It’s an exciting time to be building a startup.
An interesting commentary on all the hats a startup founder needs to have…15 to be exact 
…the Silicon Valley Insider describes how to combine and reduce them: 15 Roles Every Startup Needs Filled
Archive for the 'Technology' Category
Traversing the web, I found a couple more Mind Mapping sites:
BiggerPlate
MindManager Enthusiasts
It’s amazing how people have found so many uses for mindmapping…and it’s fun (and educational) reviewing what they come up with.
A new MM blog has come along with a wealth of information. Check it out here.
No not really, but including this blog, I try to manage 3 different weblogs and they have been getting bombarded with “sex spam.” In addition, some robot keeps getting into all my index.php files and adding some scripts into each which makes the blog’s feed invalid. So, readers and subscribers can’t get automatic updates. I’ve been going through each file and clearing out the garbage times 3. I am recovering, but I also need to “harden” the websites to make them a little tougher to hack. Wish me luck….and thanks for your perseverance by checking in every once in a while.
Yeah, I know, it’s taken quite a while, but I finally got the blog working again. Changing the design and layout…it will eventually permeate throughout. It may even change again when I get proficient with WordPress. I’ll be working on it and eventually get back to a consistent writing schedule. Thanks for your patience.
For over 8 years I kept telling my employees and my clients “It’s NOT the computers, dummy!” And Kennedy Information Research has published a report that confirms what I’ve been doing.
IT consulting firms are likely to get squeezed out as business issues become a more important component to IT strategy and planning and traditional strategy firms seize the opportunity. While Strategy firms’ investments in IT strategy capabilities have achieved some success, most key IT strategy planning activities have still been left to internal organizations and the IT consulting firms. Kennedy’s research shows, however, that IT strategy is starting to become a significant growth area for certain practices within Strategy firms. Consider that information management is a critical success criterion for some companies, global sourcing decisions require coordination between IT and business operations, and that Strategy firms possess the most sophisticated risk-adjusted ROI capabilities. Since it is an attractive adjacent offering that can be added to existing proposals, IT Strategy is a natural fit that can extend capabilities and fuel additional growth for Strategy firms.
There is some satisfaction in saying, “I told you so.”
Back in 1995 I put up my first web page for the consulting company I was working at. The web was fairly new and there was relatively little traffic. What I remember most is one of my clients saying. “What the hell would you use that for?” My explanation at that time was, “It’s advertising.”
Within five years that client had their own web page (yes I did it) and put their materials catalog and service descriptions online. These days, if you don’t have a website, and even worse, an e-mail address, you are a non-entity. From a one-man contractor to a worldwide conglomerate, you need the resources. So I find it unusual to find businesses without either. I still hear, “This web thing, it’s just a fad!” And this I don’t get at all.
Then after you get a website, all I hear is “How do I know who’s visiting?” If you ask, your website is not doing its thing. And, Here’s 50 Reasons more people aren’t using your website.
Check out the Best Products of 2005 and see if you are using any of them. My favorite software, MindManager, made the list.
The latest version of MindManager lets you create, visualize and communicate ideas, plans and projects (www.mindjet.com). You create mind maps that help you visualize the various relationships among elements in a project or a product. A wonderful way to go from an idea to a fully developed plan or to use in a group-brainstorming meeting.
Google Earth also made the Best Software list. Although it is fun and fascinating, I don’t use it that much in my daily work. And make sure you read all the way down to the Worst Product of 2005!
Some tips if you are doing any type of e-mail marketing, which everyone does around the holidays. You should avoid using “free,” “save,” “urgent,” “important,” “$$$,” and text in all CAPS in the subject line of your e-mail marketing message.
Why you might ask? These words and symbols may make your message look like spam. Many online portals, like AOL, and personal firewalls use filters to block mail with these items in the subject line.
We have the technology, now tell us how to use it, is an interesting article.
“Office workers waste up to a month a year trying to figure out how to use their computers properly because modern technology is so complicated, a new study warns. “
Managers are pressuring employees to learn more software, more cell phones, more computers and more technology everywhere. Sure tech is getting easier to use, but there is more and more of it…and that affects productivity….and that affects the bottom-line. Provide training – it’s not a cost, it’s an investment.
