Sometime in October I clearly remember getting an email from Kelly inviting me to replace some blogger who decided this position wasn’t for him.  Fortunately, I was chosen to fill the position.

This was one of those things that you say “Hey, I think I can do it… why not try it out?”  Luckily, I received an email MONTHS after applying for the job.  It was a big and pleasant surprise which bought me bragging rights against Journalism and Business majors (seeing as how I am an Industrial Engineer filling a journalist-like position regarding business).  However, with the fun comes tedium – and writing about young entrepreneurs day-to-day is not easy.  School caught up with me and I needed some help, which is why my friend Alejandro briefly served as a co-blogger.

It is impossible to consistently run a business that does not make money… unless it is a front for some sort of drug ring (I kid).  The best thing to do in a business, when the economy goes sour and you must make cuts, is to find which areas have the potential for the least amount of growth.  As those prostate commercials say… I had a growing problem.  Thus, the site and I will be taking our final bows.

I just want to thank everyone at b5media for giving me this chance and all of my readers for sticking with me at BossHatch.  I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything (not even a Klondike Bar); and if the stars eventually realign, I may be back for an encore. Until then, I guess this is it for us.

Post from: EveryJoe

A Somber Farewell to BossHatch

I didn’t sleep last night.  I had the choice between sleeping on a friend’s couch or staying up all night watching old bands try to rekindle their washed up careers with montage videos of people who seem to be worth more than them.

I chose to watch the montage videos.

This left me a lot of time to think.  First of all, does overlapping a song with videos from Live Earth, Nelson Mandela speeches, and the breaking of the Berlin Wall make you a philanthropist or self-righteous?  I dwelled on this issue for about an hour… that’s when the subject was expanded into another facet of imagination and guess-work.

There are people who are entrepreneurs and there are people who are unemployed.  I don’t think I have ever really been an entrepreneur… have I freelanced?  Yes.  Been an entrepreneur?  No.  I’ve been a writer.  I am a writer (sometimes contrary to popular belief).  I have an unemployed friend who has recently thought about being an entrepreneur – but based on his educational background (he went to the same high school, but not to college), I don’t think he has what it takes.

I feel that the lack of business education early on in peoples’ educational careers is appalling.  Business 101 should be a basic requirement.  The more I get into engineering, the more things break down into business.  The more you go into MOST majors, the more THEY break down into business.  If you don’t attend college, the business background could infinitely help people start a business.  I think the main issue is that people don’t know how a business works… and that is definitely one thing that held me back from taking my freelance work any farther – fear of crossing uncharted territory.

So without going too in depth, you’re finding a lot of people like my friend – entrepreneur extraordinaire… working for himself, by himself, and selling his product to nobody.

Maybe he should make a montage.

Post from: EveryJoe

My Sunday

Post from: EveryJoe

Poorly Drawn Plan: Episode 1

Better question:  How much is health a liability with your company? Does it affect your productivity?

Japan recently enacted a LAW that FINES Japanese workers who are overweight (due to their rising obesity percentages).  Apparently Lincoln Industries also has a requirement for employees to be physically fit. I think this is a great trend.  As much as I would love to say it is one’s own freedom to gain as much weight or smoke as many cigarettes as he/she sees fit, a company has a responsibility to its employees and itself.  Not only would fit employees increase productivity, it would also increase happiness and decrease potential liability and risk.  Why aren’t more companies doing this?  What are your thoughts?

Post from: EveryJoe

How Important is Health?

I am not angry because I just looooove buying alcohol on Sundays.  I am angry out of principle.  First of all, I would like to stay out past midnight on Saturdays.  Second, it is a law based on religious beliefs (let’s not kid ourselves) – not that I am not religious, but there is a seperation between church and state… hurr. Finally, allowing the sales on Sunday could boost the economy.  That is what I think.  Do you think it is worthwhile to even discuss?

Post from: EveryJoe

Why So Blue?

Post from: EveryJoe

When to Nap

Before you say “Not another compuuuuter situation,” I have taken into account my previous posts and come up with a general way to address the potential hazards of not knowing how to use a computer.  It’s okay not to be computer savvy, but let’s say you have a problem and a technician is called in to fix your computer.  The technician tells you everything you need to do to prevent this from happening again – but you didn’t get all of it and didn’t deem it important to ask the tech to repeat it… so your computer is broken again.  What do you do?

My take: This is OBVIOUS.  Listen to the tech and do everything he/she says!  History repeats itself and if the tech is speaking in jargin, ask him/her to repeat it and simplify.  By using the right words, almost any computer problem can be solved by someone who has never touched a computer.  You just have to know the right order of operations.

Post from: EveryJoe

Oh Crap Situation 29: Computer Problems

Also an important note: If your holding cost is nothing, factor in depreciation or potential cost.  The equation is designed assuming you have product stored in a warehouse.  Enjoy. :P

EOQ Calculator

Post from: EveryJoe

Fun With Excel Part 2: Economic Order Quantity

I am a huge advocate of sites like LinkedIn.  Though they may also be classified in the same group, those sites provide searchable information.  99% of the people searching on Facebook are looking for names or schools, while (this is a total guesstimation) maybe 75% of the people are only looking for names on LinkedIn (while the rest look for specific fields or experience).

My experience with this type of stuff has shown that social networking sites are only a small step of mastering online networking.  One must also comment on forums, blogs, and actually email people.  No one thinks of email as social networking.  However, if you personally email someone (maybe they run a website that is part of your target market), you are instantly initiating a conversation.

So my final thoughts on Myspace: blah.  The search feature is clunky, people do piss-poor design jobs with their page (making it unusable), and it should be left to independent artists and novelties, in terms of networking.

Post from: EveryJoe

Devil’s Advocate: Does Myspace Suck?

According to CNN, ICANN will be allowing new domain suffixes, which will spark a whole new influx of people rushing for those domains.  I know I will, at least.  There’s nothing better than diluting a diluted market.  What does that mean for intertube entrepreneurs?  Buy, buy, buy! … then SELL, SELL, SELL!  Domains are more of a long-term investment.  Buy 5, wait a few years, and sell them for a huge profit margin.  Anyone else in on this fun?

Post from: EveryJoe

Dibs On www.cheap.flight!