National Entrepreneurship Month just ended but I believe that every day is a great day to start, build, and grow a business. With that in mind PersonalOpz is extending entrepreneurship month through December! (Gotta make money to pay for all of that holiday shopping right?) Look for a lot of content posted every day. I… Continue reading National Entrepreneurship Month
Category: Business
“Software Eating the World” is about demographics
Five years ago Marc Andreessen wrote a famous essay titled, “Why Software is Eating the World.” In it he states that “More and more major businesses and industries are being run on software and delivered as online services—from movies to agriculture to national defense.” The reasoning behind that are that the cost of running servers… Continue reading “Software Eating the World” is about demographics
Join the Conversation
You might, like many of us, have some goals or dreams, personally or professionally, that you have yet to fulfill. Sometimes you feel stuck in a rut and wanting more. Often the feeling is one that is self-perpetuating as you lose enthusiasm and the energy to get out of it. Sometimes without taking action to… Continue reading Join the Conversation
Set business goals based on industry outlook
The last thirteen years of my working life have been spent in the financial services industry. A good deal of the last two or three years of that has been spent vainly trying to convince the management of the firm that software is the future. For a few reasons I have been met with resistance.… Continue reading Set business goals based on industry outlook
Reduce busy work. Increase luck surface area.
There is a concept known as luck surface area that suggests that the more you do, and the more you tell people about it, the greater your chance for success. Spend your time creating and communicating with your peers and you will be recognized for it. The idea that being busy lowers your chances for… Continue reading Reduce busy work. Increase luck surface area.
Four areas you can improve your workflows
Recently at work I’ve been pushing us to do something that none of us do often enough. That is to take a step back and examine the workflows that we go through every day without really thinking about them. As your business changes, and the technology you use changes, there might be many things that… Continue reading Four areas you can improve your workflows
Office Pet Peeves
Everybody has pet peeves about their office and coworkers. I’m sure even the SI swimsuit crew can’t stand it when the models constantly leave half full juice cleanse bottles all around the set. HASN’T ANYBODY HEARD OF A GARBAGE CAN? Here are five of my pet peeves from the past fifteen years of work. Complaining… Continue reading Office Pet Peeves
Office Hero: The Office Manager
For a small or medium-sized business the office manager is the glue that holds everything together. They need two racks for all of the hats they wear. They are the owner’s representative to the employees and the employees’ representative to ownership. Having eyes and ears in the back of the head is critical as the… Continue reading Office Hero: The Office Manager
Business Lessons From Warren Buffett’s 2014 Letter
Every year Warren Buffett (the Oracle of Omaha) writes a letter to the shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway. It is an occasion eagerly awaited by both investors and the press. Contained in the letters is the usually practical wisdom that he has gained over a lifetime of work starting when he worked at his grandfather’s grocery… Continue reading Business Lessons From Warren Buffett’s 2014 Letter
Eight Things Your Employees Would Like You To Do
While your employees might appreciate free lunches, massages, and half-day Fridays during the summer (though I would really appreciate this one) the things that really provide them job satisfaction are not material in nature or quick fix management techniques. The things your employees would like you to do require caring, trust, and respect. Ask for their… Continue reading Eight Things Your Employees Would Like You To Do