The world of work and the way we work is undergoing radical change and entrepreneurs need to keep up with these changes in order for business to survive, thrive and grow. Many of these changes have been brought about by the internet, especially in the areas of the Three C’s: Communication, Community and Content.

The concept of Avatars has gained ground recently as a result of the success of the 2009 film directed by James Cameron. However, the Sanskrit word Avatar has been used since ancient times to refer to a manifestation or appearance of a Hindu deity.

In modern times, Avatar is a computer user's representation of himself/herself or alter ego, whether in the form of a three-dimensional model used in computer games, or a two-dimensional icon used on Internet forums and other communities. The term "avatar" can also refer to the personality connected with the screen name, or handle, of an Internet user.

The word Avatar has been gaining ground recently in marketing terminology as the “perfect client”. From a marketing point of view, when developing an avatar, we need to look at a number of different aspects when identifying our perfect client.

The other day I was in a restaurant with friends. The restaurant itself was owned by another friend of ours who happened to have gone away with her family to the Caribbean for three weeks. Someone at the table asked how on earth she could have managed to do that, given the nature of her business and her family commitments. Like an arrow, the answer came back, “She’s got systems”.