Episode 5

OK, I know it's over-used, I know it's been used by me as recently as last week AND the week before ... but, please will someone think outside the box? Literally! You see I'm not talking about ideas this time because Net Worth did have a great out-of-the-box idea with the mobile casting director. I'm talking literally about the box. The VERY nice box given to each team by Airstream Trailers ... are you eatin' what I'm cookin'? How do the prospective clients of each team know what the inside of the trailer is like? Did anyone consider putting the team's collective efforts using the outside of the Airstream to help market the product? Just a thought.

Now that I've got that off my chest let's discuss the project itself. I'm really starting to sound like a broken record but kudos to team Net Worth! In a project that played out on the streets of New York the street-smart team came up with an original idea and saw it through. The last three words: saw it through being key. Did you notice that when the first calls to casting directors flopped horribly the entire team did not give up? No, Tara stepped in and got it done! One could criticize her for overpaying but not me ... they were under the gun and needed results. Once Net Worth hit the street with their decked out (or decked in) Airstream the entire team was fired up and working together. Then, as is often the case, things didn't happen immediately. This is where they won the task ... they kept plugging, didn't go negative and held their price. It takes guts, doesn't always work but can and in this case, did pay off.

Magna, on the other hand developed a much safer idea with the mobile spa. Not so original but a valid business idea. Here's the part where I defend Michael: if your idea is ordinary (thousands of companies sell ordinary everyday stuff) your promotion must be extraordinary. Was Massage-A-Go-Go the right name? Maybe not but brainstorming is about getting ALL the crazy stuff out there and usually leads to something original and effective. Too bad there was so much ill will towards Michael that the team simply wouldn't listen. Here's the part where I don't defend Michael: I wish I could say none of us saw this coming, seriously Michael, you've got to learn how to get along with your team mates. Conviction and belief in one's ideas is a good thing but wouldn't it be nice to see your ideas implemented because you sold them on their merits, listened to others concerns, were flexible and generally acted like an adult? Then when Magna was in the midst of the task you were very good at pointing out all the problems ... I can't, I can't, I can't. Identifying problems and shooting down ideas is the easy part, remember how you felt about your name idea being discounted? A leader goes a step further and suggests solutions. Still, you could have lasted another week despite being a huge blip on Mr. Trump's radar (in the not-so-good way). But just as you were slipping off that proverbial radar screen ... BLIP BLIP BLIP you threw yourself right back on! Once again, pointing out problems.

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