On Friday May 8th, Big Omaha brought entrepreneurs, technologists and creatives together from around the country to celebrate and discuss innovation. Here are six key takeaways from the experts worthy of sharing:

Point #1 – Planning is different now. As Jason Fried of 37signals said, ‘plans are guesses.’ In a rapidly changing and uncertain world, it’s impossible to accurately predict the future. This isn’t to say that you

Jason Fried from 37 Signals, Photo by Malone & Company

shouldn’t plan. it just requires a different approach. Micah Baldwin, Chief Evangelist for Lijit Networks called it ‘microplanning.’ At Salva O’Renick we call it strategic flexibility. No matter how you approach it remember three things. First, be open to the reality that your plan will change. Second, quit focusing on old information to make decisions. ‘The best information is the information you have right now,’ said Fried. Third, taking the time for scenario planning will give you the confidence you need to navigate the turbulent sea of change.

Point #2 – Move past failure. As the saying goes, ‘Running a business is a series of incremental experiments.’ Sometimes these experiments work. Sometimes they don’t. Dwell on failure and you’ll lose the ability to innovate. Learn from it and you’ll have critical information to move your business forward. Micah Baldwin laid out a three-step process for moving past failure. First, you have to make decisions knowing that sometimes the outcome will fail. Second, measure what you’ve done. Not just the overall success of a project but the steps along the way. Third, anticipate the outcome and what you will do if your decision fails.

Point #3 – Focus on things that don’t change. So you can’t know exactly what your business will look like a few years down the road. There are things you’ll want to change – in response to your customers or shifts in the marketplace. Beneath the exterior of your company is an underlying value dynamic that can drive future success. Are you focused on providing the best service? Product innovation? Unsurpassed knowledge? Supporting a community of followers? Whatever it is – make sure you’re the best at whatever your core focus is – and stick to it.

Point #4 – Embrace transparency. Access to information has given unprecedented control to markets and fueled the importance of authentic relationships. Jeffrey Kalmikoff, founder and chief creative officer for the community-based business ‘skinnyCorp’ (developers of Threadless) shed new light on the concept of

Jeffrey Kalmikoff from skinnyCorp

transparency. His premise is that while transparency brings clarity, it is accessibility that enables action. Organizations that combine transparency and accessibility build trust, loyalty and credibility. Key foundations of authentic relationships. So how do you make this happen? By listening, reviewing, responding and acting on what your customers (the key members of your community) are saying.

Point #5 – Leverage your byproducts. Most companies look at value in terms of the products and services they sell. But what about the knowledge and experience that has gotten the company to the point of being able to create, sell, deliver and manage those products and services. Jason Fried compared this knowledge and experience to the use of sawdust from a lumber mill. Through innovation, these companies have turned sawdust into everything from fuel to fertilizer. Look for innovative ways to use the knowledge and experience you’ve gained in your business and you might be surprised how much it’s worth.

Point #6 – Inspiration is perishable. This thought from Jason Fried perhaps drives the key point of success in a fast moving world. When a great idea pops up, ride the wave a passion and get behind it fast. Ideas, according to Fried, are like sound waves – a lot of initial energy but the waves die out over time. It’s what happens when people don’t passionately pursue something they believe in. Sure it may not work, but as they say, ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained.’

If you’re ready to move the needle, put your fears aside and do it. In today’s tough market the timing has never been better, after all as Albert Einstein said, ‘In the middle of difficulty stands opportunity.’ Indeed.