When I think about growing up in the robust, prospering city of Scranton, PA (sense the sarcasm) I always wonder I got through days without my blackberry, my laptop or even my wireless connection at any spot I would visit throughout the day.  Aside from the hardware that everyone carries around with them there are also the software programs or ‘apps’ that are utilized probably more frequently than we realize.  There’s Twitter, FaceBook, BLOGs, trading platforms, design programs (that are accessible & managed by a plethora of people (some of those people shouldn’t be allowed to access the internet or allowed outside, but they know how to program weird stuff).  Text messaging & emailing are now considered appropriate forms of conversation, meetings have now been stream lined to gotomeeting.com or ooVoo internet conferences, old school floor traders have left their posts at exchanges to set up high tech trading desks in their basements that parallel the technology of the exchanges themselves.  My mother (who is in her 50′s is now text messaging me on a daily basis (that’s a whole other blog)…  It’s a sign of the times.

But there are still people and companies a like that still refuse to adapt to the changing times.  Times that are changing where you can and most of us have done business in other countries without leaving the country, your house or even a Starbucks.  People are still blind to the fact that if they don’t adapt they will be left behind.  Entrepreneurs are running their start up (and making 6 figures in their 1st yr) without having to purchase or rent physical office space.  I personally, can run my business from my laptop, where I am writing this blog from on my back deck with no strings (literally) attached.  Some entrepreneurs adopted this concept a while ago.  And I don’t mean in January of this year or when President Obama was pictured with a blackberry, they adopted it probably around a decade ago.  They’ve started companies that tailored to consumers & business that are the future of our world.  As an example, a friend of mine here in Charlotte is a custom clothier.  William Wilson doesn’t have a store front or even a physical office, but he’s still in the top of his industry & has the clientèle to prove it.  He has built a brand on the stream lined presence of our world.  The old school mind set is that to buy clothes you need to go to a physical store, that’s not the case anymore.  He’s proven that.

The future is only going to get more stream lined; just look at our cell phone providers, now they’re offering netbooks…  Which is a SMALL laptop that you can take and use ANYWHERE the wireless signal is in the laptop (as long as you have a signal).  Adapting & utilizing these changes is something that will determine how your business and (this is sad to say) some relationships in your life are transpired.   Think about it, when you first hear of a company where do you go to find out about them?  When you meet someone & you want to find out more about what they do for a living where do you go?  (the answer to those questions is probably Google).

Welcome to the 21st century and the beginning steps to a world which is wireless and everything & anything is run from the palm of your hand.  If my mother can learn how to text and upload a YouTube video, it’s a sign of the times!

You can follow me on Twitter: @KevinMHughes or connect with me on Facebook or you can network with me on LinkedIn.

**This is not a normal post for me (I’m usually tailor to the Financial Markets) so feedback would be GREATLY appreciated!  Thank you!