I'm enjoying my "Metro-reading" of Take The Risk by Dr. Benjamin Carson. The book is an amazing analysis of real life and the risks involved with living. Every decision, every action poses a risk. Dr. Carson explains that some risks are not worth worrying about but there are also those that make a difference that could distinguish between life and death.
One of the most fascinating things I am learning from the book is what Dr. Carson refers to as a "Best/Worst Analysis." This method of weighing risks that are worth considering in more depth is comprised of just 4 seemingly simple questions. *what is the best thing that could happen if I do this? *what is the worst thing that could happen if I do this? *what is the best thing that could happen if I don't do this? *what is the worst thing that could happen if I don't do this? Amazingly, the application of this method of risk analysis makes the pros and cons of a particular consideration simple by breaking them down into smaller, more manageable parts. I find myself fretting a lot of the time when I am overwhelmed by a decision that requires imminent action. This lesson will be priceless the next time feel encumbered.
As promised, I have a few tips for your next job search. I would suggest you not only use sites like monster in the same way that other use it. To stand out from all the other candidates, I suggest that you send an email to the employer/HR personnel that posted the announcement. If they put their information there, they are probably alright with you using it to contact them. Send an email to the poster alerting them of your interest and highlighting some experience you may have that may be beneficial to them. If you are able to, even a call might work. Outline your conversation with any questions you have and make conversation about any comparable experience to the one you are being offered. However, I would recommend that you do one or the other, not both.
Remember that at this time, you are not employed by the organization yet and the ball is in your court. Play it like you are interested in getting in the game, their game. Still, do not be overbearing but put your goods out there as humbly as you can and see who calls to place an order. And while you're at it, you can think about the best and worst outcomes for your action.
I was up late last night chatting with Brian about our future trip to Bermuda, our business of course, and the effect social media has had on our generation.He says that it has totally changed the way we conduct business and connect with key players.Imagine, there use to be a point where an entrepreneur would have to solely depend on the phone book and the gas in his/her car (money for public transportation).Now it is as easy as logging onto Facebook, becoming friends, and sending a message or simply Tweeting.While I agree with him, believe social media may be doing our generation a disservice in the aspect of encouraging offline relations.Are offline relations still essential to business?
Tomorrow I will be having lunch with James Walker, Chief Blogger for PrPrescriptions (marketing firm targeting Gen Y).I saw him featured on Jun Loayza’s video blogging show for young professionals one night, followed him on Twitter, Tweeted him, emailed him…leveraged social media.But it is not going to stay there, I am passionate about face-to-face relations.
In my opinion; from Facebook to Twitter to Microsoft all of the BIG business is done at the table.This is the reason we must encourage more meetings, so when young professionals are faced with offline relations they won’t be caught off guard.
I will let you know how the meeting turned out on Saturday!
Are offline relations still essential to business?
Im not really sure what my title means yet, but I can already sense the deepness in the question. I just started reading a book called " Does your bag have holes in it?" by Cameron C. Taylor. I have already found some much meaning by just trying to answer that question in my mind in various areas of my life. I feel like sometimes my bag does have holes in it and things fall out because it is so heavy, and I continually add to it. The intended meaning I gather from the title and cover picture is that you may have holes in your logic and thinking that will cause you to lose everything you gain and not truly be prosperous in life. In addition to that, the holes in your logic are due to myths that you believe and try to live out, only to fail. I have had this book for about 2 and a half years, but for some reason it seems like now is the time to read it.
We are at the point in our journey that we have seen that our bag has some holes in it and we have not been able to answer some of the tough questions. But such is the life of an entrepreneur. The one thing we do know is that we will figure it out! We have our faith in God, but we also have a resolve to keep trying until we figure it out. Its almost bittersweet, because there are so many directions that we could go that it is hard to pick one and stick to it and do the necessary research. Josh and I are both eternal optimists and ofcourse we get excited about our own ideas. However, Ideas are a dime a dozen, it is really about implementation. Therein lies the problem. It is very hard to implement things these days with so much technology out there and so much competition. It is almost a curse of so many choices that we just cant pick one! Even with the new blog we are creating with wordpress. there are so many templates we can use, I just havent been able to stick with one and make it work!
I am getting better though and look forward to spending time on the project after school is over. My last summer break... ahhhh!!!
Someone more brilliant than I worked out that the world's most wasted resources lie in the graveyard. The talents, ideas and mental gems that were never released get buried and are lost forever! Sad as it may seem, this should motivate the living to do all they can. What a shame it would be for you to die with all the potential that you have that could make the world a brighter place for all. To make this a little more personal, think about how many steps back we would be today if Thomas Edison gave up on the light bulb or the Wright brothers thought it was possible to fly but waited for someone else to try to figure it out. Mind you, Edison didn't invent the light bulb, it was a 50 year old idea that he improved!
My grandmother passed away recently and I couldn't help but marvel at the stories I heard about her funeral (I was unable to travel to attend). The entire town (Otupko, Benue State, Nigeria) was there and people traveled from all over the country and some from as far as England to be there! Why? She made it a point to empty herself into as many people as she could before she was unable to communicate. She turned her entrepreneurship into a means of helping others as well as using it as a way to ensure that her children were well taken care of. And although my nanny couldn't read or write, she could count and she has children and grandchildren who are lawyers, doctors, businessmen and a host of other respectable professions.
I want to die empty. I want my life to have meant something when I leave this place. Corny as it may be, leaving something behind that is worth talking about is one reason I make an effort even when I just want to be complacent and lazy. So I hope to put everything between my ears into the world somehow (books, conversations, etc) before I leave.
How do you plan on giving all you've got? What do you have to give right now?
A lowercase “f” or “t”, the golden arches, the letter “O” with features of a flag; these are all logos that stand out in our minds and represent a successful brand. I am sure Facebook, Twitter, McDonald’s, and President Obama, among others were hugely successful because of their logos. When the product can’t be seen or key players can’t be heard the logo still stands. In yesterday’s Friday Finds, Brian wrote “Your logo is your brand...dishing out the money is worth it.” That being said I ask How will your logo save your business?
For the last week Brian, Omi, and I have been going over the logo presentations sent to us from 50dollarlogo.com. There are certain aspects he likes about one and certain aspects I like about the other, while Omi is steadfast in her opinion of one of the options. It is important for us to take the logo seriously and not make any quick decisions. We have to ensure we are not settling for a logo, because represents us.
On the other hand, the process is pretty interesting. I was talking with Monica Reid earlier today, over a couple of Krispy Kreme donuts about the back and forth we all have been having over the logo. I compared it to the checks and balances system of our great nation. It is like the President trying to sell his point to Congress. We have been giving reasons to each other about how our chosen logo represents our brand best, has the best stand alone image, and like Facebook, Twitter, McDonald’s, and the President, make us hugely successful.
Things we’ve learned to keep in mind while creating a logo:
1) Don’t make the logo limiting, as you want your brand to grow and for the logo to encompass the growth 2) Be careful of color choice. I recommend Googling any color you choose to ensure it is sending the right message. 3) Keep the logo simple 4) Keep in mind that the logo is going to be the face of the company. It will be on everything from packaging to billboards. Ensure it adequately represents your brand 5) Construct a trusted team for the approval process 6) Have fun throughout the creation process!!!
1. It is extremely hard to get funding especially when it is your first startup 2. Start small and build credibility 3. 50dollarlogo is a good service... but only for starters. Your logo is your brand...dishing out the money is worth it. 4. We need to get more serious about finding a tech guy 5. We must continue to ask ourselves the tough questions, or else others will and we wont be prepared 6. We need to keep a realistic prospective on everything we do while shooting for the stars 7. Social media job positions are becoming more prevalent. 8. My interview with New Media Strategies went well, and they asked me about my social media experience. 9. Programmers are valuable 10. Slow Down, to Speed up
With so many people laid off recently, the competition for jobs is extremely high and there is a huge range of experienced applicants which will only get bigger when more college students graduate this may. As this is the case, it becomes extremely important for applicants to be prepared for the jobs they are applying for. The preparation of course starts with knowing where to look. There are uncountable numbers of job posting websites out there that allow employers to advertise openings in their own words. There in lies a problem my friend, you have to know what they mean!
One of the potential issues with employers being able to put up positions on job sites includes deceptive portrayals of jobs offered. Have you read a job posting lately? With the exception of some very creative ones, many of them use overgenerous language to advertise their positions. The creativity used to create the position titles is itself Oscar-worthy but it dulls in comparison to the description of the possibilities they offer and no other company offers to allow you to make giant leaps in your career. Unethical? No, but it does make me worry a little about what to expect when one does get the ‘dream job.’
Needless to say it is vital to exercise caution in deciphering these job postings. If you were applying for a job, I would think it would be important to you to know what would be required of you. It would be utterly disappointing if you thought your job was highly interactive only to start and be unpleasantly surprised that you only get to see people when they drop something off at your desk.
Since it is highly unlikely that employers will stop advertising jobs the way they do in the near future, it remains a job seeker’s responsibility to find out what they mean. If your happiness, fulfillment and significance on the job matters much to you, you’d better start reading between the lines. I’ll have more on the subject in the coming weeks and together, we can help you get that “dream job!”
Do you have trouble understanding job postings? What is most important for you to understand?
As Brian mentioned yesterday, we had a conference call with Jun Loayza (@JunLoayza). He’s a great guy, I would recommend reading and subscribing to his blog at Junloayza.com; it will benefit generation Y entrepreneurs and professionals. Jun gave us advice about how to implement and focus on specific and measurable goals. I walked away from the conference call feeling as though our mission to help young professionals communicate more effectively within the corporate environment was too ambitious. It was at that moment that I began to question if our goals were unreachable and even more so, will we be able to successfully make a positive impact on young professionals and entrepreneur, and on a bigger scale…the world. I ask are you and/or your goals too ambitious?
When I think about being too ambitious I think the African American Senator, from Illinois, standing in front of the Illinois State Capitol Building captivating an audience by announcing his candidacy…he’s President. I think of Mark Zuckerberg, Chris Hughes, and Dustin Moskovitz creating Facebook…currently the leading social networking site in the world. I think of the young minister from Alabama who spoke out for freedom and against injustice and inequality…the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed.
Are our goals to lead the communication reform among young professionals and entrepreneurs too ambitious? In some eyes it may be, but will that stop us…NO. The answer is first we have to outline measurable REALISTIC goals and develop a solid implantation plan. We have to dream big and be ambitious! No goal is too ambitious!
It is early in the game, but it is time to refocus our efforts. Joshua and I had a conference call with Jun Loayza last night and he gave us some great advice. He told us of his trials and tribulations and he even poked the necessary holes in our business idea to see where we need to make changes. We know we have great ideas, but so does everyone else. It is all about implementation. When Jun asked us why someone would use our website over a simpley google search, we could not find a coherent answer. We were able to think of a few reasons later and we also havent finalized exactly what we want on the site.
We were a little dazed by the rapid fire questions, but we concluded that it is good for us. We have decided to take our most concrete conceptual component and building credibility based on it and our site around it as well. We hope that the component/widget will be downloaded and used so that we will build a buzz for future offerings. We are also looking at ways to monetize as well. This may help us fund the rest of the project or build credibility to get funding. School and jobs have been getting in the way of some of the progress, but we are looking forward to focusing exclusively on business and getting things done. Watch out for updates.
I took a second practice MCAT for my Princeton Review Course today. To my surprise, my scores dipped from the first one I took. What happened to all the physics formulas I memorized? All the practice with the verbal section? There are 3 sections: Physical Sciences, Verbal and Biological Sciences. I increased my score in Biological Sciences but somehow lost more points in the Physical Sciences and Verbal sections. Disappointed? Yes. But there’s got to be a way forward.
In my analysis of the situation (and I like to get over bad things as quickly as possible after they happen), I realized how confident I have been in knowing my Biology. I probably don’t know any less Biology than Physics and Chemistry or English for that matter but I am sure of what I know about Biology. Did this make the difference?
As I examined my Verbal and Physical Sciences scores, I figured how afraid I am of doing badly in these sections. A lot depends on me getting as many questions right as I possibly can. Is my desire to do well working antagonistically with my ability? With the Verbal section, I did quite well the last time I took the test. Was I overconfident in applying the newly learned techniques that helped me the last time?
What I need to do is be sure of what I know about Physical Sciences and be calm while I’m taking that section of the test. I actually caught myself holding my breath while thinking of the answer to a question in that section earlier today. Perhaps a little look in the mirror to remind myself of how hard I have worked to get this far and of my God given abilities will reassure me and help me nail it the next time around.
A good balance of confidence and a healthy appreciation of failure perhaps is all I need.
Has your confidence been knocked down lately? What do you do to get back up?
Brian and I go back and forth on giving each other books to read.I may suggest “The Path: Creating Your Mission Statement for Work and for Life” by Laurie Beth Jones; a book about finding the mission statement that best identifies with your career and your life.Brian would suggest “Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man’s Soul” by John Eldredge; a book about simply looking at the dreams and desires written in the heart of every man: To be a hero, to be a warrior, to live a life of adventure and risk. More recently, Brian advised me to read “The Go-Giver” by Bob Burg and John David Mann; a heartwarming and inspiring tale that brings new relevance to the old proverb “give and you shall receive.” Unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to read the book; especially now that we’re building the business but I’m sure I will soon enough.
The concept of being a “Go-getter”, in my opinion, is about running as hard as you can towards the goal and accomplishing it no matter what stands in your way.Now, imagine applying that same passion to the “Go-GIVER” inside of you.To give until you have no more to give, to help until all is helped, to volunteer until everyone knows who to call for a volunteer.
You never know what can come out of an opportunity where you give, help, and/or volunteer.For example, on Monday I am volunteering at the Politics Online Conference (POLC) in Washington, D.C.I am doing it, genuinely, because I knew the event would be huge and volunteers were needed, I have a passion for Politics, and I have a passion to help.We had a meeting today to outline our roles at the conference.Following the meeting, I met an interesting young man.After he went into detail about my role at the conference would be, we struck up a conversation.I was intrigued to find he was the database manager for President Barack Obama during his campaign.WOW!! Although, I currently work about two blocks from the White House, I am always overjoyed when meeting people who worked with the President!
Of course, he received a brief overview of our endeavor.That was before shooting for the fence and asking him if he knew Chris Hughes.Without hesitation he answered that they used to work in the same office (he said it as nonchalantly as when he said he saw President Obama on a daily basis). After our conversation, he proceeded to give me an email where Mr. Hughes could be reached…that’s INSANE!!!!
All this from a volunteer effort?From pouring your time and energy into someone else’s passion, dream, life, and/or ambition.You never know the result of volunteering, helping, and giving.Please don’t confuse this by giving, helping, and volunteering with alternative motives.Be genuine and find a cause, initiative, or endeavor you’re passionate about.
1. Joomla is a great place to get started..building a website
2. Google reader makes it eaier to send out blog o days to the team
3. We need to learn a little bit of the tech side of things..otherwise we will be at the mercy of those who kno
4. Facebook has an amazin web 2.0 group that helps people make connections for buildint startups 5. Every social network has its own culture and language 6. Twitter is a good place to find connections for internships 7. Linked in is growing on me. 8. Building your personal online brand is important. 9. We are going to have our first logo built by 50 dollarlogo.com..for obvious reasons 10. Spending tomuch time in front of the comp can make u dizzy
Last week, I got an email at work from my contracting company warning all employees about the personal use of company phones while at work. The policy on this is that their employees should not use a work phone for personal matters at all. Of course this does not apply to emergency situations (or so I hope…And then again, what constitutes an emergency?). Although I would not mind adhering to this policy, I think it might be impossible for some. Perhaps an adjustment is necessary.
Working parents who need to keep tab on their children or get non-emergency calls from their family members might not be compliant with this rule. To make it even harder to comply with, there is no cell phone signal in the building which means that employees would have to go outside the building to hold a 5 second conversation if they need to. Not to mention the need for constant stimulation that is quite characteristic of millennials. What is one supposed to do if they have that many friends who feel the need to share a lot with them?
I am able to appreciate my company’s policy on the one hand, as it protects me from having to endure the carrying voices of other employees talking on the phone during company time. However, I think there should be considerations made which allow people to talk on the phone without compromising their work and wrongfully using company time.
If I ran a ship (any official ship), I would ask my crew to comply with the following fair and considerate requests:
Employees cannot hold a non-work related phone conversation for more than 5 minutes for every 6 hours of company time. This allows working parents to periodically check on their children or children’s caregivers without abusing the privilege.
Employees should keep outside communication to a “need-to” basis while at work with the exception of break periods.
Volume of phone conversations must be kept to a minimum (no one else should be able to hear your conversation but you).
No long-distance personal phone calls would be allowed on a company phone or computer. If you use it, you’ll be responsible for paying your entire bill for the month.
Never take a personal call when you are with a client. Unless there is a very high probability that your wife is in labor at this very minute, focus on the client and deal with personal issues later.
And I think I would make a pretty cool boss!
What is your company’s phone policy and/or how would you make mine better?
So I haven't been feeling 100% for a few months now. It started with stomach problems after eating wayyy too much and then it seems like every bug in the world is out to get me. Also,the weather wont decide what season it is. This series of events has made me kind moody and lethargic. I havent been pulling my weight as much as I want to and it messes with my creativity because I have been focusing on getting better. My lady came down to visit this weekend and that helped and I know God is going to heal me, but it is frustrating.
I started developing a kind of tingling feeling in my hands and knees and I went to the school doctor for the sixty millionth time and the lady asked if I had been stressed. Well, it is that time of the school year when stress is rampant, so I eventually conceded to her point and left believing it was stress. Who wouldnt be stress after three month stomach issues? So I went to the computer lab after I learned I was stressed, and opened my school email. I opened an email from my boss and found out that they were letting me go! (so much for destressing). I eventually got rehired and handled the situation and thank God for it! But it is easy to see how life can get in the way of goals and dreams. That is why it is so important to have partners that pick up the slack when you are down. Business has been moving along as I have been in and out and we continue to make strides daily.
On the tech side of things we had a conference call today with Seth Erves, co-founder of Inspiredcre8tions (technology solutions firm), that helped us put things into perspective for our website. He suggested using joomla to get started with our site as a way to keep costs down and be able to do all the things we need to do. It is a platform to start and develop things from and it should do the trick.
How have you overcome illness to come out better on the other side?
It looks like I woke up one morning and college was over. On that morning, I would have to face the hard questions. Hard, only because the consequences, good or bad, would be mine to live with. There were a lot of things my parents did that I had to take over the responsibility for like health insurance, auto insurance, utility bills, student loans etc. There was no class in college to teach me how I would go about handling these things. Thankfully, my job offered health benefits and my honor society in college had a discount with an auto insurance company and I have learned to budget well enough to save for a new car while paying the utility bills and student loans. Being unprepared to handle these issues didn’t make them go away, I simply found a way to solve them. What I didn't know, I learned and so far, it's been good enough to live with.
With this project, the obstacles we face are many. We are in search of answers that will make the decisions easier to make so that the end product serves its purpose in a very fine way.Every detail matters as there will be others who will come after us that will try to learn from our mistakes and improve on them. Still, we will need to show something for our hard work; that fact doesn’t go away (and we don’t wish for it to). So, the more effort we put in today, the less we will have to worry about tomorrow. The better our product is, the less there will be to improve on.
Now, I have one more big personal decision to make. One with which I will have to live with for the four years that follow. Where do I attend medical school? I have some places in mind but I would like to know what those places are like before I apply (application is about $100 - $150 if you get through the first part). I am sure by June I’ll have some answers and the places I apply will be the right ones.
It seems to be the healthy fear of making the wrong decisions that help me make the right ones. I just think of what I’ll be able to live with comfortably and work for that.
What hard decisions are you faced with right now and how do you make them?
Imagine yourself in a huddle with the executive staff of your business.You all are preparing the launch of a service that will change the world, or in our case, the corporate environment…I like “the world!!!” better.A service that will help young professionals worldwide communicate effectively within the corporate environment.The topic of marketing comes up in the huddle (or in the board room to be politically correct).Facebook is the first thing thrown out.Facebook?That’s it?Planning to change the world solely with Facebook?No knock against Facebook but to operate on a large scale you more, you need a plan…How will a marketing plan save your business?
From the time I rose this morning, at 9:30 AM EST, to the time I left for the nation’s capitol, about 6:00 PM EST, I was busy devising a marketing plan for our endeavor.For the majority of that time I spent reading and understanding what goes into a marketing plan.There is a SWOT analysis, outling the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats for our company; determining where the competitive advantage lies; who to build marketing alliances with and the list goes on.My good friend, Susan Payton (@eggmarketing) of Egg Marketing and Public Relations can help you take care of this.She’s awesome!
One of the aspects of business not always revealed to young professionals and entrepreneurs is the time, planning, and discipline put into building a career or business.There is a lot of sacrifice included.Today, I had to postpone lunch with a friend to continue work this project.I did, however, have the opportunity to make it out to Busboys and Poets this evening…check it out when you have a chance, it is an entrepreneur’s paradise.
Marketing is important to business, especially to the success of ours.A plan is necessary; from what I developed today not only will we be taking a page out of President Obama’s campaign marketing plan but you be sure it will appeal to our target audience, young professionals and entrepreneurs.
The next time someone of your business says Facebook is the only tool for marketing, please say WAIT!!!!! we have to help the masses…meaning, in addition to Facebook, we will need ground troops and face to face relationships (that can be your competitive advantage).Let’s not forget there is a method to using and building relationships with Facebook, which involves planning and evaluating.That will be a future blog topic…
