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Teaser:

CJ Alvarado recently developed a new app called Snippet.  The Snippet App will change the way we read books and consume information.  It’s essentially Twitter for books as each chapter is only allowed to have 1,000 words meaning that you’ll be able to get to the “meat” of the content right from the get go.

Recap:

CJ Alvarado is the CEO of Bamboo Creative and creator of the Snippet App.  Snippet believes reading a book should be quick, rich and engaging.  Writers and readers should be able to connect, share and discover in entirely new ways.

CJ got involved in the online world at an early age.  He started his first Internet company in his early 20’s by helping musicians put information out online.  He tried to help artists distribute their content and music online by integrating multimedia to push music and create brands.

Bamboo Creative is a design and innovation company and they have a service side by helping organizations with app development and they have an innovation arm to generate ideas for companies and for themselves.  They work on ideas and develop them into products.

A lot of businesses are not sure how to navigate the online world and are unsure about what the future looks like in their business.  Bamboo Creative will help them generate their new ideas that represent their core values.  For them it’s been a great success.

Lately, one of the coolest things CJ has done was creating the Snippet App and it’s one of the most exciting things he’s working on right now.

Snippet is a mobile reading app and publishing platform.  They limit their chapters to a 1,000 words max, but they incorporate pictures, audio, videos and social media making it easy to absorb information and it’s priced in a way that consumers will love.

CJ has tried to make something that appeals to the changing culture and how people are consuming information.  It will allow you to move through a Snippet and gives them an opportunity to absorb the content so you feel like it’s easier to connect with the author and the ideas presented into the book.  Snippet makes it really easy to connect with the community and to hear what they’re talking about.

Snippet just launched slightly over a month ago.and went to the top of the best sellers list almost immediately.  They’ve had a group of 25 content creators and the day they launched they had 425 authors who were interested in creating content.  They’ve had Pat Flynn from the Smart Passive Income blog, Bee Bosnak, a yoga instructor, Alejandro Reyes, Shawn Murphy, Ted Coine and more exciting folks coming down the pipeline.

CJ recommends reading the Alchemist because it’s a fantastic book that focuses on the importance of listening to your heart and your passions and acting on them.

A lot of the research that CJ has done is showing that our reading habits are definitely changing.  He believes we’re reading in different ways, but that we’re consuming more content at different times of the day.

You can go to the SnippetApp.com you can sign up as a writer and you can create your own Snippet (if you’re approved).

The best-selling Snippet so far is Pat Flynn’s Snippet, Let Go.  It’s a phenomenal read and he encourages everyone to read it.

Engaging Discussion Questions:

• Do you think the way we are consuming information is changing?
• Do you think social media is a great way to interact with books?

Links to Great Stuff:

• Bamboo Creative – “We think, create, tinker, and build. We are a passionate group of creatives that love seeing people explore and develop their creativity and ideas.”
• Snippet App – “Like Twitter for books, we limit the word count to1,000 words max per chapter (unlimited chapters). So, in essence, we’re between a tweet and an e-book. Now as a writer, you can get new ideas to market faster, share expertise, test new book ideas, create companion pieces, or tell entirely new stories—all in less time.”
• Pat Flynn – “I’m Pat. I’m a 30 year old dude from Southern California who makes a living on the internet. I consider myself the luckiest person on Earth.”
• Bee Bosnak – “I began my yoga experience with Iyengar in a small and cozy studio in Los Angeles. One day, I discovered Core Power Yoga and there, as I sat in lotus pose in a 100 degree room, I knew this was it. It was the feeling I felt that made me want to go back for more. I had found a physical path that harmonized my mind, body and my soul. After moving to the Pacific North West in 2010, to a city called Portland, I decided to take my practice to the next level. Through CPY I became a certified Power Vinyasa yoga teacher, and for the first time, I began to see the world through a wider lens.”
• Alejandro Reyes – “I want to help you get famous!  No I’m not talking about getting on TMZ or Keeping up with the Kardashians, I’m talking about having more influence & impact to grow your income.”
• Shawn Murphy and Ted Coine – “There’s a better way to do business. Better from the human side. Better from the customer side. And as it turns out, better from the profit side as well. This blog is dedicated to exploring that better way. On this site, leadership authors, speakers and consultants Shawn Murphy and Ted Coiné have combined their blogs to amplify their message. Shawn’s focus is on the executives and managers within an organization. Ted’s is targeted more at the C-suite and the board.”

Success Quotes:

• From Einstein, “Try not to become a success, but rather a man of value.” 
• “How are these reading habits change and how can we meet those needs in a new and creative way?”
• “We are consuming content throughout the day . . . all the time.”
• “We have some incredible content creators coming down the pipe soon and people are going to be really excited with the way they can consume that content.”
• “It’s kind of like Twitter for books.”
• “It’s easier to connect with the author, to connect with the community around that topic and thoughts about that topic and specific to that topic.”