Comments on: Don’t Go Viral. Go Fractal

By: Ben Curnett

Ben Curnett — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 03:20:19 +0000

Eric, I have no idea :-) It seems like the origin must be singular, as the first fractal geometries were created by iterative equations. So, changing # + fixed # = new #, where the new number always becomes the changing number after the first equation to make the set.

As far as fractals dying off, it seems like it would be possible in nature. When you get down to atoms, the pattern has to disappear, I would guess. But in geometry, it just keeps going.

Like I said, I really don’t know. But it’s fascinating stuff.

By: Eric Kotonya

Eric Kotonya — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 08:01:00 +0000

Cool stuff Ben!
Got a few questions though –
1 – in nature (or physics), can a single fractal have multiple starting points, or must the origin be singular.
2 – once each fractal node is created, does it exists perpetually or can it die off if, for example, it fails to replicate?

By: Louisa Drummond

Louisa Drummond — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:06:40 +0000

I had the same thought today Ben. My partner and I have been involved with a 14 yr old network marketing company, Tahitian Noni International, for nearly 6 years now. The flagship product, Tahitian Noni Juice, is seriously powerful and the incredibly fast growth of TNI is a testament to that. I was thinking about the TNI business model and wondering if it was, in fact, fractal rather than pyramidal – as it is so often assumed to be.
“What’s interesting about it is that it’s created almost solely on the value of the product, not the amount of hype created around it.”
After 6 years working with Tahitian Noni Juice in the most anti network marketing culture you can imagine (northern ireland) we KNOW that our business has been created solely on the value of the product. That is an undeniable fact. I’d love to learn more from you on this subject.
Much respect for some brilliant thinking!

Louisa

By: Ben Curnett

Ben Curnett — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:51:08 +0000

Thanks, Jonathan. My guess is that the the ability to identify the factors for going fractal exists, but, much like recognizing fractals themselves, it mostly escapes us.

A quick google search found a couple of people using the term (damn! I thought I coined it), one being the urban dictionary definition that specifies a company not being able to anticipate it. But I don’t know if that’s a part of the definition I would use.

I think there’s a book idea in there.

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:11:47 +0000

Nice post, Ben. I enjoy the ubiquity of fractals in all parts of our lives and our penchant for not noticing. The application of the concept to marketing is brilliant. I’d be curious to know if companies like Band Aid or Google set out to “go fractal” or if it is more of a phenomenon that occurs without regard to the initial plans of the company.

I imagine that recognition of that event horizon by the company is crucial. How many companies were poised to “go fractal” but missed recognizing it?

I’d also be curious to know if it is possible to identify those factors that result in a business “going fractal”. Or quotes for that matter :-)

If I had the ability to identify a company that’s about to go fractal, I would be in a different line of work!