Bootstrapper.com - Confessions of Serial Entrepreneurs

I would like to introduce the world to Ponoko.com, one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. They allow anyone to easily design physical products, have them custom made, even just one at a time and give people the ability to sell them through their marketplace. So, have an idea for a new kitchen sink? Make it with konoko. Seriously, this is amazing. They use some sort of fancy laser (death rays?) to make the goods. It is a revolution in manufacturing and I think could be a huge business.

I interviewed Derek Elley over the phone and I no longer remember exactly what he said so he emailed me the following: “Armed with nothing more than an idea, professional and hobbiest designers, makers, crafters, hackers and artists can turn their ideas into real products - and new revenue streams - using our web commerce and digital make-on-demand services. No upfront costs. No minimum orders. No inventory. Simply click to design, make, sell and deliver your creativity to the world, at your own speed. his means buyers can search for and buy the most original of things from around the world. And what’s even more amazing, you can download, mashup and click to make product plans into goods completely individualized to you.

Ponoko manages every detail for you to trade original user-generated digital and physical products. This service includes a personal web showroom for you to show, share or sell your stuff, a personal online factory for you to ‘click to make‘, hosting, secure payment processing, order management, on-demand production, fulfillment, customer service and online sharing tools.”

Wow.

I just picked up a copy of Wired and found a story on Ponoko.com and let me tell  you, it’s amazing. Ponoko does on the spot manufacturing using some really fancy laser rutters. I don’t even understand what it is exactly but I know it’s amazing. Someone can send in a design and has as little as 1 copy made - without set up costs. It is truly revolutionary and can open up a whole range of micro-industry. It’s the exact opposite of Etsy - where you can get one of a kind handmade goods. Both are amazing. Go make stuff!

So how do you know if your technology is too sexy? Yea, that’s right, too sexy. Not all technology is meant to be super snappy flashy fun. Simple, look for a friend, ask their parents (can’t be techies) if they understand what your site does and how it functions, if they answer yes, you are a winner. If they go huh? -unless you are targeting the under 16 market go back to the drawing board - esp. if you think are revolutionizing something. Revolutionizing = should be simple. If it’s not simple, no one will ever use it.

The Parent Rule

Now that i have your attention i want to let everyone in on a secret. If you want to know the future of online advertising and technology, look no further than porn. Porn has always been 2 years ahead of the curve and several cup sizes. And yes, it’s fun research too!

We are an addictive society. Drugs, alcohol, smokes & technology. And I think technology is the most dangerous addiction of all. Now before you call me crazy - let me explain…

Technology is revolutionary, esp. with the Internet in the last few years in its ability to put everything at your fingertips. What happens then is that people (we) become tethered to a machine and anti-social. We sit for hours in front of a computer typing when we could be outdoors, being normal, athletic and seeing people. Therefore my theory is that as a result of our great technical advances, we are becoming a more manic depressive society. The less we are around people, the more we close ourselves in and less we properly express to the world. If you are my friend, i do not give a crap about your blog or your twitter - i want to see, hear, touch you, not an electronic representation of you. People have been saying this for years but I think the last year or so it has gone more extreme as social networking has taken of. I want to be social and to network. I don’t want to be a social networker! (forget the fact that I’ve helped people build and market networks and have several properties in development now- i’m a hypocrite yes - which furthers my point)

Where did all the people go? You go outside and there’s less people around then there used to be and I’m not talking 20 years ago, I’m talking 4 years ago. Give me my people back!

And the result of depression: booze, smokes and drugs! And the cycle gets worse because people don’t get treated for being internet addicts though they should.

My recommendation is do what I did, I threw away my smart phones (and i was a very early adopter - remember the treos that were grey with a see through plastic cover - I had those) and get an internet free shitty durable phone with no IM, no video camera, no net, no box scores, no email and no smart features and get yourself a pocket sized yellow pad. Remember those? They sell them at staples and relax and see people.

Now I should take my own advice, and get the hell out of here…

Did you ever notice that over the last few years there are less people on the streets? Did you also realize that you see less of your friends and tend to have less meaningful conversations. I like talking to people in person. I would rather talk then blog yet i’m drawn here. I like people, what happened to me?