Genius and construction marketing: Can they be linked?

The unorthodox decision to invite a genius to speak at annual business planning meeting has led to some simple, but elegant, business advice (which applies for virtually any enterprise):

Truly successful businesses should be:

• Providing a product/service that people or organizations need.
• Providing that service/product better than the next company.
• Resilience to weather the inevitable bad times associated with business cycles.
• Businesses should be designed and operated for the long-term.
• It is important to always treat clientele with respect. Clients often remember the personal interaction as much as the service/product.
• Have realistic expectations for business development/growth – this  is why a long-term vision is required.
• Believe in the product/service being offered. It should be something that speaks to you as a person.

Alfred Simpson provided this advice from his son, who has built a highly successful research/consulting business relating to native land claims.  The Simpsons are members of a First Nations band.  Alfred lives modestly, in a rent-controlled apartment and takes public transport to get around.

Simpson is beyond brilliant.  He is at the 99.997 per cent intelligence level -- that is, if you gathered 30,000 people in a community, he almost certainly would be the smartest person.  I'm not sure of his son's intelligence, but expect it is at the same rarefied level.

I explain how I came to meet Simpson in the "other" Construction Marketing Ideas blog. Through a most unusual set of circumstances, my first-and second-degree network now includes about 150 geniuses.