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 …read more

So many of us buy alcohol… some in larger quantities than others.  Recently, the state of Colorado got this brilliant idea of abolishing their blue laws!  What is this “blue law” you speak of? You ask… Well, it is a dumb prohibition-era law that says you can’t buy alcohol on Sunday.  According to this CNN article, 15 states still have enacted blue laws – including my own (South Carolina).  This barbaric excuse for religious exploitation hurts businesses and the economy.  Since people typically have Sunday OFF, they will often use that day to buy food for the week.  Unfortunately, our …read more

Free Agency has opened up for the NBA and there’s a lot of high profile athlete’s that are available.  Now I’m a HUGE fan of basketball but sometimes I just don’t get these guys.
I just think its interesting when you have talented players that with the right pieces to their team,  can be contenders to win a championship, are so quick to jump at the opportunity to just make a few extra bucks.  Well it’s not a few extra bucks, it’s like either going with a 5 year deal for $101 Million or a 6 year deal for $127 Million.  …read more

That’s a question that I’ve been having to ask myself a lot lately with a couple different things.  So my question to you is how do YOU deal with tough decisions.
Do you do the whole “Benjamin Franklin,” Pros vs Cons on a piece of paper?  Do you ask around?  Who do you ask?  Do you follow your passion or do you follow what’s safe?  Do you flip a coin or just go with your gut?
These are things that we as young entrepreneurs need to start asking ourselves.  Why you ask?  Because if we’re in these situations and having not been …read more

As I write you from I’m hanging out here in Washington State at my in-laws house.  The last couple days I’ve decided to just “take it easy” and relax.  Some might think it’s being lazy that I’m doing nothing but it has been the most amazing few days in a LONG time.
It has helped me reflect on my life, my business, my friendships and a lot of other things.  I think I’m going to do this a lot more in the future and just get away.
My advice is to obviously make sure you have systems in place so that your …read more

I wonder how many entrepreneurs actually use whiteboards.  I gotta say, white boards really really rock!  I hear that you get about 6-9% of what you verbalize about done but close to something like 75-80% of what you write down actually done.  That’s a pretty significant jump.
I have shared with you the importance of writing out your goals and creating a plan.  But the question becomes, well how do you organize that stuff?  Whiteboards would be a GREAT place to start.
I freaking love these things.  I have one on my wall right next to me on the left & then …read more

I was thinking yesterday and this weekend about being my own boss.  I started to realize that when you’re an entrepreneur, everyday is like a holiday.  I’m talking in a sense where you don’t have to go to work, you can relax if you choose to, and BBQ with friends and family.
As everyone is going back to work today because they “have to,” I’m flying down to Beverly Hills to hook up with some friends of mine that have been a big inspiration.  My friend Ryan Blair of PathConnect.com has taught me a lot about entrepreneurship.  This guy has built …read more

This week, Buzz Networker posted an article on Facebook’s traffic going (by 10%) down and LinkedIn’s going up (by 400%!).  Several years ago I wrote an article on a website regarding Facebook’s changes.  It was so epic, one of the founders of CollegeHumor.com even responded.  I have since forgotten what, exactly, it was I said… but it went something like this – there is a fine line between “enough” and “too much,” regarding changes in websites and businesses.  When I posted the article, Facebook was introducing feature after feature – it was incredibly overwhelming!  However, people took the bait!
It’s only …read more

I was reading this article from Fortune on CNN.com and I thought of some things that weren’t addressed… what should you be asking your webmaster?  Sure, price and quality is very important, but what do you need to ask?
From my personal experience with working with clients and from working with my own sites, there are a few things that always get brought up:

How easy is it to update the website?
Can I update the website?
How fast could you update it?
Do you charge for editing separate from the monthly cost?
What are some examples of other sites?
Are you trained to maximize SEO?
What …read more

Hey, we are getting $500 – let’s spend it!  What is the most effective, beneficial use of your stimulus check?
Here’s a few ideas I came up with:

Pay debt
Test a new form of (online?) advertising
Nest egg
Invest in organizational tools
Upgrade computer (assuming it can’t accomplish all the tasks you need)
Buy some useful software
5-hour back massage :)

Where else can you put your stimulus check?  … You know, for the benefit of your business!