Design and Decisions. Good Bad Ugly Beautiful.
What goes into decision making? Does it feel good or bad? Is it beautiful or ugly? Would you do it again? Ultimately, for me, it’s would I do it again? Yes or No. It’s a binary answer to a complex set of questions. Would I go back to a restaurant? Take someone out for date #2? Watch a film again? Buy a 2nd bottle of that same wine? Take a 2nd or last bite??
Or is it in that middle “desert island” where that product, service or person has all the components of greatness, yet it’s just not there. As I awake after a fitful “night” of sleep, crazy vivid dreams, ones where I’m working / arguing over a bad decision, one that was forced upon me by (I guess, it’s a dream after all) a business partner / colleague, a decision that I refuse, ending whatever relationship that was supposed to be. I went to sleep, not feeling well at all, like a virus (bad decision?) was trying to force itself upon me, one that I (my immune system) refused.
So I awoke, still not 100% but feeling much better, listening to the various street sounds below, the gulls crying in distance, the “morning” light peeking through the hotel curtains. And an angry red LED forcing itself into my vision. The TV. Another bully of bad decisionmaking, surprisingly from SONY who usually get’s so much right. It’s RED LED “I’M OFF” eternal notification light, forcing itself and it’s creator’s bad decisions upon my bleary eyes. And so here we are, talking about Design and Decisions. Good Bad Ugly Beautiful.
I feel sorry for that red light, like an angry, broken human, its sole purpose in life to force it’s negativity upon us weary travelers. I’m OFF! A bad decision and design!
A good decision I made yesterday was to enlist the help of superstar travel agent Lauma, of Latvia Tours! We spent a few hours organizing all the (literal) PAPERwork to (hopefully) get my arse into Minsk, Belarus. See some countries haven’t figured out, what Nick Mazeika and Chris Jenkins call the slippery sales funnel. Get OUT of your customers way!! Make it EASY for them to buy from you. Unfortunately (another BAD design) is the PAPERwork, and actual physical photo that you must hand deliver or snail mail to a consulate, to get into Belarus, a former USSR territory. Plus the fee! Charge an “entry fee” (visa, tax, call it whatever, a cover charge) but make it EASY! Russia, China, Brazil and Venezuela all have this same “barrier to entry”. Barrier of entry into my wallet. Dorks!! Get with the (free trade / free travel) times!
Oh and BTW, Happy 4th of July to Everyone! Celebrate your independence from bad design, poor decision making and ugly standards. Grow, think, learn and evolve. Practice Continuous Improvement! Join us here, the Entrepreneur Social Club (online if you must, or in person every Thursday Night in St. Pete, Florida at venue NOVA 535)
Speaking of good decisions, and well, now, restaurants, let’s take a quick look at a Good Decision that I made, one filled with delicious design! Unfortunately I leave Riga today, before lunch so I cannot return to 3 Restorans, where the food, service and atmosphere were delightful. A must visit while in Riga. Their Fish Soup and delightful accompanying fish mini ‘burger” were both extraordinary!
I asked my fabulous waitress to provide the exact ingredients. I tried for the first time Pig Ears, which were done as well as you could with an ear. I should have had (my fav) the scallops; though now I can cross “ears’ off my list. I’ve heard that story. Again I’m so sad that I cannot return to 3 today for lunch / dinner. It’s almost worth delaying my adventure for another day, or 3, here in Riga! Speaking of good designs, these flowering bushes are breath-taking!
The only “bad’ that I encountered at 3 was their business card. Font too small and so uninspiring. For a restaurant that nailed EVERYTHING else so deliciously well, please send your card to a pro designer. Take a look at yesterday’s story and well done restaurant card, Valtera Restorans. Let’s get that 2.9 back to a perfect 3.0. Winter is Coming!
Some gorgeous architecture and design, from the 1300s.
A mix of the good, bad and ugly.
What July in Riga looks like at 4:50 am, like it’s 4:50 pm. Better have THICK curtains and some black tape for our evil red LED monsters…
Let’s make some GOOD decisions and help connect the world’s Entrepreneurs! How? Share this website and blogs on your social media, and if you live in the Tampa Clearwater Sarasota St. Pete area, join us in person, every Thursday night, for a FUN and PRODUCTIVE evening (and many a late late night) with the Entrepreneur Social Club. Since 2009, growing stronger every day! Here’s to Design and Decisions. Good Bad Ugly and Beautiful. Which will YOU be choosing / creating?
