Shall we grow to 25 locations? Let me know: I wanted to publish my initial thoughts on how we want to grow PSFK in 2008. I’d love your feedback and, more than that, we’d love you to get involved.
PSFK In 2008
We are committed to our mission to inspire people to make change to make things better. We will do this by publishing news, thoughts and opinion to our readers, and by working with clients to help them innovate through understanding global trends and ideas.
PSFK swims in a sea of interesting, stimulated, connected creative-thinkers from around the globe. Our site allows us to talk to these people and also hear back from them – directly or via their own digital properties. There seems to be 2 broad segments in this pool – those who are in the trends and insights business, and those who work at the cutting edge of culture.
What has become apparent is that the evolution of our digital connectivity has allowed PSFK to grow beyond the office at 536 Broadway. For a while now, we’ve had writers contributing from all around the world, international scouts and consultants supporting us – and then, two of those writers (Amanda Gore and Matthias Weber) set up nodes for the network.
In a very short time, we acquired clients for the UK and Germany and those nodes have now become permanent Offices.
In 2007, the PSFK network helped companies like BMW, CocaCola, Johnson & Johnson, MTV, Nestle and SK Telecom on an international level. In 2008, PSFK will work with these and new clients using the network rather than dividing work by location. As a network we can run writing assignments and consultancy contracts internationally – we can all work on a project, no matter where we are.
As our backbone, PSFK has amassed a vast amount of trends and ideas data which we use and add to on every project. Non-proprietary data in the PSFK database is available to every node to support their consultancy projects. In return, each node and office adds local knowledge to the database and they provide public examples of this knowledge with new posts on PSFK.com.
In order to handle the international projects we have been tasked with and grow the business to encourage new business opportunities, in 2008 we don’t see why PSFK can’t grow to 25 international nodes.
At first, these nodes could be simple relationships with trends, research and insights professionals in different markets where they represent PSFK; and as we get to know them and as they want to dedicate their time to PSFK, PSFK will establish a permanent office with them to supply clients’ and readers’ needs.
For every node and office, PSFK benefits with new local editorial for PSFK.com, access to new clients, a greater reach to influencers and tastemakers working at the cutting edge of culture.
Where do we find people to help us evolve PSFK? We don’t. They find us. Or more probably, they’ve found us. And we just need to create systems to let it happen.
So in 2008 PSFK is going to formalize:
• Purple List – a select international network of trends and ideas professionals
• ThinksAlike – A broad global network of Tastemakers and Ideas people
• PSFK Nodes – A network of nodes that grow from the our friends on the Purple List
• PSFK Offices – A network of professionals contributing full time to the PSFK network
• Partner Services – Products and services co-created with companies and agencies.
By growing our offering, we will increase our ability to make change. The greater reach and the broader knowledge will fuel our ability to inspire.
The Purple List
PSFK is going to create a ‘rolodex’ of trend and ideas professionals that will be available to PSFK and possible clients through an openly available website. PSFK and prospects could find and hire select professionals through the site based on experience, skill base, geography, price and so on.
The ThinksAlike Network (working title)
With the large pool of informed and influential people we have got to known, a large number of these people seem willing to contribute to a greater discussion on global and local topics. In 2008 PSFK will create a system that allows individuals, organizations and companies to poll these people in return for compensation (financial, social or other).
In a way, what we’ll do is open up the market research industry by helping anyone in the Think Alike network to ask any other ThinkAliker their opinion on a question or issue.
PSFK Nodes
Ideas and trends professionals in different geographies could represent and work with PSFK. Professionals in the same geography but with different skills, could team up while keeping their other interests independent. These nodes will both represent PSFK locally and work on PSFK consultancy projects globally.
PSFK Offices
A PSFK Office is a permanent, full time operation. Nodes can evolve to become offices. Like the nodes, PSFK Offices will represent PSFK locally and work on PSFK consultancy projects globally.
We could also partner with established companies and agencies to offer a PSFK-inside solution – where the PSFK Office works within a partner’s physical office.
Partner Services
2007 saw the development of a joint venture called Peep (www.peepinsights.com) with backers. In 2008, PSFK looks to extend its brand and therefore its influence with joint ventures with agencies and companies. Products could run from co-branded trend-reports to separate idea-related ventures.
(And for PSFK.com, the conferences and the sister sites?)
Each of PSFK’s plans will benefit the sites and conferences. ThinksAlikers will get added kudos in their profile if they contribute regularly to PSFK; and by ‘representing PSFK locally’ nodes and offices would write about ideas, trends and inspiration that’s impacting the world around them. We will also continue to grow our blossoming conference business leveraging the people we know and love.
And how can you get involved?
All these projects require the help of friends and partners. Drop PSFK a line with the form below with the relevant service in the Subject Line (e.g. ThinksAlike). We’d be happy to hear from you as we evolve our thinking over the Holiday period.
[CONTACT-FORM]
(1st published on Dec 17)
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