Inspiration Economy Manifesto

I believe our culture and economy is moving from a material emphasis into a spiritual emphasis--with an accompanying shift from goods and services ("what" and "when" stuff) to relationships, content and other assorted "how" and "why" stuff. I believe that the effect on business will be massive. The effect on our culture, however will be even more wonderful and enjoyable. We'll finally get down to living as the focus of our life. Instead of working. But first there are a few barriers to get over.

One current barrier is people not buying what they want (because of insecurity, fear, low self-esteem, Puritanism, etc). The other is businesses not producing what they want ('cept a notable few--most of the ones returning double digits these dark days). A huge one is the cultural/idea workers not producing what they want. (As loyal members of the counter-culture and essentially anti-business--and with few places to labor self-directed without starving).

There are easy ways to bridge this gap. One obvious one is to differentiate mass-market goods by content--that is, a good magazine is $8 (or $16) and a good CD is $40. Think about the last movie that really impacted your life and the last weekend you had a movie you were really excited about seeing. Now what would you pay for a killer, life-changing movie this weekend? --If your choice was that or Electra (which it is)? In our current economy there's little encouragement for putting any tender loving care into our culture. So we get kiddy stuff, professionalism, and the odd depressing "art" movie (with a growing number of slightly wonderful surprises).

The currency for this emerging economy is inspiration. It's not a speed or even a business thing, full inspiration requires vulnerability. You can't hunt someone down and "WOW!" them--that's a bit like stalking. And a lot like most corporation's marketing. The inspiration economy will operate with a more magnetic appeal. Like a beautiful woman walking down the street. Their culture, mission, people, procedures and products will draw you toward them.

Most companies today aren't things you want to pay any attention to. Or spend any time with. But that's not because we're busy--it's because they're ugly, gross and manipulative. We've got all the time in the world for Hallie Berry (I know I do). Corporations will eventually figure this out and stop being gross 4 days a week and trying to work with make-up on Friday night.

Things will be moving so fast they'll have to. They'll have to be real and beautiful all day every day (this is different than trying to be perfect or "professional" every day--much different). From fake boobs back to real boobs.

This vulnerability is not something a lot of men or businesses are good at. Or even many women these high-powered days.

But it is coming, and we won't be denied. There is no way to sustain love and attention but through vulnerability. And love and attention are the only way, in an increasingly crowded marketplace, to sustain profits.

Call it the prophet motive.

There are millions of very, very affluent consumers waiting in the wings right now because our mass culture--the quickest growing sector of our economy--doesn't offer them anything. They've got a nice car and house and a flat tv--so what else is there? In ten years, I believe we'll have a mature, vital, fun, honest, beautiful mainstream culture. For adults and kids alike.

There are many, many aspects of this quantum culture that could mean a lot to business. A lot of the ideas are starting to bubble up one at a time in books like Now Discover Your Strengths, Tom's books, Good To Great, Tipping Point etc., but the ideas that connect them haven't really been understood, and therefore they can easily be misapplied.

One great example is the concept of stickiness the The Tipping Point. In the old, material world, the stickier the better. We have to grab consumers. The perfect sticky product is an addictive drug like coffee or soda or something like pornography or gambling. And those are all making great money. But if you look at the progress of disease and how organism often cure themselves--things tend to get worse before they get better. A forest, for instance, becomes overrun with underbrush before being returned to a relatively healthy state after a natural forest fire. But if you suppress small fires, you get an enormous one that wipes out everything.

I would suggest that much of what business sees now as sticky is like underbrush right before a fire. The more porn or coffee or soda a person has, the less valuable porn or coffee or soda is to that person. This is true of all motivational/material products, services and content.

Truly inspirational content, on the other hand, is like a healthy relationship. As soon as someone watches an Oprah show, she (or he) is more ready for her magazine, not less. The product doesn't deflate the consumer's ability to consume (or be healthy). True stickiness doesn't really stick. Since Oprah is more real than almost anyone on TV she is safe to spend more time with. If she was just saccharine (Access Hollywood) she'd be intolerable. Access Hollywood is the model for most corp.s PR, marketing and customer service.

My suggestion here is that the porn and cokes of the market may rise and fall but the long term (and exponential) growth (especially now) is in that which is real--that which adds to the consumer's life in a vital and meaningful way. It loves the consumer but not only or blindly. It is itself first and foremost. The intrusive, manipulative, and detrimental--like advertising, sugar, etc.--though they may reap short-term highs (just like the products they promote) are eventually going to be left out by the natural evolution in consciousness by consumers. (Or be subject to cycles and fads). Yoga, meditation, happiness, organic food, and environmental values aren't a trend but the result of thousands of years of human evolution. They are an outgrowth of the blossoming of human consciousness. As are cell phones, Zegna blazers, Lexus's and masseurs. The healthiest, the highest quality and the most loving won't be leaving the covers of Time and Newsweek anytime soon. (Happiness is on Time this week).

So, what to do? There are many applications of this type of model to current business. Most businesses will grow at a regular rate. However, every company that wants to stick around will have to break on through to the other side. Smarter companies will shut down and regroup or try to make the leap once they've done the math. There are just too many advantages to operating in this relationship-first paradigm that can't be replicated by traditional corporations. The ramifications for management are radical. (They're the Oprahs or Maury Povichs of their companies.)

The irony, of course, is that those corporations that give up on profits as their modus operandi will have a chance to be enormously successful, while those that put money first will fail (or grind it out for production work). What a great time to be alive.