Here's an interesting marriage: XM Satellite Radio and Time Warner-AOL. Huh? The question that comes to mind is... why?

Don't worry it doesn't have to make sense yet. I think this is an outgrowth of the posturing that everyone seems to be doing to get into the on-line music business. Yahoo's recent announcement of becoming the entertainment portal of the 21st century, Apple's raving success with the I-Pod, Sony's PSP II, and MSN's new on-line audio initiative.

Everyone is vying to get into the emerging on-line music business in some way. But notice anything different? Few companies are creating new internal divisions. Few are making hard-money investments. Most are partnering or collaborating with someone who is ALREADY successful in an emerging market - an enterprise that brings something valuable to the party. In some cases that's technology or financial resources or even customers .

Think about what YOU can do in your own business to partner with another organization that might be successful in an emerging market. When we are able to offer our customers emerging solutions that compliment our own current solutions, we become more important to them and reverse their risk of changing in the future. Focusing on emerging markets might not make a lot of sense today but it may be the difference between extinction and survival tomorrow.

By the way listen to some of my own on-line music (ME playing my guitar) and talking about this week's happening by clicking on the link above at the right.....