Greg Balanko-Dickson
1-866-281-8281
http://www.smallbusinesssherpa.com
http://www.smallbusinesstransitions.com

Greg Balanko-Dickson
1-866-281-8281
http://www.smallbusinesssherpa.com
http://www.smallbusinesstransitions.com

Next time I plan and need to take notes fast I will user this to make three process a lot faster and easier.
Would be better if Dick and Leo showed the actual item they are talking about.

I am amazed how easy it is top write fast and quickly without lifting my finger from the soft keyboard!

I am using the New ShapeWriter on my iPhone to type this text without lifting my finger from the keyboard!

Greg Balanko-Dickson
1-866-281-8281
http://www.smallbusinesssherpa.com
http://www.smallbusinesstransitions.com

I suggested that she would be just fine on she started to use the information in context. I mean, it got to be boring as h$)( to sit and memorize a list of facts and data. Whereas, using the caloric counts on a real life context would be a big boost and motivator.

What do you think? Is it easier to learn when you have something in real life to apply it to or is it simply a matter of motivation?

Greg Balanko-Dickson
1-866-281-8281
http://www.smallbusinesssherpa.com
http://www.smallbusinesstransitions.com

I've been writing online since 1998 and switched to the Wordpress platform (which I love!) and started to officially "blog". That was the beginning of the end - end of enjoying writing.

Seriously, my fun hobby that brought me clients and friends became a J O B - that's the day the 'music died' for me. Until today, I have not understood why my efforts at blogging for business sucked - I started writing to get attention and business - that's the problem.

When I started in 1998 I wrote for myself and what I was learning. It was more of a diary than a website and it was fun. It also brought me clients effortlessly. The lesson? I lost the love of writing and I am going Back To The Future and writing what I want for myself.

It sounds quite selfish but I must rekindle my love of writing because it's a part of myself that I miss. If you find value in what I'm writing that's a secondary benefit.

Greg Balanko-Dickson
1-866-281-8281
http://www.smallbusinesssherpa.com
http://www.smallbusinesstransitions.com

Obama's promises are simply more rhetoric that lacks substance and is designed to placate media and the American people.

A White House small-business forum is being criticized by the American Small Business League as "a sham" because the group says the Obama administration has failed to honor its promises to small businesses.

The forum held Wednesday included Small Business Administration Administrator Karen Mills; Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner; U.S. Sen. Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship; and other policymakers, lenders and small-business owners.

"This is a sham small business forum intended to mislead the media, and the people of the United States with PR as opposed to action," ASBL President Lloyd Chapman said in a prepared statement.

He also said the topic of diverting money was not discussed.

"As we predicted, President Obama's forum ignored what the SBA inspector general has referred to as the SBA's No. 1 challenge for five consecutive years," Chapman said. "We need to quit listening to what he says, and look at what he does.

"Despite the commotion and rhetoric the Obama administration has stirred up regarding its small-businesses forum, it looks like it was just another publicity stunt.

"I'd love to see someone from the mainstream media ask President Obama on national television why he is continuing to give billions of dollars a month in federal small-business contracts to Fortune 500 firms."

Via http://www.al.com/business/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/business/1258712117267650.xml&coll=1

More commentary from Reuters

With his plan outlined, Geithner emphasized the most important step is to get bipartisan support for The Administration’s measures.

“It’s very important that members of Congress work with us to create the conditions that make it more likely that small banks are willing to come take advantage of these programs,” said Geithner. “That means they have to have confidence that if they take capital from the government they will not have to face a change in the rules of the game tomorrow. They need to be confident that if they participate in these programs they’re not going to face conditions in the future that will lead them to regret participating.”

A comment from a small business owner...

Prove It!! That’s what I want, solid proof examples they’re serious about helping small business. I don’t need 2 million…I need $150,000.00. I’m afraid to even talk to a bank as they would probably turn me down. We paid off the mortgage on the business three years ago and just need to restructure some debt, a new roof, new equipment. With ten employees, I’ve put off spending any extra funds to keep all of my employees rather than lay them off. We’re lucky, our sales are steady even though down a very small amount. We’ll see if anything comes of all these promises.  

 Via Reuters http://blogs.reuters.com/small-business/2009/11/19/small-talk-parsing-geithners-speech-to-small-business/

I don't suggest that I know everything about Blogging for Business. My friends Michael Martine and Grant Griffiths know a lot more than I ever will. This is my home grown attempt at understanding what I need to do to be more consistent and genuine with my efforts as I blog for business. Feedback appreciated. 

I’ve been online since 1998 and for six years I wrote daily articles for my newsletter. I never had a plan for what I’ve do write about, I just shared what I was learning every day as I was going about my business coaching business owners and entrepreneurs.

That seemed to serve me pretty well actually. The newsletter brought people back to the website and I made sure to include something about my products or services for sale in addition to fresh content newsletter.

When I began blogging I felt pretty much at home with the process. What’s interesting is that as I’ve gone further and further down the business development road so to speak-I found it increasingly difficult to “blog for business”.

Part of the challenge was that I was feeling like I had a conflict of interest. When I was writing my newsletter I was just sharing what I was learning every day and letting people know what it was I was promoting her what services I have to offer. It was very much a soft sell.

It’s hard to explain, but somehow the process of blogging and promoting myself and my products and services became increasingly complex and confusing to me.

Yesterday, I came across a very interesting blog post and it really needn’t stop and think. In fact, I would say that I had one of those “lightbulb” moments. What I developed as a result was a graphic that I created to help myself understand what I need to do on a daily basis to promote myself on my blog while cultivating relationships and future customers.

http://smallbusinesssherpa.com/BloggingforBusinessStoryFunnel.pdf

So the graphic that you see here on this page is the first iteration of what I “think” I have learned. I’d be very interested in your feedback. Please note that I’ve marked this as commercial creative Commons and invite you to iterate and share alike.

I plan on sharing what I’m learning as I try to apply this model in my business. And I’d be very interested to get your feedback and active participation so that we can together be more elaborate intentional in our blogging efforts.

So, what you think and what you see is missing or could be added?

I was happy to come across this post from Anthony Tjan (CEO of Cue Ball) on the Harvard Business publishing site. Vulnerability is not a trait that naturally comes to mind when you think of an entrepreneur. We think of risk taking, renegade behaviour, and wild creativity. Anthony says there's a difference between passive and active vulnerability...

The nuance lies in the type of vulnerability that they have and their recognition and comfort with it. Let's be clear: there is a vital difference between what I call passive and active vulnerability. Passive vulnerability refers to the condition of being vulnerable without choosing to be. Active vulnerability comes from engaging in a contemplated risk that considers and hopes for the payoff, financial or otherwise will be worth the effort. Active vulnerability is in essence proactive and informed risk-taking. Passive vulnerability is reactive and submissive exposure.

Living with failure is part of being actively vulnerable. We have heard of Edison's famous quote "I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work".

I've always thought of that type of mindset as gutsy and visionary. Reading this post by Anthony Tjan (Twitter link) I've learned it also involves active vulnerability.

The story of how inventor James Dyson went through 5127 prototypes and 5126 "failures" to get his massively successful vacuum cleaner "right" is the stuff of entrepreneurial legend. Dyson was fond of saying that the inventor and entrepreneur's life is one of failure. Embracing vulnerability and its rewards — whether those are lessons from failed efforts or life-changing (even world-changing) success — that's the stuff of great entrepreneurs.

How does this idea of active vulnerability make you feel? 

The house bill plans to require employers with more than $500,000 in revenue will be required to offer coverage to their employees AND contribute t least 72.5% of the premium cost for singles and 65 for family coverage.

If they fail to comply businesses would pay a penalty of 2 percent to 8 percent.

"Right now, health care costs me $750,000 a year," Prybutok said. "I'd be miles ahead paying the 8 percent penalty and letting all my employees go into the public option." Delaware Online

Or I could see some business owners intentionally keeping their revenues under $500,000 so they do not have to pay premiums or the penalties.

What do you think?