On Sunsets and Telecom

Another perfect sunset seen from Redondo Beach, California. Since arriving here in June I've had the pleasure of watching many sunsets while jogging or walking along the Redondo "Strand," and have yet to tire of the endless beauty of each individual sunset. Each one is stunning, each one is different. While jogging along this evening, watching today's contribution to my portfolio of California memories, the thought came to me that sunsets are a lot like the day to day activities that challenge our lives.

A Redondo Beach sunset has four major components:

· The sun

· The ocean

· Clouds (or lack of clouds)

· Weather

With this combination we have the ability to put together a different sunset every evening, never repeating the same sunset. Each sunset is very different, leaving a completely different emotion to the sunset participant. In Redondo Beach, the entire waterfront area appears to pause for about 10 minutes each day to watch the sun go down, indulging in explosions of color and emotion that accompany the event. Our business lives show some interesting parallels to sunsets. In my industry, telecommunications, we also have very few basic ingredients supporting business:

Cable and air (wireless) Electricity Computers Software Packet handlers (routers, switches, modems, etc)

When you think about it, each new company developing and deploying a new telecom-related product is using a combination of the above items ? they are just connected and marketed in unique models needed to fulfill requirements a market or industry. Thus, whether you are an Internet Service Provider, a web hosting company, a Voice over Internet provider, or a traditional telephone company, at some point in your business case your product will include all the above components.

Thus it is not magic to understand the technical portions of a telecom business. All telecom and Internet-related companies use the above components ? they are just put together and marketed in a different manner.

This also leads me to believe technology is not the discriminating factor in the success or failure of any business. That factor is more a product of understanding your market, developing a product with a well-prepared business plan, And then aggressively executing against your business plan. Technology can never stand alone, and very few successful businesses have ever been built solely around an emerging technology. The technology must be designed to solve a business challenge, or enable a new business model.

We have all gone through the exercise of taking an object, and determining what the purpose of that object may be. A sheet of paper may be a tool for recording written or printed information, it may be the raw material for a paper airplane or origami, just as it might be a tool for cleaning your teeth when you cannot find a pick or floss. The sheet of paper works well for all.

Computers and networks are similar. You ask what a computer is, and the response may be a word processor, or a communications terminal, or an emergency disk backup platform, or even a platform for playing games and entertainment. One computer may accomplish all the above, although the owner of each individual computer may give you a very different answer on how a computer should be used.

An Internet connection may be used primarily by one company for research and business intelligence, while another company may consider the Internet as a delivery system for disaster recovery backup and storage. Again, suitable for both, but very different in application.

Just as a sunset changes every day based on the presentation or conditions of its contributing components, the business must also consider technology as a tool to execute a successful business plan. It is important to first understand the business requirements, and then reach into the technology "tool bag" for the components needed to deliver.

(About the Author ? John Savageau is a managing director at CRG-West, responsible for managing operations and architecture for several of the largest telecommunications interconnect facilities in the US, including One Wilshire in Los Angeles)

---

Dreams Do Come True

Experience has made a lot of folks to consider dreams... Read More

Quest for Freedom--A Story Of Pure Courage

The Nazis stormed into the house of Stanislavsky Lech, who... Read More

Keep on Keeping on!

Whenever we are working on our dreams we are going... Read More

Making the Most of Your Peak and Off-peak Times

What is the most essential part of your business? You... Read More

Duplicity

Direct Answers - Column for the week of January 26,... Read More

Getting Unstuck

According to the Buddhists, between January 29 and February 12... Read More

Opening the Heart and Exploring Beneath the Surface

Exploring beneath the surface of a reoccurring relationship issue can... Read More

Using Failure to Further Your Future

"You may have to fight a battle more than once... Read More

Its The Little Things That Count

Have you ever been in the situation where you have... Read More

Everyone Has Been Hurt ....Part 6

Continued....I have since grown a lot. I have grown through... Read More

How A Sense Of Wonder Makes Life Richer

It always amazes me when I meet someone who has... Read More

What Movies Can Teach You About Meaningful Coincidences (Use Them to Get What You Want)

When you have your dream clear in your mind and... Read More

The Art of Letting Go

It has been six months since I left the corporate... Read More

Count Your Blessings

Each day brings a new beginning. It's a new leaf... Read More

Improving Your Self Esteem

Often in our society, we are bombarded with the lives... Read More

There Must Be More To Life Than This

If you suffer from a nagging feeling of "there must... Read More

Practice Being Like a Child

Remember the master teacher once said 2000 years ago, "Unless... Read More

Anam Cara - Finding a Song for the Heart

All this week I have been singing.This week I have... Read More

The Information Age

Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 1,... Read More

Super Mom, Wonder Woman, Energizer Mommy or Just Mom

Have you ever sat down to watch the evening news... Read More

Looking for a Better World - What Every Person Can Do!

Each night, when I put my head on the pillow... Read More

Living Authentically in a Masked World

Humanity seems to be the only species that never seems... Read More

What Inspires You?

Have you ever thought? What inspires YOU? What is it... Read More

How to Guarantee a GREAT Day Every Day!

I have a standing interview every Monday morning on a... Read More

Inspiration From Other People - Is It Worth Listening To A Film Star?

Yesterday, I listened to an interview with Michael York, the... Read More

The Four Emotions that Can Lead to Life Change

Emotions are the most powerful forces inside us. Under the... Read More

Its The Journey, Not The Destination

Don't you just hate clichés like the one illustrated in... Read More

The Seasons Of Life, Part 4 of 5

This week is Part Four of our five part series... Read More

Extreme Self Care

EXTREME is not a term usually connected to self-care. Self-care... Read More

Stand Up!

One of the most undervalued blessings is God's will to... Read More

Facing the Enemies Within

We are not born with courage, but neither are we... Read More

Lesson Learned

Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 9,... Read More

Put To The Sword

Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 23,... Read More