Fantasy team for web startups

Having started a few small self promotional websites, my interest was peaked by this article. The bottom line from the article is, if you're going to do a web startup, the best skillsets for your core team listed in order of importance:

1. Developer: A real geek that knows JAVA, XML, HTML etc.
2. Designer: Good user interface designer
3. Inbound Marketer/Recruiter: Someone who knows how to find and attract skilled people.
4. Sales Person: That would be me.

Of course if a person possessed more than one of these skills listed, they would be a very valuable person! You can read more about it here: http://bit.ly/liwebmix

Response: A key to happiness

Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom.
-Victor E. Fankl

How to develop a startup culture

I found this article developed by the talented people at Netflix. It explains how to develop an effective startup culture. See Article: http://www.slideshare.net/reed2001/culture-1798664

Thanksgiving is the best time to network

There is no feeling that is more universal and that builds rapport more than the feeling of gratitude. I learned this lesson again when I received this email the day before Thanksgiving from my local Dale Carnegie chapter, reminding me to wish my collegues a very Happy Thanksgiving. I was amazed how much goodwill can be generated in so short a time with managers, customers, and collegues that are so important to my future.

This got me thinking about other optimal times to network. For example, at the end of the work day, do you race away from work without saying goodbye to your co-workers, managers? What about on Fridays when everyone else is eager to go home for the weekend?

I once heard that people are better at remembering what happens very first in the day, and what happens last, but the middle can be a blurr. This makes me think that Monday morning is a great time to market yourself...just as Friday afternoon is.

Also, what about networking at meetings, do you show up in time to do a little hob nobbing before hand? ...just some food for thought.

Enthusiasm!!!

Thomas Edison describes the ultimate bequethal.

"When a man dies, if he can pass enthusiasm along to his children, he has left them an estate of incalculable value."
~ Thomas Edison

Are you a Farmer or a Hunter?

I read this very interesting article on http://www.theladders.com/ and it got me thinking about the different kinds of personality traits that help a person excel in their career.

The opener question, "Are you a Hunter or a Farmer" is such a great question. I decided to think about that one for a while before reading the article. Then I read this article. I thought it provided a lot of insights into the kind of person I am and how my personality traits can sometimes help and/or hinder my career path. Read this discussion on Linkedin...

One who dares!!!

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat." -Teddy Roosevelt