Good Idea. Now What?

CHARLES T. LEE is the CEO of Ideation Consultancy Inc., an idea agency that specializes in helping influencers, organizations, and businesses take ideas to implementation via creative strategy, branding, design, marketing, web, social media, and events. Charles is also a founding member of JustOne, an organization innovating ideas for human care. In addition, he is the creator of grassroots efforts including the Ideation Conference and the Freeze Project. Charles is a highly sought-after speaker and blogs regularly at www.charlestlee.com.

• Preface: Born into a Legacy of Idea Makers xiAcknowledgments xiiiIntroduction: Idea Lovers versus Idea Makers xvWho Is This Book For? xvHow Does This Book Work? xviThe Business of Good Ideas xviiA Conversation over Coffee xviiPart 1 Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 1Chapter 1 Strategy or Chance? 3Chapter 2 Ideas in the Midst 5Wisdom from the Streets 6Spatial Distance? 7Chapter 3 My Need for Need 9Chapter 4 Medici Changed My Life 11The Medici Tweet? 12Chapter 5 Don’t Settle for Good 15Part 2 Life after Inspiration 19Chapter 6 Addicted to Inspiration 21Chapter 7 What Plan? 25Passion Unrealized 25Chapter 8 Dig a Little Deeper 29The Dreaded Business Plan 29Wisdom from Wade 30A Few Questions for Idea Makers 31Chapter 9 Ideas Don’t Work; You Do! 33Bootstrapping for Project 7 35Become a Bootstrapper! 36Chapter 10 Choose Family 37Part 3 Overcoming Creative Resistance 41Chapter 11 Wipe Your Nos and Buts 43A Prehistoric Brain 44Chapter 12 The Dreaded Look Inside 47Chapter 13 Disturbance in the Force 51Bringing It Home 52Chapter 14 Hear Me Out 55The Other Side of the Coin (Practicing What We Preach) 56Part 4 Paving a Creative Pathway 59Chapter 15 No Escape Clause 61Chapter 16 Got Rhythm? 65Chapter 17 Don’t Just Add; Multiply 69A Wandering Generality 69The Bad News . . . 70Discovering the Power of Focus 72Chapter 18 I Can See It! 75More Than Digital 76Chapter 19 Press Pause 79Your Life Needs Space as Well 80Emergency Room Counseling 81Putting on the Breaks! 82Part 5 Elements for Idea Making 1 85Chapter 20 The Art of Evolution 87Chapter 21 DNA or R&D? 89Chapter 22 Risk (Overrated!) 93Chapter 23 The Miracle of Writing and Waiting 97Chapter 24 Think Multiple, Not Perfect 101Spaghetti Sauce Lessons 102Part 6 Elements for Idea Making 2 105Chapter 25 Simple 107Chapter 26 Quality, Quality, Quality 111Chapter 27 The F Word 115Chapter 28 Under Pressure 119Chapter 29 Dealing with Setbacks 125Changing the World through Shoes 125Chapter 30 Beat the Tribal Drum 129Part 7 The Work of Collaboration 133Chapter 31 Myths 135Myth 1: Collaboration Just Happens on Its Own 136Myth 2: Collaboration Is Intuitive for Everyone 136Myth 3: Collaboration Is an Act of Lightening the Workload 136Myth 4: Collaboration Is a One-Size-Fits-All Endeavor 137Myth 5: Collaboration Is about Finding the Right Technological Tools 137Chapter 32 Human: The X Factor 139Chapter 33 I Need It! 143An Organization Created in Collaboration 144Chapter 34 Do You Trust Me? 147Chapter 35 Fight Club 153Chapter 36 The Hire 159Part 8 Getting Out There! 165Chapter 37 Why Brand Matters 167A Practical Guide to Branding 169Chapter 38 A Personal Brand? 171Accidental Lessons about Personal Branding 173Chapter 39 The Pitch 175An Idea Worth Sharing 180Chapter 40 Life in a Digital Age 183Conclusion 191A Note about Failure 192Recommendations for Further Reading 195About the Author 199Index 201