Little Work and Life Hacks

don’t even try to get a job?

yep, that’s the advice for today’s world from seth godin.

http://blogs.jobdig.com/wwds/2009/03/31/seth-godin-says-dont-try-to-get-a-job/

i knew somebody would eventually see things my way.  :)

just good business sense

turning down work in these times - with a depressed economy - might seem a little like cutting off your left arm.  however, there is still a very good reason why you shouldn’t jump at opportunities that aren’t a good fit.

from seth godin’s blog:  ”My rule of thumb is this: every person you turn away because your product or service isn’t right for them turns into three great customers down the road. Every bad sale costs you five.”

as further motivation, you probably know someone else who is a good fit, and they will deeply appreciate the referral.  and when they happen across an opportunity in your field, who will be at the top of their list?  you.

enjoy the good karma.

chief home officer

there is a fundamental difference in the mindsets of employees vs. entrepreneurs, and the following sentence, found in the latest chief home officer entry, describes it perfectly:  Work is a task to be done, NOT the place it gets done.

amen.

Tags: chief home officer, entrepreneur, work

one brick at a time

i came across a thoughtful article on the simple dollar.  the author presents the concept that a career is like a brick wall (that you can stand upon).  i couldn’t agree more.

some pondering points include: the idea that seemingly separate careers do have common threads, and you can patch the space between them with this commonality; the notion that a project is a brick, a relationship is a brick, learning something is a brick, and they will make your wall more solid in the future*; the transferable and bridge-building bricks are ways you can continue to build your wall without tearing down your existing wall.

hail the mighty bricklayer.

*this one in particular makes me feel better, as i spend a lot of time doing stuff that doesn’t make me money right now, but (hopefully!) will someday.

Tags: brick

business card star

came across this via lifehacker: a web site where you can create business cards for free, and then print them out yourself at no cost.  groovy!  if you wish, you can order prints from them - which may not be a bad idea if you don’t dig the perforated edges that are a feature of many do-it-yourself business cards.

this stuff is pretty slick.  the interface is simple to use; they have several templates for you to start with, and you can change colors and fonts for your own look.  plus, you can even print the back side of the card.  try it out; i think you’ll be impressed.

Tags: business card

surrounding yourself with good people

the latest score expertanswers newsletter featured robert kiyosaki, author of rich dad, poor dad.  the q&a session focused on the fact that opportunities are available, even in tough economic times.  one quote in particular (from rich dad) struck me.  “If you’re the smartest person on your team, then your team is in trouble.”

indeed, by surrounding yourself with a good team, you can affect your chances of success.  so if your business slows down over the holiday season, count the extra time as a blessing and take a few minutes to reflect on the people surrounding you.  if they bring you up, kudos.  if not, the new year - a time for change - is right around the corner.

happy holidays.  may you have a prosperous new year.

Tags: kiyosaki, success

the solopreneur

times are more volatile than ever for employees, and many folks are expanding their horizons into entrepreneurship.  a subcategory of this is being the solopreneur, who has no employees.  davender gupta had a nice article stating 10 really good reasons why now is a great time to be a solopreneur.  they are:

1. Most organizational jobs are too small for our passion.

2. In the end, you are responsible for your own future.

3. There must be more to life than making a living.

4. We all have a yearning to excel at something.

5. Life spans are longer: the cycle of school - work - retirement has lost its meaning

6. The cost of the tools to be a company of one has diminished to basically nothing

7. The era of the megacorp is over

8. Life is moving fast because there are more people, more opportunities, more ideas

9. Networks of peers are more efficient than a structured team organization

10. The spiritual revival

i tend to agree.  small is the new big.

Tags: solopreneur

small business resource site

winmark business solutions, is an online resource center for small businesses.  if you are so soho, this is a nice resource.  their revamped site has integrated social networking, so you can connect with others in minnesota, for instance.  one of my favorite features is the giant search box on the main page, smattered with popular search terms that you can just click on for instant results.

some other useful advice includes how to make a family budget, a checklist for starting a new business, and setting up an efficient office.  something for just about everyone who is or wants to be in business for themselves.

Tags: winmark

macs are indeed suitable for small businesses

macs were formerly known to be for creative types, but not so much for business types. however, once apple switched over to the intel chip, it opened the door to new levels of compatibility. i have only one computer these days, a pc laptop. however, my next computer will almost certainly be a mac, because the caveats no longer outweigh the benefits. from an article at marketwatch, here are the top 5 reasons companies are dumping their pc for a mac.

1. Free, Fast File Transfer From Apple

If you buy your Mac from an Apple Store, you can bring your PC into the store and have a certified Apple Genius (a Mac Specialist) transfer all of your files and data from your old PC to your Mac.

2. Mac OS X Leopard-More Intuitive, Crashes Less, Runs Faster

Unlike Windows Vista, there is only one current edition of the Mac OS X Leopard operating system, and it comes preloaded with all new Mac computers.*

3. Unlike PCs, Macs Aren’t Plagued By Viruses and Spyware Downloads

The likelihood of a Mac user getting a virus is slim. Here’s why:

— Newer Mac operating systems, such as the Mac OS X, are built on UNIX kernel, one of the oldest and most secure operating systems available.

— Microsoft Windows has a larger share of the market. Because more users use Microsoft Windows, it is a more attractive target for hackers.

— Most virus writers are familiar with the IBM platform and Microsoft Windows, and therefore are only going to be able to create a virus for that platform.

— Many of the tools and scripts used to help hackers create viruses or other malware are designed specifically for Microsoft Windows.

4. Hundreds of Business Applications to Choose From

There are a variety of applications that come bundled with a new Mac such as Address Book and iCal. The iLife, iWork, and Microsoft Office suites of software are all useful to business professionals for handling common tasks like word processing, spreadsheets, presentations and editing and view graphics.

5. Apple Support-Accessible, Knowledgeable and, Actually, Helpful

After the initial 90 day’s worth of free technical support (plus one-year hardware warranty), regardless of where you buy your Mac or which system you buy, you can purchase one of several support plans.

*and it’s not bloated with all sorts of stuff you don’t want that harms performance.

sync any desktop calendar with google calendar

well, this is just one of the most helpful things i’ve ever seen.

you can now sync any desktop calendar with any other across platforms using gcal as a go-between.

hallelujah!

Tags: google calendar sync