Archive for the ‘Motivational’ Category

In the name of “research”, I am sometimes obligated to give into temptation and take random quizzes to for example, find out “how much of a geek I am.” Apparently, I’m only 57% geek.

This didn’t seem too alarming until I realized that everything else that defined me would have to share the left over 43% of me: good & bad habits, my sense of humor (or lack of), where I work, the way I do the things I do, and why, etc… According to this estimate, I love machines so much, that every other quality about me, significant or insignificant, is less significant than technology. And what would be the ranking of someone like Robert Scroble? Assuming there is some logic to the rating, I think it’s safe to say that he would blow the 100% scale pretty easily.

It’s not so cool if a quiz that’s supposed to make me feel good, actually makes me look like a degenerate technophile who cares solely for the well being of his machines. The saddest thing about it is that geeks (the target audience) love quizzes like this, and some would even love to wear the “dysfunctional geek” badge on their sleeve with pride (I’ll confess, I vaguely remember trying to manipulate the results so I would rate a little higher).

Obviously that’s excessively unreal, but since you can’t exactly measure and quantify something as general, and vague as “geekiness” or “karma” with just 10 random questions, wouldn’t it be better to present a more believable estimate?

What about percentiles? Wouldn’t it be easier (and more fun and social) to compare people’s love for technology, and every piece of brand-spanking-new machines ever created (or their fear of same) to that of others? It would certainly be easier (for both the tongue and reputation) to boast of knowing more about technology than 75% of the population, rather than a vague “57% geek”, or the obscure “Total Geek” title.

Sure, at the end of the day, the quiz does the job: time died that day, and you’ll never see it again; but will I go back? Probably not, because it would be nice to have learned, or achieved something, even when procrastination reigns supreme, and time is being wasted (I personally prefer to think of it as research).

In lieu of painting an accurate picture, why not appeal to vanity, and paint the rosier option as the more likely scenario? After all, isn’t reality more accurately perception?

Interesting Extra: Did you know that the unit of geekiness is defined as a Zelda? Neither did I. While that sinks in, check out Wired’s Geekster Handbook for a primer on what it is to be “geek”.

“It’s possible to control the time I have available to me.” We’ve probably all heard this over and over again our whole lives, although sometimes it’s a little hard to fathom.

A few weeks ago, I decided to embark on “a ruthless crusade against wasting time”, and reclaim time as my own once again and you know, get things done (sound familiar?). The goal of course, is to find the best hacks, tips, and tricks, that’ll make things easier, and ultimately, save money by saving time.

At this point, I will acknowledge that I would probably be better off implementing a wildly successful path like GTD (Getting Things Done). My qualms with programs like that is the “shock and awe” approach they introduce where everything that existed previously has to be rebuilt from the ground up. I support change as much as the next guy, but it’s my experience that drastic surges are not sustainable.

I prefer the focused, gradual improvement method, coupled with a good dose of “rinse and repeat” (just replace application with habit). Implementing change on a small section at a time means it’s not the end of the world if one piece of the puzzle messes up, and your whole framework doesn’t have to collapse. It also means that corrections can be made quickly, without affecting very much else.

Moving on…
One of the first applications I came across when I set out on my quixotic quest is RescueTime and this weekend, I’m beginning to think it just might be working. For the last few weeks, I’ve taken a few minutes to tweak my profile and add tags properly, and basically bend it to my will as much as possible (read, “Try to figure it out”) whenever I receive the weekly update email. I’m gradually getting to the point where I’m beginning to see a pattern, and I’m slowly getting better at using it.

It let’s you do nifty things like tag your applications, and even view your Top 10 applications and websites:

….you can even compare 2 tags against the time spent on everything else:

….and you can even compare 2 tags against the time spent on everything else:

They also have a ton other stuff you can mix together so you can hack your life to perfection (like setup goals, and iGoogle integration)..

Apart from the usual suspects like Lifehacker, Wikihow, etc…, what’re your most useful (and favorite) sources of information?

“Client is always King”
(Except when that’s not profitable)

There’s an interesting thing that occurs in the world of business. A business or consultant being respected/liked/popular/and otherwise showered with sales in the form of cash and cookies despite that they practice the opposite of “customer-first-always.” Plenty of angry or controversial business owners have existed in time, from the Soup Nazi on Seinfeld (who was based on a real person), to that stuck up restaurant down the road, to the hip club that only lets the beautiful in, with no remorse for those turned away. Yet human nature wants what you can’t have. Whether it’s getting on the VIP list or buying a limited edition model that costs a zillion more than it’s worth, human nature hungers for the chase; craves for the affection; longs for recognition. When a business doesn’t offer this first hand, and sometimes even takes the opposite approach, the person doesn’t know how to feel. Bewildered and confused, they find themselves in some way admiring the audacity of the business and wanting to be accepted and on the “VIP list” more than ever. In a way, it’s like otherwise normal adults are reduced to envious teenagers behaving out of a basic need to be accepted and as a result of peer pressure as opposed to common sense.

If you’ve tried polishing the edges of your business and it just isn’t remarkable and growth just isn’t occurring, maybe it’s time to roughen it up a bit, maybe start turning people down, ruffling some feathers, maybe even saying some controversial statements on your blog. As long as it’s authentic, it just may work. Or it may blow up in your face and cost you customers. Only one way to find out.

Have you ever been forced to live “month-to-month”? If you’re like many (most) Americans, chances are this phrase resonates with you. You’re used to living on the financial edge at times and if you aren’t currently there, you’ve probably either been there, or will be there, at some point during your life.

In the context of business, living month-to-month can be a scary thing. Despite whether it’s 2 or 30 employees counting on you for their paychecks and livelihood, the anxiety of tip-toeing financial disaster can be overwhelming. Yet, for many entrepreneurs, if you decide that you don’t want to go the route of borrowing, living month to month is a reality that has to be faced.

It’s certainly easier (and many times recommended) to borrow capital to finance growth. Whether it’s venture capital money, angel investments, a private loan, your personal credit cards, or perhaps from family or friends with deep pockets,, many entrepreneurs “borrow for bliss”, hoping money will solve all of their immediate problems. And to be fair, many times it can in fact propel you to the next level; helping to buy equipment needed to be a more efficient or profitable company or simply to make the deal.

But, all too often, the results are negative. Sometimes money changes the way in which a company is run, prompting normally sane business owners to go from tight to liberal with their cash overnight. With borrowed money comes debt. With debt comes responsibility. And with responsibility comes lost freedom. If you have no other way to fund an idea besides borrowing, you’ve done your homework , crunched the numbers and feel as if there are no other options, by all means, go for it. Know what you’re getting yourself into and don’t make the mistake of under-selling your idea because you lack capital, but by all means raise the funds if that’s what it takes.

On the other hand, if your business is progressing well naturally and you haven’t had to borrow, it may be best to keep it up. Sure, it may take longer and your dream of being an overnight celebrity after a $100M round of venture capital may not come true, but push the ego aside for a minute and hear me out! Businesses and organizations based on good ideas and the framework of a solid team will grow naturally if you let them evolve. Oftentimes, the companies that are built naturally have the most culture, the most profitability, and the best reputations.

My advice: don’t sell yourself short whether you borrow money or not. And understand two key points:

1. Nothing in life is free. If you’re borrowing money, the lender wants a return. This return can come via lost freedom (having to answer to ___________), future profit, future acclaim (maybe your Uncle Tom says, “Thanks to me you’re successful!”), etc…
2. If others are willing to invest in it, think twice about getting investments. Why? Because they are investing for a return. And if you have something good enough that they trust enough to lend, you’re better off thinking twice about how you can earn the return instead of them.

Additionally, don’t try to be big just for the sake of it. Look at 37Signals.

Growing up, I moved just about every year.  Occasionally we stayed in one place for longer, say two or three years, but we also had shorter stints to make up for those more lengthy “visits.”  All tallied, I moved twenty-one times before I left home for college at the age of 17.

I don’t bring this up to gripe about my nomadic childhood, but only to help contextualize my current wanderlust.  I learned some valuable lessons as a result of the constant change.  Some enjoyable and some painful, of course.  I realized that change is good, but change for the sake of change is bad.  And that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side and yet, sometimes it is.

Sure, there were tears for “lost friendships” and there was certainly sweat when the moving trucks arrived.  Life was sometimes “on the edge” and often I felt out of control and along for the ride.

I’ll admit, though, I certainly don’t think I would be who I am had I had a “normal” stable childhood, living on 100 Easy Street, Anytown, USA my whole life.  I’ve learned how to adjust to new and different environments, how to build friendships that last regardless of proximity, and certainly about the geography of the United States.

Oftentimes growing up, I felt like I had an outsider’s perspective on many things, in particular my peers.  I saw how so many people just did things because “that’s what you’re supposed to do.”  I saw countless individuals living the lives they never fully decided on, breathing and functioning as a result of inertia as opposed to choice.

That’s when I decided that when the day came to spread my wings, I would rely on a combination of logic and gut feeling to evaluate new opportunities.  I determined to never close the door or open the door to something without taking my blinders off and without being scared to hear a new idea or two.  It would be easy for me to verbalize that because I moved all the time growing up that I wanted to settle in one place as an adult.  And yet, as a result of the incessant moving, I realized that there simply isn’t a “one size fits all” solution to life and life’s opportunities and decisions.

I’d say that I presently have a fair share of wanderlust inside me, yet I think I’ve found a rational way of handling my inner drive for change.  It has helped me examine, accept, and reject opportunities with a clear head and a clean conscious.  I’ve learned that if you don’t knock, no one will answer.  If you’re not building trust with individuals, it’s hard to close deals.  And if you are YOUcentric, you can count on less in the form of support.  I’ve learned to rein in change and to harness the power of new ideas.  I believe wanderlust isn’t simply about geography, it’s a paradigm.

It’s also this wanderlust that has brought my wife and I, along with my employees, to the beautiful and strange Tinseltown (LA) for the sake of personal and business endeavors.  We’ve spent the last several years building Epsilon Concepts around Southern California.  The golden state is a golden land of opportunity in our industry and we determined that this change (relocating 2700 miles in a bizarre cross-country employee caravan) was a change that made sense.  With a logical approach and a patient manner, we delved into the journey and we’re relieved to find that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, but so far it’s been pretty green (albeit sprinkler enhanced).  Sure, there will be ups and downs and I’m sure I may curse LA every now and then one of these days (Utopia isn’t located anywhere on Earth, last time I checked!), but I’m truly thankful to be in this town and that my wife, company and I tapped into our collective wanderlust to help make this dream a reality.

1810 - 1913

When someone dies, the usual inscription on the tombstone is the year of birth and the year of death, separated by a dash, along with an epitaph in memoriam.

The initial reaction is to do the math, and figure out how old she was when she died (shameless you!).

What’s interesting about the whole thing is how much we concentrate on how long she lived, when at the end of the day, it’s the dash in the middle that defines what we remember.

JFK is a favorite of very many people. Nixon, however, is a different story because it’s what they did that we remember, and cherish (or detest).

Everyone wants a great website. And why not? If you’re really worth your mettle, and treasure your audience, you should make the effort to have a good website.

The problem is not wanting a great website. It’s the “I want it now!” paradigm that kills the potential for greatness. It’s too easy to give in to the temptation to rush a project so that “we can get it over with.” As a result, revisions are often rushed, features are cut down, etc…, all in an effort to bring the project completion schedule as close to 5 minutes as possible.

In the process, the end-users are forgotten, there are holes in the features, and somehow the message gets lost in all the noise.

The use of time, in and of itself, is nothing unless value is being delivered. Like life, it’s the quality of the time spent that determines the level of success (or failure) that’s achieved.

Design projects are tasking endeavors that take time, and significant effort. You shouldn’t decide to get a website “because everyone else has one”, then relegate it to “side project” status, and expect to get a website you’re going to be truly proud of.

How about this for a new way of thinking: it’s the quality of time spent on the project, not the quantity, that matters.

Often in life, it’s the little things that make the difference, push the limits, make the sale, or impress and excite. As an example, I stayed this weekend at the beautiful Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel and they did something small that made me really want to come back. We’ve driven across the country over the last few days (2700 miles is no easy task) and we’ve had to travel with my wife and I’s cat. This may seem like no big deal, but during the whole trip it’s been a real challenge to find decent hotels that accept pets and meet our other needs. Loews accepted pets, which was a large reason we chose to stay here over the weekend. Upon checking in and getting settled, we walked down to the beach and came back to find a food and water dish, cat treats, an eating mat, and a small bottle of FIJI water, all for the cat, placed right outside our door! The look on my wife’s face and the pleasure we got out of this small token really says a lot. Loew’s obviously understands that life is in the details and they will have a repeat customer in me.

On the other hand, during our trip we stopped at one gas station in Oklahoma off I-40 where, posted on the men’s bathroom entrance, was a sign, written in a condescending tone, that read, and I quote: “Gentleman, please use the manners you’re mother taught you (hopefully) and have some respect by keeping this bathroom clean for the ladies at this gas station who clean it. If not, your continued messiness will force us to shut down the bathroom.” What made me cringe was the fact that this restroom is on a major interstate and I felt like I was being accused when I had never even set foot in the restroom before nor had any intention of messing it up. All this sign served to do was irritate/annoy and it probably simply encourages inconsiderate visitors to do just what the gas station attendants are lecturing them about. IMO, it’s better to NOT have a bathroom at all then to have one with a large rude sign on the door. It’s the little things, and this little thing can cause resentment and certainly won’t breed return visitors.

MINI Cooper understands that the little things manner. Rather than simply sell a great little car, after your purchase they shower you with gifts and truly fun tools, toys, and information including “secret decoders” for their ads, “sun tattoos” (if you have a convertible MINI), an 8-ball for your antennae, and the list goes on. I’m sure the grand total of freebies given to customers after their purchase doesn’t amount to an arm and a leg, but nonetheless people simply love free, fun surprises and it’s the best way to get people talking about the product/service. With a few dollars worth of freebies on $20-$40k car, the experience goes from good to great and it’s one reason MINI is so viral.

-Rb

When should you invest in technology?  When should you amp up your web presence?  When is the time to invest in hiring a “rock star” that can transform your business?  When should you spend, when should you save?

NOW just may be the time.  Recessions are typically not long (if we are indeed in or on the verge of one).  And there’s good news: recessions can actually help the well-prepared and the savvy.  By understanding what a recession is and what it isn’t, you can actually use a recession to insulate your business from the competition.  You can use a recession to finally decrease client work and launch that product you’ve talked about for years.  You can use a recession to force you (in a good way) to be leaner where possible and spend more where there’s a return.

“There are a few common themes to their success: They didn’t wait for Congress to decide on a stimulus package; they moved quickly to adjust their products and business plans to take advantage of more lucrative niches. Some diversified. Others identified new customers. Almost all cut behind-the-scenes costs. And the most aggressive, like Rutter, are investing in new technology, equipment, and personnel to seize market share from competitors large and small who entered the hard times poorly prepared. ‘Recessions are a period of opportunity,’ says Pearce. ‘During recessions, large companies abandon marginally profitable customers, and small businesses can get those customers. And recessions are healthy. They reward a history of fiscal responsibility. They discipline the economy for its excesses. And the great thing about recessions is, they end.’ “ - CNNMoney

Why do you elude me when I need you the most? Is it because I spend more than I save? Or is it because I have champagne taste but a beer pocket? Maybe I can just use the economy as my scapegoat?

You probably have an array of reasons why you or your business is cash poor. Maybe you spend too much, make too little, went through a rough patch, or simply don’t know how to say no.

What it probably boils down to, though, is poor (or no) financial planning. Good financial planning will help you succeed and potentially live a good life. The question remains, can you live a great life without money? Perhaps, if you’re deserted on island and no one exists, but let’s get real; you need it to survive and thrive more often than not.

As of late, everyone seems to talk about money (or the lack of it), and this shouldn’t be the sole objective of our lives. However, at the end of the day, everything we do involves money (most of our life is dedicated to get it). So if you want to survive in today’s world, you must plan for your (or your business’s) future. Never live day-to-day thinking tomorrow is going to be okay, always plan for the worst. When worst actually hits, it will be a minor bump in the road. Having financial freedom will help your stress levels decrease and can put your mind at ease. Recessions are looming and scary, but a love for economics has shown me that on average the pain lasts eleven months. So with an emergency fund and a good financial plan, you can still insulate yourself better than an attic!

Here’s a favorite resource to get you started.

Now go make some paper and save some if it, too!

-SM

“Sat-ur-day”
noun
The day after Friday and before Sunday when entrepreneurs brainstorm, organize, and get ahead of the unremarkable. 

Are you a “Saturday entrepreneur”?  Foregoing family time for fanning fires in the hearts of prospects?  Skipping the Saturday nap for a Saturday re-write of the ol’ website?

If so, allow me to encourage and inspire:

“Nobody talks of entrepreneurship as survival, but that’s exactly what it is and what nurtures creative thinking.”
-Anita Roddick

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
-Steve Jobs

“An entrepreneur tends to bite off a little more than he can chew hoping he’ll quickly learn how to chew it.”
-Roy Ash, co-founder of Litton Industries

Weekend Tech Reads:

• The template dilemma
  
• How to talk to bloggers

And, simply remember that if you bust your butt today, tomorrow night your reward awaits you!  To help you get in the spirit of the super bowl, this list of the 20 best websites for the best super bowl ever may help whet your whistle!

-RB

Excellent tools (this may change the way we vote forever!):

• www.glassbooth.org
• www.votehelp.org

It’s the easiest yet hardest way to have success in business. It’s called “authenticity.”

In an age of spam, advertising inundation, and fast food, our senses are being vied for seemingly every minute of everyday. In order to get through the junk, businesses oftentimes resort to the quick and easy way of dealing with the problem by simply making it bigger with more clutter and more junk! Instead of the hard approach of doing something remarkable, most do something adequate and simply make it appear to be remarkable. The bad news is, this rarely works and when it does it works for only so long. It’s true: lies often have a way of getting found out!

If you want to build a remarkable company, sell an awesome service, create an amazing product, or simply get the word out about your offering, you need to “get real.” Stop looking for shortcuts or incorporating misleading ad copy or trying to reach your audience by simply using a bigger megaphone. Stop marketing your products or services as better than they actually are and stop backing policies only designed to “look good” and not designed to actually help your customers.

Get real by fully standing behind what you provide. Get real by doing the legwork it takes to actually provide more real value to your customers. Get real by not thinking “how can I increase revenue” or “how can I make customer service cheaper” and thinking instead “how can I be the absolute best in my niche” and “how can I improve the lives of my customers.” Instead of resorting to typical advertising or spamming your audience, why not try and start a two-way conversation with your audience? Why not do work that is so good that people simply have no choice but to talk about it?

I’m not going to say it’s easy, because usually it’s not. Being authentic and building an authentic business that adds value and communicates that value in a real way is no easy chore. But the payoff? The payoff is worth it and I’m not simply talking in terms of revenue or profit or an IPO. I’m talking about going to sleep every night knowing that you and your business is making an impact on people’s lives. Chances are, the money will come if it’s not first and foremost what you’re after.

If you’re still lacking in motivation, check out Seth Godin’s books The Purple Cow and All Marketers Are Liars for a nice shot of adrenaline.

-RB

If you’re a small business, the odds are stacked high against you.

Your competition is bigger, better funded and has an established brand image. They also don’t have to worry about raising funds or attracting new talent.

You on the other hand, have no brand image, are constantly plagued with cash flow problems, and might even have faced the possibility of not receiving a salary next month. Other times,  sheer luck is the only way you’re able to open shop on Monday.

More icing on the cake: you’re never really sure if you’re making the right decisions, you’re constantly plagued by doubt and you’re not taken very seriously because, “You’re too small.”

In other words, welcome to the world of the underdog.

Thankfully,  it’s not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog that matters.

Google began as a research project, Richard Branson is dyslexic, and we’ve been flying faster than the speed of sound for over 50 years. Fortunately for you, it turns out that every major player, every monopoly, every powerhouse brand started just like you, as an underdog.  Overdogs beware: the thing about the underdog story is that the good* guy eventually wins.  Big companies more often than not grew to massive size because of a remarkable philosophy, product, service, etc…  And more often than not this flare can eventually be lost. So the Fortune 500 may have more economies of scale, but they may not have the same passion as you do either.  And this is good news for every underdog out there doing business.

Underdogs of Note

Underdogs from History

• The Patriots of the American Revolution
• David
• Gandhi and Indian Independence
• The Unknown Rebel
• Nelson Mandela and the Anti-Apartheid Movement

Dark Horses

• Jesse Ventura in 1998
• Ron Paul
• Winston Churchill
• Abraham Lincoln
• Barack Obama

Cinderellas

• Buster Douglas vs. Mike Tyson  video here
• Liverpool FC’s 2005 European Championship League Final video here
• 2004 Boston Red Sox vs. Yankees
• Rulon Gardner  video here
• Miracle on Ice

Business

• Apple
• 37Signals
• Google
• Microsoft
• Amazon

Honorary Mentions: William Wallace, All The Kings Men, and Rocky

In your opinion, who/what is the ultimate underdog of all time?  

*good = anything so remarkably well done, you have no choice but to talk about it