Your Long Tail is Showing

80% of Blockbuster's movie rentals are big-budget, big star vehicles (I think they like to call 'em blockbusters). On the other hand, 80% of Netflix's business comes from the art house, specialty, independent or small movie (you know, flix). Our long tail is showing.

Chris Anderson coined the phrase "The Long Tail" in a Wired Magazine article, later turning the concept into a book (shown at right). The cover announces that "the future of business is selling less of more."

When you think about the Arizona economy, you could say that we have a long tail business base. While we can appreciate having large employers that focus on a more traditional "blockbuster" business approach, we can also appreciate having a large share of businesses that collectively "sell more of less."

Let's not get so caught up in comparing ourselves to the blockbuster cities of the past and focus on what will likely be a diversified and bright economic future.

Addendum, fresh from the markets: Blockbuster posted a wider-than-expected loss this past quarter as it spent an inordinate amount of capital to chase Netflix's business model.

Friday Thinking Joke: Seeing the Obvious

Roger Van Oech is the creator of the Creative Whack Pack, among other things. He is the inaugural member of the Friday thinking joke club here at Hotel Arizona. Click here to read the story he relates as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson work to deduce the more obvious secrets of their place in the universe (sort of).

Number Two, Trying Harder?

Phoenix is the number two major metro for new college graduates. That was the conclusion after BizJournals crunched the numbers and we were edged out of the top spot by – surprise – Las Vegas. I assume that this has something to do with Vegas having showgirls.

But hold on. The previously heralded retirement mecca symbolized by Sun City has ostensibly been measured as one of the best large metro areas where job opportunities are strongest for young adults.

Question: do they understand that they are not Medicare-eligible?

Getting on the Train

Time to get the train on the track. How unclear the destination is only makes the trip more interesting and fun. This is the story of ambiguity and clarity emerging from practice.

Arizona's future is a lot like the view of this photo. We're on the tracks, but not so sure where we're going. Sometimes we care (like when NIMBY-ism kicks in) and other times we act like we don't. In the end though, we can make it all matter and turn Arizona into an even better place in the process.

There' s room at the table for anyone who cares about this place. Lots of folks are dancing on former Arizona Republic columnist Jon Talton's professional grave now that he no longer rails against what's wrong here, but I believe that Jon did care in his own way. That said, positive assessment and drawing on what we have rather than criticizing what we lack stands as the better approach.

Hotel Arizona is one place you can check-in, kick back, think, talk, relax and enjoy.