The Spotlight Award is given to companies, individuals and entities that exemplify the ideal of acting on evolving trends for competitive advantage. This month, we award the Spotlight to Power Curbers, Inc for creating advantage from an increasingly global marketplace, a culture of innovation, and continually evolving customer interaction.  Power Curbers Inc is a small construction equipment manufacturer with sales in over 80 countries. In an LA Times article, Don Lee sites that 75% of Power Curbers’ 2009 sales are international, compared with 25% in 2007. Power Curbers entry into the international marketplace came decades ago but the decision to focus outside the borders of the United States was one of the most brilliant moves this company has made. Another was in the development of new, state of the art facilities and leaner manufacturing. Power Curbers promotes a culture of innovation exemplified by their current efforts in developing the ability to use 3-D modeling data in their machines. A forum, blog, and loads of photos and video of their facilities, recent projects worldwide, and more only add to their authenticity and completes their modern style of customer interaction. Consider the following.  Do not deny the ongoing globalization of our business environment. Don’t let size, industry or sector be an excuse. Instill a culture of innovation that asks the question, “What could we do to revolutionize our industry and/or our customer’s lives?” Be open about who you are, what you do and how you do it. Choose those elements of the ever-evolving social media landscape that will best connect you with your customers and best reveal the true nature of your company. Lastly, continually evolve, continually innovate, and continually embrace new markets. - Keywords: power curbers, spotlight, innovation, global, business, trend, watch, list, 2010, advantage, strategic, competitive

Live from SecondLife!  Kim Smith and John Jainschigg, COO and CEO of World2Worlds (http://World2Worlds.com) join us to talk about how forward thinking businesses can use virtual worlds in innovative ways for competitive advantage. >> See their website: http://World2Worlds.com - Keywords: virtual, secondlife, online, interns, desktop, virtualization, business, trend, watch, list, 2010, advantage, strategic, competitive