Is Your Business Like Idol, Kris Allen?

As I sat and watched the American Idol 2009 finale show last night, I couldn’t help but think about what it would be like for Kris Allen to win. Although Adam Lambert was heavily favored, I strongly supported Kris Allen to be the winner. The main reason was because I felt that out of the top five contestants that he was the only one who needed this win the most.

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What I mean is that Kris’s persona and artistry fits best into what has become know as the American Idol hit machine. Let’s take a look at the other finalist and you will understand better what I mean:

• When you look at Adam, he has already made a name for himself as a very versatile singer and really didn’t need the win. He held his own when singing with the rock group KISS.
• Danny Gokey, who came in third, was known for his strong urban gospel vocals like Lionel Richie (who he sang with on the show).
• Whereas Allison, who came in fourth, was known for her strong rocker voice like Janice Joplin or Cyndi Lauper (who she sang with last night).
• The fifth placed contestant was Matt Giraud was know for his jazzy, bluesy sound much like the feel you get when listening to Carlos Santana (who he sang with last night).

With Kris, I felt that he needed to win so that he could continue his journey with American Idol and become a successful singer. He was just coming into his “singing persona” towards the end whereas the other top 5 contestants had already solidified their musical branding.

So you may be wondering, how does all of this fit into a comparison with owning a business. Let’s take a look at the history of Kris Allen with American Idol to get a better understanding of how you as a business owner can find an application for your business.

Kris came from a small town in Arkansas called Conway and a number of people had counted him out early on when the top 13 contestants were selected. As a business owner, many times you may be overlooked when it comes to doing business with big businesses or winning big projects. Although he was from a small town, Kris didn’t let it stop him from trying out or for believing that he could win Idol. Business owners need to keep the faith that they can grow their business into a successful money making machine.

Even when Kris made the top 10, Simon told Kris that he needed to show that he believed in himself in order to make it to the top. When business owners outwardly show their confidience in their products and services, then they can definitely gain more client projects or sell more products. Kris’s musical branding was coming alive towards the end of the contests and was new, fresh in the eyes of America. Business owners need to make sure that their business brand always stays fresh and up-to-date in order to attract new clients and retain the current clients.

There are many more applications between Kris Allen’s win of American Idol and the running of a business. I would like to hear your thoughts about this topic so please feel free to share.