Why is Apple is worth 633 billion! (Not because of cool products)

Apple wants to reach your heart instead of your wallet.

How many CEOs today know the value of that sentence! How many even care? When the heart likes something, mind never objects to the cost, right. (We always buy the most expensive Valentine Gifts or Baby products) It doesn’t matter whether we can afford it or not. 

Now I see that JC Penny is offering free hair cuts to children. (JCP….! Haircuts….?) 

TED’s top 20 videos to watch (again)

This weekend is dedicated to these videos. 

1. Sir Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity(2006): 13,409,417 views
2. Jill Bolte Taylor‘s stroke of insight(2008): 10,409,851
3. Pranav Mistry on the thrilling potential of SixthSense(2009): 9,223,263
4. David Gallo‘s underwater astonishments(2007): 7,879,541
5. Pattie Maes and Pranav Mistry demo SixthSense(2009): 7,467,580
6. Tony Robbins asks Why we do what we do(2006): 6,879,488
7. Simon Sinek on how great leaders inspire action(2010): 6,050,294
8. Steve Jobs on how to live before you die(2005): 5,444,022
9. Hans Rosling shows the best stats you’ve ever seen(2006): 4,966,643
10. Brene Brown talks about the power of vulnerability(2010): 4,763,038
11. Daniel Pink on the surprising science of motivation(2009): 4,706,241
12. Arthur Benjamin does mathemagic(2005): 4,658,425
13. Elizabeth Gilbert on nurturing your genius(2009): 4,538,037
14. Dan Gilbert asks: Why are we happy?(2004): 4,269,082
15. Stephen Hawking asks big questions about the universe(2008): 4,153,105
16. Jeff Han demos his breakthrough multi-touchscreen(2006): 3,891,251
17. Johnny Lee shows Wii Remote hacks for educators(2008): 3,869,417
18. Keith Barry does brain magic(2004): 3,847,893
19. Mary Roach 10 things you didn’t know about orgasm(2009): 3,810,630
20. Vijay Kumar demos robots that fly like birds (2012): 3,535,340

The TED blog links to the top 20 list published last year. It’s very similar, in fact, with the notable addition of Steve Jobs’ genuine 2005 talk on how to live before you die.

What every Startup founder should know…

I guess, this is the best instruction guide for a startup founder. At a time when companies like Facebook, Google are stating design(er)s as a risk factor in their SEC filings. Focus on the product design and everything else follows.

Here is the ultimate tribute to product design by one of the best designers so far.

• “I am always fascinated when I see the latest Apple products. Apple has managed to achieve what I never achieved: using the power of their products to persuade people to queue to buy them.”  — Dieter Rams.
• I have always observed that good design can normally only emerge if there is a strong relationship between an entrepreneur and the head of design.  — Dieter Rams.

Startups, this is how design works. (via Startups, This Is How Design Works – by Wells Riley.)

Lessons for a Product Company…!

“When the sales guys run the company, the product guys don’t matter so much, and a lot of them just turn off. It happened at Apple when Sculley came in, which was my fault, and it happened when Ballmer took over at Microsoft.”

The Real Leadership Lessons of Steve Jobs – Harvard Business Review.

No wonder most products suffer from innovation and just settle down for improvisations. And then wonder how Apple can make 35% profit YOY.