Maybe your industry's failing because you chose not to innovate.

Sorry Sally, but when was the last time you spearheaded anything remotely innovative?

I love love love this post. Mark Newman kills it. Yes everyone is in the throes of The Greatest Depression of Our Times but not everyone has bailout or bust syndrome. No one is predicting the collapse of cell phone providers. I have yet to hear of anyone worried that their iPod warranty will be moot if Apple folds. McDonald's is doing just fine thank you very much. Innovation and value are still prized.


No one is escaping unscathed right now, but newpapers aren't folding because of the recession. They're failing because of Craigslist. And Ebay. And the green movement. Car companies need bailouts because they locked themselves into union contracts and produced SUVs when gas was at $4 a gallon. Magazines were cannibalized by blogs.

The old ways stopped working about a decade ago but supposed prosperity kept lame ducks afloat. Now, to bastardize Warren Buffet, the tide is out and it seems everyone chose to skinny dip. This contraction is survivable, stagnation is not. So make something new, do something interesting, show us a trend we can't predict. People want a connection, a compelling reason to part with their money...so why not give it to them?