The United Nations is the global governing body that essentially attempts to manage all global affairs.

If the United Nations was fully funded why would we need the Arc or social enterprise?

In Ngaire Woods’ blog post “Four ways to change the way we lead“, Woods expresses her views on how global governance can be changed for the better. I agree with many of the viewpoints including the four changes she proposed.

• Considering the view from academia
• Overcoming the challenges of leadership
• Promoting change
• Choosing battles

The purpose of the United Nations is to maintain international peace and foster social and economic development. Although the most powerful international organization in the world is fully funded, the reason why social enterprises and initiatives such as the Arc are needed is because of Woods’ four critical points. Considering the fact that the UN is composed of world leaders with drastically different viewpoints, it is difficult for them to make decisions. With large-scale decisions, it is almost impossible to come to a consensus. If it’s already such a difficulty to make decisions, the United Nations will face even further problems in choosing which problems to solve. Let’s face it – there are way too many problems in our world for one group to solve, no matter how powerful they are.

Sauder has extended their ARC initiative to many countries including Ethiopia.

This is where social enterprises take action. Due to the fact that the United Nations is unable to effectively handle every single issue on their radar, it is up to society to step in. Social enterprises are able to remedy global issues with their contributions, whether it be small or large. Without them, the UN would be on their own trying to solve every issue on the planet. Woods’ four points are great in theory, but very difficult to implement and ultimately idealistic. I think the UN is functioning as intended and social enterprises are simply necessary to keep Earth spinning.

Google Glass.

I remember watching the official Google Glass promotion video on YouTube last year and being completely astounded by the technology that was featured in the product. If you asked me then, I would’ve been certain that the product would turn the tech market on its head and every tech savvy consumer would want to get their hands on their own pair of “smart glasses” as soon as possible. A year later, the promising “Google Glass” seems to be all but forgotten.

There has been much speculation regarding why the product hasn’t taken off in the market. Some experts say it’s because of the expensive price tag while others have blamed poor marketing. In my opinion, the $1500 price tag is not the issue especially considering an iPhone is priced at half that amount and consumers don’t even hesitate to grab the latest model. While Google hasn’t focused too much on advertising their newest product, the hype surrounding Google Glass was undeniable. So what’s holding it back?

Google Glass gives users an “augmented reality” experience similar to the one seen in Ironman.

Juniper Research predicts that Google Glass won’t “take off” until 2018. A bold prediction that seemed unjustified at first, but the more I think about Google Glass, the more it rings true. In class lectures, we learned that a crucial aspect of any product is how effectively it relieves a consumer pain. That’s where the product falls short. As the article says, the smart-glasses “lack a key consumer use case”. Sure Google Glass features a variety of new technology that may be exciting for a niche market of tech enthusiasts, it has little to no appeal to most consumers. Smartphones have the same functionality in a more convenient and practical package.

Perhaps in the future, Google Glass will make a breakthrough but in our world today, there is no place for Glass.

A great idea on paper, but lacks purpose in everyday life.

The once iconic North Face Nuptse jacket is falling out of popularity.

As North Face’s Nuptse jacket falls out of flavour, the Vancouver male demographic is constantly searching for the next best alternative to get them through the chilly winter. Although many different companies have tried to take the spot at the top, it seems that Canada Goose has come out of the brawl victorious. While many outerwear companies have moved to Asia to reduce costs and stay competitive, Canada Goose refuses to do so. Even after their sale to a U.S. private equity firm, CEO Dani Reiss refuses to put the quality of their jackets at risk. The company insists on staying “Made-in-Canada” and has committed to the decision by opening a new 100,000-square-foot factory in Toronto.

Canada Goose outerwear has been a popular buy despite their large price tag.

Staying true to their business model, Canada Goose expects double-digit growth in the following years. Reiss, unlike other CEOs in the outerwear industry, believes that it is extremely important to maintain premium quality even if it means keeping their price seemingly non-competitive. I think that Reiss’ approach is why the company has had such unparalleled success in their respective market. By trusting in their original business model of Canadian-made products and living up to their promise of sustainability, it’s no surprise that Canada Goose has found a spot at the top. At premium prices of up to $1,000 per jacket, more and more customers are still choosing Canada Goose over its competitors. As an owner of a few of their products, I think consumers are attracted to the company because of their reliability and reputation. When you purchase a Canada Goose jacket, you get exactly what you pay for – a luxurious, durable jacket constructed with sustainable yet high-end materials. Moving forward, I think many companies will follow in their footsteps and realize that price is not the only deal-breaker when it comes to outerwear.

Stylish and durable, Canada Goose jackets has found its home in many closets.

ABC’s Scandal averages 10 million viewers every Thursday night.

I was watching ABC’s Scandal last night and Mellie Grant (played by Bellamy Young) was continuously grieving over her dead son for numerous episodes. During these episodes, I noticed just how often they focused on the UGG boots Young was wearing as a symbol of comfort. I wondered, how on earth did the brand become so massive?

Mellie Grant in her “casual” outfit on ABC’s Scandal.

At first glance, the majority of UGG boots aren’t the most visually appealing. They are bulky, high maintenance and also sport an expensive price tag. How did the brand manage to skyrocket to success? Brian Smith, founder of UGG Australia, shared six characteristics that he saw in all successful entrepreneurs. 

• Ignorance
• Perseverance
• Knowledge of their audience
• Starting small
• Love for what they do
• Knowledge of when to step back

UGG Australia struggled to market their product for all-seasons.

In founding the worldwide success UGG Australia, Brian Smith displayed all of these traits admirably. In reality, all of these traits go hand in hand. All the odds were against Smith when he first launched his product in the early 1980s but he was ignorant enough to trust his product and maintain his faith because he truly loved what he did. With passion, he was able to persevere through the rough patches and eventually grow his small door-to-door business into a moderate success. He knew the majority market was the American demographic so he focused his advertising on that audience. After doing all he could, he sold his brand to Deckers, who elevated the brand to its full potential.

Through Smith’s story, I learned that more often than not, success is not spontaneous – especially in business. It isn’t enough to simply rely on luck to carry you to the top. A brand that I thought magically fit into consumer values actually had a long history of hardship before its massive success. Through UGG Australia, I feel more confidence in pursuing my own brand in the future and hopefully my hard work will pay off too.

If you live in the Metro Vancouver area, chances are you’ve heard of Earnest Ice Cream. Situated on Fraser and East King Edward, this humble business has bloomed into a local favorite within a matter of months. In Elaine Nguyen’s blog “Earnest Ice Cream, Seriously Good.“, the ice cream business received praise for “emphasizing their passion for sustainability and the usage of natural ingredients.” While the facts she stated about Earnest Ice Cream certainly correspond with the company’s recent success, I don’t believe their business model was completely driven by a passion for sustainability. If you ask me, their success can mostly be attributed to the company capitalizing on shifts in mainstream trends and consumer values.

Mason jars and cardboard labels

In an urban area such as Metro Vancouver, social media trends can play a large role in influencing what consumers want from the products they consume. Recently, the “hipster” trend has taken over all social media platforms and with the trend brought forward a drastic change in consumer values. Characteristics such as simplicity, minimalism, and being unique suddenly make a product much more attractive and the product Earnest Ice Cream produces fits right in. After visiting the company’s Instagram, you can see that they clearly market their product with emphasis on “hipster” appeal. The use of simplistic and unique  packaging (mason jars and paper bags) in addition to a store created with wood can easily be a strategy to appeal to the market rather than a pursue for passion. The same can be said about Herschel (Instagram), a rising travel goods company that utilizes the same strategies in their sudden rise to success.

The store executes a flawless “hipster” ambiance.

The bottom line is that it is difficult and often erroneous to judge a company’s motives based solely on their actions. Whether they are driven by passion or profit, we will never know. One thing is for sure, whatever it is they’re doing – it’s working.