Blogs

Watching the ups and downs of Facebook stock over the last year, got me to thinking, “Maybe this social media thing’s not all it’s cracked up to be.” Add in Apple’s recent tumble from numero uno company in the land, and I really started to wonder if we’ve experienced some sort of social media/technology bubble and are…

We all need to disconnect at times from the day-to-day challenges of our business and personal lives, whether it’s for a planned vacation, an impromptu walk on a local nature trail or beach, watching your favorite sports team on the flat screen (Go Dodgers!), or simply checking out for a proverbial “mental health day” to…

The life of an entrepreneur is never dull, especially for an entrepreneur looking to make the transition from self-employed back to full-time employment. That would be me. If I’ve piqued your interest, read on about what’s been going on with me personally and professionally over the last few months. CAREER & WORK Hard to believe…

I am often surprised when I hear people grumbling how they didn’t get something they wanted, only to find out from them later that they never really asked for it. “I built this new Web site and all I really wanted was for people to contact me for a free consult.” (Well, did you actually…

Spring has sprung in most parts of the country, unless you live in the seemingly perpetual deep freeze of the upper mid-west or northeast (but even there a robin or two has been sighted and the days are growing longer). This time of year brings back fond memories of the waning days of my college…

It’s easy to tell people what they want to hear. After all, politicians do it all the time (sorry, I couldn’t resist!). But what about what people need to hear, whether it’s good news or bad, or something in-between? What about those “tough” conversations, which some might even call “fierce”? I don’t know anybody who…

We’d all like to think we’re “Superman” or “Superwoman”—that we can do it all because, up until now, we’ve been able to “do it all” for our businesses and in our personal lives. I’ve had the good fortune over the years to work with teams of individuals who complimented my own skill set well, making…

As an entrepreneur and someone who has had the privilege of being picked “last,” I have learned how to fend for myself, how to pick myself up, and how to be my own cheerleader. These “survival” skills were invaluable to me as I grew Vizion Products, Crimson Design and Development, and Barrel O’Monkeyz from start-ups…

While I’ve been trying hard to focus on my own little corner of the world these days and my place in it, I’m finding it hard not to cast a glance eastward to Washington DC. With the sequester front and center, depending on whom you listen to or what news you watch, and the time of day,…

Regular readers of my blog know that I believe networking is one of the most vital activities necessary for success, whether you are looking to jump into a new career, jumpstart and old one, grow your business, increase your exposure, learn more about a new locale, or meet new faces. The people you know and…

The mid-winter blahs have no doubt hit our friends to the north, while we southern Californians bask in February sunshine that’s not too hot and not too cold. For me, this always seems like the perfect time of year to get sociable and share a slice of my “life in the sun” (at least virtually)…

Did someone change the dictionary and not bother to tell me? Methinks so, because “success” seems to have become a four-letter word overnight. When I was growing up (you know, back in the day when we had to walk 20 miles to school, uphill both ways), success was something to be admired, something to strive…