Transparency

Now is the time in the calendar quarter when I’m supposed to have my presentation for the Board of Directors of mVisible Technologies, Inc. ready for binding and distribution to the other board members. Of course, I haven’t even started this yet.

This quarter, I’ve decided that I’m going to do something different. I’m going to make my presentation not just to the board, but to the whole world. While most companies consider the kind of internal information I present to be highly confidential and all that, I am a firm believer in transparency in my business. I have two primary reasons for this.

First, I believe our success is dependent almost entirely on our ability to execute as opposed to protect. Our execution is not hurt at all by exposing to the world what it is that we’re trying to do, what we’re doing well, and what we’re having problems with. In fact, I think going open kimono keeps you focused on the important goals, and insures that there is never discord between the company’s publicly-stated goals and those of internal operations.

Second, I believe that the mobile industry (in which we mainly operate), is doing a disservice to itself and to consumers by operating in such a short-sighted and protectionist manner. It’s been going on for a long time, but I’m reminded daily (see Verizon’s latest round of intentionally crippling their phones) of how the carriers practices are retarding the growth of a healthy industry. We’re committed to bucking that trend. The mobile industry needs to be dragged – kicking and screaming, most likely – into the internet age of open, free market competition based on merit rather than history.

Anyhow, I’m getting a little sidetracked. Hell, why wait til I’m done with the next presentation. I’m going to follow up this post by publishing my presentation from last quarter’s meeting to see how it’s received. It would be really cool if this kind of thing started to be the norm for businesses in our space. I think it would help us to advance the industry for the benefit of all.