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Carson Workshops Summit Podcasts
February 22, 2006 in 5 out of 5 stars, A podcast, FreeCarson Workshops Summit Podcasts (Here's the Carson Workshops Summit page with links to the individual mp3s so you can listen on your computer, or Forty Media's Podbasket was used to construct this Podcast feed you can drop right into iTunes, or whatever you use to subscribe to podcasts.): Carson Workshops Summit is a one-day conference that was held in London on Feb 8, 2006. It's focus was "the development technology you'll be using tomorrow." Geared, really for "web 2.0" entrepreneurs. After the conference Ryan Carson generously put together an mp3 of each of the presentations, and it is excellent and inspiring must-listen-to stuff. Thanks Ryan! Ryan Carson All the brightest minds riffing about what they'd done to be successful. It really is top notch insight from people who've actually made this stuff work (not just pundits or blowhards). Here's the list of presenters: Joshua Schachter from Delicious
FREE
Reviewed by Carson McComasWhat is it?
Who makes it?
Why is it the killerest?
David Heinemeier Hansson from 37signals inventor of Ruby on Rails
Steffen Meschkat from Google
Cal Henderson from Flickr
Ryan Carson from DropSend
Tom Coates from Yahoo!
Shaun Inman creator of Mint
And a panel discussion with all of them.How much does it cost?
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Bloglines (and aggregators in general)
February 21, 2006 in 5 out of 5 stars, Free, Hosted softwareBloglines (and aggregators in general): Bloglines, as most of you know (and those who do may wish to skip this entry), is an RSS aggregator.
And "RSS" is mumbo jumbo for a special file (sometimes called a "feed") that an "aggregator" can latch on to ("subscribe" to) so that every time a blog (or anything using RSS) is updated, you'll see the update in your aggregator. And it's important to note: you don't need to know what RSS is to subscribe to a feed. Your aggregator will figure it all out for you. Every blog (well, most) has a feed associated with it. The main purpose of this feed (the RSS file) is to make it easy for someone with an aggregator to subscribe and be notified, via their aggregator, when said blog is updated. Typically the entire update will be viewable through the aggregator (although some less generous bloggers only allow a portion of their feeds to be viewed via an aggregator). It's kind of like your email program (Outlook or similar) that updates whenever you get an email. An aggregator updates whenever a blog you have subscribed to, is updated. Bloglines is the slickest, and easiest aggregator I know of. It's web-based, very functional, free and simple to use. It's what I use. Bloglines, but Ask Jeeves, Inc. owns it now. Do you find yourself coming to WorkHappy.net and your other favorite blogs only to be disappointed that there isn't a new update and you've wasted your time loading the page? Well I don't want to discourage you from visiting here, in fact I'm honored that you care enough to check back frequently, but there's an easier way to follow this, and all your favorite blogs, and it's a way that helps you use your time more wisely (something all us entrepreneurs need to do). That way is through an aggregator, and I recommend Bloglines. Click here to sign up (it's free). Once you've completed the sign up process you'll need to spend a few minutes getting acquainted with how to subscribe to feeds. It's not hard at all. Once you've signed up, you'd might as well make WorkHappy.net your first subscription. Here's how you subscribe: Final Notes: RSS is used not just by blogs, but also by many news sites, some search engines, and many other information outlets. The same rules apply for subscribing. Some blogs, unfortunately, will present you with a zillion subscription feeds when you try to subscribe. My rule of thumb when that happens is to select the one with the shortest looking link. Most the time that works. Bloglines does a bunch of other stuff, sharing, blogging, etc. I don't use any of that stuff, so I didn't mention it here. Bloglines also has a nifty little bit of software you can put on your computer that will notify you when a blog you're subscribed to has been updated. As evidenced by the thousands who regularly read this blog, and have yet to subscribe to the feed -- the whole aggregator world is still the venue of early adopters and the more technically inclined. What could be improved? Somehow make it easier for newbies to get on board. Bloglines is actually helping a great deal in this cause by making it easy to get started. FREE like Christmas trees in January. Reviewed by Carson McComasWhat is it?
Who makes it?
Why is it the killerest?
Option B: Go to bloglines.com, click on Subscribe and enter the URL of your favorite blog (e.g. www.workhappy.net)
and you'll find it over on the right hand side of my site) and if they use FeedBurner to generate their RSS feeds, you'll see a collection of chicklets (button links) you can click on, click the Bloglines one to subscribe (looks like the chicklet in Option A above).
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Happy Links
February 13, 2006 in Happy Links- 20 Ideas for a Great Podcast. Podcasts are fragile things because you've got someone's full attention, here are some ideas for how to use that attention wisely. (written by yours truly).
- Fire And Motion, a classic from worship-worthy entrepreneur Joel Spolksy on the value of moving forward every day to keep your enemies (competitors) pinned down. His rundown of a typical day made me laugh. Then cry.
- TechCrunch does a rundown of the online storage options out there. We've reviewed a couple here, TechCrunch compares them all.
- Diversify Your Investments by Starting a Side Business offers advice on the benefits of starting a side-business.
- Getting Things Done desktop backgrounds by Jacob Reiff offer some regular reminders to keep at it.
- Turning your side business into a full-time job. Lifehacker asks readers for some advice, and gets some decent input.
- A tip on writing Google AdWords ads. Another one by yours truly (sorry), where I explain the value of including keywords in your ad headline.
- Categories and the short head takes a second to get going, then offers some very insightful thoughts about the category your business is in and how (and why) you might want to influence that.
Marketing Playbook
February 9, 2006 in 3 out of 5 stars, A bookMarketing Playbook: A book of solid tips for anyone trying to start and/or run a business. It uses the "playbook" metaphor to bring 102 tips (on 102 pages) for doing anything you can imagine. Setting up a patent, buying a full page ad in a magazine, properly setting up a direct mail campaign, buying business cards, using Google AdWords, running banner ads, creating an infomercial, creating brochures, leveraging customer evangelists, making a good logo, etc. John M. Fox Most the pages in this could be a post here on WorkHappy.net. Each covers a resource*, the cost, and provides a cogent explanation for how to pull it off. It's quite helpful information. * the resources are really more like strategies or marketing approaches than, say, software or productivity tools that we also deal with here on WorkHappy. The book has endorsements from Guy Kawasaki, Seth Godin and Ben McConnell. Some of the tactics and strategies are a little more "traditional marketing" and less "agile entrepreneur" than my taste, but it's easy to skim over them. I also think the "playbook" metaphor really strains under the weight here (pointless score boards on each page for example) and makes the book a bit gaudy where it could have been more sleek. That doesn't diminish the content, just the composition. I would have more appropriately just called it a handbook. It's a bit expensive for a 102 page book. It's full color and popping with eye candy, but it's $50. $50 at Amazon Reviewed by Carson McComasWhat is it?
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Happy Quote
February 3, 2006 in Happy Quotes"I feared regret more than I feared failure."
—Taryn Rose, CEO, Taryn Rose International (an orthopedic surgeon who left it all to become a shoe designer)
BNI - Business Networking International
February 1, 2006 in 5 out of 5 stars, A community
BNI - Business Networking International: A group that meets once a week in your area to do business. Where you are the only one from your profession/industry. Dr. Ivan Misner The "Givers Gain" philosophy. Everyone knows that word of mouth networking is the best way to get business... but how many really know the technical "how-to". Imagine being able to measure your word of mouth marketing campaign... BNI shows you how.
I have been working for 6 months forming a chapter in Miami. We finally kicked off and can only recommend everyone be part of a chapter. Think about getting a referral for business where you can bid higher and still get the project. I have already received and given numerous business referrals and the determining factor is your social capital with the referrer. If they trust the person that is referring you business, anyone else is second to you. Our chapter has passed more than 37 referrals since we started and established chapters pass more than 40 referrals in one meeting. The Miami Beach chapter I believe grossed more than $700K in business last year. And this is with about 45 members in that chapter. All business done through BNI is accountable so only the best can be part of BNI. The network is so grounded in accountability that someone from an out of state BNI chapter doing business in your city would most likely do business with another BNI member rather than look elsewhere. You can trust that a BNI member will get the job done. Look for a chapter in your area you will be impressed. Some chapters meet for breakfast... no one likes to wake up early in the morning. But if you are serious about your business then this is the best time to give and get business. Approx. $379 for the first year. Reviewed by Gianni D'AlertaWhat is it?
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