This is part 2 of my interview with super smart guy Rajesh Setty, author of the GREAT book Upbeat. I am very fortunate that because of the connecting power of blogging, I count Raj among my friends. Instead of just another boring interview, I thought it would be nice to ask about some of Raj’s insights about business. The insights are as applicable to managers as they are to entrepreneurs.
Phil: Switching gears: you’re what I call a serial entrepreneur. What do you look for in a company to create, to acquire or to invest in?
Rajesh: These are the few things …read more

A few weeks back I gave away a few copies of Raj Setty’s latest book Upbeat. The response for this book was very strong. Folks really liked the ideas presented in the book, so much so that I asked Raj to do an interview with me to talk about the book and about his take an being an entrepreneur. Raj has a very interesting take on how to remain upbeat in these challenging times, and it is my pleasure to share a little more of him with you.

Phil: Upbeat is the perfect book for these crazy times. How long …read more

It’s mid-year, so instead of focusing on your team, like we’ve been doing, let’s focus on YOU.
Manager: What are YOUR Goals?
My goals fall into 3 buckets this year: Learning, Succession Planning and Projects.

All of my goals are due on/before November 15th, 2009.
The goals I set have 2 key parts:

Measurability
Timeframe

After that, my goals update format is very simple:

Goal name
Status
Next Steps

I’ll step through my 3 buckets. This is helpful for me and for you, as now I am sharing my goals with you, so I am now accountable to you for my results. I will report back on/about November 15th, 2009.
Learning goal

Read …read more

Before I give away the 5 free copies of Upbeat Now by Raj Setty, I thought I’d give you my quick review of why I love the book, and why you should pick up a copy for yourself.
First, it’s only got 48 pages of why to remain upbeat. 48 pages of simple but powerful lessons that Raj learning in his years as a journalist, and as a CEO. The book is written in a VERY straightforward manner, with no puffery, just a “here’s what I’ve learned. You can use this too.”
These 48 pages are merely background information, made especially for …read more

In my never ending search to find books that change my life, I’ve found another winner in Raj Setty’s Upbeat Now. At 96 pages, it’s an extremely quick read that can turn your stinking thinking around and focus on the great parts of your life.
I got to spend some time with Raj this past weekend, and not only does this book help your thinking, Raj does too! If you ever get the chance to connect with him at a speech he’s given or even for a cup of coffee, TAKE IT!
This little book reminded me there is only one thing …read more

This past weekend I was in Chicago IL with some of the most amazing people in the world at SOBCon! I learned a lot, shared a lot, and I look forward to keeping these folks at friends for a lifetime.
This article is NOT all about SOBCon, and what I learned, and how I plan to leverage all of that for my life…though I will share the most relevant pieces with you soon.
Instead, for much of this week, I’ll be giving you good stuff I brought home from SOBCon. First up, a free ebook The Wisdom of the Flying Pig by …read more