Blogs

Are you one of those business owners or managers that dares to question the norm? Do you wonder about changing things up in the workplace because you’re not convinced that doing things the same way you’ve always done them is good for business, employee morale, or productivity? Ultimately as owner, CEO, or manager you’re the…

In Star Trek lore, a “disruptor” is a Klingon weapon that, as its name suggests, “disrupts” a target’s cell structure, either inflicting heavy damage to said target or vaporizing it. In business, though, disruption doesn’t relate to inflicting mortal wounds, but rather to shaking up the status quo. And while the Klingons rarely won the…

Have you ever been a mentor to someone—and I don’t just mean have you ever given someone else advice (who hasn’t?). What I mean is have you ever truly mentored someone? Have you been that adviser, counselor, or guide to someone who’s just starting out or to someone who’s looking to change careers or his…

The “devil is in the details” is a centuries-old saying that refers to how something might seem simple at a first glance but ends up taking more time and effort to complete than first expected. Now, I may be going out on a limb here (what else would you expect from a monkey), but I have to…

For any business, big or small, sending out an invoice should be a delightful experience—the crowning culmination of all the hard work that generated a slew of billable hours resulting in said invoice, the glorious banana treat the end of a long day’s, week’s, or month’s labor. Sadly, invoicing—especially for smaller businesses, independent contractors, and…

Attention all you biking enthusiasts, the future of the bicycle industry is coming to Las Vegas next week. It’s time for the annual Interbike International Bicycle Exposition where the “bicycle industry gathers to celebrate, educate, and conduct the business of cycling.” As a biking enthusiast myself, with both a personal and professional interest for what’s…

It’s five years from. Like “Monkeyz Van Winkle” (Rip’s better looking, simian forebear) you wake up from a long sleep. The world around you has changed. You’ve changed. Your business has changed. CORE GAMING BACKPACK KICKSTARTER The Ultimate Gift for Gamers, the ‘Core’ Gaming Backpack is a Great Gift for Travelers, Busy Professionals, and Students…

There’s a common saying that timing is everything. I tend to agree. After all, who am I to argue with a sage pop philosopher like Alanis Morissette who wrote about the irony of bad timing in her iconic hit “Ironic” in 1995. In it, she sings that “an old man turned ninety-eight. He won the…

We entrepreneurs like to think we can do it all. It’s what drives us. It’s what makes us successful in the first place. It’s what makes us think we can do more and have more . . . always. I’m sure you’ve heard the well-known story of the professor and his seemingly “full” jar that…

Memorial Day is in the rear-view mirror, which means summer weather is about to hit and vacation “season” soon will be in full swing, including for yours truly and the Monkeyz staff. It’s an annual rite that’s good for the body, mind, and spirit—and good for recharging the batteries so you’re in tip-top fighting shape…

Do you value market intelligence, or do you just assume you know your marketplace and customer motivations? Far too often, this King Monkey has seen the gathering of market intelligence relegated to the “nice to have but not necessary” portion of marketing budgets. At a recent brainstorming session with my team to discuss strategies and tactics…

Being positive broadens the mind and unburdens the soul. It leads to more creativity, greater resiliency, and rampant innovation—all those things near and dear to Barrel O’Monkeyz staff, clients, and colleagues. Where do you rate yourself personally and professionally on the positivity meter? Positivity also leads to big time benefits to your physical health and…