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Archive for the ‘business’ Category

Lessons learned deleting my email accounts on my BlackBerry

Michael Schaecher tweeted me today “Sounds like an experiment worthy of a blog post…’Lessons learned about not using email on my BlackBerry for a _____’ ” after sharing with him that I deleted my email accounts on my blackberry in order to focus on a project for the week. I starred at my cell today like I didn’t know if it was the red or green cord that would trigger the bomb when I cut it. Finally I thought of Jason Calacanis‘s recent email list controversy where he shared he was deleting his Facebook account. He explained deactivating was an option as well and isn’t the same as deleting if his peers want to follow suit. You could reactivate it at any time and your facebook profile will be as you left it. Phew. So I thought, why not deactivate my Blackberry emails and focus on results, friends, reading and maybe getting a foot massage at my favorite place on Westwood Blvd. Wish me luck! I’m already getting the jitters.

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This is success

In business, leadership

This is success. A clear and defined plan with specific (timeline and financial) measurable goals to track success. Hallelujah

Mr. Lütke determined before the competition that it would have to inspire at least 600 new accounts to be successful. New customers, he figured, would spend a minimum of $24 a month for six months to compete, translating to at least $86,400 in revenue for Shopify…So far, Shopify has signed up more than 1,000 new Web stores, already exceeding the expectations of Mr. Lütke, who expects 50 to 100 more participants to sign up by May 1.

Courtesy of NY Times

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Genius, find a tweet, win cash FindThatTweet.com

In business, viral marketing

While chatting with my friend Jason this week he said “…by the way I’m launching a Twitter Game Show site tomorrow called “Find That Tweet“. I think you’ll like it.” Just wish I thought of it! How clever. We were talking about how he used to hide cash for twitter users, like Tony Hawk ended up doing with skate decks. The official launch day was yesterday and I was hooked!!! All I needed to do was find a tweet after watching video clues and I win money. The coolest part is he set it up so when I tweet it out a link is created in my tweet via his system and if someone clicks and starts playing and they win I get some money from them winning too! Crazy sick and so super smart plus a ton of fun.

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amanda coolong, bar camp la, barcamp, lalawag, tactical corset

NYE style, “Tactical Corsets” because innovation is everything

In business

I just had to blog about this… Tactical Corsets . What else would I wear NYE to protect myself from all the midnight chaos…. I first saw the Lovely Amanda Coolong demonstrating what a Tactical Corset is at Bar Camp LA. Talk about events not to have been missed in 2009. I’ll let the video speak for the fashion statement itself.

Here is footage provided by Sean Percival of Lalawag

Tactical Corset from BarCampLA 2009 from sean percival on Vimeo.

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business cards, contacts, getting things done, GTD, jott, neat receipts, organization, receipts, remember the milk, RTM, shoeboxed, tasks, to do lists

Business organization tips to orgasm over

In business, leadership, management, sanity

ShoeBoxed and Pre Planning on an index card – no joke. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.

Shoeboxed is the Netflix for receipts and business cards. I do my hustle thing, getting sh*t done, place the receipts and business cards in a big shiny blue Postage Prepaid envelope and wahla a few days later I get the most amazing organization of accounting and contacts I have EVER seen. I know too. I meet A LOT of people. I used to have my assistant scan everything using Neat Receipts. Even bought their super Desktop machine. But still with all the scanning errors it was costing me to have someone go through every contact and piece of paper for accuracy. Then through the golden gates of resources I met the owner of ShoeBoxed at SXSW. It took me close to a year to actually start using the system. My ego was probably stuck on the $500 bucks I spent on Neat Receipts when I could have been spending only 10 bucks a month with ShoeBoxed and no assistant cost!!! I am telling you. If you run a business, meet people and don’t use Shoe Boxed you are just simply crazy. You want to be wasting time.

And those simple plain boring INDEX cards are a goldmine of productivity. Don’t believe me? Just look at the famous GTD (Getting Things Done) blog . Yea I was going crazy keeping 10 to do lists on dry erase boards in my office, house, sticky notes, JOTT express, RTM (Remember the Milk) until a friend who seems to get EVERYTHING done said I just write it all on an index card the night before for that day and order them in sequence of priority after I’m done writing each task. “Come on… that’s it?” I said. He informed me that keeping multiple to do lists devalues each one and by having to open a to do list in a computer makes it not so accessible. So with an index card in his pocket at all times he just crosses off each task as they are completed. Then at the end of the day he transfers anything not done to the new index card for the following day and rips up the one for that day. And let me tell you ITS BEEN WORKING!!! I complete just about everything. Only difference. I think I’ll start burning each card when I’m done. Lots more fun

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analytics, bigmethod, bloggers, brand ambassadors, jonathan360, loopd, outreach, social influencers, user engagement, viral marketing, waldo, zexsports

WALDO Social influencer panel brings in highest viewership online

In business, marketing, social media

WHERE’S WALDO? Finding Social Influencers & Decreasing Your Costs panel co produced by me, Espree Devora of ZexSports and Sabrina Hayat of Graffy Inc brought in over 11,000 viewers online via Tech Zulu on Thursday night. I am really proud of this event because we brought together a a group of panelists who have proven results in the online space and were ready to share their secrets how to find and connect with influencers in order to be successful marketing online.

Where's Waldo Panel * Photo by Julia Herald

Below is a thorough recap written by attendee Caroline Graeff of Imagine Marketing.

“Where’s Waldo?”

Last night, I attended “Where’s Waldo”, a social media discussion featuring great panelists, experts in the social media craze:

- Jonathan Rosen, Lucky NY

- Cameron Olthius, 5ones.com

- Scott Tilton, loopd.com

- Emily Goligoski, Federatedmedia.net

- Jonathan Nafarrete, JonathanNafarrete.com

- Greg Cargill, bigMETHOD.com

The conversation was centered around Influencers online and using them in your social media campaign:

- Who are they?

- How do you find them?

- How do you approach them to talk about what you’re selling?

- How do you measure your success?

- And how do you handle negative feedback from these influencers?

It was one of the best panels I have listened to so far. Everybody had lots of energy, they definitely knew what they were talking about and provided great insights to people that don’t know much about social media.

Here is a quick recap for those who missed it! Let’s get back to the questions above:

- Who are they? Influencers are the people who create compelling content to others. Their feedback shapes others’ opinion on a product, service, and so on.

- How do you find them? This takes time. Use sites such as Google Blog. When looking at potential Influencers, you have to evaluate factors such as number of subscribers, number of followers, friends, and content of whatever social media platform they use (FB, Twitter, Youtube, Blogs, etc.). You also cannot forgot those “Hidden Influencers”, who might not come as Influencers at first because they run a smaller blog or have fewer followers, but actually provides content to quality people that have a larger network of “friends”, “followers”, “subscribers”, etc. Basically they act as connectors to bigger Influencers.

- How do you approach them to talk about what you’re selling? The “pitch” needs to be extremely authentic and personal. You cannot be pushy and expect the Influencer to talk about your product, service, etc. First, do you homework. Go over the Influencer’s blog, content, interests, etc. to capture information that will help you connect with them. So use this information in your pitch, so when the Influencer reads it, first, he is stoked you actually pay attention and care about what he does, and second, you provide him with information that is relevant and compelling to him/her/

- How do you measure your success? The panelists agreed that positive feedback is extremely valuable. bigMETHOD, a social media agency, compares social media campaign success to advertorial and show the added value of positive comments by an Influencer speaking to a large audience of Followers and other Influencers. There are also a large number of tools out there that helps you track your social media campaign results. Google Analytics has been brought a few times as being an essential.

- And how do you handle negative feedback from these influencers? After pitching a blogger, if he ends up talking poorly about your product or service, don’t get mad, write him back thanking him for his feedback and indicating him that you took note of his comments and will do your best at making the necessary changes to improve the product or service. They typically appreciate the open and honest communication and might write something nice about you.

The event was brought by Espree Devora (Owner at ZexSports) and Sabrina Hayat (Graffy, Inc), moderated by Denise Garciano (Social Media Manager at PacSun) and sponsored by Barefoot Wine.

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conference, entrepreneur, get funded, perfect business, present to investors, raise capital, raise money, richard branson, start up company, the perfect pitch

Submit “The Perfect Pitch” = Present to investors in front of Sir Richard Branson = Get Funded

In business, fundraising

Register here on The Perfect Pitch submission page in order to qualify for a chance to present your company to high level investors and potentially get funded. (Details and guidelines listed below ~ Deadline September 8th)

Just the chance to win free airfare to Los Angeles, 2 night stay at the Ritz Carlson, VIP to the conference and present to Sir Richard Branson himself is worth a quick submission.

Presenting takes place at The Perfect Pitch 2009 Entrepreneur & Investor Conference.

Some of the investors include:

Courtesy of Perfect Business:

SUBMIT YOUR PITCH

This is your ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME opportunity to pitch your business idea to Sir Richard Branson and a conference full of venture capitalists, angel investors and influential entrepreneurs.

Are you seeking capital or business partners for a new business? The Perfect Pitch 2009 will introduce your business to hundreds of accredited investors and entrepreneurs.

Plus, the Top 3 submissions will each win the following package:

2 VIP Tickets to The Perfect Pitch 2009
Airfare to Los Angeles for the conference
2-night stay at The Ritz-Carlton
Opportunity to present LIVE to The Perfect Pitch 2009 audience, including Sir Richard Branson

How does it work?

Submit your pitch ONLINE – a pitch may include a written description, photos and video about your BUSINESS or IDEA
Deadline for submissions is September 8th, 2009
Judges will review all pitches – Top 3 win prizes and an invitation to pitch LIVE to Richard Branson and the conference audience
Our judges represent over $9 Billion in funds, including executives from August Capital, Baroda Ventures, Cal Cap Partners, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Qualcomm Ventures, Rustic Canyon Partners, Santa Monica Capital Partners, Tech Coast Angels and Price Waterhouse Coopers.
By submitting a pitch, you are not required give up any rights to your idea.
If you are afraid of someone “stealing your idea,” then describe your business but withhold the critical details. A fundable business usually has new technology/design or an entrepreneur with special skills or relationships to make the business succeed. You should be able to explain your business without sharing the secret recipe.
If you are seeking capital, only investors and your invited guests can view your pitch. YOUR PITCH WILL NOT BE PUBLIC.
Top 10 will be announced on September 21st, 2009
Top 3 will be announced on October 12th, 2009

All pitches will be seen by accredited investors, so every pitch has a chance to GET FUNDED.

What is a pitch?

A pitch is a one-minute video or a short written description that compels investors to take a closer look at your business. It is not a full business plan. KEEP IT SHORT. A good pitch grabs attention and explains the following:

What your business is
The customer need it fulfills
The market size
How you are better than the competition
The strengths of you and your team
An interesting fact or juicy bit of information that leaves investors wanting more!

How are pitches evaluated?

Pitches will be evaluated on clarity, viability, consumer need, growth potential, marketing strategy, team capability, scalability and competitive advantages. Each judge will also have personal preferences and other criteria for determining the best pitch.

Applicants who submit Top 10 pitches will be asked to provide more information to help judges determine the Top 3.

Click Here to read the full contest rules.

Is there an application fee?

Yes. All applicants will be required to pay an application fee of $60. This assures us that you are serious about your business. Also, we will provide you with a professional review, including tips on how to improve your pitch and find investors.

To encourage and assist applicants, we have assembled a welcome package with these valuable offers from our promotional partners:

Investor Resources and Pitch Center access from PerfectBusiness – $99 value
10% off Logo Design Guru services
$50 Gift Certificate from LegalZoom

How can I submit a pitch?

To submit a pitch, you must become a member of PerfectBusiness.com. It’s free to join. Simply fill out the form above (or login). Then proceed to create your pitch.

Next, we will walk you through 5 simple steps to create your pitch. Follow our helpful tips along the way.

Choose Options
Upload Video & Photos
Write Description
Preview Your Pitch
Submit Your Pitch

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brian solis, core values, customer service, employees, leadership, management, social media, tony hsieh, zappos, zappos insights, zappos live

The Secret Sauce at Zappos made public #Zapposlive

In business, ethics, leadership, management, sanity, social media, viral marketing

My new friend @Ribeezie direct messaged me, (also known as “DM”), on Twitter this morning and told me to “Now bring back some of that good stuff and share ” about Zappos Insights inaugural conference. Zappos, a billion dollar online commerce destination, is known for their leadership in customer service. Insights was created as an educational forum to guide entrepreneurs to successfully attain milestones. It was a privilege to be a part of their LIVE event, a revolution in leadership and corporate happiness. One of the speakers at the event, social media maven Brian Solis, said it perfectly, “In the end we’re measured by our actions, not our words.”

Three huge takes aways from the event that will transform the productivity and efficiency in our organizations.

Share….Stop self promoting and start listening. Share information that you know delivers value because you have been listening. Whether it be employees, personal relationships, twitter followers or facebook friends. The way to effectively intrigue people to take action is fueled by being inspired.
Discover your foundation before you start building.… The most crucial component in determining success in a company and in your personal development is first discovering what matters to you most.; Your core values. It starts with you, outside of your professional life. The business owner behind closed doors. When you look in the mirror what do you see? Integrity, Transparency, Adventure… Deceit…? In order to grow we must be honest with ourselves. It is so clear to me now that if I had taken the time to discover, write down, and share my core values with my team it would have reduced management, increased productivity and complimented my company vision. But instead I found ego was something in my company that created road blocks for our success. What’s interesting is ego is so far from my personal values. If I had taken the time to write down what’s important to me, I would have quickly discovered my team mate strayed from our core values and that situation could have been remedied with eloquence and efficiency.

Zappos Core Values: Direct Link

3. Half of the world is searching for the other half of the world, but don’t know how to find them. Brian Solis emphasizes that before even planning an online marketing strategy establish your identity. Most brands don’t even strategize, they just jump on a band wagon. But lets say you are developing a strategy, before that DISCOVER your identity that you plan to communicate in this strategy. I LOVE that Brian reinforced this. I hadn’t even thought of charting out my brand identity before planning. I figured my identity is obvious. Surf brand means you’re a surfer right? No, not necessarily. You must establish your brand to stand for something. A Cause. Something bigger and selflLESS than selling a pair of board shorts.

Establish your brand identity

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jane pauley, perfect business, perfect pitch, richard brandon, virgin

Notes from Richard Branson … “Interested in creating things I can be proud of”

In business

A few years ago I snuck into an event in Miami, Florida where Jane Pauley was interviewing Sir Richard Branson. Amidst my work today I found the notes I took in 2005 and felt inspired. I thought I’d share them with you.

By the way, he’ll be in LA October 26th thanks to Dan and Luis at Perfect Business. Connect with me beforehand if you decide to go.

Human interaction is an art…

Branson is interested in “creating things I can be proud of.”

Success is easier with 300 businesses than it was with just a couple. It’s all survival in the beginning.

The secret to success is learning new things.

Spend 3-4 months learning everything about that new business…. ask yourself “how can I benefit others.”

Business is a way of life.

“A brand is only as good as my product… “In that sense customers will try the next thing I launch.”

Bring attention to your brand. One thing he does is creates crazy stunts.

“Companies that look after their people are companies that do well.”

Most important thing in working for a company is to ask yourself, ‘is anyone listening to me? am I being ignored?’

Employees first, customers second.

Create an idea I’d like to be a part of. BE the consumer.

“The best never disappears.”

Have a charitable organization, more than just a business.

Be attentive to employee concerns.

Master the art of delegation …”I’ve had 300 seperate companies and never had a company go bankrupt. Reputation is important.”

Give freedom and stake in the business to your team when starting a new company.

Customer Service is gold. Get out there and talk to your customers. Connect with them. Don’t stay behind a desk. Personalization.

The internet is the most powerful tool.

Use every resource possible. When he started the airline he says everyone thought he was crazy. Always try to protect the downside.

Lastly Branson said… he is still nervous… even now.

Books that have inspired him. Mandela’s biography and “A Short History of Nearly Everything”

Click here for a FULL transcript of the interview

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dream job, dreams, mainfesting my future, make money, passion, positive attitude, positivity, possibility, success, the secret

The power of positivity and possibility will make you all the cash you need, promise

In business, sanity

I read “The Alchemist” when I was 14 and it was then that I began to make my way of life - ‘if you believe in something with all your heart and it is backed by good, the whole universe will conspire to bring you the tools you need to achieve that dream.’

No one has any special power or ability over and beyond the next person. Seriously. I know that it’s easy to make up victimizing excuses like lack of – money, connections, experience, resources. But then explain Oprah, Neale Donald, JK Rowling, Marshall Mathers. Or how about these brands… Have you heard of them; Whole Foods, Coors, APPLE (Yup!) , Nordstrom, DELL.

Here is where I truly believe the magic is…

(be sure to read this article from a Canadian paper that went out last week… “We started with nothing but an open mind“)

Define your core competency (What’s one thing you are really good at?)
Explore what your dream professional lifestyle would be (… to be in a music studio? marketing brainstorm sessions? attending networking events? cooking? working on cars?…)
Consider the possibility that your work CAN be your passion
Now think up where what you are good at meets what excites you

So for me, what I am good at is networking/connecting/giving and what excites me is business. The structure and growth of an organization is mind blowing. Effectively orchestrating people, skill sets and innovation really makes a powerful impact on the economy, individual dreams and the good for humanity. For me, that is true magic.

I apply this by looking within my own company to focus on partnerships that would be mutually beneficial between people and companies in order to compliment the growth of my business and the businesses I work with.

What’s key is to maintain positivity

What we focus on expands. So lets consider the “possibility” of “positivity” in order to find solutions when it seems as though none exist. At times like these, with our world in flux, it’s hard to keep your head high. I know some of you are worried about losing your jobs or have already. Banks have gone bust. The atmosphere is deteriorating. But will all these dark thoughts lead to more light?

Implementation

It’s up to you to make your dream life happen. No one is going to do it for you.

Keep a quality team surrounding you

The people who surround you, define you. So in order to reach your desired goals you need a team to keep you strong and support you along the way. It’s not easy going after a planted seed before it has begun to grow and you can’t yet physically see it. So one by one start to chose teammates who embody the qualities you desire and make those people your silent mentors and partners in your success. Maybe one person is amazing at finances and another is great at understanding the investment world and a third is an expert in legal and a fourth is an entrepreneur in the same industry you want to pursue. It’s important all these people maintain a positive attitude and can be your support during the hard times.

Giving back

And remember its not a one way relationship. It’s just as important to give back, as it is to believe and to implement. The energy and productivity that stimulate from giving back is magnetic. If you don’t believe me just read “Go-Giver” by Bob Burg and David Mann. This book was given to me by a wonderful woman who attended one of my seminars and said that she felt moved to gift the book to me. Thank you Gretchen.

Lastly, it takes work to live the dream. Don’t be fooled. In order to become an “overnight success” you need to work at it for a while.

Just read this article that went out last week… “We started with nothing but an open mind“

Halifax News Net
We started with nothing but an open mind

By Lori McKay – The Weekly News

Lawn Care
Opening your own business can be a challenge. But at 15, Phil Duffenais of Cole Harbour has decided to give it a go. The Grade 10 Auburn Drive student had been cutting his neighbours’ lawns for the past three years, and this spring he decided to make it a full-fledged business. He started DC Lawn Services and opened it through the Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stocks. “I have three employees under my belt, we are paying them competitive wages, we pay taxes, and we started with nothing but an open mind,” Duffenais said in an email.

He was granted a small loan of $2,500 through the Students in Business program, and he made the cash go a long way. He bought a few lawn mowers and everything else he might need for lawn maintenance, including a truck to transport his equipment.

“It’s not the easiest thing to get a loan when you’re 15, and I’d like other youth to know that there are opportunities like this out there. Maybe some other kid might decide to start up a business, too. They wouldn’t be our competition, there’s lots of work out there,” he said.

Duffenais isn’t old enough to get a driver’s licence yet, so he brought on his friend Evan Cunningham, 16, to work with him. Cunningham is also set to become co-owner of the business next season.

Before this spring, Cunningham had never cut a lawn before, but says he is getting his fill now. They are currently working six hours most days after school and 14 hours per day on the weekends.?After they get caught up and school is out for the summer, Duffenais said they should be able to go down to five hours a day and only on weekdays. Duffenais said next year he’d like to get another crew going with a few guys and another truck.

“But we’re focused on getting a handle on this season first,” he admitted.
At the moment, DC Lawn Services has 35 full-time clients and are on track to make between $25,000 and $35,000 (before expenses) over the summer.

In addition to mowing lawns, the company also does gardening, mulching and lawn makeovers. “We do everything from planting trees and edging to laying sod,” said Duffenais.

The young entrepreneurs have high hopes for the business and are still looking for new properties in Dartmouth, Cole Harbour and Eastern Passage.

lmckay@hfxnews.ca
For information, call 222-5023 or visit www.DCLawnServices.com.

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delegate, delegating, four hour work week, four quandrants, productivity, rich dad poor dad, robert kiyosaki, scale, tim ferriss

The secret to Billions is Delegation

In business, leadership, management, sanity

Ahhh the beauty of delegation

I discovered the value of delegating somewhere between reading Four Quandrants by Robert Kiyosaki and The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss. Kiyosaki explained the differences between someone self employed and a business owner (see image below). That if a good business owner leaves their company the productivity maintains. A key owner injects advancement in the organization, not maintenance. Then in Ferriss’s book he shares that when he stopped being so hands on and started trusting a team by delegating, his company actually increased revenue and he had more time to do other things. If each owner of McDonalds had to be in daily attendance Mickey Dees wouldn’t be known for the effective automated hamburger franchise it is today. That being said, each day I think of ways to delegate. This isn’t to be lazy. Not at all. Delegating enables me to scale my businesses more efficiently. I try to find a common theme in my various ventures that will allow the same team to mimic their core competencies in each project so that I don’t need to find a new team each time I start something new. Needless to say, its very exciting and allows a lot more time for me to focus on my own core competencies. After all, there is only so much you can do if you try to do everything yourself.

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advertising, blankspaces, gary vaynerchuk, media bistro, social media, social platforms, viral marketing

Tonight Media Bistro’s Social Media class in Hollywood – see you there

In business, marketing, social media, viral marketing

A lot of you ask me to quickly teach you social media. It’s not as quick as its perceived to be. Gary Vaynerchuk himself says if you dedicate an hour then you get an hour’s worth of results. If you dedicate 11 hours then you receive 11 hours worth of results. But its not just being on these social networks. It’s knowing how to use them so that fans, members, consumers, engage with you in order to in end create stronger ROI than your current marketing and advertising efforts. Which social platforms are right for you and your brand. Do you jump on Twitter because everyone seems to be on it… Not necessarily.

Tonight I am teaching a 3 hour course on behalf of Media Bistro in Hollywood, CA. “Social Media Essentials – How to choose the best platform to enhance your exposure” .

5405 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90036 - (323) 330-9505

I look forward to answering all your questions and spending time with you to help you explore this crazy online world that has hit us by storm.

Here’s Gary’s video… so much good info.

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gary vaynerchuk, time management, transcribed voicemails, ustream, voicemail, webisode

I’ve been inspired by @Garyvee – Launched my LIVE segment “Resource Report”

In business, sanity

So it’s Saturday. Why I’m in the office – because I won’t take no for an answer and so in order to have more leverage when speaking with clients I need more content. But you know me and everything I do needs to be useful so today I created the “Resource Report“. The show is for you. I want to share what resources I’ve discovered to be more effective at a fraction of the cost and save you all the time and anguish I spent trying to figure it out. My first webisode aired today. Please let me know what you think. It covered managing voicemail. I discussed the different options I’ve tried out from Jott to Google Voice and how they worked for me. Just let me know the various topics you’d like me to address and I will make a segment about it.

Live Video streaming by Ustream

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blankspaces, coworking, jerome chang, la tech, mixergy, office space, online content, xdlfilms

Cool Office space in LA, only $1 for a month but it’s the opportunities that will make you stay

In business

So as most of you know I am a big fan of Los Angeles office space BlankSpaces. Jerome, the owner, who is now a friend of mine, is also a great entrepreneur and innovator. I discovered BlankSpaces when it first opened because I heard it was designed by a guy who worked for the firm which had designed the Google offices. Turns out that was Jerome. Of course I was excited to check it out. Anything related to Google must be smart and outside the box. Here are some pics.

Shortly thereafter I started attending their informative panels and events. Eventually I was even on a panel for “Future of Online Content”. Everyone there was always quality and resourceful. In fact being a part of the BlankSpaces community is how I gradually found myself in my beloved LA Tech community.

The best part is everyone who works there makes money off of one another. It’s really cool, especially in our eccentric economy. One person will get a project and sometimes that project needs an additional specialty so instead of calling around you have a whole team of great people sitting there next to you each day.

I talked to Jerome this morning about maybe offering a dollar the first month to just try it out because if you are anything like me it is uncomfortable to commit to something when you are not sure if it works for you. He said he would do it. I am stoked he said he would do it. Let me know what you think of the place. Here’s a recent review in the Huffington Post.

www.BlankSpaces.com

(323) 330-9505‎

5405 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Here is an interview Mixergy did with Jerome.

This one is hilarious, called “Screwed” by Dean Lim of XDL Films

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anova solutions, Archrival, big omaha, Chris Rikli, Dusty Davidson, Espree Devora, gary vaynerchuk, Geoff Johnson, Jeff Slobotski, Kurt Daradics, Lucky Bucket Brewery, maloneandco, secret penguin, shira lazar, women in business

Chris Rikli I’d like to introduce myself…

In business

Photo by Geoff Johnson – www.maloneandco.com

Photo by Geoff Johnson - www.maloneandco.com

PHOTO: From left to right @garyvee, @kurtyd, @espreedevora, @bigomaha (founders), @shiralazar

This morning after my meeting with Matt Helt and Dave Nelson of Secret Penguin, Matt sent me this link to Chris Rikli’s blog post titled Five People I Wish I’d Met at Big Omaha. (If you missed Big Omaha, well that just sucks. It was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. More on the Big O later.) Seeing that Chris wrote I was one of 5 people he’d like to meet who he missed at Big Omaha was incredibly flattering. After all, I simply do the best I can each day. Nothing different than anyone else does as an entrepreneur. Then when I saw I was grouped with these absolutely incredible and courageous business men, Matt Helt from Secret Penguin, Zac Triemert from Lucky Bucket Brewery, Charles Hull from Archrival I wasn’t only flattered but overwhelmingly gracious.

Big Omaha to me was about self discovery, defining our brand, attention to detail, unity and courage. Realizing that we each have our own entrepreneurial style and that is okay. To be true to our core strengths and find partners/team mates to compliment our weaknesses. That we must support one another to succeed farther and faster. And especially the courage to understand that the journey isn’t easy, but one we are blessed to forge ahead on. We can achieve anything we set our minds and bodies to do.

At one point there was discussion addressing segregation between men and women in business. It’s true that the numbers are not on an equal plane of women immersed in technology, business, (and action sports). But if there is anything I have learned after being a real estate investor, raising money for my business, and working in action sports, all “male dominated” spaces is that any dream we desire is within our reach to achieve, we just need to grab it. Men and Women alike. I don’t buy that men have the power to hold women back. Maybe the way society was structured in the past that was true, but not now. The only person that can hold anyone back is ourselves. It’s an exciting time to forge ahead as a business owner. I am manifesting my own destiny, are you?

I want to thank Chris Rikli for connecting with me and share his post. > Click here

Five People I Wish I’d Met at Big Omaha

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start ups live

Nothing like a little Snoop Dogg to put some Zappos in my day

In business, sanity

Ahhh the thrills of being a business owner. Thank you Zappos, Snoop Dogg, Start Ups Live and most importantly my team for all the inspiration.

Nothing like a little snoop dog

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zappos, zappos culture, zappos insights, zappos life coach, zappos monopoly, zappos return policy

Zappos.com – “The Road To A Billion And Beyond”

In business, leadership, management, sanity

I am absolutely exhilarated to to be visiting the Zappos headquarters tomorrow in Vegas. My company team has been vigorously studying the phenomenal Zappos culture which we do our best to emulate each day. I have personally been a fan of Zappos since about 2002 after discovering the site was the fastest loading site on the web. Being the geek that I am I was fascinated and had to know how they did it. I think their upload time was under 3 seconds and with a homepage full of graphics. Completely impressive.

Zappos.com is all about their WOW effect “delivering ‘WOW’ through service”. From their lightening speed delivery times, Monopoly Game, Culture Book, sending flowers to a grieving customer, 100% satisfaction guarantee free return policy, upload times, in house Life Coach – Dr Vik! and now Zappos Insights helping businesses achieve “The Road to a Billion and Beyond.”… Zappos WOWs me.

A little something from their Monopoly “Wow” cards:

“Take a leap of faith on a new venture, pay each player $50″

“Take a step outside of your comfort zone, collect $150″

“Reap the reward of taking a risk, collect $50″

"The Road to a Billion and Beyond"

Future Billionaire Girl in the making!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo_sBQGiRLc]

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37 signals, basecamp, bog omaha, business, girls in tech, hi5, pop report, social media, technology, threadless, winelibrarytv, wordpress

No matter East or West this May you need to be at Big Omaha “WHAT!? What’s in Omaha”

In business, management, marketing, social media

Gary Vaynerchuk @ Big Omaha 2009 from Big Omaha on Vimeo.

This May 2009 will be just about the coolest conference yet – Big Omaha. The best of the best in social media, online content and business tech will be in attendance. Gary Vaynerchuk who I can’t stop writing about has mastered the momentum of online content. Adriana Gascoigne banded together Girls in Tech throughout the US and overseas being featured in periodicals like Fast Company for her leadership and social media expertise at powerhouse Hi5. Business modeling extraordinaire Jason Fried from 37 Signals. If you have yet to read how 37 Signals maintains laser focus on business development go there now to enhance your skills. Threadless founder Jeffrey Kalmikoff made selling retail online viral and community based. Matt Mullenweg who is behind the development of WordPress – just about the most unbelievable blogging platform ever. And no established business and technology event would be complete without the talented Shira Lazar hosting the extravaganza. This star studded cast are all flying to Omaha this May and so should we. I know I am. If you missed South by Southwest don’t make the same mistake twice.This May 2009 will be just about the coolest conference yet – Big Omaha. The best of the best in social media, online content and business tech will be in attendance. Gary Vaynerchuk who I can’t stop writing about has mastered the momentum of online content. Adriana Gascoigne banded together Girls in Tech throughout the US and overseas being featured in periodicals like Fast Company for her leadership and social media expertise at powerhouse Hi5. Business modeling extraordinaire Jason Fried from 37 Signals. If you have yet to read how 37 Signals maintains laser focus on business development go there now to enhance your skills. Threadless founder Jeffrey Kalmikoff made selling retail online viral and community based. Matt Mullenweg who is behind the development of WordPress – just about the most unbelievable blogging platform ever. And no established business and technology event would be complete without the talented Shira Lazar hosting the extravaganza. This star studded cast are all flying to Omaha this May and so should we. I know I am. If you missed South by Southwest don’t make the same mistake twice.

Don't risk feeling left out again like you did not attending SXSW in Austin last week

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economy, start up, twitter, venture capital

Venture money is dried up not because of the economy, but because all the money went to Twitter. Ha!

In business, fundraising

Twitter raises 35 million this week in addition to what they already have. Woo hoo. No business plan, no monetization model. Now that’s setting an example. Here I thought Bart Simpson was a bad influence. Go Start Up go. Take the money and run to Switzerland. When did being a business stop being about making money and start being about raising money?

Saving Yourself in Switzerland

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fundraising, golden ticket

Costume change to “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket”

In business, fundraising, sanity

Considering this blog was always intended to be a positive resource for business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs and just plain and simple geeks I’ve altered the title a bit. It was called “I’m Gonna Get Funded Damnit” as a satire to all those people who are overly concerned with raising money rather than making money. Lets forgo business models and focus on fundraising! – What! Hello, businesses are here to do two things; Solve a problem and make money – Done. So I changed the name to something a bit more mystical. Seeing that so many people search the term “golden ticket” maybe that’s what we’re all looking for. But don’t you see the Golden Ticket is within us all if we just forge ahead and trust our instinct. Sometimes it may be scary and other times exhilarating, but if we never try how will we know if we would have succeeded. Okay, enough with the Gandhi talk. Hope you find the tips, tools and perspective you need from this blog and enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.

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business owner, entrepreneur, perfectbusiness

This post is dedicated to Deane – being a Business Owner is Magic

In business

Starting, growing and building a business is not an easy feat. Can we wake up whenever and take any random ol day off, SURE, if we want our business to go no where. Most business owners work 80 plus hour weeks and have “homework” when we leave the office. Last night I finished at 3am, started back up again at 9am and am closing my night down early at 11pm.

But being an entrepreneur is the best thing that could have ever happened to me, or did I select this life… who cares who choose who, the fact is I have purpose each morning when I wake up. My imagination turns into reality and with that reality I provide opportunity to enable others to live out their dreams. And I have to say, though many days are trying, seeing that my thoughts, my fantasies, manifested success not only for myself but those who surround me – Now that’s true magic.

Here is a site. I know the owner so I can say first hand he cares. It’s very useful if you want to start examining your desires to be an entrepreneur. www.perfectbusiness.com

Explore being an entrepreneur

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e commerce, online business, secrets to their success, stts

Authentic online business success stories in this crazy web 2.0 world

In business

As for me; I’m onto web company number 3 and plan to power network my way through this recession and continue to build a billion dollar organization.

Secrets to their Success has been very helpful over the past decade. I can’t believe how consistently raw and straight forward it always is.

Not kidding. Reading these people’s candid interviews on how they made their money online and the tools they used to do it has taught me so much over the years and helped me apply the same tactics. And the interviews are kept up weekly so I am constantly reading the most up to date information of what works.
SECRETS TO THEIR SUCCESS:

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ask sunday, business, leadership, linkedin, marketing, marketingtips, meet up, perfectbusiness, personal assistant

Okay kiddies… here is the Golden Ticket of Business Resources

In business, leadership, management, marketing, sanity, social media, technology, viral marketing

Subscribe to The Billionaire Girl

Subscribe in a reader

Brought to you by your very own Willy Wonka. Here is a comprehensive resource list from great affordable personal assistants to how to get your new web business off the ground (and not some dumb BS sales pitch, but what I have actually touched smelled and made love too JK) Yea, I’m kinda a business junkie. Anyway, here it is.

"I've got the golden ticket..."

I made it a “page” so it is always right there if you need it. I will finsh it later in the week. I’m exhausted right now.

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richard branson

Um yea… the banks ran out of monopoly money

In business, finance

I know people are going through really hard times, but as an entrepreneur I can’t help but be so excited. Right now is the true test to see how strong our businesses were built. Apple Google Virgin Air were all built when money was tight and people weren’t spending. This just forces us to build organizations that ” make an enormous and positive difference,’ as Branson says.

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The Billionaire Girl

"I've Got a Golden Ticket!"

Archive for the ‘business’ Category

Lessons learned deleting my email accounts on my BlackBerry

This is success

Genius, find a tweet, win cash FindThatTweet.com

NYE style, “Tactical Corsets” because innovation is everything

Business organization tips to orgasm over

Submit “The Perfect Pitch” = Present to investors in front of Sir Richard Branson = Get Funded

SUBMIT YOUR PITCH

How does it work?

What is a pitch?

How are pitches evaluated?

Is there an application fee?

How can I submit a pitch?

Notes from Richard Branson … “Interested in creating things I can be proud of”

The power of positivity and possibility will make you all the cash you need, promise

The secret to Billions is Delegation

I’ve been inspired by @Garyvee – Launched my LIVE segment “Resource Report”

Cool Office space in LA, only $1 for a month but it’s the opportunities that will make you stay

Chris Rikli I’d like to introduce myself…

Five People I Wish I’d Met at Big Omaha

Nothing like a little Snoop Dogg to put some Zappos in my day

Zappos.com – “The Road To A Billion And Beyond”

Venture money is dried up not because of the economy, but because all the money went to Twitter. Ha!

Costume change to “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket”

This post is dedicated to Deane – being a Business Owner is Magic

Authentic online business success stories in this crazy web 2.0 world

Um yea… the banks ran out of monopoly money

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