Merry Christmas to all...

i've added a thank-you to our site...have a massive 2008 everyone...

lifehacker...web apps list...

found a great little web apps list at lifehacker and thought you'd like to see it...i haven't tried all the suggested software listed there, feel free to make a few suggestions of your own if you know of something more effective...

to be clear...

i'm not at all adverse to people choosing to be environmentally responsible. the point of the last post and rant was to express my lack of respect for government who simply feel it's their duty to grow, tax and fine the population in order to look like it's proactive...

how about reduce in size, become more effective with less and motivate and reward rather than the current standard of tax and fine? red light cameras and photo radar as examples of the cash cow mentality...

i understand it's necessary to create new laws because our world is ever changing and sometimes we aren't responsible enough ourselves, such as turning off our vehicle while in a drive-thru for example or during extended periods of idle time. we shouldn't need a law for this type of commonsense, that said, we're lazy in many ways and so to effect any real change rather find a non-bylaw solution to motivate the population, they opt for a lack of creativity, write a poorly constructed bylaw and the result, well that varies from ridiculous to ineffective.

it's against the law to speed, vandalize and do all sorts of much worse things - all for the most part commonsense...yet every day there is a lack of motivation and general accountability enforcing these rule breaking behaviors in many and the police are kept very busy.

i suppose that what i'm asking for here is much more difficult than simply creating a new bylaw and then let the police handle enforcement...i probably shouldn't ask too much of our governing bodies...if they stray off the beaten path too much then the non-creative segment of our community will question as to why they didn't just simply pass a bylaw and be done with it...

i'm clearly speaking about a much bigger issue than a anti-idle bylaw...that was really my point.

time to rant...

RESPONSE: Putting a stop to idle time

Victoria Handysides
News Staff
Friday December 14, 2007

As a private Sherwood Park Chevy Tahoe driving resident, I’d like to comment on this issue from another perspective. Regardless of whether this is a good environmental idea or not, let’s take into consideration the potential collateral impact of this idea “when it comes down the road” here in Strathcona County.

First, drive-thru revenue is crucial to those businesses that have them…cutting that puts people, including the elderly and others on fixed incomes (whom often take these jobs out of necessity due to things like a 9% tax hike) out of work. Secondly, look at this from a family perspective, mothers use the drive thru option. Why? So that they can get a cup of coffee, lunch for the kids or remove money from a bank account and they so don’t have to unpack all the kids and stand in line for lunch on the way home, many of our councilors are well past those years now and may have forgotten what it’s like.

Further, here in Strathcona County, we’re very unique in the region, we have a considerable amount of large industry paying taxes to help with our high standard of living and “we” (including myself) am very happy to invite and welcome billions more in investment of this type, (investment that both the City of Edmonton and Strathcona County are willing to fight over by the way.) We could balance this by focusing on attracting clean technology businesses but our Mayor thinks we’re already very well diversified on that front and so we don’t have a strategy for that, but that’s another story. By the way, during the past election she referred to in part the very businesses that would be directly affected by a bylaw of this type as part of that strong diversification. On the downside of those positive press releases stating another upgrader investment to locate here, comes a certain amount of pollution, not a surprise to this community, since that’s been its bread and butter for decades now, regardless of whether “they’re diligently operating within accepted air quality parameters” or not, that’s a fact, just look outside your window. So, who is adversely affected by this fancy new environmental stewardship? Well, almost everyone but certainly the elderly segment of our steadily aging population whom are still able to drive. Many whom are suffering from poor circulation or arthritis for example, which is a larger issue in -20 to -30 weather and requires a very warm vehicle to help alleviate the affects, I guess we should just say that all elderly should stay home in the cold or be prepared to shut off their cars, get off their lazy polluting duffs and quickly hop into the store…And should they fall and break a hip while being strong environmental stewards and obeying the law? I guess in the name of environmental stewardship we should accept that resulting increase in healthcare costs, how many beds does our soon to open new hospital have? How many elderly care facilities do we have here in Strathcona County?

I’ve got an idea that will actually address the “cut emissions during rush hour” issue…pass a car pooling bylaw, all residents traveling to and from the City of Edmonton must car pool or take public transportation unless you’re driving a hybrid. In the name of environmental stewardship, “let’s tax em and fine em”…I can hear the battle cries in the halls now…

But by far my favorite lead by example idea, another bylaw may state that all of Council must use Strathcona County public transportation to travel within County limits and when traveling to the City of Edmonton. That might actually be feasible if this Mayor and the last Council hadn’t lost touch with the needs of the citizens.

I suppose the positive irony out of all of this is that once our aging council decides to finally retire they’ll still be subject to their own law. May we be greeted by them at a fast food drive thru sometime soon, oh wait a minute, I forgot about those great pensions…

dell has the guts to see it through...

i was cruising by horsepigcow.com and came across a video post regarding dell's blog and social networking strategy. i commented on the fact that i don't believe the story to be that unique, many large companies have experienced a loss of direction and fallen out of touch with their customers which has adversely affected their bottom-line (example below).

however, dell is probably unique in the sense that they had the guts to follow through with the strategy properly through the bad and the good. by the way, it should be noted that i've been to dell's Canadian hq when conducting business with them and found the people i was doing business with very friendly and ethical, unlike the experience this guy had some time ago, actually i found a lot of these types of blog posts...

one final note, i have in the past purchased a dell machine, an inspiron was my first laptop, i have not went back to them because of a few reasons but mostly because i have a client Alan Wong, owner of honor computer systems who sells computers locally and i choose to support him whenever possible.

open source marketing???

my new facebook friend Jeremiah Owyang - web strategist and all around good guy has a video on his blog where a group of guys talk about the need to develop a more aggressive open source marketing strategy, that would include more corporate like action. (my comment is on his blog). i mention that i like the idea in spirit, however, i've worked with programmers who "rage against the corporate machine", all i can say is good luck boys...

POST method report...

i dropped in on Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff's blog this morning, the first time in a while and found some interesting work their doing as part of their role at forrester research. i've wanted to for sometime now move to the next level of discussion with respect to how to truly maximize one's efforts regarding social networking etc...

and this morning it seems as though Josh and team are zeroing in on that very subject...cheers guys...

POST stands for "people", "objectives", "strategy", "technology", everything a growing social networking neophyte should consider before launching the big blog...i've put in my request for a look at their recent report and hope to get a response and the report so that i can report to you and back to them my thoughts...

think before you drink...

having just been traveling, i wish i would have seen this video prior...UNBELIEVABLE!!!

road warrior...

i've been traveling a lot lately...honolulu, hawai'i in late october and many trips down to southern alberta these last few weeks...back on the road to the US on sunday...i hope that most of the US thanksgiving air travelers will have returned home by then...that said, these are exciting times, filled with many exciting projects...

honolulu...

i'm almost all packed as i'm heading to honolulu for a week or so on business and it's going to be terrific, lots of business to be done. i may, over the next few days include a few pictures and comments on the goings on, if i have time...i take off at 6:40am tuesday to seattle (a town i've come to really enjoy and like, nice airport too) for 1.5 hours before heading to the islands.

i've been to oahu and almost all of the islands over the years but haven't been for sometime, so i'm looking forward to it...

Aboriginal Women's Professional Association

today i had a wonderful opportunity to present and speak with a group of women entrepreneurs as part of a conference put on by the Aboriginal Women's Professional Association at Norquest College who wanted to know more about how to leverage the internet for their businesses.

i chose to make it all about them today and answer as many questions as I could in an hour, there simply wasn't enough time for the subject. that said, my hope is that everyone learned something new today and will take on the task of launching a successful website for their business soon. the power point presentation that i had prepared for today is now available for download on our website at fusedlogic.com. good luck to all the women in their future endeavors and please don't hesitate to contact me at any time...

election day is just 5 days away...

the count down continues...

political forum...

this evening i attended the Strathcona County political forum put on by the Sherwood Park and District Chamber,

it's been a long day and i've got to be on the road early tomorrow out of town so i'll make this short tonight and follow-up later on...

i'm supporting Tom Pandos for Ward 1 and Ken Lesniak for Mayor

my second choice for mayor would be Cathy Olesen that said she lost my vote on a few issues but primarily based on how i've been treated by her, (she can't remember my name after several introductions)...so i have to send my support elsewhere...she is articulate and does have experience in the position and it's absolutely time for change. i know that in past entries i communicated that she was not genuine...in some ways i still believe that and i believe this region needs a new voice speaking on our behalf especially at the provincial level to fend off the reckless maniac mandel...our lives might have all been better off if someone of substance ran against him in edmonton...he's probably the least liked politician in this region for some time...

in many ways people from the past council, including Olesen, Jewell and Ken Lesniak are talking about their records and results...for Olesen it'll be business as usual if she wins...that's not a good thing however, we've got problems that should have never been allowed to get as far as they have...snow removal, crime, traffic, transit, affordable housing, lack of business office space, recreational facilities, seniors care...the hospital being too small...i understand by the way that finding people to staff a larger hospital is a critical issue around the province, i wonder what iris evans is doing about that? more of the same i'm sure...

change must happen...so i'll expand on why Tom and Ken in a later entry...further and probably most impressive this evening was Jason Gariepy for Ward 8, followed by Roxanne Carr and i can't find a website for her...both would be strong additions to our council...

local leadership...

while observing and commenting on the local election here in sherwood park - strathcona county, i've decided that the one who gets my vote will be the one who demonstrates emotional intelligence, lateral thinking, is a great communicator and who realizes that just because we're essentially a bedroom community that doesn't mean we have to act like one...

there's a lot of great things about our community and yet there's still work to be done...we need a leader who has charisma and understands that the world is flat...

shift happens...

ken lesniak for mayor...

i just finished meeting with a volunteer who knocked on my door from the ken lesniak for mayor campaign

she was very passionate about communicating that ken has something new to offer the community in addition to "proven leadership". she referenced the strong political network that ken has and how adept he is at building consensus among his peers, a skill that incumbent olesen has been lacking when you track her progress on several issues surrounding regional collaboration. right or wrong this seems to be a clear point of attack for both lesniak and jewell.

i was encouraged by the volunteer to contact ken lesniak directly by email or phone which i have done and we'll see if there is any response and if so what the result of that conversation is...

business philosophy: best practice vs. fresh practice...

does your company push to evolve? do you innovate whenever possible?

do you spend any of your time laying down under your desk? sound silly? maybe and it will change your perspective, put your mind in a different state of thought...

many companies stay put in the comfort rut or "best practice rut". spend some time today with your feet up on your desk, stop looking busy for busy sake, put the cell down, don't answer emails for the afternoon, 1 out of 200 are really important anyway the rest waste your time...want to do some real work? get out of the office, smell the street, taste and explore something new today.

look at the behavioral traits of your customers in a different way. focus on creating a "buy list", reasons (you currently think) as to why customers buy your product. then spend time confirming the list and then create a new list of even more reasons to buy...

strathcona county...

i am on the fence as an undecided regarding the upcoming civic election in strathcona county...

i've had the chance to meet two of the three competitors for the top job. in order of appearence, cathy olesen earlier this year and more recently ken lesniak for 2 or 3 minutes...i still haven't met brent jewell as of yet.

frankly, it's still too early to decide who to vote for...i will say i'm disappointed in the current state of things, i'll save those specifics for another time. history records that more than once on this very blog i congratulated olesen for standing up to mandel in edmonton, (during the height of the regional planning issue) someone who just seems like he needs to put in his place from time to time...that said we need to get moving forward and i don't think olesen has anything new to offer the situation...the mere fact that 2 councilors have been motivated to run against her sends a clear message of issues behind the scenes...

could lesniak or jewel do any better? not sure at the moment. i will say that (in my opinion) all three candidates need to learn more about information technology in general. why is that important? simple, this world is run on it and if you're going to guide this community effectively into the 21st century you can no longer afford to be an info tech neophyte. for example, this election could be more easily won by not only doing all the usual glad handing in public but also launching an aggressive online communication blitz too. what i don't think the candidates know is that much of the advantage could be done for minimal cost and effort. a website is only the beginning, i get the sense however, they feel it's the end of the line in terms of being tech savvy...is it ignorance or arrogance? and anyway what do i know, i'm not a pro-politician like these three...

one gap in my opinion is that strathcona county needs a tech strategy for business...an ICT cluster strategy of its own perhaps, a tech strategy that enables community members to leverage technology that other communities have already adopted successfully... sure growth and regional planning are critical issues, there are many others...i'm going to watch how each stacks up on all of the issues...

my impression of each so far --- the incumbent olesen is unapproachable and disingenuous. i really don't want to say that about her and yet there it is...jewell wants to win so bad that he and his campaign are making obvious tactical mistakes (despite best intentions) which are back firing on him at the moment. lesniak seems to think everyone knows him and the other candidates already (also seems to have the "old guard" on his side), and apparently there's nothing new to say...this is the impression given. (as a person he did seem approachable) however, mr. lesniak i don't really know you or the other candidates all that well. what do you really stand for? my family and i have only lived in sherwood park a short time, like a portion of the local population. that said, rumor has it that you and premier stelmach are old pals and socialize regularly at your home...good? bad? who knows...

anyway it's late and for now my vote stays put - none of the above. hopefully i and the community will learn more at the upcoming political forum on oct 3rd and again on the 4th.

in the meantime i challenge all candidates to do publicize their own version of this.

building contractors are going to fall...

in Alberta the housing market has been crazy for sometime now...the new housing market as well...

sooner rather than later, builders who have not been futurecasting and paying attention to the business, economic and political signs past the saw dust they're making are already in trouble.

many have extended themselves to put more inventory out there and will no doubt go under...

the prices have finally reached their ridiculous peak and at $215 per sq ft to build new why would anyone with half a brain agree to do that??? especially when $50K into a home reno may serve them better...

this is an exercise in pure and simple unbalanced greed...unfortunately this market shift just like the mortgage crash in the US will take down some probably otherwise decent builders in it's wake...

for more information

browser vs. desktop...

technology is growing and evolving as it always does...for the average user like you and i that means companies such as google and others are working to get our traffic by developing "their" version of a standard product, in this case, ms office vs. google docs or ms powerpoint vs. google presentation.

(by the way, i love competition, anything to reduce those ms prices.)

this is part of the trend to assist "us" (the average user) in moving online, many of the world's Internet super users have been completely mobile with their laptop or even mobile device for years now...i'm not there yet. frankly, i just got a blackberry 8800 earlier this year, in some ways i'm ahead of the trend and in others not so much, further proof is provided when you see my 1968 matchless G15 hybrid (british motorcycle)...and i will from time to time hook up to a free wireless network here and there over coffee but that hardly makes me a war-driver or super free spirit in Internet terms.

interesting side note, in edmonton, the largest city near where i live they've just only now begun to experiment with laptops in the classroom. so it's only a matter of time before the school system wakes up even further and adopts the online workspace as a trend...maybe that's stretch. i'm not talking about distance learning for university students here mind you...i'm talking about grade 6. there will most certainly have to be more online resource development before that can truly take place though...

also, before more of the average business users and students go completely mobile and do all work online there still needs to be more product development and enhancement. there are three concerns i see that exist before a tipping-point can take place and mass adoption of this new style of work can begin...

1. trust. having all your work and life sitting on someone else's server is still a concern for me.
2. behavioral change. we're used to doing things a certain way, especially working offline and always needing a connection can be an issue...
3. functionality. these online versions have some advantages and yet are still lacking in a lot of ways.

anyway, food for thought and that's my two cents for today...

plaxo identity aggregator coming....

plaxo is pretty cool and will be even better shortly...check this video out on the scobleshow.

web 2.0 goes enterprise...

well look and ye shall find...following up from a post yesterday about combining 2.0 with enterprise...looks like there are pioneers out there...not many but here we go....

great web resource...

here's a cool blog called webware about the latest in web apps and general developments...rafe needleman is the man behind it and it's really, really well done...

quote of the day...

"Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from
achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the
wrong mental attitude."

- Thomas Jefferson

2.0 plus enterprise...

watch for a company or group that will focus on integrating web2.0 technologies, social networking ideas and so on into critical enterprise level applications...

i definitely smell opportunity here...the key will be to find the early adopters of this type of mash...

also watch for more social networking integration all your profiles in one location...i think that's going to happen too...

just a couple of thoughts i was having...

do they "want" to buy it?

i apologize in advance this is going to get a bit scattered this morning...i've got all sorts of Sunday chores to do but feel like blogging so i haven't really thought my thoughts through...instead i'm going to act like a software company and launch the beta then come back and edit later...all the while i'll let you experience the transformation IF i actually feel motivated to come back and change anything later...

are you building a product or delivering a service that people actually "want" to buy because it flawlessly understands the market? or are your customers simply putting up with the trash your pushing for lack of a better solution? are they frustrated with the fact that you don't listen to them?

some in the software game have the right focus and more importantly, philosophy - (I give you 37 signals) and some in fact could care less (that list is too long for today's rant), others still are simply stupid and you know the rule..."you can't fix stupid". (this is the longest list in my opinion, unfortunately.)

for a long time many in the software industry (the honest ones) have said "humans actually suck at building software" ...maybe they're asking the wrong questions in the focus group, i don't agree with focus groups as a general rule anyway...they're based on a flawed process...

(want to know if you've got a winner? when people are standing in line at the pre-sale stage because they helped design and build it by contributing openly.

go beyond the few meetings your having now and try sending your programmers on a field trip, i...the more introverted pop-swilling geeks out of their cubicles and smelling the streets the better i say...you can think of it as another opportunity to use twitter.

Guy Kawasaki calls them "bozos".

so if you think you and/or your web development firm, software development firm, application development team rocks and truly understands your customer's world, i'd like to hear from you...identify yourself and let everyone know how you understand them and how your product or service actually puts dollars in their pocket at the end of the experience GUARANTEED...which should be the beginning of the experience.

ELIMINATE THE BOZOS from software and web design...we small business owners want results.

edmonton chamber of commerce...

this morning i had the privilege of presenting to the opportunities unlimited networking group at the edmonton chamber of commerce. my goal for the morning was to simply inspire those in attendance to take a step towards a new direction involving the establishment of a global network for their businesses...

i do hope that everyone was able to take at least one thing away with them today in terms of new information, idea or source of inspiration to improve their business and lives in general.

if, as Tony suggests folks from the group are visiting then i would once again like to thank-you for the gift of your time and attention.

i'd also like to take this opportunity to ask you for open comments on the presentation, if you have any suggestions regarding how i could improve, change or adapt the message i'd love to hear from you here or by email...thank-you for the questions and interest in the subject matter at the end of todays presentation...

i didn't get to talk with everyone this morning individually but i love coffee and great conversation.....(hint)

finally here are some of the links to check out when you have a moment...

www.xing.com www.blogtalkradio.com

www.myspace.com www.technorati.com www.youtube.com www.facebook.com http://www.linkedin.com/

www.helium.com www.tagcloud.com www.feedburner.com http://www.squidoo.com/fusedlogic/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/schwabe35/

good luck to everyone today and in the future, may your profits be large and your life be balanced....

hugh's list is pretty cool...

in some ways Hugh Mcleod is sort of feeling a lag in energy and confidence as is evident to me in his cool list that i found oddly enough by dropping by Seth Godin's blog this morning. By the way Seth, i just finished reading "the dip", sorry for taking so long but you were backed up on my list or reads and "the 4-hour work week" beat you to the punch. this is my one day to blog, can't you tell?

anyway, Hugh...keep up the very cool work, your audience is growing like crazy...

my mom on facebook???

ok, let's set the stage. my mom is a fantastic lady and she really means well when it comes to her computer, the internet and technology in general. she took a couple courses on how to use windows and navigation the internet. she recently set-up and installed an all in one printer and wireless mouse...she's cooking right along.

then yesterday my wife tells me that my mom has joined facebook and made contact with a friend from the old days...i know this friend of hers and so that's really cool...

however, the point of this entry is not to boast about my mom although that is a very worthwhile thing to do, rather it's to illustrate the growth in appeal and reach of facebook...my mom is definitely part of the low and slow adoption rate group of the longtail, and so facebook is proving to be a major player in the social networking arena.

well anyway don't be surprised if some day soon i'm linking to my mom's blog on birds or something...

prices falling???hopefully so....

om malik on his massive blog gigaom is following up on a story related to the price drop for the student version of office 2007...i personally use openoffice as my FREE source for this suite of tools...open source strikes again. long live competition!

monitoring your reputation...

the internet has had a massive impact on the way people build reputations, some good and some bad. in addition, it's also had a large impact on how others can affect yours. this article on canada.com about dalhousie university and an animal rights group on facebook suggests it's very important to be diligent in knowing who and what people are saying about you online. everyone now have a very large and for the most part legally unobstructed mega phone that reaches the globe. however, i believe that it's only a matter of time before lawyers and law makers find ways to impact this issue.

there have been cases where this type of publicity has had devastating effects on peoples lives regardless of the content being true. the one thing it seems the internet cannot change, is poor human behavior and lack of character.

unplug and reset...

"if the 20th century was the century of bloodshed, then the 21st century must be the century of dialogue." Dalai Lama
from his book "How to See Yourself As You Really Are"

to put this statement in context, His Holiness was speaking about the fact that since the world is becoming so much smaller now and all nations are intertwined as one and so inflicting pain on one is like inflicting pain on ourselves. i'd like to think that also he was suggesting that with the invention of new technologies such as the ones i'm using at this very moment, we have a grand opportunity to reach out and communicate to all humankind about peace and happiness rather than engaging in war.

living in personal harmony cannot be established if one is overly focused on business or work, forgetting to take time to recharge their spirit and soul. by the same token we all must make a living so for me business is a method of doing this with the added benefit that i really enjoy it and it supports my life goals and endeavors. a question i have for many clients is does their business do the same or does it "own" them.

the Dalai Lama goes onto say that world peace may be achieved if every nation was willing to approach the idea of cooperation with a serious commitment to "giving" to their fellow human being. unfortunately the realist in me suggests that this is a pipe dream albeit a really great dream. now should that stop people like the Dalai Lama, you and i from promoting such an idea? of course not. i agree that we are so interconnected now that one nation of people simply cannot lift a finger without directly effecting many others and so the level of geopolitical complexity has risen considerably in recent years. yet, what the Dalai Lama speaks of is so simple a concept that it may be able to cut through this complexity like a hot knife through butter.

so how do these issues and ideas affect the small business owner? simple, first you're a human being and can choose to be a giving one or greedy self-centered one. choose "giving".

in addition, the world is small or if you're thomas friedman you would call it "flat" this is a massive advantage for the savvy business owner and so if you can for example leverage technology to reach a larger audience/market and do it in such a way so as to make yourself more effective that's a good thing in my mind.

however, simply leveraging technology to increase effectiveness isn't a direct answer to a happier life or more successful business results. strong behavioral changes must also take place when using technology to address the increase in knowledge transfer or "digital noise". for example, we're addicted to checking emails every few minutes, voicemail, taking meetings like crazy when out of control is a recipe for wasted time and inefficiency. With this in mind, i've witnessed that some people are operating under a falsehood which is "if i always look busy others will think that i must be important, successful and relevant" WRONG. so if my cell is always ringing, email pinging, meetings stacked up I'm a cool wheeler dealer (technical term). if this is you (and it's ok to be honest here as you're among friends) then you need to buy this book immediately. "the 4-hour work week" by timothy ferriss it's time to "unplug and reset". this is something i'm doing and so blogging daily isn't going to happen anymore. (it hasn't for awhile anyway).

i've incorporated what i'm calling "zen days" into my schedule, this is essentially time i take to reflect and define my life. i'm reducing the digital noise and ridding myself of the compulsion to check emails like a crazed lunatic...

then once those changes are in full effect and i am more at peace, i/we can all spend more time, effort and dialogue on more meaningful wholesome global pursuits such as world peace, the elimination of poverty, increased access to education and prosperity for all concerned. at home we can spend more time with family, friends, health, hobbies and our life long learning pursuits...for example, i'm learning the spanish language, walking more, eating better, taking more photographs and playing with my daughter daily along with regular date nights with my wife.

remember i'm not saying not to use email or tech, just use tech more wisely, outsource your life and spend more time focused on your ideal life purpose rather than simply waiting or driving the need for the next email, phone call, meeting or deal.

on the lookout for talent...

we continue to look for strong talented people to join the team...there have been some interesting submissions of resumes lately, however, i'm not sure we've found the right person/people "yet".

so this is more about me putting it out in the universe that we're looking for talent.

building the brand is really about building the right core of talent first...the fusedlogic brand is only as strong as the people behind it. so far i really like where we're going, this funky boutique consulting firm is into some pretty exciting projects globally and things are really ramping up.

fusedlogic is where you come to escape the blahs, have fun solving tough business problems and make money doing it... why not drop us a line and tell us how you think you could contribute to the team... fusedlogic

very boring blog, doughboy...

here is a well thought out and intelligent comment submitted about my blog recently by "yeah".

"Yeah, okay.... Whee.... Yawn.... Later, much. Now go ahed and delete this, since you're unlikely to put it on your very boring blog, doughboy."

i have to thank...the "anonymous" writer known only as "yeah" (quoted above, spelling error included) who sent it because truth be told i've been ignoring my blogging duties as of late...this summer has been very busy for fusedlogic and this little entry has prompted me to get back after it..."boring" as it might be.

those of you who have actually read my blog for any amount of time, first of all let me say "thank-you", you know that i write not for the likes of superficial mr. or ms. "yeah" but rather for a much more accomplished audience, one that has a soul and a deeper understanding of the world at large and who has an opinion as to how it ought to be.

unfortunately the world is filled with "yeah" types and you and i are burdened with the task of tolerating them and demonstrating patience while waiting for them to pass through adolescence...clearly the above comment is this person's best work...so to all of the "yeah" types who stumble across my boring blog, i, "doughboy" will speak to you in terms you can understand and say "later, much!"

if you want to be taken seriously, be brave, let us know who you are and offer up your blog for the same indepth analysis and level of scrutiny as you've shown mine. feel free to be as critical as you like...just do it with some intelligence and offer a reasonable argument on a point to which i can actually respond to.

and frankly, my blog may in spots be boring to some, however, one thing it's certainly not is cowardly...

fusedlogic loan program

i've been so busy lately, much more than usual and i've simply lacked the energy and frankly the inspiration to blog. so i took a bit of a break.

in the mean time, i've made some changes to the corporate site at www.fusedlogic.com
and you should take a moment to check them out...make sure you look under every rock and in every corner for goodies. hint: where there's red there's something interesting to see...

one of the most exciting things we've added is a brand new small business loan program for consulting services...the fusedlogic small business loan program is where we accept an applicant and agree to extend financing terms to against the cost of the consulting project. so now even more companies can take advantage of our programs.

reach out to us for more information

changing lives...

for a while now i and countless others before me have been talking about web 2.o and what it is...why it's important and how it may change your life.

not may..."will" change your life and "is" changing your life...whether you know it or not. my opinion is that web2.0 is essentially a shift in programming philosophy. a philosophy that states in a massive voice "power to the people". here's another more indepth description.

this is mass disruption...on business models, business people, communities at large formed for specific reason or topic...attitudes have changed to one of all inclusive technologies that look to inspire communication, sharing, experiencing, generating content, i-pinions, good or bad thats what's going on...

if you use the internet for any reason and for any length of time...web2.0 is most likely touching your life in some way...the largest outcome of this internet disruption and resulting evolution is the ease of use it provides...user interfaces are much more intuitive then before...designers have finally figured out it's about the user comforts rather than their ability to produce cool graphics and mystery navigation architecture. (some still don't get it...but what are you gonna do?)

the learning curve from "net neophyte" to "net-know-it-all" is much easier and shorter than in years past...that also includes business models to market...what took many years to accomplish before is now taking one or two or even less...

what does that mean for the net generation that's growing up sharing their lives online? they will achieve even greater things in some ways and lose out in others...instant international one person companies are being generated at an alarming rate.

without going into detail on that thread here, i wanted to remind everyone that it's important to have balance between the digital world and physical one...in other words connect with friends through web 2.0, web services and mobile technologies but don't forget to get out and go for dinner with friends, spend time with family and get fresh air...go camping and getaway...

for example, the David Thompson Resort is a cool place that my family and i will be heading to very soon...my dad took our family there often when we were kids and now i'm doing that for my family...it's a gorgeous part of the world...

Board meeting....

Cindy asked a great question about user friendlyness as far as Web 2.0 tech goes...

this is pretty simple as she can tell ha ha ha...

tapping into the bravery...

tapping into the bravery that exists within each one of us is the general underlying topic of a discussion i'm having with a committee that represents the economic development and tourism interests for an Alberta community today...

i'm proposing a project that will encourage an entire community to tap into their bravery and belief in themselves to promote their region while learning and using new strategies. i know they can do it, i've talked with locals and the energy is there and i dare say the bravery...

if it didn't require some bravery it wouldn't be worth doing.

changing behavior can be a challenge with one person, never mind an entire community...my team and i are most definitely up for that challenge...this is going to be exciting, it's what someone like me dreams about...have an idea, create a strategy, implement it and change lives for the better...

this project will impact this community for years and years to come, we're going to create an entire tech sector locally where one didn't exist before (in a manner of speaking).

the key to my idea is in finding the right community...so far it looks like we're heading in the right direction, time will tell...finding the second community will be much easier.

facebook...

just catching up with some old friends on facebook

pretty cool to see some of old gang...it's been almost 20 years...wow time does fly right by....

marketers and twitter...

twitter is something to watch as gen-y connects for up to the second life updates on twitter...things like...i'm blogging right now, i'm drinking coffee, i'm answering my other phone...

as silly as this seems, not to mention time consuming as they pound very small qwerty keyboards...the twitter phenomenon is growing. here's an imedia article as to how marketers may use this technology in the future with the uber connected gen-y and other technology hounds...

this technology has even penetrated the political realm. Barack Obama
and John Edwards

people who want the most recent information are going to have a field day with twitter...

twitter....

question: what is the intrinsic value of an application such as twitter?

does it help to quell this massive desire that many people online have to communicate in some form of community environment and just facilitate that on a per second basis through multiple submission mediums?

it's true, as human beings we have always had a need to congregate, the internet in many ways allows for that need to be fulfilled in a multitude of ways. web2.0 is very much about software and code enabling that urge in my opinion...companies are launching new apps with the primary purpose of building communities of communicators...nothing wrong with that i suppose. there's now an entire micro-economy built up that allows lot's of people who do nothing to do something to generate revenue with the limited time they have away from doing nothing, not a bad gig if you can get it...

now admittedly i'm a complete neophyte blogger, i break all sorts of so called rules within the blogosphere as to how to be a professional and respected blogger type person, such as the now famous scoble........... or his obscene, perverse and yet oddly effective buddy macleod at gapingvoid . a blog i've been following for sometime... and admire his unique take on this medium, i don't necessarily agree with his explicitness relating to his self-professed failed sex life, however, i suppose that's part of the uniqueness that is hugh (shown below).


i'm not and don't suggest to be a professional blogger (not even close)...i simply don't have the time, nor the skill. that said, here i am rapping keys for the purpose of communicating a thought via this medium, why, because it's so technically easy to do (that's good for me)...poorly done many might say, but who really cares?

so how would twitter put more money in my corporate bank account? i'm not sure that it does other than to study it, first the technology, then maybe understand human nature a bit better and then apply that knowledge on behalf of my clients...it's an interesting new entry in the digital ecosystem and it's way too early to tell what precise impact it will have past wasting time and telling people about how you just dumped your cheerios down your pajama bottoms in real time.

i suppose this could fall into the category of a new definition of "open source"...not open source as in the code, but as in the source of open communication...(lot's of the mundane is included...like meet me in central park for a salad) but still "open source communication".

much like what lenn pryor was thinking when he started channel 9 at microsoft as described in april's issue of wired magazine. which was arguably the platform for scoble to gain much of his fame before he left...

regardless, this is an interesting thing to ponder and watch...maybe even participate in...we'll see...i don't think that i need another voluntary husband tracker...i already have a blackberry. my wife is actually really great, and isn't at all that type of person, that's just one of many reasons why i love her so much...i know, you're shedding a tear right now aren't you?

chamber of commerce 2.0...

ask your average business owner what they believe is the single most valuable aspect to being a chamber of commerce member and you'll probably hear something about networking...

in my area of the world, the greater edmonton region, alberta. edmonton has 18000+ businesses...less than 4000 of those are edmonton chamber of commerce members. why not 10 or 12K, afterall it's also a world trade centre. is the value of being a member there or is it getting lost in the translation? not to pick on just edmonton, but for example, many rural chambers have a even more difficult time of generating new members...with many under 30% conversion based on available businesses in the area.

what's really important to most members i believe is the amount of relationships built, opportunities to communicate about a brand, product or service with credibility...sure there are other aspects to the membership that has some value such as lobbying, purchase power and so on...however, the average small business owner wants more cash in their pockets and if a membership representative cannot effectively translate how a membership will do that...they have little chance of having anyone join.

chambers need to adopt a more aggressive technology footprint. there are unlimited amounts of ways to increase communication among members away from the typical networking events which would then strengthen the relevancy of those events. more solutions, more ideas, more relevant communication in general...look for more discussion on this topic in the days ahead...but for now i've got to go to a meeting.

787...

now that's what i call flying....check out the dreamliner video

meebo...

i'm trying out a new im widget on our fusedlogic site...help us test it by going here.

hope all is well in your world today...don't be afraid to check out some of the new content on the site either and please feel free to provide feedback as well if there's an urge to do so...

support our troops...

i want to show support for our Canadian Armed Forces and so i've added this section to the fusedlogic website, to honour their sacrifices in a very small way...

Rocky Mountain House...

when considering a weekend getaway or family holiday and should you like the adventurous type of relaxation...consider Rocky Mountain House, Alberta.

i recently had the opportunity to visit this great Alberta town and also meet some of the folks who live and work there... i have to say, that everyone i talked to was extremely friendly and willing to chat, that, despite the fact that they were all very busy...by the way, this isn't about buttering anyone up...it's simply what happened as i experienced it.

i met with Dean Schweder - the Economic Development and Tourism Coordinator and before I left Joanne at the Town office was kind enough to suggest talking with Ron Caine of Caine's Jewellers, a local family owned and run business with over 50 years worth of history in Rocky. this was a great place to start my informal survey of the local business scene. (the number to reach Ron at the store by the way is 403-845-3440, if you're looking for a great deal on some very fine jewelry give him a call, i spied with my little eye, a really neat yin and yang pewter flask that i may consider next time i'm down there, even though i don't consume much alcohol, it's just one of those unique things, maybe as a gift to a friend, hmmm).......

Ron was kind enough to spend a few moments out of his busy day... graciously putting on-hold all of his 55 - 5 minute tasks that were stacked up to chat with me. - Thank-you very much Ron...

he let me know that there is a concerted effort on behalf of businesses on mainstreet to bring attention to the mainstreet business zone, promoting a shop local mentality, showing off what the shops have to offer...the fact that there will soon be a wal-mart in town suggests that these efforts will almost certainly need to increase and continue to be creative to direct the local shoppers their way...i didn't have time to speak to Ron about this issue...maybe on my next trip.

in fact, there's a committee on which he sits who's primary focus and purpose is exactly that. as i walked up and down mainstreet the stickers on the windows were evidence of support of this committee's efforts over the years...

Here's Ron in front of his store...


Some very interesting comments came back to me as a result of my "rocky mountain adventure"and informal chats with various business owners...

For one, like the rest of the Province of Alberta, everyone that i spoke to is short of staff and could use access to new reliable talent...all were very busy and worked long hours at their businesses...despite being tired, the kind of tired that only business owners could understand everyone was very upbeat and optimistic about the future...they most definitely love their town and why shouldn't they? it's absolutely great. you really need to go there and have your very own unique rocky mountain adventure...after all as the sign says...it's "Where Adventure Begins".


before i left for the day...i also had a chance to meet with Trish Kohlert of The Fabric Centre (403) 845-3740, a cool fabric store with a fun team...hey..i'm a guy there's little more i can say about fabric...i can say that the atmosphere was jovial and friendly. Trish did say she considered herself extremely lucky to have really great staff as was evident when i asked to take her picture and she insisted that the whole team smile for the camera...unfortunately i wasn't able to reach Trish today so i decided not to put their picture up without their permission. Thank-you for your time Trish and gang....

Eric and his wife Jodi Wymenga, the hard working owners of Panic Printing Solutions, who by the way, in addition to handling all your printing and engraving needs, can also build your high-end custom computer system and if you have a need for an internet cafe service they have that too... panicprt@telus.net or (403) 845- 5120

Panic Printing handles almost all of the engraving for the local oil and gas scene...all those little plastic name plates on heavy equipment or in gas plants telling you which valve or button you're about to push is all done by Eric's team...that's a lot of engraving...that is in addition to the sports trophies and plaques, way to go Eric and Jodi and thank-you for your time and comments...

Here's Eric in front of his store....


Sandy Andersen, owner of Buddy's Bookshoppe...she let me know that Rocky Mountain House has a twin town ---i can't be sure but i think this is the site... Kamikawa, Japan which I found very interesting...you can reach Sandy to talk about her passion..."books" at buddysbk@telus.net or 1-866-845-3168...all were extremely nice and very proud of their businesses and community...Sandy, you were very busy training a new staff member thank-you for your accommodation and great questions despite that....

it was a bit of a stormy day, despite that though here is some of the beautiful country i drove through...


the spring run-off at work...

it's not often you'll get to see a herd of Bison hanging out.......


this snowy picture still turned out in it's own way kind of relaxing...just imagine no sound except for the snow flakes hitting the ground...



a couple of horses hanging out....



this was a very fun day trip and yet there's still so much more to explore and i have no doubt more interesting people to meet....i can certainly see why people love living there...

namemyapp.com.....

a client, colleague and friend of mine Jeff Ward owner of Animikii a software/web developer is looking to have the general public name a new content management system he and his team are about to launch...

you can vote for your favorite name here


have some fun and let Jeff know your preference...his company and team are very talented and a nicer guy you'll never meet...and yes, that even includes me...

the business link...

later this week on april 5th i'll be delivering a "brown bag" presentation on global micro-branding for small business at the business link downtown edmonton....if you're in the area stop by for a fun and engaging talk on how to build then spread your brand around the world in a creative way...

taking time out...

we're so busy all the time, completely connected to our technology. in fact, we and/or i, sometimes forget to take time to relax, exhale and recharge....

i like photography and consider myself a student attempting to get better at it. today i thought i would share one or two of my favorites for a moment of daydreaming. for me, that time usually equates to generating cool ideas....enjoy...

bonuses are more effective than raises....

here's an interesting article at Science Daily on the subject of how to increase employee performance, possibly even retention....

this site and article are highly rated by Guy Kawasaki

disruptive community....

imagine you live in a small town of less than 10,000 people...imagine further that you're the economic development director and you are supposed to generate interest in the region regarding business and tourism with essentially little or no budget except for those programs that have been in place for decades.

wouldn't it be interesting to have access to a team, solutions and ideas that could generate serious new returns for your area. and what if, the majority of the investment for all of those solutions could be paid for by another governing body? wouldn't you as the ec-dev director be interested in at least sitting down for a coffee to find out more about it?

well if you are someone in the position i describe above, you live in Alberta and want to generate new interest in your region...contact

everything web 2.0...

a complete list as described by Mr. Bob Stumpel...great resource, nice job Bob...

it's official, customer service IS important...

take a look at this commentary on a recent study by University of Michigan Professor Claes Fornell

this whole thing almost seems laughable and yet there it is, what i've been saying and what i've built an entire framework around. MANDATE AMAZING is all about creating AMAZING customer experiences and AMAZING employee experiences...so all skeptics pay close attention...now that academia has stepped up and proclaimed it you can now believe it...

sarcasm aside, motivating your employees to treat your customers like royalty isn't always the easiest thing to do...and i believe it starts with hiring the right people...be picky, be patient and hire maturity rather than a warm body...this will take organizational discipline and it will pay off in the long run...this is a choice.

continue to hire stumps that run at the first sign of real work or you can take more interest in this process and match the right people, levels of character, personality and skills with the job and culture, this will translate into less issues down the road, ultimately less turnover and better customer service results.

lot's to read today...

marketing is tough to get right. master these details to increase your results.

just because you've managed to ensure that you've grown past a logo to an actual brand and that there is a consistent message on your marketing collateral and corporate documentation, or that you actively network and follow-up on all leads doesn't mean your marketing work is done...

the key now is to ensure you truly understand your the habits of your prospective customer in everyday life.

many consider demographics and statistics when constructing a marketing strategy and that's great. let's dig deeper. how many of you relate to the habits of the human being behind the stat?

let me explain. many will be familiar with a little bit of software called a "cookie." this software tracks your internet surfing habits. i personally find this annoying, so i use BPS Spyware Remover Adware Remover to get the removal job done. let's talk about human interaction rather than software, let's talk about spending time with people and taking a serious and genuine interest in learning about tendencies, habits, trends. let's talk about the emotional wants and needs within that community. remember these customers, clients and consumers are actually people and human beings first. if you want to market to them effectively so that you actually sell something in the end...you need to understand them on a much deeper level, this also includes your online marketing effectiveness. get out of the office or your cubicle and go meet them, learn from them, respect them...

remember mel gibson wearing pantyhose, lipstick and waxing his legs in "what women want"? sort of the same idea...thank-goodness i don't have any prospective business relationships with large cosmetic companies or to follow my own advice i'd have to do the same thing as mel...(that gives me willies just thinking about it)

so often we experience marketing that demonstrated the company in question had little if any real deep understanding as to who they were dealing with. the timing was inconsiderate, the message was boring and fell short in terms of emotional impact and relevance. speaking of relevance for example, if you would like a different way to spend a friday, go to my radio show at fusedlogic radio, you'll laugh, cry and be amazed...

hidden subliminal message: (take a deep breath....and repeat after me (3) times...my business can't survive without fusedlogic. i will listen to the fusedlogic radio show and read the fusedlogic blog several times a day. there's no better source for business advice and ideas than fusedlogic. i must hire fusedlogic, i must hire fusedlogic, i will call them today...

i assure you that my intent above was to be joking and a bit sarcastic as there was nothing hidden or subliminal about that message...and yes my sense of humor is out there. still the result was that i most likely still got you to read the above statement and you repeat my company name fusedlogic (6) times...why? i'm illustrating the point, that humor, mystery and honesty are important to just about every one...how important and in what order of importance will be what you need to learn.

this overall issue is especially important if you're in politics...why do you think a few years ago, campaign managers were concerned about the blogosphere and now they're also watching and leveraging youtube? that's because it's at the leading edge of where the voters are expressing opinions on the wannabe leaders and their platforms...because politicians already get out to shake hands with voters, in their case, they have to become more deeply connected and aware by paying attention to web-based communities. the message is the same, just remember to be flexible in your approach.

get out of your marketing comfort zone and spend real time with your target, get to really know them in their world and for goodness sake LISTEN to them...constructing your message will be easier and you'll be more effective at identifying concerns. concerns that if left unchecked, will cost you copious amounts of dollars in lost revenue and lost marketing budget as well as the intangible loss of brand credibility.

simple small business example: if your target market is the business professional/career executive. you may want to identify where these folks may stop for a morning coffee during the drive into the downtown core. there are most likely several coffee shops, you start with the starbucks or second cup drive-thrus...they're targeting the same customer profile in this example, rather than the blue collar tim horton's

to take action, identify the top 4 locations from the four corners of the city, then on a rotating basis plant a mobile ad vehicle or similar solution displaying your concise message for consumption as they wait in line to grab their morning java...further define your message based on gender, age and wealth profile. to be really aggressive and depending on your product or service you may want to pursue a strategic alliance with these companies...

learn the habits of your target and you'll increase your marketing return on investment, an investment most companies cannot afford to get wrong too often, if at all.

want to know if this works...just ask cranium about their sales success related to their spot on starbucks shelves...

catching up with web 2.0...

there are signs that savvy small business owners are continually becoming more comfortable with the web 2.0 environment of today's internet. however, we're still very much at the early-adopters stage of this evolution. referring to geoffrey a. moore's book crossing the chasm. those paying attention are well on their way to impacting the world at large with their brands as they leverage some very cool web 2.0 apps, i give you the infamous blogger hugh mcleod - gapingvoid.com. this man on a mission to look like he's not on any particular mission at all other than to blog from a house in the english country-side and get paid for it by leveraging his blog to build interest, recognition and ultimately sales for his micro-brand clients. he accomplishes this by holding our fleeting attention by drawing crazy cartoons as the hook. i liked the idea that it inspired me to go on my own crazy moment of amatuer cartoonist emulation some time back, to which i give hugh all the credit for the content style and inspiration. I still may grace these pages in the future with more drawings of my own but hugh is the business card cartoonist in this world and there's really only room for one...

i describe web 2.0 as an online empowering revolution for the individual. bits of software talking to each other to improve your online experience. improved search responses, mobile computing, social networking...the increased ability to share, comment, influence such as i'm doing here on my blog (minor and insignificant as that may be -i'm most certainly part of the long-tail). there's even a way to become a virtual version of yourself if you like. all are ways to interact with the world in a more efficient, if not often times geeky and far reaching way.

those business owners who can access a team (like fusedlogic for example) with the express purpose of putting together an online tactical marketing plan that would include web.2.0 options are going to be far more successful in diversifying the reach of their brand globally, (hey it's my blog, i never suggested i would stop being a capitalist) the next step is to then leverage that new brand recognition. how? learn to direct traffic, interest and opportunity generated by your hard working web 2.0 tactical plan towards a waiting efficient process that involves the sale of your products or services online... that's right, shopping carts, pay-pal or at least a way to book services online should be the next step in your plan...

the idea and promise of the internet providing online revenue for brick and mortar companies is a concept that has existed for over a decade now...however, until web 2.0, it's never been so easy to implement with so few resources and so few hands on deck. in fact, you are able to do almost if not all of this yourself and all you need is a paypal account or credit card. scary thought huh?

explore new web 2.0 concepts today... here are a few to consider:
blogger
secondlife - this is something i'm going to have to try once just to have some fun...

and for a more extensive list (because i'm busy and a bit lazy today) try sacred cow dung

be brave!

WOMEN...diverse and complex...

listen in today at 4pm MST for more information on how to attract more women as consumers to your business...

fusedlogic radio

fusedlogic radio...

well almost all of the kinks are worked out and there's a bit of flow now to the content so it's time to make the announcement about the new fusedlogic radio show...

today was the 4th show and i chatted with a very special guest - Gail McDonald the Catalyst Coach was on the show today to talk with me about "self-responsibility."

In today's show Gail mentioned a couple of links that she wanted to provide to everyone...they are:

wheel of life - http://www.new-oceans.co.uk/new/wheel2.htm

the change/transition site is www.wmbridges.com

i encourage everyone to go and listen to the shows and bring lots of paper as there are some really great tips. If you want to know more about the fusedlogic program called MANDATE AMAZING, you'll be happy to know i've provided a general overview (2) part series on my radio show as well...

yes, fusedlogic will continue to branch out as part of its MANDATE AMAZING to impact 1 million people with this philosophy in under 5 years...look for new announcements and other technology being used to spread the word...such as at helium where when you search Walter Schwabe you get the latest articles i've written...

there is lot's of opportunity to find out what fusedlogic and it's owner Walter Schwabe are all about, you just have to spend some time looking...then give me a call 780-640-2331, email me or reach out via instant messaging ID: info@fusedlogic.com and let's do some business.

web 2.0 the machine is us....

here is an interesting video that in less than 5 minutes sums up what web 2.0 is and how the internet is evolving..

failure...the meaning of.

what's your opinion on today's business definition of failure?

for instance, my position on failure as a business owner...you must not fear it, embrace it in your history because should you look to avoid it at all costs you're probably missing some of the largest break-throughs you'll ever have...

my definition of failure is in alignment with seth godin...failure now means never failing.

the bean counter will disagree, the ultra conservative will disagree...however, in order for a business to break new ground and be innovative sometimes failure will be the result...embrace it, learn from it and just don't make the same mistake twice. Planning is a key tool, however, planning alone will not cover off every contingency you'll encounter...fail forward fast....and don't forget to have fun.

stress relief...

life is simply too busy, stress levels remain at all time highs for us in this technology driven speed of thought business life.

so what do you do to claw back some much needed time for decompression?

you call one of our clients - Details Plus Lifestyle Management

www.dplifestyle.ca

they specialize in taking care of the little details in life that can sometimes be yet another drain on an already crazy day of endless tasks...

imagine that you come home to a clean house, laundry done, groceries put away into a freshly cleaned fridge, the table is set with a bottle of wine ready to go, the sheets are fresh and turned down with a mint on your pillow...

think your dreaming? not if you call Details Plus you're not.....

if you're in the Greater Edmonton area, check them out.....

30-day challenge....

when you look at many lives close up, revealed under a busy business persona is a tired, exhausted and even dejected spirit...unwilling to take on new challenges for fear of failure...

call it fear or being risk adverse...ultimately you can call it limiting.

this message is to those of you who are limiting yourself. (and you may attempt to deny you fit in this category but take a good hard look)...

time to take responsibility for your inner dialogue and the walls of negativity and skeptism you put up around you.

here's a 30-day challenge...

for the next 30 days starting right now...focus on pushing yourself into new areas of positive action, notice i didn't say "thought." in order to move your body into action a thought must occur, however, instead focus on taking action...without hesitation.

this is about focusing on the desired new outcome...while changing the current limiting thought pattern.

what you focus on you'll get more of so why not make it positive?

i don't care how successful you consider yourself to be, there's new ground to break...

take action...if you want to form a plan to take action keep it to one page and break the action into prioritzed steps...knock off each step until you've accomplished your goal and then start on the next set of steps...just keep it simple for now.

be brave, be confident and keep your mind focused on the positive outcome as a result of your positive actions.

spice the challenge up by tackling the toughest challenges first...

also, each time you take action, write it down or record it somehow that makes sense to you...track your actions...then review how many actions you took over the course of 30-day challenge that changed your business outcomes for the better, how much more opportunity you've generated over the previous month...

no one said you had to be perfect and yes you're going to make mistakes but it won't be the one you may be making right now which is to not even get off the launch pad by manufacturing excuses to avoid the responsibility of victory...

go do it...go do it right now.....

metacafe, your first day on the job...

imagine you're the new ceo of metacafe and it's the first day on the job....what is your first official act?

secondly, how would you propose to turn this company around?

a recent article at gigaom regarding the changing of the guard at metacafe serves as the background for these questions. things were not all that rosey at the streaming video youtube wanna be....and Erick Hachenburg of Electronic Arts fame was brought in to turn things around...

global opportunity...

"there has never been in the history of human kind such an opportunity to reach out to the masses as we are living right now." i'm certainly not the first one to say this statement, however, my point here is not to be the first but in fact to remind people...

as a business owner you've no doubt attended your fair share of networking events at your local business club or chamber of commerce, i know i have.

my point is that many of these small business owners who are out there religiously networking (some of the them poorly) are not balanced in their marketing approach. by balanced i mean

1.) follow-up with the people you meet.
2.) learn about how to market online.
3.) familiarize yourself with the term "social networks"
4.)understand what hugh mcleod calls "unique currency"
5.)be brave and try new things --- change is not only very good, it's absolutely required.

to understand what an advantage you would have over your local colleagues go into the next networking event asking these questions....

do you blog? while watching many a blank stare come back at you...ask another one...do you know what "youtube" is? (and that it was just sold for over a billion dollars) have you heard the term "podcasting" and do you know what it is? there are definitely more small business people every day becoming more familiar with this terminology, and many who would clearly out pace me with their knowledge ...

yet there is still a void of business people who are able to use these mediums effectively to build steam...let alone those who are working towards building a "global microbrand"

i'm speaking about the topic of global micro branding in a presentation april 5th by the way....

the truth is i believe you're already ahead of the crowd just be being able to navigate here are read this...yet this is simply a small start. get out there try new technologies, explore new methods of reaching a global audience, learn the technology and put together a plan for 2007...

start a blog, do some podcasting, create a squidoo page as i just did here...or go write articles at helium, share your photographs at flickr

there are many ways to get out there and build your brand and now by going to many of these links you're much more familiar with who i am, the people around me including my family and my general outlook on the world...

how often have you wanted to do business and had to have countless meetings before you were comfortable with who you were talking to before you would be willing to buy or partner up?

some of my work and musings have allowed you to understand more about the man behind the brand...that's valuable.

in some cases this means that i'm too radical, aggressive and or too focused on change...for others who want a breath of fresh air, it means that you view fusedlogic as precisely what is needed to drive your business to the next level and beyond...(sorry couldn't help it)

...so in addition to networking offline think about all of the opportunity online to exploit as well, there are definitely ways to build business and your brand.

it's as easy as left foot...right foot....

superbowl forty-one...

prediction: indy wins by 14.

what i'd like to see is the chicago bears win by a field goal on the last drive...i guess because chicago stinks at all professional sports in my opinion, they could use a win...the bulls haven't been the same since jordan left, the blackhawks...well they haven't been a serious contender since makita, the cubs, whitesox and bears all mediocre or worse year to year...if i live in chicago, i'd go absolutely crazy with a win today...you've got to hand it to the sports fans of chicago...they're fiercely loyal...definitely something i admire.

in reality no one thinks grossman's got the juice to pull it off. i say maybe he rises above the predictions...along with the rest of the team and they put on a clinic. somedays it's like magic and nothing can go wrong, it's their day...stranger things have happened when all cylinders are firing...

in sports as in business ----- it's all mental. if you're head and heart aren't in it...everyone knows it's all over. it's amazing to me though how many business owners go through their daily lives completely unbalanced and don't realize it. too much logic not enough heart, too much heart and not enough common sense. huge imbalance makes for a poor business recipe...and even worse results.

well anyway, go chicago! here's to the underdog!

helium...

surfing from my squidoo lens, i stumbled across helium and joined up. the result of which was my introduction to the community where i talk about what it is i love about business, fusedlogic and what we do.