Some regard round penning as a controversial technique in horsemanship.  Indeed a Google search on round penning has a critical opinion as the number one choice.

Michael Gonzalez is adamant that he will not use a round pen in any of his demonstrations.

Round Penning
(And Why I Believe It Is Doing More Harm Than Good))

I don’t care for round penning at all. Round penning has become one of the most, if not THE MOST, abused tool in horsemanship today. Now that is a bold statement, but I will stand on that statement very firmly. It is, in my opinion, so abused that I refuse to work a horse in a round pen while performing demonstrations. Perhaps I should clarify that I refuse to do ‘round penning’ during my demonstrations.

Many others do not share the Gonzalez view.  For example Sylvia Scott is a strong proponent of round penning.

Proper round penning is not about mindlessly lungeing a horse around and around a round pen, but is about the opposite: it is direct one-to-one very precise communication with very specific cues and instructions. When round penning is done correctly, the horse will be quieter, more compliant, and a much more willing partner in all of your other training activities.  Round penning can be an invaluable tool in developing a happier horse -- and a happier rider!

Here in Langley another round penning advocate and expert is Jay O Jay..  Here is how he presents his views.

The Round Pen

"A Powerful Tool"
"Get respect, gain control and achieve confidence"

The round pen is where I introduce myself to the horse. It is a place to listen and to communicate. It is a place to develop a leadership role, gain mutual respect and establish control. All without force, bad attitudes or impatience. This allows the horse to stay emotionally and mentally relaxed so he can keep his attention focused on me. This is how I get the horse to learn how to learn!

Round Penning With Jay O Jay

If you would like to make up your own mind on how well Round Penning can be used, then you have an opportunity on December 3rd and 4th when Jay O Jay is giving a Round Penning Clinic at the Highpoint Equestrian Centre in Langley BC. This is the same location where he gave a regular horsemanship clinic in October.

The six spaces for horses and their riders in the clinic are almost taken up.  However there is room to accommodate up to sixty visitors and this is a very economic way to learn a great deal about the correct way to establish a connection with your horse.

Here is how Jay describes what will take place:

• I work "one on one" in these clinics so that each person gets maximum value.
• Day One - I work your horse myself as I discuss in detail what I am doing, why I am doing it and how I am doing it. My goal is to get a respectful, focused and connected horse.
• Day Two - you are in the round pen with your horse as I teach you how to achieve the same success I did.
• I am taking a maximum of 6 horses. I will be doing 3 horses in the morning and another 3 in the afternoon.  Each session will be approximately one hour.

Round Penning Clinic Details

Timing:  Saturday December 3 and Sunday December 4 from 09:00 am to 04:00 pm.

Location:  High Point Equestrian Centre and Clubhouse, 658 200th St, Langley, BC.

The two day cost for a rider and their horse is $150 with coffee or $170 with lunch.

Spectator’s daily fee is $20 or $30 with lunch.

For More Information

Contact Kelly Brook Allen at canoa@shaw.ca or by telephone at 604-831-1519 or Annabel Young at 604-961-7541.

Post from: The Other Blokes Blog

Round Penning Clinic Langley BC December 3 and 4

Technorati Tags: horse, Jay O Jay, Langley, Michael Gonzalez, round pen, round penning

Related Posts

• August 21, 2010 -- Langley Horse Federation Workshop (0)
• July 28, 2010 -- Learn How To Connect With Your Horse In Langley BC (0)
• October 25, 2011 -- High Point Equestrian Centre Hosts Jay O Jay Horsemanship Clinic (0)
• August 5, 2011 -- Horsing Around Langley (0)
• April 13, 2011 -- Never spur a willing horse (2)

In most large cities, if you say the term “street meat” to anyone, you will receive a nose wrinkle and a full-body shudder in return.  Everyone, at some point in their life, somewhere in the world, has visited a curbside food vendor.

Some are great and lines stretch around the block.  Some are awful, and are completely deserving of their "roach coach" nickname.  Brussels, Hanoi, many cities in Mexico, Rio de Janeiro, London, and Los Angeles: they all have long traditions of street food that is both excellent and cheap.  Recently, however, the Vancouver Street Food scene in British Columbia has begun to give these other "street meat" meccas, a run for their money.

People often look to Canada for ski deals but now they can think Vancouver for excellent street cuisine.  Restaurants can be licensed to set up carts all around the business district and the downtown area.  With more and more carts being welcomed to the street food scene every year (36 so far), the variety of offerings can actually feel a little overwhelming.  Though not every street cart operates at the same time, there is usually a wide array of prices and styles on offer.  As many publications have already noted with enthusiasm, the quality of the food available is quite high.  Food from multiple countries, and carts dedicated to vegetarian, vegan, or halal food abound.  While all are worthy of a try, there are a few standouts that deserve a special trip.

Korean-Mexican Coma Food Truck

Locations:  Varies - Check comafoodtruck.com for up-to-date info.

Serving traditional Korean food like bibimbap and kimbap, alongside Mexican-Korean fusion items like kimchi quesadillas, the Coma Food Truck offers a funky combination of tastes that is pretty addictive.  Portions are human-sized and reasonably priced, topping out at $10 with a drink.

Tacofino Cantina

Location:  Robson Square - Weekdays 11:00-15:00. - Check tacofino.com for more information.

Tacos, tacos, and more tacos, made ridiculously well, with great ingredients.  The Tacofino Taco Truck, is a bright orange vehicle, which specializes in producing great fish tacos, the "must-eat" chocolate Diablo cookie, and other Baja-style dishes.  Owner Kaeli Robinsong, recently launched the Blue Burrito Truck as well, serving a wide variety of burritos.  Prices range from $2.50 up to $15.00 depending on the food item and how fancy you want to get with it.

Nu Greek Street

Location:  Granville Street - Monday to Saturday - Check www.nurestaurant.com for more information.

Great Greek food is heavenly.  Nu Greek Street, which is the street vendor offshoot of the restaurant, Nu, is definitely getting it right.  Very tasty homemade pita bread, impeccably prepared meat, and fresh veggies, combine to make this street cart stand out.  They also offer a vegetarian pita that has received high marks.  Prices are very reasonable and range from $3 - $6.50.  Be prepared to wait in line a bit.  It is well worth it.

Other Places to Mingle

If standing on the street to eat is not quite your cup of tea, there are also some great alternative eateries housed in more traditional settings.  For coffee and tea aficionados, take a moment to visit the newly opened, Revolver, at 325 Cambie Street.  If you are looking for a more laid-back, "get together with friends" vibe, check out, Rumpus Room at 2689 Main St.  They combine great food with board games and movie nights, among other offerings.  For those who want to see and be seen, make a beeline for Sanafir at 1026 Granville Street.  The delicious Mediterranean cuisine and ambiance make Sanafir the king of hipster nightspots.

Whether you like your food on the go, or want to sit down and mingle, Vancouver has something for everyone.  Vancouver's traditional restaurant and food cart communities, have grown exponentially.  It will be interesting to see what culinary fusions evolve out of the city's eclectic food scene, and even more interesting to sample them.

Post from: The Other Blokes Blog

Vancouver For Sophisticated Street Food

Technorati Tags: street food, Vancouver, vendor

Related Posts

• April 29, 2008 -- Stanley Park, Vancouver, Google Search (0)

I will preface this post with the cold fact that not all blogs or websites will benefit much from using the Amazon Associates program. That being said, since the program is free to use, it is at least worth trying out.  It is a great affiliate program that is simple to implement and can make surprisingly large sums of money. But for any site or blog to make any serious money from the program, they should fit at least most of the following criteria:

• Your site gets a good amount of traffic - Obviously no one will be clicking on your affiliate links and purchasing things that will give you commissions if no one visits your site.
• Your visitors are loyal and trust your site - This one is huge! Much more important than just having traffic, having loyal visitors will be the most likely users to convert with your affiliate program. Most of the search engine traffic you receive won't.
• Your site has information relevant to the products you're marketing - Believe it or not, a lot of webmasters will use an affiliate program and market products that have nothing to do with their site's content. Of course, you can be a little creative, but try to market products that you know your readers will want to buy.

Where In the "Buying Cycle" Is Your Audience?

Even with the above criteria met, you're still not guaranteed to make money through the Amazon Associates program because perhaps your readers are at a different stage in the "buying cycle" than the products you're marketing.

For instance, if you write a blog that offers tutorials on Photoshop, you probably won't get too many people clicking on your Amazon links to buy Photoshop because they already have it and are looking for tips on how to use it. However, if you're reviewing the newest version of Photoshop, your affiliate links might be a bit more lucrative.

Great Buying Hooks

Now that we do indeed have a loyal audience and have considered what they are interested in buying, let's look at the way we can link them into Amazon and start buying stuff, so we can get that commission. Remember, they don't necessarily have to buy whatever product you link to; they just have to buy something on Amazon through the affiliate link on your site.

Challenge Your Readers to a "Hypothetical" Shopping Spree!

As cheesy as this might sound, this idea works incredibly well, particularly for sites that review a slew of products for a particular niche. Just write up an article of how you would spend $1000 (or however much money) on products related to your topic, and then at the end of your article, call upon your audience to go on their own "hypothetical" shopping spree and post what they would buy in the comments (just be sure to give them the Amazon affiliate link as their entrance to the spree). Odds are some of them are bound to buy something that they realize they could use.

Allow Readers to Review Products

As great as it is to review products yourself on your site, I've also noticed very positive responses (in terms of affiliate commissions) to articles in which a dedicated reader of my site reviews the product. I suppose this is because people are less worried of a biased review since the reader has nothing to gain if you decide to purchase the product through the affiliate link. Remember, for both your own and your readers' reviews, to keep your reviews genuine and honest. If you lie to sell a poor quality product to your readers, you will soon find that you have no readers and no one clicking your affiliate links.

Best-Seller Lists

One great aspect of the Amazon Associates program is that it gives you great detail about whether or not people are clicking your affiliate links and what they're buying. Once you've gathered enough data to determine buying trends and popular products, make a best sellers list! This is a surprisingly effective way to gather more support and trust toward your affiliate products and gain more sells.

By-line:

Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges.  She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031 @gmail.com.

Post from: The Other Blokes Blog

Amazon Associates Success Tips

Technorati Tags: Affiliate marketing, Affiliate Programs, Amazon Associates

Posts from the Archives You May Enjoy

• September 11, 2006 -- Never A Couche-Tard (0)
• November 8, 2007 -- FacebookCamp Montreal, A Cool Hotspot (0)
• September 22, 2006 -- Is Radio More Mobile Than TV? (0)
• May 9, 2009 -- Public Servants Should Act In The Public Interest (0)
• December 7, 2005 -- The Internet – Tidal Wave Or Grassroots Movement (2)

According to one online business coach, Internet Coaching can show you how to earn more, work less, and enjoy life online by living the Internet lifestyle.  It's an alluring promise so perhaps it is no surprise that a search for 'Online Business Coach' results in 26.7 million items.  Here are some of the top ranking resources:

Clearly there is intense competition and it is gratifying that at least in this search SMM Internet Marketing Consultants came up at #2.  Given that Google now delivers personalized search results, you may find that a Google search for 'Online Business Coach' produces a slightly different list.

You will usually find that Terry Dean is in the top few, but perhaps the most surprising entry is Ken Troyer at #1.  He describes himself as an online business coach and mentor, who is quietly working behind the scenes.  In a previous post on online business coaches,  we did give a link to Terry Dean but he was the only one we mentioned.  However working 'behind the scenes', Ken Troyer clearly amasses large numbers of back links to appear so high in the Google rankings.

There is a real need for honest business coaching, since in some ways the Internet is a field of dreams.  It is true that you have the ability to communicate globally with a vast potential audience.  And yes, even if only a very tiny fraction of them could potentially buy your product or service, that can still total up to very significant revenues.

Where the dreams come in is that of course anyone else can look at that potential market place and jump in too.  If it is far too easy, then that could encourage a vast number of competitors.  Avoid such markets like the plague.  What you should consider is a market place where there is what the strategy experts call a barrier to entry.  For example if you must be certified to provide a particular service, then that is a barrier to entry.  If you are not certified, then you are not permitted to offer your services

Even if you have the skills and certification to be able to cross that barrier to entry, you may still find too long a list of potential competitors.  This then presents two challenges:

• how can you offer something that others cannot offer, in other words offer a competitive advantage, and
• how can you expect to stand out from this crowd.

Both questions require serious effort to find effective solutions and in some cases solutions will not be possible.  If you have really become extremely enthusiastic about your potential product or service, you may be blind to the reasons why success may be elusive.

This is where the right online business coach may render you immeasurable service.  Giving honest, frank advice will allow you to put effort into the things that matter. 

• Perhaps you have not defined the right market niche. 
• Perhaps you have to refine your service so you will truly be offering something that is unique for that niche. 
• Perhaps your cash flow plan does not allow for a slow startup. 

For more on those key questions you should be asking, check out The NUB Of Your Marketing Strategy.  In that title, NUB stands for Niche, Unique Selling Proposition and Bottom Line.

If your choice of online business coach is not asking you tough questions on such matters then be very wary.  If your online business coach is only painting pictures of the promised land, then move on.  What you really need are strong doses of realism.  The online business coach and mentor who can provide that is worth whatever they may charge.  Buyer beware.

Post from: The Other Blokes Blog

Online Business Coach – Choosing The Best One

Technorati Tags: Coach, Marketing strategy, Niche market, Unique Selling Proposition

Related Posts

• May 18, 2009 -- Being Asked Beats Asking (0)
• March 18, 2009 -- Local Business Coach Online (2)

Frank Koller has written a most thought-provoking book entitled Spark: How Old-Fashioned Values Drive a Twenty-First Century Corporation.

Lincoln Electric, a manufacturing company in Cleveland, Ohio rejects normal North American business practice by refusing to lay off its employees in tough times. The company’s century-long record of profitability and innovation is proof that trust, flexibility and fairness can inspire people to achieve amazing things when they are confident that their future – and that of their families – is secure.

He uses the Lincoln Electric story in a wide-ranging critique of current American management practices and the value system underlying American business.  He homes in on the widespread attitude that layoffs are now seen as an everyday technique of modern management and are an almost instinctive reaction to corporate downturns.

His account could be seen as a reasonable description of the paradox that Lincoln Electric’s ‘old fashioned values’ that have produced success are so often rejected by most modern businesses.  However his analysis could perhaps have gone a little deeper.

The key label attached to the Lincoln Electric approach is that it has a no-layoff policy.  Koller downrates this by describing it as reflecting old-fashioned values.  This naturally is anathema to the average big business CEO, who would like to be seen as:

• producing short term results fast
• action-oriented
• tough-minded

The advantage of instituting lay-offs when results are dropping is that it looks as though it confirms that the CEO ‘is not afraid’ to do what it takes.

The Lincoln Electric approach could have better been described as the timeless set of best practices, rather than just the ‘old-fashioned’ way of doing things.  Homing in on only the no-layoff practice provides only a caricature of what Lincoln Electric is all about.

Lincoln Electric has a set of 6 core values and non of them refer to a no-layoff practice.  Here is a very short summary of these values and you will see that they are very much now-values rather than just old-fashioned ones.

1. Be customer-centric
2. Value your team
3. Reward Performance
4. Be financially prudent
5. Respect the environment
6. Support local communities

Most businessmen would support these six values.  However many would not list them in this order which I believe is very much an order of priority.  Only by applying these values in a tough-minded way will success he achieved.

• Clearly #1 is that the customer will perceive above all else that the company will do its utmost to meet their expectations and fulfill their needs.
• The team is equally important and management must develop a climate of mutual respect and mutual commitment.
• #3 is the lever by which this climate is maintained and enhanced.  It is not solely rewarding the good performers but ensuring that unsatisfactory performance is identified and corrected.  This may mean that some team members who are not willing to pull their weight will be shown the door.

The remaining three values are clearly important too.  They are very necessary for a successful company.  However they are not sufficient in themselves to ensure success.  That only comes from a strong commitment to the first three values.

The staff are very much a key asset for any company.  Real success comes from making assets perform rather than getting rid of assets.

In fact getting rid of human assets generates costs rather than bringing in revenues.  The biggest cost is the alienation that everyone in the organization feels as they note that anyone is expendable.  Rather than everyone putting out 100% of effort to satisfy customers, part of that time is spent in polishing up their resumes and seeing what other opportunities may exist in the marketplace.

Usually also there will be cash costs in termination packages or redundancy arrangements for those who are let go.  These are rarely mentioned in the PR releases as the firings are announced.  However a true accounting might well show little net benefit when all is taken into account.

Lincoln Electric is all about a very different way of managing enterprises.  It may well be too tough a challenge for those Wall Street quick-fix merchants.

Related articles by Zemanta

• In the Black, But No Pink Slips (online.wsj.com)

Post from: The Other Blokes Blog

The Lincoln Electric Spark

Technorati Tags: customer centric, Frank Koller, layoff, Lincoln Electric, performance

Related Posts

• June 19, 2009 -- If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It (1)
• May 22, 2008 -- Company Strategy – Who Determines It? (0)

There is a new book available that every entrepreneur and SoHo (Small office home office) owner should read.    It is called Marketing Right Now.

You should not confuse it with the book featured on the right.  That book may never be on the shelves of your local bookstore, although there is an undoubted need for such a book.  What we are talking about here is an e-book.

The correct title does not include that last For Winners phrase, but be assured that what is included can make your business a winner.  The e-book is available as a free download. 

Although it naturally deals with how to do business on the Internet, the most interesting sections deal with the important steps you should take before you get close to creating a Web page.  If you are to succeed, then you must have a clear strategy.

Some people treat the concept of strategy in a somewhat cavalier fashion. Perhaps without realizing it, you are one of these people.  You can easily check whether you have a clear strategy by answering the following three questions:

1. What marketing niche will my product or service target?  (What does a typical prospect of look like?)
2. Who are the strongest competitors going after these same prospects?
3. How will my product or service offer a superior experience to my target prospects?

Do not feel bad if any of these three questions stump you.  There are a significant number of businesses owners who would be similarly stumped.

As you may note, the concepts discussed here seem to be getting attention from some very important commentators.  Strategy is challenging because it defines what you will put efforts and resources into and what you will not allow yourself to be diverted by.  This single-minded focus is not easy to achieve and many people almost goof-off in doing whatever comes to mind as they try to grow their business.

This e-book puts the emphasis on this first step of strategy.  That starts with the potential customers you feel your business might serve.  You must be capable of creating a product or service that they will find superior to what the competition is offering.

You can of course sometimes make a reasonable living by having a me-too product or service.  However the Internet is a real threat to such merely adequate suppliers.  Buyers can explore what is available and they will undoubtedly go for the best they can find.

Two important operational details are also emphasized.  If you put Time as Job One, then this can give you an almost instant competitive advantage.  You must also have good communications with your prospects and clients on a continuing basis.  That implies an effective blog.  Without it your business will be hard pressed to grow as it should.

Since the e-book is a free download, it is almost a no-brainer to check it out for yourself.  The e-book itself is a one megabyte PDF file so please be patient when you get to that step.

We welcome feedback on the e-book since this would allow a revision of the contents at some time in the future.  Please add your comments here.  They will be most welcome.

Post from: The Other Blokes Blog

Marketing Right Now For Winners

Technorati Tags: Blog, Competitive advantage, Entrepreneur, job one, marketing, Small business, Time

Related Posts

• May 23, 2010 -- Professional Writers Blog (0)
• February 22, 2010 -- Blogging First And Foremost (0)
• August 18, 2009 -- Entrepreneur Insecurity (0)
• April 14, 2009 -- Three Tips For Choosing Great Blog Topics (1)
• March 6, 2009 -- Google Is Killing Its Golden Goose (11)

For Canada, India provides the opportunity for a new era of trade.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper will visit Mumbai and Delhi between Nov. 15 and 18 and meet with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, sources said, a visit that is intended as a turning point. India and Canada are moving to jolt stagnant trade ties, concluding a series of trade-related deals, including opening nuclear commerce and starting the first phase toward a free-trade agreement.

On the other hand, questions are being raised on where US current policy is headed.

If any foreign policy camp best captures mainstream American opinion in 2009, it is probably neo-isolationism: a return to the inwardness of the post-World War I years, when the country refused to join the League of Nations. Even as intellectuals call for cosmopolitanism, more and more Americans are declaring themselves anti-outsourcing, anti-foreign-products, anti-immigration, anti-international-law — and pro-protectionism. According to a February 2009 Gallup poll, nearly half of Americans view foreign trade as a “threat to the economy,” and 65 percent believe the government is spending “too much” on foreign aid.

That explains why Bill Gates was unsuccessful last year in persuading Congress that it should allow US companies to hire more skilled foreign workers by increasing the number of H-1B visas. Without this change in immigration policy, the only solution would be to outsource more technological work to countries such as India.

India to is now asking the US for more H-1B visas.

India is likely to ask the United States to raise the cap on visas for skilled workers at the bilateral trade forum meeting to be held. India may also push for a special mechanism for Indian professionals travelling to the US for short-term assignments arising out of contractual obligations.

Perhaps the mood is now more receptive since a bill now introduced in the U.S. Congress would double the number of immigrant worker visas available each year under the H-1B program.

The Innovation Employment Act, introduced by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, (D-Ariz.), late Thursday, would increase the cap in H-1B visas from 65,000 a year to 130,000 a year. In addition, there would be no cap on H-1B applications for foreign graduate students attending U.S. colleges and studying science, technology and related fields. Currently, there’s a 20,000-a-year cap on visas for graduate students in all fields.

The legislation would increase the H-1B cap to 180,000 in the years 2010 to 2015 if the 130,000 cap is reached the year before.

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates had repeated his pitch:

“We provide the world’s best universities … and the students are not allowed to stay and work in the country,” Gates said Wednesday. “The fact is, [other countries'] smartest people want to come here and that’s a huge advantage to us, and in a sense, we’re turning them away.”

Undoubtedly all countries gain by a freer trade in technical abilities. It is not a forced choice between immigration and outsourcing. An appropriate balance is probably optimal.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Microsoft praises bill to double cap on H-1B visas (infoworld.com)

Post from: The Other Blokes Blog

Immigration or outsourcing

Technorati Tags: Canada, Free trade, H1-B, immigration, India, outsourcing, United States, visa

Related Posts

• February 14, 2008 -- Your Lawyer Is In India, So Why Not Your Web Designer? (5)
• June 24, 2005 -- Babel Media Dubs Montreal A World Game Hub (1)
• April 12, 2010 -- Frozen Pensioners Fight On For British Fair Play (0)
• November 12, 2008 -- Brand Canada – Aw Shucks (0)

Large companies gave 5.1% more to charity in 2008 than in 2007, on average, even though the recession officially began in December 2007.

During tough times, reputation is everything. A recent survey by Boston College’s Center for Corporate Citizenship and the Hitachi Foundation found that 70% of senior executives considered reputation the No. 1 driver behind their companies’ corporate citizenship efforts. At the biggest companies, 82%. It’s no wonder chief executive officers now directly lead the corporate citizenship agendas at three out of four corporations.

You can find more details of the study on the website of The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The Newspaper of the Non-profit World.

At the other end of the scale, you have Guerrilla Giving. This is one family’s adventure in philanthropy as they describe it.

For a year (a lifetime?), we’re committed to giving away 10% of our annual gross income in daily increments to mostly random recipients. We have had experience with tithing in the past (10% traditionally) but it was often done as an after-thought, at the end of the month or at the end of the year–written as a cheque or dropped in an offering bowl. Giving like that was rarely joyful for us. Guerrilla Giving, on the other hand, is fun, adventurous, and immediate.

Giving to charities can be done for a variety of reasons. Whatever the motivation or the amount, it seems clear that charity giving brings benefits both to the givers and to the receivers.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Charitable Gifts to Drop 9% in 2009 (blogs.wsj.com)

Post from: The Other Blokes Blog

Charity Donations Improve Corporate Reputations

Technorati Tags: charity, giving, reputation

Related Posts

• February 26, 2011 -- Friday: TGIF or DAB (0)
• November 7, 2009 -- Silent Auctions Move Online (0)

He is commenting on a list of entrepreneurs’ top three fears as published by marketing specialist Warrillow & Co.  What really scares business owners are not the day-to-day aches and pains, such as sales, rising taxes or increasing competition; the real fears spring from deep in the entrepreneur’s insecure soul.  These fears are:

• Fear of not marketing effectively (38%).
• Fear of never being able to retire (33%).
• Fear that they’re not staying abreast of new technology (20%).

Spence has some useful tips to help remove or alleviate these feelings of insecurity.  However perhaps insecurity is part of the drive that propels entrepreneurs to make it happen.

That is the view of an expert quoted by Leslie Whitaker in an item on Entrepreneur or Employee?  Fernando Trias de Bes is the author of The Little Black Book of Entrepreneurship and the owner of a marketing firm in Spain.  

Trias de Bes believes that one common mistake is failing to distinguish between being spurred by a “motive” (I lost my job, or I hate my boss) and having the “motivation” to be an entrepreneur. The latter means being someone who “enjoys the uncertainty and insecurity of not knowing what will come tomorrow.” . He also suggests that you need “enormous, colossal and infinite enthusiasm” to drive away thoughts of failure.  A third characteristic, tenacity, is also necessary to make up for deficits in the other two. No matter how solid your entrepreneurial spirit, you need persistence to succeed.

As an entrepreneur, one can never completely remove insecurity and perhaps that is a necessary stimulus to ensure complacency does not set in.  At the least, you always have to be watchful of the external influences such as competitors and governments and be ready when the unexpected happens, as it surely will. Whether you call that insecurity or alertness, it’s a necessary activity for the successful entrepreneur.

Post from: The Other Blokes Blog

Entrepreneur Insecurity

Technorati Tags: Entrepreneur, insecurity, Motivation, risk, uncertainty

Related Posts

• February 24, 2010 -- Marketing Right Now For Winners (0)
• March 5, 2009 -- The Best (and Worst) In Customer Service (4)

The incident that triggered the thought was that my news feed aggregator service, Bloglines, added a new look and functionality. To each news feed item, it now adds at the right-hand end a column of possible related search terms you might wish to explore with Ask. The problem it creates is that I wish to see as many news items on the screen line-by-line as I can. This allows me to scan many more items and I rely on the Titles to determine whether they need to be perused. Now with each item taking up a space five times as high I have only one fifth of the productivity. You might assume that there would be a button that would allow me to switch off this unwanted extra service. Not so. It seems impossible to return to the classic simple look.

I tried to get some information on a way to correct the situation via Twitter. Someone with the username Bloglines did suggest I use a Firefox Addon to change the style. It was partially successful but I never managed to get back to the original simplicity. Reluctantly I have now switched to Google Reader, which with a little manipulation gives me close to what I want. I have been a long time Bloglines user and it is only with the greatest reluctance that I made the switch.

The counter view on these matters was one that Tom Peters suggested, and there is even a book about it now. If it Ain’t Broke…Break It!: And Other Unconventional Wisdom for a Changing Business World (Paperback) by Robert J. Kriegel and Louis Patler.

Being product directed is often said to be the reverse of being customer centric and this really sums it up. Microsoft is an extreme example of this ‘Break It’ approach with its constant upgrades. Overall they may make more money this way, but they leave behind them a trail of disgruntled customers. When something does exactly what the customer wants, it takes a lot to have them accept that they need the product or service to be changed. If it ain’t broke, please don’t fix it.

Related articles by Zemanta

• How I Want My News: TimesReader vs. Bloglines vs. … vs. Outlook? (marklogic.blogspot.com)

Post from: The Other Blokes Blog

If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It

Technorati Tags: break, customer centric, fix, product-driven, Tom Peters

Related Posts

• April 2, 2010 -- The Lincoln Electric Spark (3)
• May 22, 2008 -- Company Strategy – Who Determines It? (0)