Inspiration comes from everywhere

I love ideas. Little ones. Big ones. But I especially love ideas that make me think about things in new ways. I thought I’d share some of the ideas I’ve recently come across that have captivated my imagination or changed the way I try to do things – and hopefully will provide a spark of inspiration for you.

LIfeboxcompany.com: this is a small start up that’s changing the way products are shipped. They’ve developed cardboard boxes that are embedded with fungi and seeds, so that once the box is used, it can be planted. According to company founder Paul Stamets, you can grow a small forest in the space of two laptops in just two years. That’s thinking big in small spaces.

Four questions to create engaging conversations: If you really want to get meaningful answers in important conversations, try this – ask the following three questions: What are you doing? How’s it going? Why does it matter to you? What can I do to help? Thanks to John Marshall Roberts for sharing this with all of us so we can get to the good stuff – like their dreams and motivations.

The vegetarian butcher: With more people adopting Meatless Mondays or abandoning meat altogether, there’s more demand for meat substitutes. De Vegetarische Slager – the vegetarian butcher – opened a store in The Hague (Netherlands) that features meat substitutes including a proprietary line of lupin-based, protein-rich products that were developed by scientists and chefs. Great example of recognizing an opportunity, taking a traditional model of the neighborhood butcher and re-inventing it with thoroughly modern products.

River from the Sky: With more than 1 billion people who lack access to clean drinking water every day, providing water is a critical need particularly in developing countries. River from the Sky – or Akash Ganga – is a sustainable system of collecting rainwater from every home in a village and storing it in underground reservoirs. It’s currently being used in drought-prone villages in Rajasthan, where villagers have collected enough rainwater to meet their drinking needs for a year. That’s systemic thinking at its best, as well as re-imagining what can be done to maximize scarce natural resources.

Want more ideas? Check out springwise.com, trendwatching.com, PSFK.com, coolhunter.com and other trendwatching sites. They’re great sources of inspiration and can help us as marketers understand what’s next on the horizon.