Archive for the ‘Education’ Category

With so many people looking for work, seeking answers to win the next opportunity, this question is all too common.  At the same time, the suggested answers vary wildly but, for the most part seem to miss the crux of the issue.  Why should I hire you?

Consider these common responses:

I am:

• Accustomed to a fast pace and will hit the ground running
• Will be a valuable asset to your organization
• Able to handle stress and pressure
• Think quickly on my feet
• Am a team player

Read the rest of this entry »

Someone asked me this question, last week.  How do you learn?  Struck me as not only a genuine question, but one I hadn’t thought about in some time.

How do you learn?

Prior to the advent of the internet, digital media, and ubiquitous connectivity (for most), we were largely constrained to three methods.  Social (talk with people), reading, and video.  There just weren’t too many ‘other’ options.  Now, there’re so many it really is worth thinking about.

Digital mediums have dramatically changed all three of the traditional mediums. Social learning was largely limited to in-person face-to-face activity.  These might be local business events, service club gatherings, or simply talking with a mentor or friend over coffee.  Now, we have the ability to ‘talk’ continuously to folks through instant messaging, social networks, telephony (e.g. Skype) and more.  We can ‘talk’ until our minds go numb.  My view is that face-to-face cannot be beat—but it isn’t always possible.

Read the rest of this entry »

Two thumbtacks and a piece of string are all you need to do basic planning.

On a regular basis, I have the opportunity to speak with new entrepreneurs thinking of starting their own businesses.  One of my key topics is how to successfully evolve an ‘idea’ into an actual deliverable, regardless of whether it is a tangible product or a service.

A basic product plan needs to clearly define your offering:

• What must it do?
• How must it do it?
• Where is it done?
• When is it done?
• Why?

Just as important, arguably more so, is what it is not:

• What must it not do (if only for now)?
• How should it not be done?
• Why not?

How you will get there:

• What resources are needed?
• How long will it take?

Read the rest of this entry »

According to Wired, “‘The internet’ is in the running for the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize.(read)”  Reading on, turns out Wired Italy has championed the cause.

The argument is not without some interesting thoughts.  The internet’s enabling 220,000 tweets/hour during the Tehran, Iran, riots is one example. The ability to unlock information that would otherwise be censored another.  The internet has brought us capability we had never seen before in the Age of Man.  Certainly if the collective achievements of the internet could be singularly attributed to a person, or even a small handful, it would seem warranted.

But.  The internet in many ways is the contemporary equivalent of the telephone. The same pro/con arguments can generally be applied for both internet and telephone. The telephone did not win a NBP that I’m aware of, should the internet?

Read the rest of this entry »

A bit off-target for my blog, I have seen this basic question come up at least four times in recent weeks.  Many job seekers, increasingly hungry for work, have begun to adopt a, “I’ll work anywhere there’s work…” mindset.

This mindset certainly seems reasonable if you’re in Michigan.  For the first time in 10 years, Michigan is expected to have positive job growth. Imagine.  A new University of Michigan economic forecast, just out, is now being discussed.  For a state that’s lost 855,000 jobs in the past 10 years (since June, 2000), 230,000+ last year alone, state job growth is forecast to increase for the first time.  With only 20K new jobs expected next year, moving anywhere, somewhere, certainly seems a requirement for many.

The question may be where?  And, how do you decide?

Should you consider the unemployment rate before jumping?  The short answer is Yes. Among other things…

Read the rest of this entry »

This is the second in a four-part series asking, “Do you have it in you, to be an entrepreneur?” There are four key strengths that are must haves for an entrepreneur to be successful. Previously, I discussed the first of these, Passion.  Here, we’ll discuss guts.

• Passion
• Guts
• Team
• Cash Flow

Passion.  Guts.  In past entrepreneurial discussions I have heard people use these two terms (or equivalents) interchangeably.  But, really, there is a difference between passion and guts.

Read the rest of this entry »

This past Friday, I had the opportunity to speak in front of a group of 30, folks considering launching their own business or just having done so.  Many are doing so because work is so hard to come by, others because it’s simply the right time to follow their dreams.

Starting my presentation, I wanted to address four key strengths that are must haves for an entrepreneur to be successful.

• Passion
• Guts
• Team
• Cash Flow

You Have to be Passionate

As a potential new entrepreneur, you have to ask yourself, “Am I passionate about what I want to do?”  Do you truly believe in the product, service, or other offering that you are going to build and take to market?

Passion is, perhaps first and foremost, the most important trait for any entrepreneur.  You have to truly believe that what you are going to do will add value for your customers.

A fire in the belly is what it will take for you to work the 12, 14, 16 hour days necessary at times to get your dream off the ground.  That same fire will keep you moving even when best friends, family members, Mom or Dad, are telling you it’s all wrong, you can’t do it, you won’t succeed.

Beyond the doubters, you will face uncounted obstacles, distractions, and daily-living events. If you’re not passionate, if there’s no fire in your belly, these events will overtake you, remove the luster of your once-shiny idea, and make it harder to stick with.

Next, I talk about Guts, Team, and Cash Flow.

Photo Credit: www.sxc.hu #793479

Ann Arbor SPARK hosts a monthly series, Starting Your Own New Business. The day-long seminar includes presenters on finance, accounting, marketing, product development, and other topics related to launching one’s own business. Below, is the high-level presentation for Friday, March 19, 2010.

This high-level presentation discusses:

• Do you have what it takes…to be an entrepreneur
• Key topics important for successfully moving the Idea for a product, through development, and ensuring it survives to reach fruition.

Today’s a quick post sharing some of my first impressions after having picked up a new Kodak Zi8 camcorder.  A number of you are in marketing, use Flip cameras already, or are just considering one of these new devices.

Chris Brogan, over at www.chrisbrogan.com, was one of the first folks to create any sort of ‘spark’ for me with this new class of device.  Sure, by now we’ve probably all been to events with Flip cams.

They’re neat, cool, but the ‘value’ wasn’t quite there.  Part of that I attribute to having a ‘good’ digital tape camcorder and being put off by the overall process hassles (record an hour, take an hour to download, then process, then encode, then…).  Odds are, if you’re not a video aficionado you’ve had the same dying desire to repeat the experience. Not.

It wasn’t until I started paying attention to Chris’ vlogs and some of his various experiences (Flip, Zx1, Zx6…) that I really appreciated their value.

Read the rest of this entry »

Ann Arbor SPARK hosts a monthly series, Starting Your Own New Business. The day-long seminar includes presenters on finance, accounting, marketing, product development, and other topics related to launching one’s own business. Below, is the high-level presentation delivered Friday, February 19, 2010.

This high-level presentation discusses what are perhaps the most key topics important for successfully moving the Idea for a product, through development, and ensuring it survives to reach fruition.  The target audience is new entrepreneurs considering business for themselves.