SEAN TINER

"The goal as a company is to have customer service that is not just the best, but legendary." -Sam Walton We can send a man to the moon, construct a canal to connect two oceans and create cars powered by electricity, yet it's funny how most shoe sizes conveniently stop at size 13. Why can't shoe companies follow the "bigger is better" mantra? It sounds trivial, but have you ever walked into a department store and witnessed store employees shaking their heads? Watch them scramble to the find only one pair of shoes that will fit your feet? Recommend you pursue a career in barefoot water skiing? Yes, there are advantages to being tall, but you can easily stub your toes with size 15 feet. Sympathizing with Godzilla, Shaquille O'neil or any other Bigfoot, Zappos.com is resizing the way consumers experience shoe shopping. The world's largest shoe store offer selections that satisfy every whim, need and size from Tinkerbell to King Kong. What's remark...

From jog-a-thons to relays to marathons, charities have utilized running as a crucial stepping stone for program fundraising. It's an effective way to make individuals feel part of a cause, see the impact of their charitable efforts and join a community of like minded people. Although each charity is well deserving of support, it seems that every month there is a new jog-a-thon or run relay soliciting for funds. The redundancy of similarly designed fundraisers can cause some contributors to avoid donating to each cause. Remember Lance Armstrong's Livestrong wristband? In 2004, the wristband was introduced to raise money for The Lance Armstrong Foundation. Within 6 months, the foundation's $25 million fundraising goal was achieved and over 70 million Livestrong wristbands have been sold to date. As other charities witnessed the success of the Livestrong wristband, variations of the band were introduced to the marketplace. Quickly, consumers had a rainbow of wristband colors...

"Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort." -Franklin D. Roosevelt From winning a Olympic gold medal to learning a new skill, achievements are measured by different metrics and reached by conquering prior triumphs and failures. An achievement's magnitude varies on goals, prior accomplishments and expectations. Are you looking to redeem your prior dominance? Or are you a Cinderella story that is honored to stand on the podium? Although expectations are different, the thrill is often the same. The Olympic closing ceremony reminds the world to enjoy the moment and be proud of diverse accomplishments. Although not every athlete won a medal, each athlete's commitment and dedication is recognized by the ceremony. Each athlete is united by camaraderie, a bond that transcends all languages, ethnicities and athletic levels. There can only be one Jordan ...one Tiger ...one Phelps --but each of us can move forward to accomplishing our individua...

As the world prepares to say goodbye or zai jian to the 2008 Summer Olympics, I thought it is appropriate to enjoy The China Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe's Buddha with 1000 Hands Performance. The group was founded in 1987 "to advance equal opportunity for artistic expression for persons with disabilities." The troupe has been called the "Image Ambassador for People with Disabilities" by the Disabled People's World Assembly and designated a "UNESCO Artist for Peace." The Buddha with 1000 Hands Performance reminds us that one is many and many is one. The fusion of similar interests can overcome obstacles and differences to create harmonic balance. In order to find balance, we must be willing to cooperate and work with others to construct bridges of continuity and synchronization.

Phelps may have won 8 Olympic gold medals this summer, but can he walk on water ? The Iphone is slick, but does its packaging include a fireworks display ? Incubating the subservient chicken 's egg, Electronic Arts and Samsung are hatching viral results with recent social media marketing. Instead of taking a passenger's seat and allowing a fan to drive home the last laugh, Electronic Arts posted a witty response to a programming glitch and portrayed the real Tiger walking on water. EA's rebuttal illustrates the importance of companies listening and actively engaging in the conversation . ..and if there is a problem with a product or service, address it with a positive and humorous response. Samsong's Omnia (i900) Unboxing Movie blurs the line of user authenticity with special effects and creativity. The Iphone may be the coolest mobile phone, but the battle for coolest marketing is up for grabs. Although the industry, company size or product can vary, constructively en...

Intangibles are the currents that help carry innovative ideas across uncharted seas. They are beyond the realm of control and can be easily forgotten. Intangibles frequently make the difference between failure and victory, bankruptcy and wealth, war and peace. They provide the extra push across the finish line. No matter how much money, education, strength or training, intangibles are often the reasons why good stories become epic. One of the most important intangibles is teamwork. Teammates are selected on character, experience, discipline and merit, but their overall performance is often out of the selector's control. -Would Michael Phelps break Mark Spitz's Olympic gold medal record without Jason Lezac's incredible come-from-behind victory on the 4x100 free relay? -Would Michael Jordan win 6 world championships without Scottie Pippen on the court? -Would Bill Gates and Microsoft achieve blockbuster success without Steven Ballmer's business savvy? With each success st...

What separates a luxury product from a generic product? Is it the product's quality? Or is it strictly the price that makes the product appear exclusive? Cha-Ching! Recently, the "I Am Rich" Iphone application sold for $999 on Apple's App Store. Very expensive, considering Iphone applications normally retail between one to five dollars. The "I Am Rich's" features are extremely basic and trivial. I would actually be surprised if they turned a grin on Richie-Richie's face. Despite the exorbitant price, eight people purchased they "I Am Rich" application before Apple removed it from the App Store. What can we learn from the "I Am Rich" application? Well, that a niche of Iphone users are interested in exclusivity more than price and function. The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple's Iphone App Store is generating $1 million in daily sales and Steve Jobs expects annual revenues to reach a billion dollars in a few years. As ...