Think your business model is dead? Try a different generation

Spend a fair amount of time reading about trends, it doesn't take too long for someone to say 'TV is dead' and that the the business model of TV channels are dead. Or that magazines are done for.

And while that might be true for the millennial generation, for the next generation I have to ask anyone who's writing articles like this:

Have you hung out with any kids under 10 recently?

Let's start with TV ads: Watch TV with kids under 10 and you'll see the power of the commercial and what it takes to be successful. It's not the same as it used to be. Your commercials have to be compelling content and genuine. But if they are both -- it's a home run. Not only do the kids want to watch it -- they want to watch it again and again and again and actually refuse to skip them even when they can (also indicates that the ad model needs to change to better reflect play back from DVRs)

Let's take a peek at magazines: Think brands like Sports Illustrated are goners? If you look at their recent thickness it seems like they might be, but they shouldn't be. Give it to the a kid and watch them horde it. The pictures are awesome, the articles they will grow into and they just need to keep hanging on.

In both these cases, the industry is having a major shift, but it's not as fatal as everyone says, especially if you play the long game (side comment: cord-cutters are popular, but at the end of the day, easy of use will trump all of it and cord-cutting is hard. The cable companies need to work on customer experience because if they nail it - they will win).

It's certainly an interesting time but if you keep focused on your customers (all of them and the ones who are coming), make sure you are truly listening.