Where is the Puck?

More and more businesses are discovering the power of “virtual”. Fifteen years ago business magazines in North America started writing about “VIRTUAL COMPANY”. Virtual company became reality and proven business model particularly in the Internet age. Today, we often refer to it as “networked” company: company that does not have the traditional structure and resources (employees, offices, manufacturing facilities) but it is rather outsourcing most of of its operations through network of partners. In fact, my own company (www.ipowerstrategy.com) is quite virtual: my contractors sit in four countries and we meet online only; my clients are both in Europe and in North America but I have not met quite a few of them in person yet. My web hosting is done through my strategic partner in Toronto and my office is also “virtual (shared) office”…But the model works: it gives me better efficiency, flexibility and freedom.

In addition to “virtual company” today we have gone one additional step toward the virtual extreme. We have created completely VIRTUAL BUSINESSES. Like www.secondlife.com
(“3D virtual world”) or www.weblo.com. EVERYTHING is virtual there, except money. You can create your second virtual identity (virtual character), buy your own “property”, get fashion “clothing”, new “car” or even new education for your virtual character. You can even find you your own virtual wife or husband… This all sounds just like fun, but many are taking this as a very serious business. Nyla, fashion designer from BC sells digital fashion items ranging from $0.25 to $6.00 and her virtual sales already account for one third of her real world income. Corporate world is getting this opportunity, too. In fact, IBM and Toyota already joined. Even universities like Harvard University and University of BC are planning to open their virtual campuses on Secondlife.com. Check out Secondlife.com. You never know – you may even end up opening your own virtual store… Oh, by the way, there are now 2.5 millions online residents of this virtual world. They spent1.29 million US dollars last 24 hours only…