I got an email from Mike at PartnerUp inviting me to take a look at their site and share some thoughts on it. I like it. I like it a lot. What PartnerUp does is match vision and talent. The importance of this when it comes to building a fortune 500 company from a great … Read more
Something cool for today. Folding or collapsable bikes have been around for 30 years. But now, they’re better, lighter, and there’s more room for them in a world of high oil prices and shrinking living spaces. Another thing that’s really making them come in to their own is the array of lightweight materials available today. … Read more
A while ago I talked about the art of bootstrapping. It’s not as important as focusing on getting out and getting sales. But it’s still important. Especially for a new startup or a company that’s on shaky ground. There are all sorts of expenses that conspire to erode your cash and profitabilty. Sometimes it’s the … Read more
If you’ve seen the movie The Usual Suspects then you know that Keyser Soze is not a nice guy. But he’s sort of the good guy. Somebody is going to take advantage of you and your business. It’s not a question of if, just when. And if you’re not ready for it, everything you’ve built … Read more
There’s still a good buck to be made. Despite the fact that we’re in the largest housing price bubble in history. And despite the fact that subprime lenders are losing their shirts thanks to a massive spike in foreclosures … you can still get into investing in rental properties with the right opportunity. And that’s … Read more
There’s a lot of chatter lately about how difficult it is to write a blog. After a while, a lot of people just run out of ideas and throw in the towel. Maybe this will help … Blogging is about writing, more than anything else. And you have to exercise that. This is a creative writing … Read more
A few weeks ago, I conducted a little survey here to get some feedback on a topic for an eBook. Branding stood out as a favorite. So branding it was. And branding it is. And incidentally, part of building a great brand is testing it. And surveys are a good way to get the opinions … Read more
A good buddy of mine is quitting his 9 to 5er to start his own business. The first step is to start small. The second step is to apply the concept of leverage to really build it into something. The idea of OPM (using other people’s money) to magnify your position is well understood. Especially … Read more
There are two great disciplines in art that stand opposite one another. And you can throw the concept at business or any other endeavor you choose. It sticks. And rather than being a master of one or the other, having a balance between them is what’s truly awe inspiring. Walking past a gallery, I saw … Read more
A couple years ago I did a basic study of some well branded companies just to see what they spend on sales and marketing. The results … just might be the perfect plan. At the very least, you can get a real idea of what an optimum mix of expenses and profit might be when … Read more