May
22
When we keep our eyes open, there are plenty of unexpected sources for ideas on how to build and run our tiny businesses. Lately I’ve been inspired by:
- Children’s poetry
“There was a crooked man, and he walked crooked mile“ - Email jokes
- Nostalgia
- Regret
- Pithy sayings
- Nifty contests
- and even stuff that pisses me off
It’s all good, it’s all helpful, and we’re remiss if we waste any part of the insight from our day-to-day life…including, and especially, serendipitous bits and pieces from conversation with our friends.
So from Tuesday’s comments come business lessons inspired by that long-eared master of ingenuity and perseverance: Wile E. Coyote, Super Genius—
- Invent your perfect job title
- If your competition is faster, you’d better be smarter
- Buy from exceptional vendors
- Beware of cutting-edge technology, it can be unstable
- Read the fine print!
- Have a good lawyer
- If at first you don’t succeed, use a bigger sledgehammer
- If you must fail, fail spectacularly
- X really can mark the spot
- Double-check your math—being 1° off will make a big difference five miles down the road
- Some roads get you nowhere fast
- Other roads get you nowhere even faster
- Still…rocket sleds are more fun than roller skates
- Moving in slow motion will not save you, and
***drumroll***
15. Whatever you do, don’t look down!
[thanks Brett!]
Et tu? What business lessons can you takeaway from Road Runner, or your own childhood favorite cartoon?
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22 Responses to “15 Business Lessons From Wile E. Coyote, Super Genius”
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Whew! Taking a short break from blogging, folks. More posts coming soon. Thanks for your patience!
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I enjoyed that Crystal, and I’m not even a small business owner.
Recent blog post from joelle: My Promise to the AACPL
Much better and funnier than my offering yesterday.
Well done!
Recent blog post from Chris Anthony: Quote of the day: Robert Rauschenberg
Hi Crystal,
I liked the Pink Panther - the music, the pink cat that out smarted the inspector. I’ve always been in love with mystery. That inspires me.
Recent blog post from Ellen Wilson: The Devouring Blog
Crystal,
Woo hoo! Thank you for writing this, awesome post!
I love these cartoons, and my kids watch them too. I figure, I used to watch Wile E. get blown up, and I turned out (mostly) alright, so they will too.
Much better than Pokemon anyway…
Hmm, what have I learned from our long-eared friend?
Never trust anything made by ACME.
Tiny umbrellas won’t protect you from falling rocks.
Never underestimate a rabbit.
The Road Runner always has an extra gear.
If you keep trying, you will eventually succeed - see this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALcGo8_OxfY
(But be careful that your eyes aren’t bigger than your stomach!)
I’m seriously going to custom print some of my business cards, with “Wile E. Coyote - Genius” on the back…
Thanks for a fun post - Brett
Recent blog post from Brett Legree: the forever people.
Saweeeet!
A really good list too! You found a lot more than I thought of! And a great ‘picture’ choice too, very inspired.
I loved Astro Boy as a child. I even have the complete DVD set of the 1980’s series.
The series explored issues of morality, responsibility and racism. And really alot about heroism and honesty and being humble. I liked it alot and I honestly attribute part of who I am to it ( I watched it SO MUCH ).
Awesome, stumbleworthy post!
I definitely learned a lot about community from the Smurfs who all worked together towards common goals. Even though I work alone a fair bit as a writer, I’ve developed a team with many varied strengths and I’ve joined a larger community of peers who can help me, guide me, listen to me vent and make me laugh.
Recent blog post from Dana: Freelancing Tips: Organizing Workload
@All Y’all— —Yay! What a fun trip down Cartoon Memory Lane you guys are walking down
Thanks for your comments!
@Shawn Astro Boy sounds deep for a kids cartoon, and since it helped make you the doll that you are, it’s worth a look. Totally new to me.
@Brett I look forward to watching that, and thanks for adding to the list! Too fun!
@Dana Howdy and welcome! Great lessons from the Smurfs (how could I have forgotten them?!)! And thanks again for the retweet
@Chris and @Joelle (Welcome!) —Glad I could offer a good after-work giggle
@Ellen — Oooo, another stellar role model…good one. Such a clever, dapper, suave fellow? Rarely in a hurry, amazing success rate, and he never had to say a word!
@Shawn,
Astro Boy - very cool…
and @Dana - Smurfs rule, you can learn a lot from the Smurfs. There’s a new movie in the works.
I also used to watch “Battle of the Planets” which was an adaptation of Kagaku ninja tai Gatchaman (”Science Ninja Team Gatchaman), pretty neat Japanese stuff.
What else? Rocket Robin Hood. The Mighty Hercules.
Thanks Crystal,
Now you have me wanting to waste the day in nostalgia, watching some old toons.
Hi Jeremy–Perfect way to start the (long holiday for some) weekend! Have fun! Brett included a link to another video in an earlier comment…
Good advice and you really brought me back in time with this one
That was awesome - thanks!
And the blog post was great too (hah, just kidding, the toon and the post were equally good.)
@Brett re: ACME, so true. You might enjoy this recent link I cam across on del.ici.ous: http://home.nc.rr.com/tuco/looney/acme/acme.html
Keep up the excellent work here, I have subscribed to your feed.
Daniel Smith
Smithereens Blog
Recent blog post from Daniel Smith: Twitter Needs Groups (But It Doesn’t Have Them, So I Took Matters Into My Own Hands) [Updated With New Info 05/23/08]
@Daniel,
Thank you for sharing that link - that is a really cool catalog!
Recent blog post from Brett Legree: viking fridays - a friend’s fire.
@Bill and @Daniel—Thanks and welcome! Glad you enjoyed the trip down memory lane
Smart post that is itself a great marketing lesson, since each of us who got something from it would’ve signed up for anything that had more of the same!
Besides the smart/funny truth of your list, it shows that if you touch the buyer’s emotion-bone (nostalgia trigger, in this case) you’ll reach them at a personal place that makes you an instantly trusted resource.
None of the lists or references would mean anything to the person who didn’t know this culture, this age group, this media (Saturday morning cartoons), etc.
A great lesson, SHOWN, not told. Well done.
@GirlPie—Whoa. I didn’t spend one second thinking of, anticipating, or planning one inch of what you said, but I surely see the truth in it. This was probably the quickest, easiest post I’ve written since the start, and in many ways it had more impact than my most laborious. Critical lesson there.
Triggers are sooo scary! We use them even when we don’t mean to, for good or for ill. While I’m uncomfortable that the humor and context likely excludes some readers, based on what you said, I’m thrilled to think someone read it and maybe thought, “Yeah! Like that!” and trust me more/better after this.
Got a good book/resource on triggers for us? So we can be sure we’re using our powers for good and not evil?
That’s clever. Who’d have thought a coyote would impart so much wisdom?
Hi Adam, and welcome!
Wisdom from anywhere is great, but it’s a lot of fun to find it outside the textbook
Dana’s take on the Smurfs is fab — a great source of ideas on teamwork, relationship building, and group dynamics… Like you said, who knew?!
Thanks for your comment!
That’s great! I love that!
Recent blog post from Trisha: Friday Favorites
Very enjoyable post.
Hi Chris, and thanks! What did you like about this one?