I listened to a portion of a Rich Roll podcast today while on a jog. His coach said the simplest, inexpensive, most underestimated way to make progress and get better AT ANYTHING is establishing a baseline. "The Only Way to Move Forward is to Have a Line in the Sand".
"Where are you starting from?" is vital in deciding how you are getting to there AND how long its going to take to get there. And the more clear that starting point is, the more direct the route is.
When we are developing our software, our branding, our culture, GoNextWorld is passionate on establishing a baseline. In the case of our Rewards software, WE draw a line in the sand for restaurants using it. They gain a brand-new, vivid perspective for their customer base. AFTER UNDERSTANDING THIS, its much easier to move forward. They know who to market to, what specials bring people back, etc.
The more they understand about where they stand, the more informed decisions they can make, and the more progress they have.
We've become slightly obsessed with this mentality. We know that it is transferrable to way more than just jogging or customer tracking for restaurants.
- Establish a baseline
- Set Your Goal
- Track Your Progress and Adjust
It sounds simple... because it is. Just #HitYourMark
This article was based on a GoNextWorld article found here.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Monday, March 25, 2013
Super-Human
The more and more I learn about the background of successful entrepreneurs, the more and more evident it is that they were once normal people and not so "super-human".
I'm not saying this to cut these people down or take any credit away from them. Their achievements are awesome. I am just saying it to break the huge misperception that they were gifted with super-human talents from birth, or that normal people like you and me do not contain these attributes to live a boundary-less lifestyle.
Rich Roll is a recovering alcoholic. He's also one of top ultra athletes in the world at 45 years old.
Richard Branson is dislexic. He also owns over 100 Virgin brands. He is also working on making space flight commercially available.
Chris Jaeb's first business completely flunked and he was in the hole a quarter million dollars. He also was co-founder of Broadcast.com with Mark Cuban (bought by Yahoo after the most successful IPO in history at that time).
In almost all cases, work ethic, persistence, ad self-adjustment were the key ingredients to their success. I'm not a doctor, but those aren't super-human qualities. They are qualities that can be developed over a long period of time.
Do some research on a successful person that has done something similar to what you want to achieve. You will gain context into:
I'd love to hear some other examples, so feel free to share them on this post.
I'm not saying this to cut these people down or take any credit away from them. Their achievements are awesome. I am just saying it to break the huge misperception that they were gifted with super-human talents from birth, or that normal people like you and me do not contain these attributes to live a boundary-less lifestyle.
Rich Roll is a recovering alcoholic. He's also one of top ultra athletes in the world at 45 years old.
Richard Branson is dislexic. He also owns over 100 Virgin brands. He is also working on making space flight commercially available.
Chris Jaeb's first business completely flunked and he was in the hole a quarter million dollars. He also was co-founder of Broadcast.com with Mark Cuban (bought by Yahoo after the most successful IPO in history at that time).
In almost all cases, work ethic, persistence, ad self-adjustment were the key ingredients to their success. I'm not a doctor, but those aren't super-human qualities. They are qualities that can be developed over a long period of time.
Do some research on a successful person that has done something similar to what you want to achieve. You will gain context into:
- Where they started their journey
- What imperfections they have
- How they addressed those imperfections and overcame adversity
- How they failed and how adjusting to failure shaped their work ethic
I'd love to hear some other examples, so feel free to share them on this post.
Friday, March 22, 2013
You Start With a Brick
I am starting to love programming, and the mindset that programmers have.
When I started programming, I had some trouble because I would focus on getting the project done quickly vs. getting it 100% correct. Granted, that was mainly because I didn't know a lot, but I had to adjust my mindset from maintaining a schedule, to building robust programs, at all costs.
I didn't realize that those simply programs I was writing would be the foundation to what I am doing now. Programming is learning how to do perform a simple action as perfectly as you can, and building upon it the next day.
It's simple:
You don't set out to build an entire wall. Don't start by saying "I am going build the biggest baddest wall there ever was". You don't start there.
You start with a brick.
You take that brick and you take the time and energy to set that brick as perfectly as you can. Then lay the next one, and then the next one. If you do that day in and day out, in time, you will soon have that biggest, baddest wall. Starting with a brick is just one of the examples of how to constantly self improving found on GoNextWorld.
Wait until you see the size of #ProjectHailMary...
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Flexible and Focused
One of my favorite occurrence for me is the realization that I am avoiding a mistake because of a previous Lessons Learned. Learning from your mistakes is awesome, especially when it saves you a lot of time, effort, and capital.
Yesterday was one of those awesome days.
We had a conference call deciding what features need to be in our new online advertiser website. Scott brought up a slight issue with our current configuration and we needed to discuss how to resolve it. This issue isn't a bug & isn't urgent in nature, but could affect future capabilities to our software. We had two directions we could have taken.
Option A) re-scope the project to correct the issue, modify existing database & objects, and add weeks to current schedule.
Option B) clearly identify that the feature is not currently important, BUT ensure we have flexibility in our software to come back and fix it if people start demanding it.
Far too many times in the past had we gone with Option A because we didn't understand:
- How important the feature was to our success
- How to build flexibility in our software in case it becomes important to our success in the future
We used to stop all projects, adding time, cost, and LOADS of frustration to incorporate last minute features.We wanted everything to be perfect IN CASE these features were needed. And guess what, most of the time that feature ended up never being used.
So instead we chose Option B. It isn't important enough to take the resources to add now. But we carefully walked through our current software and made sure that it was adaptable & flexible enough that we could add it in the future IF people request it. BUT if they do not request it, then we just saved a bunch of time, money, and sanity.
It may sound like a simple difference between the options, but believe me... taking time to make sure we have flexibility to respond to the market is way easier than trying to cover every capability under the sun.
Yesterday was one of those awesome days.
We had a conference call deciding what features need to be in our new online advertiser website. Scott brought up a slight issue with our current configuration and we needed to discuss how to resolve it. This issue isn't a bug & isn't urgent in nature, but could affect future capabilities to our software. We had two directions we could have taken.
Option A) re-scope the project to correct the issue, modify existing database & objects, and add weeks to current schedule.
Option B) clearly identify that the feature is not currently important, BUT ensure we have flexibility in our software to come back and fix it if people start demanding it.
Far too many times in the past had we gone with Option A because we didn't understand:
- How important the feature was to our success
- How to build flexibility in our software in case it becomes important to our success in the future
We used to stop all projects, adding time, cost, and LOADS of frustration to incorporate last minute features.We wanted everything to be perfect IN CASE these features were needed. And guess what, most of the time that feature ended up never being used.
So instead we chose Option B. It isn't important enough to take the resources to add now. But we carefully walked through our current software and made sure that it was adaptable & flexible enough that we could add it in the future IF people request it. BUT if they do not request it, then we just saved a bunch of time, money, and sanity.
It may sound like a simple difference between the options, but believe me... taking time to make sure we have flexibility to respond to the market is way easier than trying to cover every capability under the sun.
Monday, March 18, 2013
And his Name was Pip
About 5 years ago, Fallat and I went to a "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" real estate seminar in downtown Pittsburgh. it was a three day long seminar in which I had to fly back from Idaho (where I was working at the time) and call off work to attend. I'll never forget the speaker. Mainly, because his name was Pip. And he was a total cheese ball.
We took a ton of notes, met alot of people, and had a lot of takeaways. But the major takeaway that I got from this seminar was Pip's message on motivation.
Pip said that if you are setting out to get RE investments just to make money, you will probably end up failing. In fact, you probably won't make it to the starting line. Because your underlying purpose isn't BIG enough. He used a cheesy phrase that still sticks in my head.
He said to truly reach your goals, the "why" has gotta make you "cry".
Even typing it right now makes me realize how cheesy it is. But, he's got a great point. The reason for doing something has to be greater than yourself. The reason "why" you are doing it, must be profound OR ELSE you will find excuses not to do it.
There is a profound purpose behind GoNextWorld. GoNextWorld is a business that will eventually be synonymous with progress. Our business is build on the desire to positively impact the end users progress in every day life. Four years ago, that meant throwing awesome parties and creating memories. Today, it means building software to help businesses build their client base. Tomorrow... who knows. All that I know that what we stand as GoNextWorld is much more than ourselves... and that's some serious motivation.
#PipIsAWeirdDudeName
We took a ton of notes, met alot of people, and had a lot of takeaways. But the major takeaway that I got from this seminar was Pip's message on motivation.
Pip said that if you are setting out to get RE investments just to make money, you will probably end up failing. In fact, you probably won't make it to the starting line. Because your underlying purpose isn't BIG enough. He used a cheesy phrase that still sticks in my head.
He said to truly reach your goals, the "why" has gotta make you "cry".
Even typing it right now makes me realize how cheesy it is. But, he's got a great point. The reason for doing something has to be greater than yourself. The reason "why" you are doing it, must be profound OR ELSE you will find excuses not to do it.
There is a profound purpose behind GoNextWorld. GoNextWorld is a business that will eventually be synonymous with progress. Our business is build on the desire to positively impact the end users progress in every day life. Four years ago, that meant throwing awesome parties and creating memories. Today, it means building software to help businesses build their client base. Tomorrow... who knows. All that I know that what we stand as GoNextWorld is much more than ourselves... and that's some serious motivation.
#PipIsAWeirdDudeName
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
A Moving Target.
When we wrote our initial business plan for GoNextWorld, we had my uncle review it. Looking back, I am soooo sorry that I wasted his time. Haha. The original business plan was probably 50 pages long, completely ridiculous, and pretty much none of it applies to our business model anymore.
We have been through countless (and I mean COUNTLESS) revisions of the business plan as we have more ideas and progress. Many of those business plans contained dead end projects that lead absolutely nowhere.
Although many of those dead end projects (and some of those business plan rev's) never saw the light of day, it would be silly to say that they a waste of time. We had ideas in our head, set goals to turn them into reality, and then worked towards them and produced them. We reached the goal we set out to reach. That's the tough part. Once the idea was a reality, we simply realized that we wanted to reach for something else. Something better. And that's a good thing.
The countless hours spent on those projects definitely taught us several vital lessons in business (and life).
1. A step in any direction is better than no step at all.
2. Treat your goals as a moving target.
3. Minor accomplishments add up to the big ones
Even if the target you were aiming at led you to a dead end, action is better than inaction. Every time you aim towards something and you work your tail off to get to it, you start to get a clearer vision of what you REALLY want. And there is absolutely NOTHING better than having a clear vision of what you want in life AND taking action to reach it.
We have been through countless (and I mean COUNTLESS) revisions of the business plan as we have more ideas and progress. Many of those business plans contained dead end projects that lead absolutely nowhere.
Although many of those dead end projects (and some of those business plan rev's) never saw the light of day, it would be silly to say that they a waste of time. We had ideas in our head, set goals to turn them into reality, and then worked towards them and produced them. We reached the goal we set out to reach. That's the tough part. Once the idea was a reality, we simply realized that we wanted to reach for something else. Something better. And that's a good thing.
The countless hours spent on those projects definitely taught us several vital lessons in business (and life).
1. A step in any direction is better than no step at all.
2. Treat your goals as a moving target.
3. Minor accomplishments add up to the big ones
Even if the target you were aiming at led you to a dead end, action is better than inaction. Every time you aim towards something and you work your tail off to get to it, you start to get a clearer vision of what you REALLY want. And there is absolutely NOTHING better than having a clear vision of what you want in life AND taking action to reach it.
Monday, March 11, 2013
The Mullet Balance
So I was rooting around in some of my old GoNextWorld stuff and found the image below. Wow. I think that I created this at my old job one day at least 5 years ago. Its called the Mullet Business Model. No, I did not learn this at Harvard School of Business.
Mullet (noun) 1. Business in the front, party in the back.
No clue to exactly what I was trying to say when I created this. But what I take away from it now is that you need to have a "party" component while you work.
You have to be having fun. Have to be.
You know, the "whistle while you work" mentality. Without the fun, without the party, there is no passion. And without passion, you will go absolutely nuts... especially while you are going through the struggles of building a business. In Fact, if you aren't having fun (no mullet)... you will fail.
Steve Jobs said it best. Below is a quote and corresponding video about having fun and loving what you are doing. The more progress that GoNextWorld has, the more I realize how important the mullet is. Enjoying what you are do is vital.
You need a lot of passion for what you're doing because its so hard. Without passion, any rational person would give up. So if you're not having fun doing it, if you don't absolutely love it, you're going to give up. And thats what happens to most people, actually. If you look at the ones that ended up being successful in the eyes of society, often times its the ones who love what they do, so they could persevere when it got really tough. And the ones that didnt love it, quit. Because they're sane, right? Who would put up with this stuff if you don't love it? So its a lot of hard work and its a lot of worrying constantly. If you don't love it, you're going to fail.
#ProjectHailMary
Other Mulleteers:
http://www.nextworldmike.com/2013/03/gobabygo.html
http://gonextworld.tumblr.com/post/44232944329/cant-stop-wont-stop
Mullet (noun) 1. Business in the front, party in the back.
No clue to exactly what I was trying to say when I created this. But what I take away from it now is that you need to have a "party" component while you work.
You have to be having fun. Have to be.
You know, the "whistle while you work" mentality. Without the fun, without the party, there is no passion. And without passion, you will go absolutely nuts... especially while you are going through the struggles of building a business. In Fact, if you aren't having fun (no mullet)... you will fail.
Steve Jobs said it best. Below is a quote and corresponding video about having fun and loving what you are doing. The more progress that GoNextWorld has, the more I realize how important the mullet is. Enjoying what you are do is vital.
You need a lot of passion for what you're doing because its so hard. Without passion, any rational person would give up. So if you're not having fun doing it, if you don't absolutely love it, you're going to give up. And thats what happens to most people, actually. If you look at the ones that ended up being successful in the eyes of society, often times its the ones who love what they do, so they could persevere when it got really tough. And the ones that didnt love it, quit. Because they're sane, right? Who would put up with this stuff if you don't love it? So its a lot of hard work and its a lot of worrying constantly. If you don't love it, you're going to fail.
#ProjectHailMary
Other Mulleteers:
http://www.nextworldmike.com/2013/03/gobabygo.html
http://gonextworld.tumblr.com/post/44232944329/cant-stop-wont-stop
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Can't Stop, Won't Stop
Guess blog is below. One of our interns Jim has a blog where he writes some excellent pieces. Take a quick look at this one below. It pumps me up. A link to his other blogs is at the bottom of the page:
Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop
As GoNextWorld proceeds through the stages of Project Hail Mary, two things have become more clear to me then ever—faith and determination. While these are only two of many characteristics that define us, they none- the-less are very important traits for which I, as well as the other members of GNW, are extremely thankful for.Faith does not have to connect itself with religious belief, rather it can refer the trust you have in your actions and inevitably—that relentless never-give-up attitude that embody those actions.
Certain levels of determination lay within us all, though it is up to each and everyone us to dig deep within ourselves and not only find, but nurture this determination.
I, myself, have only just begun my journey in fully understanding these qualities and what they truly mean to me. In working with GoNextWorld over the past year, I can definitely allude to how greatly my fellow GNW members have influenced my understanding of faith and determination.
GoNextWorld, just like all of us, must work with the cards that its been dealt. No matter how difficult it is to make something of this hand of cards, determination and faith will conquer all challenges you face in this life. Just like my struggle in getting in to a good law school, GNW has struggled through some tough decisions in succesfully moving forward and staying up-to-date within a vastly dynamic and fast-paced industry. Our determination fortifies our faith and likewise our faith fuels our determination. I have faith that my hardwork thus far, and in the time to come, will inevitably bring me to my goal of attending a good law school. GNW’s expansive efforts in progressing through Project Hail Mary only further commits our faith in enevitable success.
It’s a reocurring theme for us at GNW. What ever may face you as a challenge, no matter what element of life that it applies to, Keep Moving Forward. Let your determination inspire your faith and let your faith inspire your determination.
GoNextWorld lives by our Keep Moving Forward motto.
We can’t stop, We won’t stop.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Much More than a Business
Successful entrepreneurs are great at creating profitable businesses. Mark Cuban built several companies to gain the experience that he has today. It took years. But during those years, he learned the dynamics of creating a successful organization. That knowledge, combined with passion for what he was doing and a desire to make a lot of money, got him where he is today.
I read a new blog by Mark Cuban today. And it really hit home. It's about how owning the Dallas Mavericks is different from owning any other business. Specifically, he describes that his primary motivation isn't making money, it's about the impact that the Dallas Mavericks has on the community.
Its cool to read about his motives behind the Mavs. Its also cool to see someone use their leverage the way he is with the Mavs. He doesn't just see this professional sports team as a paycheck, he sees it as an opportunity to have a huge, positive impact the community (and make some money on the side).
This blog captures a couple key qualities a great entrepreneur. And it helps me see that we are doing something right with the culture that we build at of GoNextWorld. Although everyone is different, true entrepreneurs are simply passionate, action-oriented people who have a business building background. They've gained that background through a ton of successes and failures over a long period of time. They've learned the dynamics of creating a successful organization. They don't mind the time it takes to gain that background. They love what we do because the are passionate about it.
We understand these facts, incorporate them into daily practices, and live by them.
Check out Mark Cuban's blog out below:The Mavs Are a Business Unlike Any Other
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
The Most Bang for Your Buck
GoNextWorld had yet another big meeting last night.
Most of the meetings that have the best outcomes are typically brainstorming, idea creating, or a big PIVOT. But this time it wasn't huge changes in our business plan, or change in direction that brought a smile to our faces, it was identifying optimizations that make our product focused, more efficient, and more focused. From our discussion last night, we re-framed our projects and set wheels in motion that:
- significantly reduced man power required per project since they are similar and simpler.
- decreased duration of projects
- Distributed the technical burden among programmers; increasing productivity
- Opened ourselves up to multiple platforms previously unreachable
- Created utilities to reach out to the businesses and make it ridiculously simple to use our services
These changes make me realize how important it is to do the best you can with your resources. When Steve Jobs became CEO of Apple again in the 90's, eliminated or changed the scope of half the projects that were going on at apple in an effort to focus vision, eliminate non-critical projects, and leverage their resources. I now have a better understanding for why this was so critical. He had his goals, removed projects that didn't lead directly to them, and used man-power and other resources gained by removing those projects to drive the important ones.
We know our end goal.
We know what projects are required to reach that goal.
The picture is clearer than ever.
#ProjectHailMary
Most of the meetings that have the best outcomes are typically brainstorming, idea creating, or a big PIVOT. But this time it wasn't huge changes in our business plan, or change in direction that brought a smile to our faces, it was identifying optimizations that make our product focused, more efficient, and more focused. From our discussion last night, we re-framed our projects and set wheels in motion that:
- significantly reduced man power required per project since they are similar and simpler.
- decreased duration of projects
- Distributed the technical burden among programmers; increasing productivity
- Opened ourselves up to multiple platforms previously unreachable
- Created utilities to reach out to the businesses and make it ridiculously simple to use our services
These changes make me realize how important it is to do the best you can with your resources. When Steve Jobs became CEO of Apple again in the 90's, eliminated or changed the scope of half the projects that were going on at apple in an effort to focus vision, eliminate non-critical projects, and leverage their resources. I now have a better understanding for why this was so critical. He had his goals, removed projects that didn't lead directly to them, and used man-power and other resources gained by removing those projects to drive the important ones.
We know our end goal.
We know what projects are required to reach that goal.
The picture is clearer than ever.
#ProjectHailMary
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Keep Your Head Up
Pretty inspiring story about young Detroit woman overcoming a ton of adversity to get where she is at today:
This 19 year old girl was:
- abandoned by her parents as an infant
- beaten by adopted parents
- homeless and sleeping in parks during high school
- diagnosed with cancer twice
During that time period she:
- became the top high school sprinter in Michigan
- set a bunch of state records as a sprinter
- got a full scholarship E. Michigan
The video below is an espn interview with this girl. It just goes to show that sometimes you can't control the cards that you are dealt, but you can control how you play them. No matter how crappy the situation is, you can control how you react to it, and you can conquer that situation if you really want to.
She says that uses all the adversity in her life as fuel when she competes. When something bad happens to her, it only makes her more determined to succeed. We can all learn from that attitude. Its pretty amazing to see that mind set from a 19 year who went through so much. That sure beats the hell out of complaining about it and just waiting for her situation to get better.
My summary of this story does not do it justice. I recommend watching this video. Its 10 minutes long and it makes me feel like a whiner when I complain about some of the stuff that happens to me. It is definitely one of my favorite inspirational short stories.
It is 100% proof that having a positive attitude through adversity will eventually lead triumph.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Working Out the Bugs
I caught a portion of Big Bang Theory the other night (its actually a pretty funny show). When talking about making their relationship work, Leonard compared his relationship with Penny to software development. He suggested treating their relationship as a beta test; a trial period for the relationship where they could identify weak points and work out the bugs.
I was able to relate to this very closely given the Online Ordering project that we are working on right now. Did you know that, in software development, creating the functional program is only the first 1/3 of a project? Then next 2/3 is testing, fixing, testing, fixing, testing, fixing (you get the point) until you have something damn near if not completely perfect. When we were about to start testing, I assumed the Online Ordering software was flawless. Not even close. BUT... after testing it in every scenario possible and correcting the errors, its pretty darn close now.
But the dude from Big Bang Theory has a point. When you are happy with what you have, assume you are only 1/3 of where you should be, and you have 2/3 more adjustments to get to where you really want to be.
I am pretty sure that if you could follow this template (1/3 creation, 2/3 testing/fixing) for almost anything you would end up with a great end product (whether it be relationship, software, study habits, or whatever).
If you assume everything is going to work without adjustments, then you'll most likely fail. There are always adjustments, faults, and fixes. The key is knowing that 2/3's of the project probably still ahead of you, and having the desire and patience to work the bugs out.
I was able to relate to this very closely given the Online Ordering project that we are working on right now. Did you know that, in software development, creating the functional program is only the first 1/3 of a project? Then next 2/3 is testing, fixing, testing, fixing, testing, fixing (you get the point) until you have something damn near if not completely perfect. When we were about to start testing, I assumed the Online Ordering software was flawless. Not even close. BUT... after testing it in every scenario possible and correcting the errors, its pretty darn close now.
But the dude from Big Bang Theory has a point. When you are happy with what you have, assume you are only 1/3 of where you should be, and you have 2/3 more adjustments to get to where you really want to be.
I am pretty sure that if you could follow this template (1/3 creation, 2/3 testing/fixing) for almost anything you would end up with a great end product (whether it be relationship, software, study habits, or whatever).
If you assume everything is going to work without adjustments, then you'll most likely fail. There are always adjustments, faults, and fixes. The key is knowing that 2/3's of the project probably still ahead of you, and having the desire and patience to work the bugs out.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Today is Growth
When the iPhone was originally released, critics asked Steve Jobs if he was worried that the iPhone functionality would make the iPod obsolete and hurt revenue. Steve Jobs responded with, "If we don't make ourselves obsolete, someone else will."
Even though the iPod was dominating the market, Apple knew they could do better.
Its easy to keep doing something you are doing. But, one of the most exciting things imaginable is realizing there is a better way to do what you are doing... and then adjusting accordingly.
I've always had confidence in GoNextWorld, and I am proud of what we do, but in the past two months, we've truly solidified our product. Seeing something you love, constantly analyzing the hell out of it, and then making it even better is tough (especially if you are proud of what you currently have), but I think it is essential both in business in life. That's Growing. Constantly Refining. That's Progress.
It's exciting to be passionate about your work and realize that there is a way to improve it. It means you are switching directions to aim for something even better. Even when just a day before you thought better didn't exist.
I'm excited for our growth today, but I can't wait to see what's in store tomorrow.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Do or Do Not, There is No Try
The video below is a quick 3 minute clip that follows my blog the other day " Broadcast It " about how important it is to have a vision and message behind what you do (whether its music, family, business,etc). It also touches on being a doer and being passionate about what you do. The first minute of the clip is a funny, yet true, Yoda explanation to how entrepreneurs think.
It also makes the journey a ton of fun and a hell of a story. Even though there is a ton of risk, stress, mistakes, failures, the triumphs make it worth while. We often joke that they could make a movie series about some of the ridiculous stuff we've been through in the startup of GoNextWorld.
When you live the "Do" personality vs. "Try", you live a much less restrained life style. "Trying" sets an internal mindset that there could be internal or external forces, rules, guidelines, etc. that may keep you from completing what you set out to do. Even if there aren't those restrictions, that fact you subconsciously think there might be hinders progress. People who just do it (copywrite JWD) have no boundries, no restraints, and therefore, they will seemingly do anything to complete what they set out to do.
Enjoy the video.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Broadcast It
Most main stream music nowadays stinks. It is simply a packaged business. Lyrics, notes, and song length are selected only to optimize revenue.
Not all musicians are like this. There are others who primary motives are bigger than the buck. Thats what makes artists/bands like Bob Marley, Propagandhi and NOFX so awesome.
Their motives extend way past their bottom line.
You can hear it in their their songs. Understand it through their lyrics. And most importantly (to me), you can see that they enjoy the hell out of it. Their passion for what they do and what they believe is the reason for such an awesome product.
I think that is also the difference between mediocre and extraordinary businesses. The ones that have the most success and make the biggest impact extend way passed the bottom line. They have a message, a direction, and a vision ... and they broadcast it.
The message from GoNextWorld is clear: Progress
You can hear it. You can see it. And most importantly, I can tell you that we are enjoying the hell out of.
Expect Big Things.
#ProjectHailMary
Not all musicians are like this. There are others who primary motives are bigger than the buck. Thats what makes artists/bands like Bob Marley, Propagandhi and NOFX so awesome.
Their motives extend way past their bottom line.
You can hear it in their their songs. Understand it through their lyrics. And most importantly (to me), you can see that they enjoy the hell out of it. Their passion for what they do and what they believe is the reason for such an awesome product.
I think that is also the difference between mediocre and extraordinary businesses. The ones that have the most success and make the biggest impact extend way passed the bottom line. They have a message, a direction, and a vision ... and they broadcast it.
The message from GoNextWorld is clear: Progress
You can hear it. You can see it. And most importantly, I can tell you that we are enjoying the hell out of.
Expect Big Things.
#ProjectHailMary
Monday, February 4, 2013
Pushing the Envelope
Last week, one of my brother's best friends tragically passed away. It completely sucks. Thats it.
In the 4 days of viewings, wakes, funeral,etc., I heard countless.... I mean COUNTLESS, ridiculous stories about stuff he had did, memories he had created, and people he made laugh. There were literally no boundaries for him, as long as people laughed, he did it. We ALL have crazy groups of friends who do goofy things and create stories, but Jeff stories definitely take the cake. Ask around, you will find out I am right.
As I heard all these stories, I began to wonder how one person could have so many hilarious, impactful, memory-making stories.
Story after story, it soon became apparent. Jeff was always pushing the envelope. He had the amazing ability to create hilarious situations day in and day out that made his friends laugh and made strangers love him. He was always looking to do anything outside of the norm to create hilarious memories. By doing this every single day, he always made a positive, long-lasting impression on others and amassed a ton of legendary stories.
Jeff is a legend. He taught us to fly by the seat of our pants, push the envelope, and that making those around us happy, is the ultimate reward. We will continue to push the envelope, take it to the next level, make memories, and carry your tradition forward.
Rest In Peace Jeff
In the 4 days of viewings, wakes, funeral,etc., I heard countless.... I mean COUNTLESS, ridiculous stories about stuff he had did, memories he had created, and people he made laugh. There were literally no boundaries for him, as long as people laughed, he did it. We ALL have crazy groups of friends who do goofy things and create stories, but Jeff stories definitely take the cake. Ask around, you will find out I am right.
As I heard all these stories, I began to wonder how one person could have so many hilarious, impactful, memory-making stories.
Story after story, it soon became apparent. Jeff was always pushing the envelope. He had the amazing ability to create hilarious situations day in and day out that made his friends laugh and made strangers love him. He was always looking to do anything outside of the norm to create hilarious memories. By doing this every single day, he always made a positive, long-lasting impression on others and amassed a ton of legendary stories.
Jeff is a legend. He taught us to fly by the seat of our pants, push the envelope, and that making those around us happy, is the ultimate reward. We will continue to push the envelope, take it to the next level, make memories, and carry your tradition forward.
Rest In Peace Jeff
Friday, January 25, 2013
We've Got One!
When I first purchased my first investment property, I was recently out of college, had zero tools, and had almost zero handyman experience. Even small projects, seemingly quick fixes, and simple tenant requests would take me a while to figure out and fix. Because each small project required buying all new tools, learning how to use them, and then messing up 3 times before the project was done.
As I gained more tools and more experience, the projects became easier and took less time.
For the past 4 years, GoNextWorld has been gathering tools and experience. Even though the projects are getting bigger, we can now adapt quickly and efficiently.
Yesterday, we had a huge meeting. We decided to add a feature to GoNextWorld that is truly a game changer (im slightly pumped about it). The AMAZING thing about it, is that this x factor does not require a ton of work, which initially blew my mind. In the past, we were used to having a great idea, drawing it out, and then taking months to implement. Literally months. So I was kind of baffled when I realized the x factor seemed so easy to create.
Then I realized it. Without spending the last 4 years accruing experience and building tools, this x-factor would be impossible to create. We've been slowly building an arsenal. This new feature doesn't require anything new to be created, it uses all of the stuff that we've already created. Awesome.
My takeaway: Moving Mountains may seem impossible. And it is not done easily or quickly. But when you have the tools and the knowledge of how to use them, anythings possible.
As I gained more tools and more experience, the projects became easier and took less time.
For the past 4 years, GoNextWorld has been gathering tools and experience. Even though the projects are getting bigger, we can now adapt quickly and efficiently.
Yesterday, we had a huge meeting. We decided to add a feature to GoNextWorld that is truly a game changer (im slightly pumped about it). The AMAZING thing about it, is that this x factor does not require a ton of work, which initially blew my mind. In the past, we were used to having a great idea, drawing it out, and then taking months to implement. Literally months. So I was kind of baffled when I realized the x factor seemed so easy to create.
My takeaway: Moving Mountains may seem impossible. And it is not done easily or quickly. But when you have the tools and the knowledge of how to use them, anythings possible.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Mindset of an Underdog
Underdogs are not just fictional characters like Rocky Balboa. Rudy Ruttiger is an amazing true story. Adrian Peterson was an underdog this year (as well as Peyton Manning). Richard Branson was dyslexic, did terrible in school, and is now a billionaire entrepreneur. Real underdog examples are abundant. The mentality is the same.
Underdogs are scrappers. If they think see a slight chance in succeeding in something, they will go for it.
Because odds are stacked against them, they work harder, longer, and with more passion.
Underdogs constantly aim to make progress. Because of that, they are more likely to surpass all self expectations and the expectations of others.
Being the underdog feels good. It feels good to reach something that was previously thought as unreachable, look back at the ground covered, then smile and keep moving forward.
Being the underdog turns a tough journey into an unpredictable adventure. Its fun.
Once they experience it, they want to do it again. It's addictive. Because with each milestone they reach, they will find themselves thinking less and less about feet on the ground, and thinking more and more about what to reach for next.
And it all starts with the underdog. Adapt the mentality.
#DDOP
Underdogs are scrappers. If they think see a slight chance in succeeding in something, they will go for it.
Because odds are stacked against them, they work harder, longer, and with more passion.
Underdogs constantly aim to make progress. Because of that, they are more likely to surpass all self expectations and the expectations of others.
Being the underdog feels good. It feels good to reach something that was previously thought as unreachable, look back at the ground covered, then smile and keep moving forward.
Being the underdog turns a tough journey into an unpredictable adventure. Its fun.
Once they experience it, they want to do it again. It's addictive. Because with each milestone they reach, they will find themselves thinking less and less about feet on the ground, and thinking more and more about what to reach for next.
And it all starts with the underdog. Adapt the mentality.
#DDOP
Sunday, January 20, 2013
We are a Product of those Around Us
A famous entrepreneur once said that the synergy required in successful organization is the same type of synergy of the Beatles. Each member of the Beatles was extremely talented, BUT when they all worked together, they
brought out the best in each other and created songs that otherwise
wouldn't have been created.
In any innovative, successful organization, the whole MUST be greater than the sum of the parts.
At GoNextWorld, the programmers work tirelessly to turn ideas to reality. The sales / marketing team shows the programmers what our customer would like most. Accounting team shows us the most cost-efficient & most profitable options. Technical Support gathers customer feedback to incorporate into the next product. Everyone has a hand in making the best product we can make. And when you have a good team like this, the product WILL be remarkable... just like the Beatles.
We are a product of those around us. Whether our organization is a business, a club, family, or group of friends, chemistry within the team is the true difference maker. When I look at my family, my friends, and GoNextWorld, I see three teams, full of remarkable people, that are poised to be remarkable and have a little fun along the way.
Thats all I have to say about that...
In any innovative, successful organization, the whole MUST be greater than the sum of the parts.
At GoNextWorld, the programmers work tirelessly to turn ideas to reality. The sales / marketing team shows the programmers what our customer would like most. Accounting team shows us the most cost-efficient & most profitable options. Technical Support gathers customer feedback to incorporate into the next product. Everyone has a hand in making the best product we can make. And when you have a good team like this, the product WILL be remarkable... just like the Beatles.
We are a product of those around us. Whether our organization is a business, a club, family, or group of friends, chemistry within the team is the true difference maker. When I look at my family, my friends, and GoNextWorld, I see three teams, full of remarkable people, that are poised to be remarkable and have a little fun along the way.
Thats all I have to say about that...
Monday, January 14, 2013
follow the experts
My cousin is an awesome mechanic. He has a ton of experience with pretty much every common car out there. He has done everything down to rebuilding engines. He can tell you parts on what cars are most likely to fail based on that cars year, make and model. He has even diagnosed the problems on my car when I call him in a panic from Erie and try to explain the problem by mimicking the noise that my car is making. Ha.
Because of his experience and intelligence, he is able to take a complex machine, that has a ton of parts, isolate the critical components, diagnose the problem, and fix it like it is second nature. And if he needs to summarize the problem to someone who doesn't understand it (me), he can CLEARLY explain what is going on, and what needs to be done.
Experts can do stuff, that is very difficult for others, like its second nature. They can also teach others. I think this is because they have learned through a ton of projects, some easy and some hard, that gave them a ton of experience.
In order for GNW to provide a product that simplifies restaurant owners lives, automatically analyzes their business, and provides meaningful feedback, the creators of the GNW reports must gain this "second nature" ability for data analysis. We must be experts. Just as my cousin can automatically evaluate a complex automobile, we need to take a complex set of data, isolate critical components, summarize the important, and provide CLEAR AND SIMPLE suggested actions to help the business.
Eat, sleep, and drink data analysis and report generation (Wow, that sounds like a ton of fun). Get as much experience as possible. The more experience, the quicker we can draw conclusions and the more accurate they are. The quicker that we can draw conclusions, the clearer and easier we can explain that insight to others.
Gain experience. Become an expert. The rest will fall into place.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Quick, Light Feet
In a dine in restaurant, where customers walk to a register to pay, businesses owners, managers, and cashiers depend on simplicity of the checkout process to keep they line of paying customers short and happy. Even one additional function for the cashier is considered a nuisance. Because A. it confuses the employee, B. it can annoy a customer, and C. it takes more time. Business owners have been quick to let us know this. But we have been just as quick in the fix.
Agility - Quick Feet
Being agile means being sensitive, adaptive, lean, fast, and iterative. Nowadays, a business needs to be agile, IN BOTH day to day operations and in planning future endeavors.
Day-to-day op's
Learning and understanding what our merchants like and dislike about a product is only part of the game. Quickly taking action to incorporate those changes is the other. To make the most of what you have, you must make the quick changes, and to slowly optimize. The business owner comments above, have been reviewed, and long term fixes have already been added to our product. Biz owners now know this. This makes the ribosomes happy.
Future
Software must be packaged so that an entire product can be quickly modified to respond to market opportunities. The business as a whole,must be packaged the same way. Especially in the start up biz world, where opportunities can pop out of nowhere and disappear just as quick. We go through day-to-day op's, we put out fires, make changes, and work towards our long term goals. BUT its important to always keep in mind that you do not want to get your foot stuck in the mud and then decide that you have to change direction...
... because something better than you can imagine is always right around the corner, you just need to see it, change direction, and head that way.
Agility - Quick Feet
Being agile means being sensitive, adaptive, lean, fast, and iterative. Nowadays, a business needs to be agile, IN BOTH day to day operations and in planning future endeavors.
Day-to-day op's
Learning and understanding what our merchants like and dislike about a product is only part of the game. Quickly taking action to incorporate those changes is the other. To make the most of what you have, you must make the quick changes, and to slowly optimize. The business owner comments above, have been reviewed, and long term fixes have already been added to our product. Biz owners now know this. This makes the ribosomes happy.
Future
Software must be packaged so that an entire product can be quickly modified to respond to market opportunities. The business as a whole,must be packaged the same way. Especially in the start up biz world, where opportunities can pop out of nowhere and disappear just as quick. We go through day-to-day op's, we put out fires, make changes, and work towards our long term goals. BUT its important to always keep in mind that you do not want to get your foot stuck in the mud and then decide that you have to change direction...
... because something better than you can imagine is always right around the corner, you just need to see it, change direction, and head that way.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Any more brain busters?
Last week I wrote about the importance of self-feedback. I gave the example of someone tracking their progress while working out. Tracking what the lift, how much weight, how many reps, what they are eating, and when. All of this stuff is vital for self improvement and optimization.
You may be tracking your progress during every meal and workout, but what if every now and again, you asked a more experienced athlete or personal trainer for input. You could improve on stuff that you never even thought of AND end up with way better results.
Today, I had a call with a pizza shop in Illinois that lasted about 30 mins. They think that the GNW software is great. Customers like it, its easy to install, and the reports will certainly help them with getting new/better business. BUT the best part of the call was THEIR suggestions.
This Illinois business had a ton of small (but important) ideas for our software. Ways to make it even easier for employees, reports ideas, and more. Stuff that we might have missed in our next software release.
Everything in life (including GNW software) is about constantly getting better. And constant self improvement (and/or product development) will happen faster with constructive feedback from others.
Can't wait to see what great ideas materialize in the next few months. Woo!
You may be tracking your progress during every meal and workout, but what if every now and again, you asked a more experienced athlete or personal trainer for input. You could improve on stuff that you never even thought of AND end up with way better results.
Today, I had a call with a pizza shop in Illinois that lasted about 30 mins. They think that the GNW software is great. Customers like it, its easy to install, and the reports will certainly help them with getting new/better business. BUT the best part of the call was THEIR suggestions.
This Illinois business had a ton of small (but important) ideas for our software. Ways to make it even easier for employees, reports ideas, and more. Stuff that we might have missed in our next software release.
Everything in life (including GNW software) is about constantly getting better. And constant self improvement (and/or product development) will happen faster with constructive feedback from others.
Can't wait to see what great ideas materialize in the next few months. Woo!
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Perfection isn't instant
One thing on my "to-do" list this year, is to find the bootleg album of a dozen or so sessions of the Beatles revising "Strawberry Fields Forever". Why? It's not because I am a fan of the beatles. It is because the album is a musical score on how to obtain perfection. In the biography of Steve Jobs, which is an amazing read by the way, Steve Jobs explains that as you listen to each session and each version of Strawberry Fields Forever, you begin to see the small changes, progression, and refining process that the beatles use to create final master pieces that lives on forever.
Just reading about this album has helped me realize that the beatles (although they did create a ridiculous amount of #1 hits) did not come up with each masterpiece out of thin air. They were humans just like us that wanted to deliver timeless songs. All they had was an idea of what they wanted, some creativity, and then spent countless hours refining the song to as close to perfection as possible.
GoNextWorld has been refining our product, our business, and ourselves for years. And we believe that sweat equity is the most valuable equity there is.
Perfection isn't instant (nothing worth while is). But with time, hard work, and desire, this refining process can be used to get damn near close to it. Beatles used it on their songs. Steve Jobs used it at Apple. We are using it at GoNextWorld.
Just reading about this album has helped me realize that the beatles (although they did create a ridiculous amount of #1 hits) did not come up with each masterpiece out of thin air. They were humans just like us that wanted to deliver timeless songs. All they had was an idea of what they wanted, some creativity, and then spent countless hours refining the song to as close to perfection as possible.
GoNextWorld has been refining our product, our business, and ourselves for years. And we believe that sweat equity is the most valuable equity there is.
Perfection isn't instant (nothing worth while is). But with time, hard work, and desire, this refining process can be used to get damn near close to it. Beatles used it on their songs. Steve Jobs used it at Apple. We are using it at GoNextWorld.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Good feedback
As I have been creating analytic reports for GNW merchants and of our in-house use, I have started to become obsessed with feedback. Collecting data about what are doing and being able to interpret the meaning beyond it is ridiculously insightful. I've been collecting data for various purposes, but the feedback loop is pretty much useful for any business or life scenario.
Simple example: People who track their workout habits; how much they lift, how many reps, how they felt... as well as what and when they eat are able to look back at what they did, establish trends of what is making them stronger and what sets them back. Maybe a weekend of partying or something, but I wouldn't know anything about that. Anyway, the point is that tracking the numbers and your habits makes it easier to eliminate counterproductive activities and identify what actions work the best. Tracking personal spending is another good example.
Whether its using analytics software or just monitoring habits in an effort to get better, a good feedback loop will always lead positive changes and continuous improvement.
Simple example: People who track their workout habits; how much they lift, how many reps, how they felt... as well as what and when they eat are able to look back at what they did, establish trends of what is making them stronger and what sets them back. Maybe a weekend of partying or something, but I wouldn't know anything about that. Anyway, the point is that tracking the numbers and your habits makes it easier to eliminate counterproductive activities and identify what actions work the best. Tracking personal spending is another good example.
Whether its using analytics software or just monitoring habits in an effort to get better, a good feedback loop will always lead positive changes and continuous improvement.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
hold on to your butts
I've been known to quote Jurassic Park (as well as waynes world and forrest gump) to the point of annoyance of those around me. I say "Hold on to your butts", as said by Samuel L. Jackson, when I think my actions are going to have a large ripple effect.
We all have moments in our life where it feels like "this is it", "do or die", or "go big or go home", or "Hold on to your butts". And to be honest, I think the more of these moments we have in our life, the better. Its way more fun and exciting.
For me, GoNextWorld starts a new chapter this year, and its going to be a hell of a ride. Everything before 2013 was basically research, testing, and developing our product. The past few years have literally been building a solid foundation for now. NOW, we starts to sell, support, and refine what we've been working on for all of this time. Wow.
So here is to the new year. Lets embrace it with open arms. Roll with the punches and enjoy the victories. This year is going to be what we make of it.
2013 is going to be crazy. "Hold on to your butts".
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