I had the ladies from D-Clutter (actually should be all lowercase: d-clutter) come by today to see if they could improve my office space, and I can’t wait till they start work. Janine and Lianne have analysed my work habits, what needs to be cleared out, and how they can create an effortless routine for me, considering I have used the same space as JY&A head office for 20 years. They’ll even TradeMe-off the junk for me. (I told them I could not figure out how to use the site, based on its ugliness.)
   It’s another little step up after a tough 2006—I see signs like this continually, especially how I’ve learned to surround myself with good people.
   When Janine asked me about how things evolved with my business back in the 1990s, I told her that most of my advances were made that decade. I went from a reasonably unknown, local businessman to an international one early in the decade, propelled partly by company presidents and CEOs who thought globally. When the internet first became a regular business tool, most of the people on it were idealists. We really did believe we could unite the planet and make it a better place. Deals were done rapidly, based on trust and mutual respect.
   But as the internet grew, as I lamented, we found that the level of education and trust declined. There were more people who were willing to deceive and cheat. And whereas the United States was the most trustworthy place with which to do business—based on my experience—it had slipped terribly by this decade. Not that we New Zealanders are much better: per capita, we probably managed to bring up as many ratbags as any other nation. Possibly more.
   No wonder tribes have emerged on the internet. I see social-networking sites as part of this phenomena. The word tribes has been used many a time already by many other authors, but I feel that the most infiuential one will replicate the heady days of the internet: a critical mass of idealists, who are simply conducting business on regular terms.
   The question is: where is this tribe? Posted by Jack Yan, 09:50  permalink

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