(A note to readers - the first section of today's column is filled with reflections and could be deemed to be self-congratulatory. You may want to skip down to the section entitled Enable 2.0. - MN)
Time flies when you are having fun. It is hard to believe that Enable has been up and running for over 14 months. It seems like only yesterday that I was sitting in Globes' offices discussing the need for a column like Enable.
Enable came into being because there is so much information available on the Internet that surfing for vital business information, data and resources can be counter productive - and a waste of time and money. Enable set out to solve this problem and to provide added value by explaining how to use the Internet as a business tool.
Based on reader emails and meetings with readers at conferences and seminars, Enable has been highly successful and has exceeded all of our original expectations. Based on reader feedback, the key to Enable's popularity is the fact that Enable does not just provide useful links - its shows you how to apply the data and information contained in the links to the benefit of your company.
Who Reads Enable?
Enable's readers are comprised of:
- Start-ups
- Publicly traded companies
- Multinational high-tech companies
- The Israel Patent Office
- Investment bankers
- Venture capitalists
- Head hunters
- Marketing and business consultants
- Lawyers
- Accountants
- My mother
In addition, I was very pleased to learn that the local affiliate of a major foreign university has been using Enable as part of its curriculum. Several readers have also set up their own newsletters and use Enable as part of the content provided.
Most important of all - many readers have used Enable to prepare their own business plans and to raise money.
All in all, Enable has exceeded all of our expectations and we are all proud of its success.
Enable Version 2.0
We are not resting on our laurels! We know that speed is becoming more and more important in today's dynamic business arena. We also understand that no one in the business world really has enough time to achieve all of his or her objectives. Therefore, starting this week, Enable will begin to provide you with business tools that will both accelerate your business and save you valuable time. We will focus exclusively on two primary areas:
- Getting and staying up to speed regarding business, financial and technological information and trends
- Achieving rapid growth
We will accomplish this by sticking with our basic premise of providing you with a great added value sites - and more importantly, explaining how you should use - and reuse -- each site as a vital business tool.
Some examples of sites that we will cover that will get and keep you up to speed include:
- www.davenetics.com
- www.wap.com
- www.nua.ie/newthinking/
- www.idc.com/itforecaster
- www.msdw.com
Some examples of sites that will help you grow your business rapidly include:
- www.freeedgar.com
- www.mckinsey.com/
- www.rjsventures.com/smartagree/smartnewsmay1.htm
- www.interactive-week.com
- www.sgcowen.com
Feedback, please!
In the coming weeks we will cover the above sites and many more. Some of the sites may have already been discussed in the first version of Enable - but we will now update you on their new features and advantages.
As in the previous Enable, your comments and feedback are very important to us. Email them to me and we will do our best to incorporate them into Enable 2.0.
Finally, email any questions you may have. While writing the previous Enable, - now known as Enable 1.0 - I helped numerous readers, on a one-to-one basis, with a wide spectrum of business and strategic issues. I hope to provide the same service during Enable 2.0.
Published by Israel's Business Arena on May 16, 2000.