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AN EXAMPLE OF A PURPLE COW

Virtual Group has deliberately set itself up to be different. Don't believe me? How many consulting companies do you know:

1. Where the company was set up with 50 shares and each consultant owns one?

2. Where are no buildings and almost no overheads?

3. Where there are no managers?

4. Where there are no juniors?

5. Where there are only 3 rules?

6. Where nearly all the consultants come from a background of being operating managers rather than consultants?

Any one of these would make us different. All of them make us unique.

The Virtual tent

Back in 1995 when we launched Virtual in a pinstriped tent, none of us knew the term "purple cow" but we intuitively knew about the concept.

We have deliberately positioned ourselves to appeal only to the most progressive and open minded managers. We know we will not appeal to the others. This is okay because it allows us to accept just the most innovative and challenging projects. If you want formulas don't come to us because you'll be disappointed.

RED IS ANOTHER PURPLE COW

Alan Burns, the owner of RED, is a wonderful example of a Purple Cow who is not scared to stand out.

When Bruce Holland first met Alan he wore a ponytail and because Bruce had just come out of the BNZ he thought this was fairly revolutionary.

Alan once sponsored Bruce and his wife Angela on a silent retreat where they were not allowed to talk to anyone or make eye contact. This turned out to be a wonderful experience but it is a pretty Purple Cow thing to do to a major client.

Alan has recently rebranded his company RED which is not the colour most people would want to associate with a risk/ investment company.

Not only is Alan a highly successful business person, and a wise manager of wealth, he is a splash of colour in an otherwise deadly boring industry.

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