Our world has changed forever. By our world I mean the newsagency world. Changes are not stopping either. Indeed, I think the pace of change has picked up.
One of the best places to see beyond changes we are confronted by today is a place focussed on the future. That is what Slush 2016 is – a gathering of 17,000+ people talking about start-ups. There is no better place to contemplate the future than in an environment dedicated to the future.
While many of the start-ups have nothing directly to do with what newsagents do, plenty relate to changes we can contemplate – such as changing tracks to serve how people will consume in the future compared to how they consume today.
Slush 2016 is proving to be a good place to think about these things, to contemplate change, the urgency of change and what our businesses may look like. I get that some like the traditional newsagency. Nostalgia is something to appreciate. However, it may not pay the bills – not for enough newsagents at least.
There is nothing like this back in Australia. If we see a story on TV or in a newspaper about change it is already old. It is at start-up events like Slush where you hear about the idea while it is still fresh.
To set the scene, here is a brief clip from the amazing opening:
This blog is not the place for me to share specific takeaways, of which there are many – personal and business.
Here are some photos from the event.
This session on dying was extraordinary.