I don’t know if Chris Brogan started the meme or not, but every year he publishes 3 words that will serve as his guiding pillars for the year ahead. Last year I didn’t publish 3 words; instead I stuck with one: Freedom. Looking back at that post from the beginning of 2010 I can reasonably […]
What Role Does Ego Play in Entrepreneurs?
Entrepreneurs need a very healthy ego to succeed. Many might be self-effacing and humble, but there still has to be a deep-seeded, positive sense of self and ego. Some might call it drive. That’s part of it. Courage and belief in one’s own abilities is also important. Natural leadership qualities and a desire to lead […]
Goals for 2010
Marc-Andre Cournoyer (ex-Standout employee, current CTO of SocialGrapes) doesn’t blog as much as he should. That’s a shame cause he’s a great guy, kick ass programmer, startup founder, and worth listening to. But he did write a post entitled Goals in March 2010 that got me thinking a lot about my own goals. I wasn’t […]
My Focus for 2010: Freedom
For me, 2010 is all about Freedom. Not necessarily the type of freedom that requires you to crash through the proverbial wall of doom, or bang your head against it so many times that you’re lying unconscious in a pool of your own blood; but the type of freedom that’s built on top of that […]
The Half-Life of Trust, Reputation and Social Capital
Half-life is the period of time, for a substance undergoing decay, to decrease by half. Trust, reputation and social capital also decay, but at varying degrees. First, let’s look at how they’re built up: Please excuse the rudimentary attempt at a diagram, but the visual does help. And if it makes sense, I may create […]
The Inauthentic Potential of Personal Branding
I’m a fervent believer in the value of cultivating and promoting one’s personal brand. I’ve put a fair amount of thought and effort into my own personal brand and reaped considerable benefits. If you want to advance your career in some way (whether it’s move up the proverbial ladder, get a new job, break away […]
15 Quick Pitch Tips for Kick Ass Presentations
The pitch isn’t the only thing that will make your business successful; far from it. But it sure does matter when you have an opportunity to get on stage and present. Those opportunities may be few and far between, but you don’t want to blow them. And opportunities to pitch your business should happen all […]
Personal Branding is More Important Than You Realize
I’m a big believer in the power of developing, cultivating and promoting your personal brand. You should be too. I’ve seen the importance of personal branding firsthand through my own efforts. Some people consider the catchphrase “personal brand” cheesy. Others believe it’s overly self-centered. And I’ll admit that I’ve found it a touch embarrassing every […]
A Brief Story About Me in the Financial Post
I recently completed an interview with Rick Spence at the Financial Post about startups, my background, blogging, etc. It was a lot of fun and the end result can be found here: A standout among movers and shakers As much as I appreciate that title, I think the subtitle is more relevant, Learning curve of […]
How-To Guarantee a Nightmare Filled Sleep
Who doesn’t enjoy the thought of tossing and turning all night in fits of restlessness brought on by nightmares? Woohoo! The secret is this: Work right until the moment you go to bed. It’s really as simple as that. Work, work, and work some more. When you’re exhausted, go straight to bed (don’t pass GO!) […]
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