Razeghi & the Power of Scribd

A few months back one of my favorite Kellogg professors, Andrew Razeghi , wrote a great article on Innovating in a Recession . He sent me the article for a quick look and I offered to post if on Scribd, thereby making it easily viewable and indexable by Google. Here's the doc again:

Innovating Through Recession by Andrew Razeghi of Kellog School of Management

   Publish at Scribd or explore others:                razeghi              Recession      

Last week he wrote me because that document has become something of an Internet sensation and has given his consulting, writing and speaking career a little boost. Here's the affect in his words:

Remember that article you posted on Scribd for me? It’s become quite a phenomenon…translated into a several languages and has led to all sorts of interesting things…among them, I was out East yesterday and I guy came up to me and said: In front of an audience of 100 people the guy says: “Your paper has helped save my business. I’m just glad to meet you.” Wow! That’s a career highlight for me…and it wouldn’t have happened had you not offered the idea to give that piece away.  

COST TO ME: one moment of inspiration followed by two nearly sleepless and obsessive days of research and writing


OUTCOMES:

• 20,000 views on Scribd
  


• translated into several languages including Mandarin
  


• re-printed and distributed in numerous trade magazines
  


• has led to interviews by major media outlets including FORBES, BUSINESSWEEK, DELIVER, morning drive radio, etc.
  


• has led to at least a dozen speaking engagements in the U.S., Asia, and South America
  


• has helped to promote my back catalog (my books, HOPE and THE RIDDLE)
  


• has led to consulting engagements
  


• and, the highlight of course came last night when this guy - in the front row - raises his hand and says: "You've helped save my business."
  

Add this: my business consists of "consulting, speaking, training & development" (most of which many people would claim recessions wreak havoc upon) and we are set to have a spectacular year. CREATIVITY saves the day and will save us. I'm convinced innovation is the only way forward.

What is so remarkable to me is that the whole thing (the article) was a big experiment. It was an experiment in the power of ideas. My goal was to reach as many people as I could with the message of that paper as fast as I could -- as people have no time to waste in a crisis. Did it make sense from a marketing perspective for me? Sure. But the bigger point for me is ability to reach people with ideas - relevant ideas - is absolutely remarkable.

There you have it folks. A great idea and hard work by Professor Razeghi, combined with a boost in distribution through Scribd & Google, results in an unexpected career boost. I love the Internet.