Russ: This is the BusinessMakers Show heard here and online at thebusinessmakers.com. And now it is time for the Aflac BusinessMakers Flashback, brought to you by Aflac, ask about it at work. And for this mornings Flashback we are just going to roll back to earlier this week when as my guest I had Kenn Stearns, technology fan and enthusiast telling us about the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show. We enter the discussion where I ask Kenn to give us his general perspective on this years show.

Kenn: Well, some people were saying that it was a little lighter in attendance, that things had lightened up a little bit. Maybe, some of the exhibitors that headed up to the suites in hotels, but I'll tell you it was massive. It was broken up into several venues. There wasn't enough space to contain it all. And I don't really think it's possible to visit everything so I covered as much ground as I could in four days. I kind of picked out some things that I thought were trends and that were among the best. And there were a few among the worst.

Russ: Is it actually organized well enough that with the program, you can get organized and see what you want to see?

Kenn: Well CES has done a great job with the website and My CES where you can profile yourself and then they'll try to match you with the exhibitors. What they don't tell you is that they could be scattered three apart from each other. I mean, you got part of it at the Sands and then you're back at the Convention Center and then they've got it separated up into Central and South and North. And just to make it spicy, we also have the Adult Video Convention that's going on at the same time.

Russ: At the same time, okay?

Kenn: It's a little colorful.

Russ: Okay. Well, I know you. Did you get to actually see everything that you wanted to see?

Kenn: It's impossible, I think, within that period of time to cover everything. And we were really disciplined, moving, not dwelling in a spot for a long period of time. But, you can cover the high ground and what you put on the list, but it's impossible to get every place and spend the time that you need to.

Russ: Okay. Well, tell us what you like?

Kenn: Well, I think there are some things that you could predict that was there in a large supply and that was all about flat screen everything.

Russ: Okay.

Kenn: So, there is this new type of flat screen OLED, organic light emitting diode, and those were in broad supply. They were on display. They seemed to be brighter, have more definition than the blacks and now they're going to get them down into our small screens on our PDA's and so forth.

Russ: Okay. So, is the difference, they're just real extra thin?

Kenn: That's part of it. They're thin and there's no backlight in this technology.

Russ: Okay.

Kenn: So, it tends to look a little different, at least someone with my lack of sophistication was able to pick it up and tell the difference. They looked really good.

Russ: Did they give you a hint of what they're even going to cost retail wise?

Kenn: It always seems as though the new technology and the stuff that looks the best costs the most. So, you can just count on it just costing the most.

Russ: Okay. Cool. Well, what else?

Kenn: There was a buzz before and during the conference about 3D TV and I went to a couple of, basically three major manufacturers of these flat screens that were displaying their 3D technology on both the flat screens and some projection. And some you had to wear glasses. One of the vendors you didn't have to wear glasses. I just can't see people in their living rooms hanging out, "Oh, the neighbors are coming over, dear, let's get out an extra couple of sets of 3D glasses so we can watch the latest movie.

Russ: [laughs] But the one that didn't require glasses or you tell me you could just look at this flat screen and really see dept in what was happening?

Kenn: You could look at it and you know there was always those tricks and whatever they have that's the 3D elements that are coming out of the screen: lizards and [sounds like scording] and…

Russ: Right.

Kenn: It kind of made your eyes hurt. You had to strain. You just couldn't see long term spending the weekend in front of this thing without having to call the eye doctor for some kind of adjustment.

Russ: Okay. [laughs] We'll continue on with what was of interest to you.

Kenn: Wireless is big. Wireless HD video so that you could - in the same way that we get broadband or wireless internet through a router, we can also pick up HD video.

Russ: Okay.

Kenn: That would be convenient for people that want to put their televisions in places where it may be tough to get something other than power there. Also, this power line, basically, where you can turn any electrical outlet into an HD streaming connection. So, more power to the television and I think that's probably going to follow the trend as we chase bandwidth.

Russ: Yeah.

Kenn: You know, even Obama in part of his campaign was saying, you know, we need to bring more broadband to America. So…

Russ: And what you're saying here is that we're going to be able to do that more predominantly through our power lines?

Kenn: Through the power in your home.

Russ: Okay

Kenn: I mean, right now, today, I'm getting Ethernet into a remote area of my upstairs by using this power line adaptor. And that's been around for a while. It just hasn't caught on.

Russ: Right. And what you saw here is a more user friendly version of that?

Kenn: As user friendly as that stuff can be.

Russ: Okay.

Kenn: Just plugging it into an electrical outlet must scare people or something. That's why it's not as popular as it is.

Russ: Okay.

Kenn: Kind of continuing on that wireless theme, we had wireless charging. So, they had all sorts of devices. They had a lamp and power tools, a laptop, a PDA, a stapler on a desk and they had this surface whether it was on a tool bench or on a desk and you would take these devices and put them in the designated area and they would charge without wires. So, all those little things you're trying to find the right thing to plug in whether it's your friend's or your wife's device and other - my plug doesn't fit and it's dark and is it upside down or sideways. Now, you're just going to sit it down on a surface and it will go ahead and charge.

Russ: The surface is something that's plugged into the wall that's providing charging capacity for all these different devices no matter what type of battery?

Kenn: Well, it has to be a compatible device.

Russ: Okay.

Kenn: The company has gone off and found partners…

Russ: Okay.

Kenn: So, you had the Battery Operated Tool Company and you had a mobile provider that were there and they had incorporated this technology into their devices. So, it was built into the PDA or built into the cell phone or battery.

Russ: Okay.

Kenn: But they also had it in a simulated work truck environment where there was a plastic toolkit full of battery operated wireless power tools and you would slide it into the rack to go off in the next job assignment and that thing would charge.

Russ: Okay. And on this pad where they did, I mean, you're actually not connecting the plus to the plus and the minus to the minus. You're just laying it on it?

Kenn: No, you just set it there and one of the demos so that you could see that it was actually happening…

Russ: Right.

Kenn: …that actually had a little blue LED that would light up when you got it in the zone and then the little light would illuminate…

Russ: Cool.

Kenn: …and it would be charging.

Russ: The other thing that was a little bit of a sleeper, wasn't it one of these booths that was as big as my house…

Kenn: Right.

Russ: There was a guy that demonstrating wireless electricity. He was basically flinging a kilowatt worth of electricity between two posts that were about twelve feet apart.

Kenn: Wow.

Russ: And I think we may see more with that too. I don't know really what happens if you microwave your head, if you get in between them but that wasn't part of his demo.

Kenn: No, we weren't up there climbing around trying to get in between them.

Russ: [laughs] Okay.

Kenn: The other thing that caught my eye was memory cards are something that's used in everything these days.

Russ: Oh, yeah.

Kenn: They're using it in PDA's and cell phones and cameras. As the megapixels get bigger and bigger, you're running out of space and filling these things up. Well, just so you know, there's plenty of space around the corner. They had on display at more than one vendor two terabyte memory cards both in SD and compact flash. That's, basically, 2,000 gigabytes in your pocket.

Russ: Wow, so we're not talking about external hard drives, we're talking about the little portable memory.

Kenn: Little cards that you flip into your device.

Russ: Wow.

Kenn: It'd be hard to fill those puppies up, now.

Russ: Okay.

Kenn: Whether it's Detroit's fault or auto manufacturers in general…

Russ: Right.

Kenn: …you know, the car seems to be the last place that we're finding technology is leaking into it. So, internet car radios and satellite television coming into your car. They're trying to get this stuff out to us as quick as we can.

Russ: Okay. So, you saw that on display there?

Kenn: That was in a whole exhibit hall dedicated to automobile stuff.

Russ: Okay.

Kenn: They had everything from Lamborghinis to the biggest SUV you've ever seen all with the predictable sub woofers that were thumping. You could probably hear them outdoors with it.

Russ: Right.

Kenn: But the other stuff was pretty cool.

Russ: Giving you both internet access in your vehicle as well as television access.

Kenn: That's right. Different devices, and I think even before CES, we were hearing about some people that were getting wireless routers in your car so that you could operate your wireless devices from within the passenger cabin or in the proximity of the vehicle.

Russ: Right, cool. Were there things there that you thought were ridiculous and didn't make any sense whatsoever?

Kenn: There weren't too many and you have to remember from an entrepreneurial perspective, there are the established players that are showing up that are trying to get the buyers to buy their stuff and get it out.

Russ: Sure.

Kenn: But this is also entrepreneur heaven. So, they aren't necessarily in there next to the giant booths but they're in other exhibit halls. And these guys, bless their hearts, there was a company that was selling, basically, a baseball cap that had a small stereo under the brim. That worried me. The stereo Bluetooth sunglasses.

Russ: Yeah.

Kenn: Sunglasses with these little protruding things that were supposed to fit into your ears. I guess you could only speak on the phone or do whatever you were going to listen, to whatever you were going to listen to if you were wearing your sunglasses at the time.

Russ: Right, right.

Kenn: And then there was a kinetic charging device that was kind of inappropriate and we won't discuss that in great detail but it was - involved moving of shaft up and down.

Russ: [laughs] Was it related to the adult conference?

Kenn: It should have been. Maybe, they got confused and they were in the wrong place.

Russ: [laughs]

Kenn: That probably is what happened.

Russ: Well, okay. Well, I really appreciate you sharing your perspective on the show. I want to make this a regular event.

Kenn: Well, terrific. I enjoyed it and I'm happy to share it with you.

Russ: And that concludes our discussion with Kenn Stearns, electronics and technology enthusiast. And that wraps up this morning's Aflac BusinessMakers flashback. And now it's time for another advantage point. So, let's welcome Katie Laird.

Katie: This is Katie Laird with another Advantage Point providing upgrade advice for turning your small business into a not so small business. As if growing your business wasn't already enough of a challenge, keeping your sanity intact and bottom line secure during a recession takes nerves of steel. But while the going might get rough, nothing will help get you through these shaky economic times like a positive attitude and whole lot of creativity. Consider the Stockdale Paradox, a concept presented in Jim Collin's book Good to Great. It is the idea that you must confront the brutal facts of your current reality while keeping an eye on a more positive future ahead. So, what is your current reality? Are you struggling with clients that are consistently slow to pay their bills? Do you have employees that are less than zealous in their work and commitment to your company's vision?

Now is the time to cut back on your non-performers and focus on the clients and employees that are truly in it to win it. After all, you are hungry to make your company a success. Make sure you surround yourself with people that feel the same way. During a recession employee morale can be a tricky area to navigate. Make sure that you are helping them celebrate their work successes while remaining as transparent as possible with things that are less than positive like lost clients or a tough quarter. If you find yourself increasingly asking employees to do more with less, help them with their time and project management skills. Buy them copies of a book like David Allen's Getting Things Done as a great resource to, well, you guessed it, getting things done. Remember that history is a wonderful teacher. No recession is permanent and companies that bootstrap it through the tough times often make it out the other side that much stronger. To read and comment on this Advantage Point, visit us at the businessmakers.com.

Russ: You're listening to the BusinessMakers Show heard here and online at the businessmakers.com. And up next, Judith Cone, Vice President of Emerging Strategies with the Kaufman Foundation.