Name: Steve Alcorn
Current Role: CEO of Alcorn McBride Inc., Founder and Director of Writing Academy
Connections:
- Website: http://writingacademy.com
- Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/company/writing-academy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WritingAcademy
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/themeperks
- Google+:
Location: Orlando, Florida, USA
Biography
Steve Alcorn is the CEO of Alcorn McBride Inc., a company that designs products used in nearly all of the world’s theme parks. He was Disney’s first Systems Engineer, and helped design Epcot Center.
Steve is the author of a half dozen books, including historical fiction, romance, and young adult novels, and the non-fiction books Building a Better Mouse and Theme Park Design. His bestselling How To Fix Your Novel helps experienced writes breath fresh life into tired manuscripts, and novice writers structure their stories for success before they even begin writing.
During the past decade Steve has helped more than 20,000 aspiring authors structure their novels through the online learning programs of 1500 colleges and universities worldwide. His courses include college extension classes and online video workshops ranging from novel writing to Young Adult Fiction and autobiography writing.
Find out how to enroll in his classes at writingacademy.com
Interview Questions
1. What is the best business advice you have ever received?
My father told me if you aren’t one of the leaders in your field, you’ve got some catching up to do. I’ve always followed this device, whether creating theme park attractions, writing books, or creating classes.
2. What is the greatest challenge facing your business today?
Businesses need to be nimble in order to stay current with the latest technology, including social networking, and cloud architectures. That means it’s important to attract fresh young talent, and keep them interested in the business and its goals.
3. What is the worst business decision you have made and what did you learn from it?
I’ve ridden a few stocks all the way up and then back down again, like a roller coaster. I learned it’s okay to take profits, and not worry about whether or not you could’ve squeezed a few extra dollars out of any given investment.
4. What is the best business decision you have made and why?
I’ve made good business decisions in two areas. The first was to create standardized electronics for the theme park market in an era before any such products existed.
Second, and more recently, getting involved in online learning has been a great business move. If you have strong materials to offer, it’s relatively easy to create classes that then become cash cows on a long-term basis.
5. Who is the Business Person you most respect and why?
Elon musk. He follows his heart, and creates great products, in the style of Steve Jobs. I love the way he’s been successful in online commerce, space technology, and electric vehicles. Needless to say, I drive Tesla.
6. Recommend your favourite business book.
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. Many business books are, frankly, quite dull reads. But this one is filled with exciting and relevant examples that make it clear how different trends take hold. I’ve used the wisdom in this book on many occasions to make decisions about new products and offerings.
7. Recommend one online productivity tool/web service you would never be without and why.
Dropbox.com. I simply take it for granted that whenever I sit down at any one of my computers, all my files are there and up to date.
8. What future trend do you think is going to change the world?
Online education is going to reform the university system in this country. It’s ridiculous to spend a quarter million dollars on an education that doesn’t provide any useful work experience or practical knowledge. Through various online offerings, students will be better educated, and can incorporate those classes into a development process that involves real work, so that by the time they’re out of school, they are also experts in their field. What’s needed is for this process to be formalized so that businesses can recognize the value of those students, even if they haven’t spent a quarter of a million dollars at a big name university.
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