Some people read in the bathroom. I read while walking. Another reason to read in print - most people judge (and shouldn’t) people looking at or reading screen devices. But less so when it’s an actual book, magazine or newspaper! One just looks like a nerd. Who hopefully doesn’t trip while walking.
Anyway - the point is - great point presented by Thomas Goetz in Inc. for his Launch Pad column in Inc. Magazine. He asks: “Can your business pass The Donut Test?” The Donut tastes really good and people really want it, but should you make it for them? What are the consequences of what your business makes (no offense to our donut making friends who have built businesses on donut making shops and other treats!)
Thomas presents his example with with Facebook News Feed, which Greg Marra, then a Facebook product manager talking to Thomas when Thomas was at Wired magazine, likened to people just eating a bunch of donuts. Facebook thought to just give the people more donuts since that’s what they wanted. But if you talk to people, Greg said, they said “I actually want to eat fewer donuts and maybe have a kale smoothie.”
Hard core anti-kale people will throw rotten tomatoes at this concept (I’m eating salted seaweed chips right now!), but you get it. If you keep feeding the people just donuts, the people will be angry, depressed, and probably illness ridden. So can the business switch it up? And is your business doing something to improve people’s lives. Help them move. Feel better with no crashes. Bring people together.
It was a good read.