Month: September 2005

Seth’s Godin:

Make something worth making.
Sell something worth talking about.
Believe in what you do because you may have to do it for a long time before it catches on.
Don’t listen to the first people who give you feedback.
Don’t give up. Not for a while, anyway.

Chris Sacca (via Brad Feld):

As one of Google’s Principals for New Business Development, I am on the front line of inbound business proposals. I would gather I see 40-50 per day. The launch of Google Talk has probably added another 15-20 per day.

So, as I sit with trepidation considering how many emails I have flagged for follow-up in my inbox on this Sunday afternoon, I thought I would take a minute to type out some hints that will make it easier on both of us and increase the likelihood that your company and mine will get some business done.

David Heinemeier Hansson:

As a programmer in this small shop, I’m constantly reminded of what happens when I try to go faster by ignoring broken windows. It doesn’t work! You can postpone that refactoring or those tests or this automation for only so long before it starts to hurt both motivationally and economically. But its exactly at that point, when the hurt is pressing, that its the hardest to step back.

Yaro Starak:

Today I finally made the leap and quit. I am 100% dependent on my businesses for income (that’s a scary thought!) and I am so very excited about getting stuck in and really kicking some goals (quote Will Swayne for that phrase!). It took some thinking, some pondering, but really the choice was a no brain-er and now I can spend my time on growing my online projects. No doubt the pressure to maintain financial stability will be further motivation for me and as any entrepreneur that has ever quit his or her day job knows, there is no greater motivation than survival!

Alex Bendig:

Later on, I find myself at the computer in my home office. It’s dark out and I am tired. My dreams are my dreams, but the reality of the issue remains: It can be hard and extremely frustrating to start your own thing, while you’re working full time to bring in the cash to pay rent.

Jeff Thull (via Mary Sullivan):

There are many companies that claim to offer products and services your customers need. Yet, all too often the strategy is to battle the competition on capabilities and pricing. Reality is, that succeeding in today’s marketplace is not about price. It’s not even about products. Instead, success means being able to understand the very real, very complex problems that customers face. The right salesperson should be able to collaborate with the customer, stimulate their thinking and create revenue-building solutions that they don’t have the time or the wherewithal to create for themselves.

Jason Fried:

Try this: Next time you set out to build something, make a list of the things it won’t do before you list all the things it will do. This is a great way to get focused on building half a product, not a half-assed product.

Scott Ginsberg (via Bill Keaggy):

The following are The 7 Habits of Highly Horrible Networkers™, and they can stand in the way of developing mutually valuable relationships. So, next time you attend your Chamber or Association meeting, keep these ideas in mind so you can offer the most value to your fellow networkers.

Wil Schroter:

Companies who want to be successful in persuading customers and investors to get excited about their product don’t need more PowerPoint slides discussing what the product does. They need more slides discussing how big the problem truly is. The better you become at articulating the problem the easier it will be for customers and investors to appreciate the value of your solution.

Ron McDaniel:

Ask yourself these five questions and ask other people in your organization the same questions. Identify areas in common and then start creating some buzz about the good stories and special qualities. Everyone in the organization should know at least a few stories they can tell someone that paints the organization in a good and memorable light.