #businesslessons #intent