Simpleology
I read the book Simpleology recently and was quite intrigued by Mark Joyner's straghtforward concepts. I didn't find too much new information in his book but it was laid out in a way that resonated. He does, as you would assume from the title, keep it simple.
He has an extensive web portal that is part of the book but that you can use anyway (check out http://www.simpleology.com) where he has other products for sale. One of these is "Learn to Blog for Fun and Profit". In order to access it he requires the following code snipet...so here it is.
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I'm evaluating a multi-media course on blogging from the folks at Simpleology. For a while, they're letting you snag it for free if you post about it on your blog.
It covers:
- The best blogging techniques.
- How to get traffic to your blog.
- How to turn your blog into money.
I'll let you know what I think once I've had a chance to check it out. Meanwhile, go grab yours while it's still free.
Hokies from space
My hokies are thanking the world. They spelled out "VT Thanks You" on the drillfield while a satelite was overhead. Check it out the photo and get the backstory.
Living Vicariously
I'm often told by friends, family, investors, etc. that they live their lives vicariously through me. Most often they are referring to the entrepreneurial risks I have chosen to take.
Like many things, I think entrepreneurship and one's proclivity towards it rests on a spectrum. On one end of the ![]()
Audrey and Tortellonispectrum is the hustler looking to create an enterprise out of every interaction and on the opposite end is the government or huge corporation worker, staying within the lines at every slow turn of events. As a culture American's tend to rest on the spectrum with a healthy dose of entrepreneurial desire although like many things, they aren't willing to take the leap.
I was reading the blog/website of a dear high school friend who I'm living vicariously through. She is currently on a long world trek exploring photography, food, learning and personal growth through travel. Oh how jealous I am.
I have wanted to do a world tour for my entire life and fully intend to achieve my dream. Some goals though require patience. Right now is not my time so I will live vicariously through those that I love. Check out her photo gallery...I bet she inspires you to travel also.
What to do with Midtown Plaza?
Recently, the owners of Midtown Plaza announced that they were planning to sell this 1963 landmark that helped define Rochester as the city of quality. The City of Rochester accepted an option to purchase the property.
My office is right around the corner from Midtown Plaza so I've been keeping my eyes open for developments regarding it. The most recent announcement claims that in conjunction with a local developer, Riedman Properties, they are teaming up with Parma, Italy to create a theme based mall experience.
Marine Corps Marathon
I spent today with my mother in law, having come down with a rather serious cold, chasing my wife Carrington around Washington, DC and Northern VA. We were cheering her on while she ran the 30th Marine Corps Marathon. This event drew more than 35,000 runners on a blustery fall day filled with endless doses of strong emotion.
Carrie isn't historically a runner but she set a goal to complete this marathon and she did in just under 6 1/2 hours. As such, she was in the slower pace group so as I moved around getting in front of her I saw a number of the same people chugging along. I was touched by the determination I saw in this group.
They aren't the fastest runners, they aren't the best runners but they tried so hard. Come the end, while I was cheering along this crowd to the finish line I saw a full range of emotions. Some people were stoic and determined, others were overwhelmed and teary, while others were excited and smiling. I couldn't resist cheering for this crowd even though it was destroying my sore throat.
One of the other interesting things that was a challenge was how far Megg and I ended up walking. Carrie had requested that we cheer for her in East Potomac Park a notoriously sparse place for runner support. There is no efficient way to stand along the course in the park without hiking into it yourself. So we did.
We also wanted to cheer for her at the end of the 14th street bridge because that is the bottleneck on the entire race. If you don't finish the bridge by a certain time then you can't finish the race because they open it back up to car traffic. Traversing our way to the finish line from the far side of the bridge required Megg and I walk along the side of the GW Parkway, no sidewalk, no paths. We were rough and tumble, blazing our own trails and making it back before Carrie did. All in all we walked about 9 1/4 miles, check out the map of our route.
I'm so proud of Carrie for digging deep, fighting the pain and achieving her goal. Every time I saw her along the route all I wanted to do was hug her and take her home to a hot bath. She kept going and made the finish on her own though.
Check out the picture gallery here.
Where I've Been
I was forwarded the following link:
http://douweosinga.com/projects/visitedcountries
I filled it out and am sad to say the following map is all I can admit to. I would love to paint this whole thing red. Something to look forward to.
create your own visited countries map or vertaling Duits Nederlands
In Tiny Courts of N.Y., Abuses of Law and Power
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/25/nyregion/25courts.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&th&emc=th
WOW! This is really scary. I thought NY was supposed to be one of the most progressive states in the union, I guess not. The thought of these types of no appeal fiefdoms invokes thoughts of banana republic courts that are bought and paid for.
I hope NY does something about this. With such high taxes some of the funding should funnel this way.
Entrepreneur's Role: CEO versus Shareholder
I'm involved with a number of networking groups that introduce me to CEO/Entrepreneurs. I find that the individuals most concerned with losing their position are the ones that aren't ready for fast growth. With this understanding, that fast growth isn't of primary concern, it makes sense that an inventor would want to hold onto in their position.
In my opinion, bringing in a high-caliber CEO is another sign of business maturity. As a founder, the idea of recruiting a CEO that would mentor me through the process of fast paced growth is exciting. The part that is harder to absorb than the titles is the impact on the cap table. This of course should be easily dealt with in a performance based earn-out by the new executive.
My advice...don't worry about bringing in great team talent, even if this person is going to lead the team. If you are the best person for the job then nobody is going to ask you to step down. If you feel that you are capable just prove it.
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From: eVentruing@kauffman.org (Kauffman eVenturing)
Posted At: Monday, September 25, 2006 12:21 PM Posted To: Kauffman eVenturing Entrepreneurs' Viewpoint Conversation: Entrepreneur's Role: CEO versus Shareholder Subject: Entrepreneur's Role: CEO versus Shareholder
Entrepreneur's Role: CEO versus Shareholder
The Board of Directors of investors-funded companies is motivated to maximize valuation and facilitate an exit for all shareholders with optimum timing. But, what if the opportunity is growing faster than the skill sets of the entrepreneur can manage? Should growth in shareholder value be limited by the capabilities of the entrepreneur?
Entrepreneur/CEO is a prestigious position. Entrepreneurs, particularly first timers, tend to totally engage their ego with this CEO job. The shareholder/entrepreneur, on the other hand, is charged by investors to maximize value and to seize opportunities as they arise. It is usually obvious to engaged observers (such as Board members and advisers) when the time has come for the founder/entrepreneur/CEO to step aside and help the Board hire a more experienced CEO.
Too many times this becomes a win-lose situation when it should never be so. First time entrepreneurs must recognize when they accept investment from outsiders that angels and VCs are motivated to create value, not to employ entreprenerus. Hiring an experienced CEO to substantially increase the valuation and the likelihood of an attractive exit for all shareholders (including the entrepreneur) should be a win-win for all involved.
Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/EntrepreneurViewpoint/~3/27141488/
Where to eat in Rochester?
My best friend Jason made a great list of places to eat when in Rochester. The one thing I can say about Curtis' taste is that he is very sensitive to food quality. If Jason will eat there I never have a concern about the cleanliness of the resturan, kitchen or the food itself. I sometimes find this a little too restrictive removing complete out hole-in-the-wall places but if you're looking for somewhere good to eat in Rochester this is a great place to start.
Boeing to end in-flight Internet service
I just read this article about Boeing cancelling their in-flight internet service. Now admittedly I have never purchased this service but I really think this is a sad move. I have recently been so impressed by the ability to connect while traveling that it is hard to imaging the market isn't available for in-flight. Of course I don't have insight into the economics of the business.
Is it a coincidence this was announced only a week after the spoiled bombing attempt in England? Maybe this is another annoying thing we can blame on terror.


