One of the questions that was asked approximately 250 times in an audience of 530 when we put our Eric Ries Lean Startup talk together in London this January (link to video and Q&A here), went along the lines of, “Yeah, yeah yeah, but this doesn’t actually effect us as we’re too big to be Lean.”

I wish I had read this article by Sukumar Rajagopal, CIO of Cognizant on the Pursuit of Employee Delight before then.

http://thebln.com/2012/06/the-lean-startup-virus-mutates-this-time-its-bigger-than-ever/

We’re delighted to be hosting Ken Segall, Apple’s ex Creative Head and Marketing Director at our CEO Tales held at Imperial College London, 6-9.00pm on 31st May. We asked everyone that registered what question they would like to ask Ken. With over 200 people registered now, we thought it was time to have a look at some of the questions and we thought we would share them. While, ”What was Steve Jobs’ most annoying trait?’ amused us, we’re not sure it will make the cut.

http://thebln.com/2012/05/what-was-steve-jobs-most-annoying-trait-other-questions-for-ken-segall-ceo-tales-london-31st-may/

Alternative forms of finance – interview with Ed Orr, co-Founder & Chairman, Mr & Mrs Smith Bond Issue as an alternative to venture funding or an AIM flotation. Interesting idea for the right kind of business.

http://thebln.com/2012/05/alternative-forms-of-finance-interview-with-ed-orr-co-founder-chairman-mr-mrs-smith-bond-issue/

Can Apple be as successful without Steve Jobs leading the way?

Our next BLN CEO Tales in London on 31st May with Ken Segall is proving exceedingly popular. Not only is Ken sharing one of the few ‘insider’s views’ on why Apple has been the phenomenal success over the past 15 years, his book, ‘Insanely Simple, the obsession that drives Apple’s success‘, has just hit the New York Times bestseller list with some rave reviews.

We were delighted when he agreed to write a guest blog for us and as we’ve asked each registered attendee to send us a question for Ken, we decided to ask him to pick one and answer it here. it is probably one of the most common questions asked about Apple.

Here’s his response…

http://thebln.com/2012/05/guest-blog-ken-segall-ex-head-of-marketing-at-apple-the-future-of-a-jobs-less-apple/

Daily Telegraph announces paid content for mobile at BLNMiM

http://thebln.com/2012/03/the-death-of-paywalls-has-been-greatly-exaggerated-now-everyone-is-doing-it/

Intellectual property is not just for the benefit of American entrepreneurs and investors. Others have rights too.

http://thebln.com/2012/03/intellectual-property-is-not-just-for-the-benefit-of-american-entrepreneurs-or-corporates/

MiM2012 shortlist - the finalists for the BLN Making it Mobile Awards 2012.

http://thebln.com/2012/03/announcing-the-shortlist-for-mim-2012-a-bakers-dozen-who-are-making-it-mobile/

“The customer rarely buys what the company thinks it is selling them”.

From Julius Caesar to FedEx via milkshakes. An amazing talk by Professor Clayton Christensen at Business of Software 2011.

http://thebln.com/2012/03/from-julius-caeser-to-fedex-via-milkshakes-professor-clayton-christensen-talks-innovation-sense-at-business-of-software/

I love Young Me Moon's book, 'Different'.

It is one of our 'required texts' for new starts (as of now). This is our excellent new start Rachel's review.

http://thebln.com/2012/02/different-by-youngme-moon/

Companies coming to MiM 2012, March 22nd 2012.

http://thebln.com/2012/02/mim-2012-attending-companies-mobile-world-congress-inspired-mim-award-early-bird-ticket-deadline-extension/

Videos of VouChaCha, Qriously & ParcelGenie @ MiM2011.

#MiM2012 Award entry deadline - Midnight 4th March.

bit.ly/yjfZtz

How to be an effective networker when you are an introvert.

http://thebln.com/2012/02/how-to-be-an-effective-networker-when-you-are-an-introvert/

50 of the Best British Mobile Apps

http://thebln.com/2012/02/50-of-the-best-british-mobile-apps/

Print media is dead! Or is it?

Newspapers are finally waking up to the importance of new business models and the opportunities that new channels deliver. Nice interview with some interesting examples of new and creative ways of driving new revenues at newspapers with Director of Mobile at Telegraph Media Group.

http://thebln.com/2012/02/director-of-mobile-telegraph-media-group-on-new-business-models-and-opportunities-for-print-media/

Mobile banking in the ‘first world’ is so, well, ‘third world’.

Today Barclays launched Pingit, a new service that allows you to send money via your mobile phone to other UK bank accounts. You have to be a Barclays customer to send money. It seems astonishing in 2012 that this is heralded as a, ‘new’ service in the UK. MPesa, has operated very successfully, initially in Kenya, Tanzania and Afghanistan, since 2007.

http://thebln.com/2012/02/mobile-banking-in-the-first-world-is-so-well-third-world/

I’m liking the new honest approach Vodafone is taking in its advertising. Must be Yoda.

"We taxes don't pay"

http://thebln.com/2012/02/im-liking-the-new-honest-approach-vodafone-is-taking-in-its-advertising-must-be-yoda/

Making it Mobile Judging Panel. Entry deadline for private UK companies 1st March. If you are a mobile business, you probably want to get in front of buyers like these...

http://thebln.com/2012/02/meet-the-most-influential-people-in-mobile-mim-award-2012-judges/

Great slides and report from Altimeter Group, (the future of technology research by the way), on mobile retails strategies.

http://thebln.com/2012/02/attention-all-retailers-whats-your-app-really-about/

I think Tim Bradshaw at the FT has picked up on a piece of that puzzle as he notes Bango’s share price boosting (40% jump on day) deal with Facebook that possibly allows Facebook to offer direct-to-carrier payments for virtual cows, sheep etc and thus find a way to by-pass the awkward Apple rule about paying 30% of revenue through iPhone and iPad apps…

http://thebln.com/2012/02/facebook-bango-deal-might-give-big-clue-to-facebooks-mobile-strategy/

Oooh! A no BS event about how mobile is actually being used to make companies money. How unusual - and EARLY BIRDS close today.

The BLN MiM Forum brings mobile buyers together with companies and investors who are delivering mobile today. March 22nd, London.

http://makingitmobile2012.thebln.com/

The three best videos you will watch this week – pole dancing, rap & formation nano quadrotors.

http://thebln.com/2012/02/the-three-best-videos-you-will-watch-this-week-pole-dancing-rap-formation-nano-quadrotors-awesome/

Lessons learned – Tesco and mobile customer experience.

http://thebln.com/2012/02/lessons-learned-tesco-and-mobile-customer-experience/

Apple, Bill Gates & Patagonia. Corporate greed, philanthropy & the perils of doing good.

http://thebln.com/2012/01/apple-bill-gates-patagonia-corporate-greed-philanthropy-the-perils-of-doing-good/

Sky, Big Brother & Strictly Come Dancing find mobile glues consumers to their seats.

http://thebln.com/2012/01/sky-big-brother-strictly-come-dancing-find-mobile-glues-consumers-to-their-seats/

Eirc Ries, The Lean Startup in London. Slide deck with added bonus, 'The myths of Lean'.

http://thebln.com/2012/01/eric-ries-the-lean-startup-bln-ceo-tales-slide-deck/

Press and blog coverage of Eric Ries, The Lean Startup in London.

http://thebln.com/2012/01/eric-ries-the-lean-startup-london-what-did-you-think-press-blog-coverage/

This short, fascinating talk from Nick Lansley (Head of R&D, Tesco.com) reveals the real reasons why Tesco entered mobile, their experimental approach and how they increased sales and profit as a result.

http://thebln.com/2012/01/how-tesco-profits-from-mobile/

Pictures from the BLN CEO Tales – Eric Ries, The Lean Startup. Put your pictures on Flickr and tag them BLNLean to share.

http://thebln.com/2012/01/pictures-from-eric-ries-the-lean-startup-in-london/

We got lots of stuff to post today so it is a shame we are only showing a stolen cartoon of a koala making love to a goat while Oprah sits on a Jet Ski with Jesus.

http://thebln.com/2012/01/we-got-lots-of-stuff-to-post-today-so-it-is-a-shame-we-are-only-showing-a-stolen-cartoon-of-a-koala-making-love-to-a-goat-while-oprah-sits-on-a-jet-ski-with-jesus/

Questions from the audience for the sell out BLN CEO Tales event with Eric Ries, The Lean Startup on 16th January 2012. Vote for your favourite question by pasting it into the comments of this post. We will ask some of the most popular ones on the night.

http://thebln.com/2012/01/eric-ries-the-lean-startup-16th-january-2012-questions-for-eric/

Eric ries, The Lean Startup in London. Attendee List.

http://thebln.com/2012/01/eric-ries-the-lean-startup-16th-january-2012-attendee-list/

Mobile company looking for customers or investors? You should enter the MiM2012 Award.

http://thebln.com/2012/01/6-reasons-why-entering-the-mim-award-2012-is-a-very-good-idea/

Industries evolve and innovate fine, even if the companies that make up an industry end up failing.

http://thebln.com/2012/01/it-isnt-the-industry-that-cannot-innovate-it-is-the-companies-operating-in-it/

Rory Sutherland, vice-chairman of Ogilvy on the utter folly of an engineering solution to high speed rail links.

http://thebln.com/2012/01/new-hs2-link-approved-if-only-they-had-listened-to-rory-sutherland/

the ex-vegetarian who now runs a whole animal butchery.

http://thebln.com/2012/01/the-ex-vegetarian-who-now-runs-a-whole-animal-butchers-shop/

Thinking of coming to listen and talk about Lean Startups at next week’s event with Eric Ries – http://thebln.com/event/18544/? In exactly seven days from now we will be sitting down to listen and think.

If you want to come, please get in quick! We already have great people coming from these companies...

http://thebln.com/2012/01/eric-ries-the-lean-startup-in-london-monday-16th-january-registration-closing-soon-here-are-the-companies-registered-already/