Understanding

I have a theory and a corollary to it.  People won't use and embrace what they don't understand.  The corollary:  more people will embrace and use what they do understand.

The goal of education is understanding.  Take a math problem.  Once you learn the steps that need to be taken to understand how to solve an algebra equation, you can then go on to solve an algebra equation with similar variables.

We can frame this in terms of the learning curve.  Is it a steep learning curve, with many facets and relatively complex variables?  Or does something tend more to the side of being a "no brainer" and easy-to-comprehend?

The variable that will fuel the success of any business is "how simply" it can be explained.  Success rests squarely on the pillars of understanding and adoption.  Understanding and adoption is predicated by behavior modification.  So, the real question is, "How do we get people to modify their behaviors?"  Then, how do we make these behaviors"stick" as a conscious choice of on-going, long-term engagement?

Yes, there is money.  However, the money is an end-state, not a first step.  It is a motivating factor, but unless you "buy into" the system (figuratively), the money doesn't matter, because you won't make any.  There has to be conscious intent to the extent that behaviors (daily activities) become the norm of how someone's life functions.  This requires effort.  It requires strategy.  It requires an overall understanding of how all the pieces fit together and function as a whole.

If not done right.  Efficiently.  Effectively.  I will not go so far as to say the enterprise is doomed, however, I will say that it will stymie growth and inhibit the overall potential of the enterprise.

Marketing and Recruitment are fundamental.  These are the fuel to the potential pool of people transacting commerce (and) for those choosing to build a business.  Once someone says "yes" is when the real "test" begins.

I could hack my way through it by trial-and-error, make mistakes, get frustrated and end up saying, "why didn't they just explain that in the first place"?  For someone committed to making something work... they will stick around long enough to get the answer.  For many, they will simply say, "Too much, too complicated, not user-friendly... c-ya".

Simply, my appeal here is that we need to be educators with the tools to explain the benefits of any platform.  The first level of this is understanding how to transact business on the platform and this is preceded by how to set up and connect all of the tools... and how they are related.

Next, there needs to be a repository of "case study" or "examples" of how people are achieving success.  This could include bios of the people sharing... pursuant to the goal of community and culture creation.   We need to see the many colors of the rainbow... and how creative people are in utilizing the platform.

So much for stream-of-consciousness writing.  This is long enough.  Hopefully, the abrupt ending will not detract from the points attempting to be made here.