Essays, dispatches, and field notes by Bradley Gauthier. Founder of Synova Industries, builder of Quantum Pipes.https://bradleygauthier.com/en-usAstro© 2026 Bradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/to-all-the-people-opposing-data-centers-i-assume-you-ll-turn-202604/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/to-all-the-people-opposing-data-centers-i-assume-you-ll-turn-202604/To all the people opposing data centers, I assume you’ll turn down the AI innovations?Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMTTo all the people opposing data centers, I assume you’ll turn down the AI innovations? The cures to cancer, the anti-aging, the accelerated drug discoveries, even the eventual immortality… all will come from inside data centers. When AI discovers fusion and other infinite power sources, you’ll stick with your coal powered energy? Solutions to climate change, clean energy, and unfathomable abundance will come from data centers. It’s absurd that folks are afraid of progress. But it’s human nature. For instance, the horse industry feared the loss of saddles and stables, not realizing the interstate highway system would open up adventures, opportunities, and entirely new areas of the nation. Who has driven to a National Park? Was that possible on horseback? Or did the improvements from the automobile allow for massive human progress? And now, the new boogie-man is AI. But no, it’s not going to take your job… if you are a lifelong learner. Data centers are not going to lead to long-term power issues… they will solve them. And yes, like any major leap forward, there may be short-term, localized tradeoffs around cooling and water in some places. That’s not a reason to stop progress. That’s a reason to engineer better systems, better recycling, better siting, and better infrastructure. These are short-term engineering issues on the path to long-term abundance… and yes, the solutions to the negatives of data centers will also come from inside data centers. Clean water, sustainability, and a greener environment will only become more achievable through the insights these data centers will provide. And when the history books are written, the age of abundance will frown upon those slowing down our progress.datacenterspowerenergyprogressbettertopic:Energy and Infrastructuretopic:Personal Productivityera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-key-to-thriving-in-the-age-of-ai-is-to-focus-202509/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-key-to-thriving-in-the-age-of-ai-is-to-focus-202509/The key to thriving in the age of AI is to focus on finding the right jobs and tasks.Mon, 22 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMTThe key to thriving in the age of AI is to focus on finding the right jobs and tasks. A lot of tasks will be done automatically as AI and robots improve. These are the jobs to avoid, as they are bound to go away. But a lot more tasks will be enhanced by improvements in AI and robotics. These are the areas to explore. Because as technology improves, so does our ability to handle more and bigger opportunities. Robotics should assist in these roles. Humans still need to be central to the success of the task. Find these tasks and job security is all but guaranteed.tasksjobsroboticsera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/with-everything-that-has-happened-in-the-past-few-days-the-p-202509/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/with-everything-that-has-happened-in-the-past-few-days-the-p-202509/With everything that has happened in the past few days, the problem is clear.Thu, 11 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMTWith everything that has happened in the past few days, the problem is clear. We have a mental health crisis in the USA. People should feel safe to ride public transportation. Kids should feel safe going to school. And everyone should feel safe to voice their opinions. No mentally healthy person would randomly attack someone. No mentally healthy person decides to take fentanyl. No mentally healthy person is triggered by other people’s opinions. Until we have serious reform of our mental healthcare and wellness systems, we will continue to have events like we’re seeing around the United States.mentalfeelsafementallyhealthypersontopic:Health and Wellnessera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/i-ve-been-researching-ways-most-terminal-diseases-will-soon-202507/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/i-ve-been-researching-ways-most-terminal-diseases-will-soon-202507/I’ve been researching ways most terminal diseases will soon be cured, and I’ve listed them below.Thu, 24 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMTI’ve been researching ways most terminal diseases will soon be cured, and I’ve listed them below. But first, here’s why:  A year ago today, we lost my wonderful mom to cancer. It was simultaneously a sad day and an opportunity to count our blessings, as so many positive ripples were created during her time on this planet. She loved being a mom and grandmother. And she enjoyed writing her weekly column in the newspaper. We couldn’t make it 10 feet into any store without someone coming up and complimenting her on a recent article. It was her way of giving back to the community she cherished. Side note: my brother Frank has since taken over the column in her memory. As a futurist, I think the most painful thing is I see the innovations coming in cancer detection and prevention. She missed that window by maybe 5-10 years, when by that time most cancers and terminal diseases should be cured. Though thankfully, millions of future humans will not need to suffer unnecessarily like she did last year. So based on my research over time, here are the most promising treatments and upcoming approaches to disease: In-Body Immune Cell Engineering: Instead of traditional chemotherapy, we'll soon create immune cells right inside our body to hunt down cancer… as with all AI/robotics, this will be faster, cheaper, and safer. Personalized Cancer Vaccines: Not sure how I feel about this one, however, they are working on customized vaccines, using tech similar to the Covid mRNA shots, train our immune systems to identify and stop cancer from coming back. Gene Editing & Repair: We'll fix genetic mutations directly inside patients’ cells, targeting cancer and inherited diseases at the source. Hopefully this alone will make terminal diagnoses a thing of the past. Smart Drugs That Erase Cancer Proteins: Medicines designed to selectively destroy proteins cancer needs to grow, leaving healthy cells untouched. Super-Early Cancer Detection: New blood tests will catch cancer months or years before current methods, long before tumors can spread. Regrowing and Replacing Damaged Organs: Advances in tissue regeneration and organ transplants (including gene-edited animal organs) mean failing organs won't equal terminal illness. Imagine 3d-printing a heart or regrowing a leg like a lizard regrows their tail. AI Accelerating Treatment Discovery: AI is rapidly creating effective treatments, predicting patient outcomes, and personalizing therapies, saving years of research time. These aren't far-off dreams. They're technologies rapidly becoming real, with the power to turn terminal illnesses into treatable, survivable conditions. Losing my mom to cancer showed me how urgent this work is… and how hopeful the future can be.cancerterminaltimediseasescomingyearsera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/an-easy-way-to-get-much-better-results-from-an-ai-assistant-202507/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/an-easy-way-to-get-much-better-results-from-an-ai-assistant-202507/An easy way to get much better results from an AI assistant (like ChatGPT or Gemini) is to give it a role, focus, task, and goal at the start.Tue, 22 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMTAn easy way to get much better results from an AI assistant (like ChatGPT or Gemini) is to give it a role, focus, task, and goal at the start. For instance, instead of: Generate a strategy for a new webinar series for our business. Try this: Act as a world class expert in webinars with a focus on [your business niche]. Deeply explore what ingredients goes into a high performing webinar series. Then based on your findings, generate a remarkable strategy for a new webinar series for our business.businessfocuswebinarseriesgeneratestrategytopic:Entrepreneurshiptopic:Personal Productivityera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/there-are-so-many-reasons-to-be-excited-about-being-alive-du-202507/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/there-are-so-many-reasons-to-be-excited-about-being-alive-du-202507/There are so many reasons to be excited about being alive during this era...Mon, 14 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMTThere are so many reasons to be excited about being alive during this era... Unprecedented access to knowledge - almost any question can be answered in seconds, we just need to know what to ask. Healthcare advancements - not only are we on the precipice of solving most diseases, humans (of all wealth classes) are about to start aging backwards. Poverty at historic lows - robotics and access to advanced technology is currently lifting billions out of poverty and malnutrition. Limitless potential - barriers to technology access, career paths, and specialized education are all but gone... upward mobility has never been more possible than it is now. 🚀technologyaccesspovertytopic:Technologyera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/by-the-end-of-this-decade-we-will-have-instant-faster-than-l-202507/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/by-the-end-of-this-decade-we-will-have-instant-faster-than-l-202507/By the end of this decade, we will have instant, faster-than-light communication thanks to quantum entanglement.Sun, 13 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMTBy the end of this decade, we will have instant, faster-than-light communication thanks to quantum entanglement. How? The newest AI model Grok 4 Heavy just got 100% on the math benchmark, meaning it basically can answer anything related to math. In the next 2-3 years, newer models will “solve” physics. Meaning our scientists will have the ability to explore the depths of quantum mechanics and find all sorts of previously unknown phenomena about our universe. As we learn how quantum entanglement works, we will be able to build technologies that can connect two locations (anywhere in the universe) and have instant communication between them. What this will mean for our economy is unknown, given that things like high-frequency trading of stocks, planet-to-planet conversations, the irrelevancy of fiber optic networks, etc will transform everything. It’s such an exciting time to be alive!quantuminstantcommunicationentanglementmathmeaningera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/what-do-societies-need-to-feel-happy-202506/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/what-do-societies-need-to-feel-happy-202506/What do societies need to feel happy?Fri, 20 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMTWhat do societies need to feel happy? I think for most people it is good food, quality healthcare, entertainment, a little autonomy, and self-purpose. This coming era of hyper abundance thanks to AI and robots will create a deflationary economy where almost all of our necessities will be nearly free. We’ll have incredibly high quality food because of close-by vertical farms maintained by robots. Our home robot won’t just do the dishes and fold the laundry, it’ll be our personal doctor, nurse, and therapist. Generative AI and advancing tech will create entertaining experiences that our ancestors would have thought was magic. Travel and adventure will become more accessible thanks to advanced vehicles to transport us anywhere in the world and someday, the solar system. And most importantly, automation will free us from the hundred year death grip of cubicles and commutes. With the demise of the 9-5, the birth of a new era in humanity begins. In the coming decades, humans will be able to pursue careers and vocations not because of a paycheck. But rather, we’ll be able to pursue what we want, with who we want, and how we want. Just as hunter gathers could never have envisioned the need for accountants, we can’t possibly fathom what the coming century has in store for us. It’s spectacular to be living through such a transformative era!comingwantneedfoodqualitythanksera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/you-ve-probably-heard-people-say-ai-is-going-to-take-jobs-202505/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/you-ve-probably-heard-people-say-ai-is-going-to-take-jobs-202505/You’ve probably heard people say AI is going to take jobs.Fri, 30 May 2025 00:00:00 GMTYou’ve probably heard people say AI is going to take jobs. But that’s not the full story. AI isn’t replacing jobs… it’s replacing today’s jobs. And that’s a big difference. Think about it: 20 years ago, no one even knew what a social media manager was. The role didn’t exist. And the truth is, not everyone dreams of being a paralegal or accountant. Maybe you always wanted to work with kids, explore the ocean, or pursue something totally different. AI opens up entirely new paths for us to do work we actually care about. The future isn’t about fewer jobs. It’s about more possibilities, new problems to solve, and opportunities we haven’t even imagined yet. 🚀 🌙jobsreplacingevenworkera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/fear-is-an-evolutionary-response-that-kept-our-ancestors-ali-202503/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/fear-is-an-evolutionary-response-that-kept-our-ancestors-ali-202503/Fear is an evolutionary response that kept our ancestors alive.Tue, 18 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMTFear is an evolutionary response that kept our ancestors alive. They were able to carry on their genes if they didn’t get too close to a cliff or tried to pet a lion. But now, most things humans fear are irrational. We fear a million hypothetical outcomes, many of which are imaginary and impossible. And so, as mankind begins to merge with machines we are entering a new era of human evolution. Yet, it seems like the fear of the unknown is crippling to many people. Yes the future is uncertain, but it’s also a future filled with abundance and endless opportunities. Setting aside our fears and going head first into the coming age of intelligence is the best way to get ahead in this new world.feartheyfutureera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/let-s-imagine-a-time-traveler-from-the-year-2035-goes-back-i-202503/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/let-s-imagine-a-time-traveler-from-the-year-2035-goes-back-i-202503/Let’s imagine a time traveler from the year 2035 goes back into the past and tells people what life is like for them…Sun, 16 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMTLet’s imagine a time traveler from the year 2035 goes back into the past and tells people what life is like for them… 10,000 years ago: “You don’t hunt and gather all day, what do you do?” 1,000 years ago: “You don’t farm and make your clothes all day, what do you do?” 100 years ago: “You don’t work in a steel factory all day, what do you do?” Today: “You don’t commute and go sit in a cubicle all day, what do you do?”yearsera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-middle-of-the-grocery-store-is-about-to-disappear-202503/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-middle-of-the-grocery-store-is-about-to-disappear-202503/The middle of the grocery store is about to disappear.Thu, 13 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMTThe middle of the grocery store is about to disappear. Right now, there are typically two regions in any grocery store: the fresh food along the walls and processed food throughout the inside aisles. But what happens when we all have a robotic chef in our homes? One that can make nearly any meal or snack with fresh food? Instead of packaged foods that taste good because of additives, we’ll have gourmet foods that taste great because of robotic mastery.foodgrocerystorefreshroboticfoodsera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/here-s-a-fun-visual-202502/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/here-s-a-fun-visual-202502/Here’s a fun visual.Tue, 18 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMTHere’s a fun visual. I would consider this the most important chart in the world right now.  Why? Because this will personally affect every person on the planet and for generations to come. But first, in order to explain properly, let’s take a quick trip through human history… Our family tree has had a few major milestones: Harnessing fire allowed us to cook food, freeing up our digestive energy to grow a bigger brain. Tossing seeds in the ground and putting fences around animals created free time beyond hunting and gathering. Which led to city-states and human specialization. Steam, oil, and electricity allowed our ancestors’ workloads to become more productive as machines started doing the heavy lifting. These innovations all led humans to turn the silica from sand into transistors. Quickly thereafter we got supercomputers and the internet. Each one of these milestones happened in a quicker timespan. And from an ecological scale, it took only a blink of an eye to go from using fire to solely cook our food to using fire to send rockets into orbit. Alright, so back to this chart. Why is it so significant? Ominously named, Humanity’s Last Exam, it’s a 3,000 question test covering nearly every aspect of the world. Its creation was required because AI is already smarter than PhD’s in every human-level benchmark test. This chart shows how, in just a few months, AI has rapidly improved on a test once deemed nearly impossible, surprising everyone with its speed of progress. And here we are, standing on the threshold of another massive inflection point. Perhaps bigger and faster than any of its predecessors. Each time humanity has leveled up… fire, agriculture, industry, transistors… we’ve altered our destiny in ways our ancestors could never have imagined. This chart may look like a modest curve on a page, but the line represents an accelerating intelligence that’s already outpacing our ability to create new tests fast enough. What does that mean for us? It means that the sorts of problems we once considered impossibly complex: genetic research, climate modeling, advanced mathematics, etc. might soon be tackled in hours or minutes rather than years. It means rethinking jobs, ethics, education, governance, and even what we consider “uniquely human.” Because if a machine can outscore PhDs on the hardest exam we can dream up, then knowledge work is on the cusp of being redefined. More importantly, these models don’t stop. Each data point on the chart is not just a single milestone; it’s a harbinger that the next breakthrough could happen even faster. The pace of progress is compounding, and no sector of society will remain untouched. If history has taught us anything, it’s that exponential leaps in capability come with equally exponential consequences. Are we prepared for the kind of shift that might happen in just a few short years? Think about the next generation, the one after that, and the world they’ll inherit. Will they look back on this chart as the moment we embraced an incredible ally, or unleashed something most people never attempted to understand? One thing is certain: we’ve never been here before, and we’re not slowing down. The only question is whether we can adapt as quickly as the technology does… and what will this all mean for the future of our human story?charthistoryhumanfirehereworldtopic:Historyera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/a-framework-for-personal-productivity/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/a-framework-for-personal-productivity/A four-layer framework for personal productivity: build better habits, set proper goals, and ground both in the STEM model (Systems, Tools, Energy, Mindset).Wed, 01 Jan 2025 14:00:00 GMTMost productivity advice fails because it skips the operating layer. People hear "build a habit" or "set a SMART goal" and miss that habits and goals are outcomes, not the work itself. The work happens one layer down, where the substrate either supports your intentions or quietly drains them. This is a framework I built into a training course about a decade ago. I keep coming back to it because it survives contact with real life. ## 1. Building Better Habits ### Key principles **Start small.** Begin with micro-habits that are easy to implement. If you want to read more, start with one page a day rather than committing to a full chapter. If you keep going, great, but the commitment is one page. **Attach to existing habits.** Use habit stacking by tying a new habit to something you already do without thinking. Meditate after brushing your teeth. Stretch while the coffee brews. **Design the environment.** Shape your surroundings to support the habit. Healthy snacks at eye level. Phone in the other room when you sit down to write. **Track progress.** Use a journal or app. Seeing the streak reinforces the commitment more than any motivational quote will. **Build reward systems.** Intrinsic rewards work best, but extrinsic ones get you through the early weeks. ### Implementation **Cue → Routine → Reward.** Identify the trigger, establish the routine, create the reward. **Accountability.** Share your goals with someone, or use accountability partners to stay on track. **Iterate.** Regularly assess whether the habits still align with where you are headed. ## 2. Proper Goal Setting ### SMART Goals - **Specific.** Clearly define what you want to achieve. - **Measurable.** Include metrics so you can track progress. - **Achievable.** Set goals that stretch but are reachable. - **Relevant.** Align with long-term aspirations. - **Time-bound.** Add a deadline. Without one, goals decay. ### WOOP Strategy - **Wish.** Define the desire. - **Outcome.** Visualize the best result. - **Obstacle.** Anticipate what will get in the way. - **Plan.** Create if-then scenarios for the obstacles. ### Breaking goals into actionable steps **Quarterly objectives.** Set long-term goals and break them into 90-day windows. **Daily priorities.** Each day, dedicate energy to two or three actions that contribute to a quarterly goal. Not ten. Two or three. **Review and reflect.** Weekly and monthly reviews recalibrate the path. Without review, drift wins. ## 3. The STEM Model of Personal Productivity This is where the framework earns its keep. Habits and goals sit on top of four levers. When something is not working, ask which lever is broken. ### S: Systems Repeatable processes that ensure consistency. **Why it matters.** Systems reduce decision fatigue and create predictability. **Examples.** A morning routine. A project management system for tracking work. **Actionable tips.** Automate repetitive tasks. Create templates for recurring activities like emails or reports. ### T: Tools Resources that enhance efficiency. **Why it matters.** Tools save time and let you focus on higher-value activities. **Examples.** Digital tools for organization. Physical tools like a standing desk or ergonomic chair. **Actionable tips.** Evaluate tools by ROI (time saved vs. effort invested). Periodically audit which tools are still earning their place. ### E: Energy Your physical and mental capacity to perform at your best. **Why it matters.** Without energy, even the best systems and tools yield nothing. **Examples.** Physical energy: sleep, nutrition, exercise. Mental energy: limited distractions, mindfulness, scheduled breaks. **Actionable tips.** Follow your energy rhythms. Tackle high-priority work when your energy peaks. Use techniques like Pomodoro to manage focus and avoid burnout. ### M: Mindset The beliefs and attitudes you bring to productivity and growth. **Why it matters.** A growth mindset helps you embrace challenges and learn from setbacks. A fixed mindset retreats from failure. **Examples.** Reframing a missed deadline as feedback instead of failure. **Actionable tips.** Practice gratitude to stay positive. Surround yourself with people who think bigger than you do. ## Bringing it all together **Integrate STEM into habits.** Use systems to automate habits (reminders, scheduled blocks). Leverage tools for habit tracking. Optimize energy by aligning new habits with peak focus times. Cultivate a resilient mindset for the setbacks that will arrive on schedule. **Align goals with STEM.** Build systems like weekly goal reviews. Use tools to break goals into actionable tasks. Maintain energy so execution is possible. Adopt a mindset that treats each goal as a stepping stone rather than a verdict on you. By aligning habits and goal-setting with the STEM model, you build a holistic framework for sustained productivity. The framework is durable because it names what is actually underneath performance, instead of just the visible surface of habits and goals. Here is to a productive year.productivityhabitsgoal-settingframeworkspeak-performancepersonal-developmenttopic:Personal Productivitytopic:Behavioral Changetopic:Operating Systems for Humansera:synovaformat:guideBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/imagine-a-garden-where-every-plant-represents-a-business-or-202412/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/imagine-a-garden-where-every-plant-represents-a-business-or-202412/Imagine a garden where every plant represents a business or an idea.Sat, 21 Dec 2024 00:00:00 GMTImagine a garden where every plant represents a business or an idea. Now picture artificial intelligence (AI) and decentralized technologies (crypto) as powerful new seeds with the potential to reshape everything. Right now, the gardeners who have been in charge for the past few years are focused on controlling this growth. They’re putting up strict regulations that favor a few towering trees, while smaller, innovative plants struggle to survive. This limits creativity and keeps the garden’s full potential locked away. But here’s the exciting part... soon, there will be a new gardener. This fresh perspective brings an entrepreneurial mindset that values innovation and competition. They understand that the economy is shifting, with technology making things cheaper and faster to produce. The old rules of scarcity no longer apply, and the future will reward creativity and collaboration instead of rigid systems. This new leadership isn’t about controlling growth; it’s about fostering it. By leveling the playing field, they aim to create an environment where ideas of all sizes can thrive. It’s a smarter, more forward-thinking approach to navigating an economy that’s rapidly evolving. The world ahead won’t look like the one we know, but that’s what makes this moment so exciting. This isn’t just about entrepreneurs like me, or policymakers. It’s about creating a future where everyone benefits, where innovation leads to better products, better opportunities, and a better life for all of us. Imagine a world where the things you love cost less, work better, and are easier to access. That’s the kind of garden I envision… So as I continue to post online about the economy, entrepreneurs, and politics, remember: I’ve spent decades understanding these shifts, and as you’ll see in the coming months and years, my perspective on why our society must water these new seeds will become apparent. It’ll be fun to watch these plants grow into a garden of abundance.economyentrepreneursgardenbettertheyimaginetopic:Economics and Marketstopic:Entrepreneurshipera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/ancient-rome-didn-t-fall-because-of-invasions-or-politics-202412/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/ancient-rome-didn-t-fall-because-of-invasions-or-politics-202412/Ancient Rome didn’t fall because of invasions or politics.Fri, 13 Dec 2024 00:00:00 GMTAncient Rome didn’t fall because of invasions or politics. It fell because it lacked capitalism. Rome’s economy depended too much on government control. The state ran everything… grain, resources, and even key industries. This left no room for innovation or progress. When expansion stopped, so did the flow of resources and labor. The systems that held the empire together began to crumble. Slavery was a major part of the problem. Slaves were forced to work but had no reason to innovate or improve. The economy stayed stagnant. Capitalism could have changed everything. It rewards creativity, hard work, and new ideas. Under capitalism, people have freedom. They can find better jobs, negotiate pay, or even start businesses. Slavery and state control didn’t allow that. Without capitalism, Rome’s economy couldn’t adapt. It couldn’t grow or respond to the challenges it faced. This failure hurt Roman society too. Wealth stayed with the elite, and most people were left in poverty. Capitalism could have created a thriving middle class. It could have built a stronger, more stable society. Rome didn’t collapse because of outside forces. It collapsed because it failed to evolve. Capitalism wasn’t just the missing piece… it was the key to survival.romeeconomycapitalismsocietybecausedidntopic:Historytopic:Economics and Marketstopic:Politics and Societyera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/why-do-some-people-oppose-those-who-push-society-forward-esp-202411/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/why-do-some-people-oppose-those-who-push-society-forward-esp-202411/Why do some people oppose those who push society forward, especially when their efforts make them billionaires and world leaders?Sat, 30 Nov 2024 00:00:00 GMTWhy do some people oppose those who push society forward, especially when their efforts make them billionaires and world leaders? Nietzsche’s concept of ressentiment helps explain: When people feel powerless, they transform their frustration into moral outrage, painting ambition as selfishness and success as exploitation. Instead of seeing the grit, sleepless nights, and failures that build progress, they focus on tearing down the very people who make it possible. But without these risk-takers and visionaries, society would stagnate… progress demands courage, and history favors those bold enough to push us forward despite the critics.societypeoplepushforwardtheirmaketopic:Politics and Societyera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/ten-skills-to-thrive-in-the-ai-era/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/ten-skills-to-thrive-in-the-ai-era/Ten skills (and ten books) for the AI era: resourcefulness, communication, time management, mindset, goal setting, habits, negotiation, networking, mindfulness, adaptability.Tue, 19 Nov 2024 21:00:00 GMTI was asked to be a guest lecturer at the capstone course for UW-Madison's computer science program. During my hour-long talk yesterday, I gave 10 skills for coders to skyrocket their success. I've given this talk before, but nowadays AI has changed the game in tech. The students had questions on which books I recommended on these skills. So I compiled a list of some of my favorites. Here it is. ## 1. Resourcefulness In this era, we don't need to memorize answers. We just need to know where to find the answer. Being resourceful allows you to creatively navigate challenges and make the best use of available resources, leading to innovative solutions and personal growth. > *The Obstacle Is the Way* by Ryan Holiday. Draws on Stoic philosophy to teach how to turn challenges into opportunities, fostering a resourceful mindset. ## 2. Communication Building meaningful relationships through effective communication fosters collaboration, trust, and influence, all crucial for personal and professional success. > *How to Win Friends and Influence People* by Dale Carnegie. Timeless principles for improving communication and building strong, lasting connections. ## 3. Time Management Mastering time management ensures you can accomplish your goals efficiently without feeling overwhelmed or stressed. > *Getting Things Done* by David Allen. A comprehensive system for managing tasks and projects, helping you achieve stress-free productivity. ## 4. Growth Mindset It seems obvious, but learning how to learn is vital to long-term success. Adopting a growth mindset helps you embrace challenges and learn from setbacks, driving continuous self-improvement. > *Mindset: The New Psychology of Success* by Carol S. Dweck. How adopting a growth mindset can lead to greater achievement and fulfillment. ## 5. Goal Setting Setting ambitious goals gives you a clear direction and the motivation to push beyond your limits to achieve success. > *The 10X Rule* by Grant Cardone. Setting ambitious goals and taking massive action to achieve extraordinary success. ## 6. Habit Formation Forming positive habits is crucial for long-term success, as consistent actions build discipline and drive progress. > *The Practicing Mind* by Thomas M. Sterner. Developing focus and discipline through mindful practice, essential for building habits. ## 7. Negotiation There is no quicker way to achieve our goals than with negotiation. These skills empower you to advocate for your interests and create win-win outcomes in both personal and professional settings. > *Secrets of Power Negotiating* by Roger Dawson. Techniques and strategies to become a more effective negotiator in various situations. ## 8. Networking "Who do you know, that you think I should know?" has been the most powerful question I've ever asked a successful person. Building a strong network opens doors to new opportunities and accelerates your career and personal growth. > *The Third Door* by Alex Banayan. The author's journey of networking with successful individuals, with insights into building meaningful connections. ## 9. Mindfulness Life after college does not get easier. Practicing mindfulness keeps you grounded, reducing stress and helping you focus on what truly matters in the present. > *Meditations* by Marcus Aurelius. A classic of Stoic philosophy, encouraging mindfulness and self-reflection. ## 10. Adaptability Technology is disrupting every aspect of our lives, and what we know today may not be relevant tomorrow. Being adaptable makes it easier to handle life's inevitable changes and thrive in uncertain environments. > *The Power of Now* by Eckhart Tolle. Living in the present moment, which aids in adapting to life's changes. --- By continually working on these 10 skills, anyone will not just survive, but thrive in this upcoming era of unlimited intelligence permeating every corner of society.skillsbook-recommendationsartificial-intelligencecareer-advicepersonal-developmentframeworkstopic:Education and Learningtopic:Personal Productivitytopic:AI and Autonomyera:synovaformat:guideBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/here-s-what-has-been-in-my-head-202411/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/here-s-what-has-been-in-my-head-202411/Here’s what has been in my head.Fri, 01 Nov 2024 00:00:00 GMTHere’s what has been in my head. Imagine waking up in a world where what you see and hear doesn’t match what you’re told is true. George Orwell, in 1984, wrote, “The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” This makes me wonder: how much of what we think is real is actually true? If things were different from what we believe, would we even notice? This question brings me to Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. In this story, prisoners are chained inside a cave, only able to see shadows on a wall in front of them. To them, these shadows are all that exists. But one prisoner breaks free and discovers a world beyond the cave, full of color and light. When he tries to share this discovery with the others, they don’t believe him and choose to stay in their world of shadows. It’s easier and safer to stick with what they know. Then there’s Flatland, where two-dimensional beings live on a flat surface, like paper. They can only move side to side, not up or down, never understanding what “up” really means. When a being from the third-dimension tries to explain a whole new direction to them, they can’t imagine it. To them, “up” doesn’t exist, it’s too strange and scary. All three stories, Orwell’s, Plato’s, and Flatland, ask the same question: How willing are we to question what we think is real? If the world is more complicated than what we see or hear, are we ready to wonder about it? And if a greater truth showed up, would we have the courage to face it, even if it changed everything we believe? These stories remind us that real understanding takes bravery. It means being curious, asking questions, and sometimes choosing the uncomfortable truth over easy beliefs. If there’s a world beyond shadows or a direction we can’t imagine, our job might be to look for it, starting by asking, “What could I be missing?” Maybe the biggest challenge isn’t just seeing things differently, but being willing to search for truth, even if it’s outside what we already know.worldshadowsthemtheyimaginerealera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/romes-echoes-in-modern-america/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/romes-echoes-in-modern-america/Nine economic, political, and cultural parallels between Rome's decline and the United States today. A thought exercise on what falls before nations fall.Sun, 06 Oct 2024 13:00:00 GMTI recently learned I wasn't alone in my obsession over the Roman Empire. Apparently a lot of men think daily about Rome. For those who are interested, here are some things to join me in pondering. The fall of Ancient Rome wasn't a single event. It was the result of gradual economic and societal breakdown. When we look at the United States today, there are interesting parallels that could point to tumultuous times ahead. ## Economic imbalances Rome's economy suffered from unsustainable taxation, rampant inflation, and reliance on state-controlled resources. In the United States we're seeing growing national debt, rising inflation, and economic inequality. Signs of an economy that's propped up by short-term fixes, rather than sustainable growth and innovation. ## Government overreach Rome's bureaucracy became bloated, inefficient, and corrupt, strangling the economy. Today, the increasing role of government in key sectors (healthcare, energy, finance) creates inefficiencies and stifles competition. Instead of fostering innovation, we're seeing resources diverted toward maintaining the status quo. ## Healthcare crisis As Rome declined, it lacked the infrastructure to maintain public health. In the United States, pharmaceutical monopolies and rising healthcare costs indicate a system where profit is prioritized over genuine health outcomes. Without competition to drive down costs and push innovation, we're left with a healthcare system that's unsustainable for the long term. ## Toxic consumption and brain health The Romans unknowingly poisoned themselves with lead, causing widespread neurological damage. Modern America is experiencing its own form of long-term self-destruction through sugar and processed foods. Excessive consumption has been linked to cognitive decline, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, conditions that are debilitating large portions of the population and placing enormous strain on the healthcare system. Just like lead, these substances are slowly eroding public health, albeit more subtly. ## Military expansion and costs Rome overextended itself militarily, draining resources that could have been invested in domestic growth. The United States, with its vast global military presence, faces similar challenges. Our focus on military spending diverts resources from critical areas like infrastructure, education, and innovation, areas where investment would yield more sustainable long-term benefits. ## Workforce development Rome's workforce relied on outdated systems, stifling economic progress. Today, the United States faces a skills gap, with an education system that's slow to adapt to the needs of the modern economy. We're underinvesting in human capital at a time when rapid technological change demands a highly skilled workforce. ## Artificial market distortions Rome's centralized economy prevented flexibility and stifled innovation. In the United States, government policies that prop up failing industries or create monopolies are similarly preventing the market from adjusting naturally. Instead of allowing innovation and market competition to drive growth, we're propping up inefficiencies that only delay necessary change. ## Social polarization and economic fractures Rome's internal divisions grew as economic inequality widened. The United States is increasingly polarized, and much of that division stems from economic disparities. Instead of creating an environment where opportunity is abundant, we're seeing a system that reinforces inequality and limits social mobility. ## Complacency and overconfidence Rome believed it was unshakable, until it wasn't. The United States faces a similar risk. We assume our global dominance will continue indefinitely, even as economic warning signs suggest otherwise. History shows that empires fall not when they are weakest, but when they fail to adapt to changing realities. --- The lessons from Rome are clear. When economies become unbalanced, innovation is stifled, and resources are misallocated, decline is inevitable. The United States has the capacity for growth and adaptation, but only if we recognize these underlying issues and move toward solutions that promote competition, innovation, and long-term sustainability. History rhymes, but it doesn't need to repeat.romehistoryeconomicsgovernmentamericadeclinelessonstopic:Historytopic:Economics and Marketstopic:Politics and Societyera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/i-m-a-long-time-advocate-of-not-going-to-college-202312/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/i-m-a-long-time-advocate-of-not-going-to-college-202312/I’m a long-time advocate of not going to college.Fri, 08 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMTI’m a long-time advocate of not going to college. I went to St Norbert College and it was a mistake. But back then a lot of folks were still apprehensive of paving your own path. And that was what we were “supposed to do” for our career.  But with YouTube, MOOC’s, and the rise of AI education, almost anything can be learned for free online. I wouldn’t want to be a college president right now. Because it would be similar to being the captain on the Titanic. Most of their efforts would be akin to rearranging the deck chairs after hitting the iceberg.collegetopic:Education and Learningera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/i-m-changing-my-view-on-an-ai-powered-future-in-a-positive-w-202310/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/i-m-changing-my-view-on-an-ai-powered-future-in-a-positive-w-202310/I’m changing my view on an AI-powered future… in a positive way!Fri, 06 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMTI’m changing my view on an AI-powered future… in a positive way!    If we can figure out human/AI alignment issues in the next year or two, we have a good chance of entering an era of technological prosperity. What changed? The rise of LMM’s. You may have heard of LLM’s, Large Language Models, which provide the brains of AI. But now, we’re starting to see Large Multimodal Models (LMM’s). These extend the brains of AI by being able to interact with the outside world. They can see, listen, and interpret the world. What’s does this mean? Lots! Manufacturing will improve immensely thanks to advanced QC, helpful robots will be accessible to most households, disabled people will be able to live normal-ish lives, science research will exponentially expand, healthcare will be able to diagnose issues better, etc. the list goes on and on with better innovations. While I’m now going to consider myself an AI Optimist, I still think we have important issues to work out, like jobs going away. But if society learns how to learn (and continuously re-learn), we should be able to adapt to this quickly changing world.modelsableissuesworldchanginglargetopic:AI and Autonomyera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/i-don-t-think-student-loans-should-be-forgiven-202310/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/i-don-t-think-student-loans-should-be-forgiven-202310/I don’t think student loans should be forgiven.Mon, 02 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMTI don’t think student loans should be forgiven. But I do think there are some common sense reforms which would be easy to implement:, Bankruptcy: Did you know student loans cannot be cleared in bankruptcy? This is an easy publicity win for politicians trying to improve the student loan system. (Side note: then Senator Joe Biden voted for this bill back in 2005.), Interest: Remove interest expenses on the loans. Not only does the government make it difficult to remove loans, they make it hard to repay them. Some people owe more in interest than the actual amount they borrowed. These two changes would be a huge leap forward for those struggling to exist in a world where they have mortgage-sized payments for an education which is probably already out-dated and unnecessary.studentloansinteresttheythinkeasytopic:Education and Learningera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/consumer-behavior-is-a-complex-tapestry-of-choices-and-prefe-202309/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/consumer-behavior-is-a-complex-tapestry-of-choices-and-prefe-202309/Consumer behavior is a complex tapestry of choices and preferences.Wed, 20 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMTConsumer behavior is a complex tapestry of choices and preferences. On one hand, there's a growing appreciation for local businesses. These are the places where personal touches matter, where artisans offer unique experiences rooted in authenticity. Conversely, mega-retailers like Walmart and chains like Starbucks dominate a significant portion of the market. Their success hinges on their ability to offer standardized products and services, ensuring reliability and consistency for their vast customer base. Now, the introduction of AI, particularly in sectors like food, is set to redefine these landscapes. The prospect of robots in kitchens isn't far-fetched. They promise efficiency and a level of consistency humans might find challenging to match. But this tech-driven evolution brings forth a critical question: What do consumers truly value? Will the precision and predictability of AI-powered services become the gold standard? Or will the intrinsic value of human touch and craftsmanship remain irreplaceable? As industries adjust and technology progresses, the ensuing consumer choices will shape the market's direction. The next phase in commerce awaits, defined by a balance between innovation and tradition.liketheirconsumerchoicesofferservicesera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/people-want-new-experiences-in-the-theater-and-on-streaming-202308/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/people-want-new-experiences-in-the-theater-and-on-streaming-202308/People want new experiences in the theater and on streaming platforms.Tue, 15 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMTPeople want new experiences in the theater and on streaming platforms. We see this through the major blockbuster flops of uninspired sequels and remakes. This is where generative AI will disrupt Hollywood. Where artificial actors, personalized scripts, and on-demand video generators will become more popular. These innovations are on the horizon at the same time writers and actors are on strike. So it seems Hollywood is doomed. What happens when a movie which once took thousands of people and $250 million to create… can be made for free with a high powered laptop?peoplehollywoodactorsera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/about-a-decade-ago-i-naively-believed-anyone-could-be-an-ent-202308/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/about-a-decade-ago-i-naively-believed-anyone-could-be-an-ent-202308/About a decade ago, I naively believed anyone could be an entrepreneur.Fri, 11 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMTAbout a decade ago, I naively believed anyone could be an entrepreneur. And consequently, I expended a lot of energy to get everyone I could to explore building their own business. Ultimately, I learned that most people do not have the desire or want to pursue a path which I viewed as life changing. And now, I’m getting the same vibes as I try to push people into embracing AI. The vast amount of organizations and people I’ve presented these AI concepts to are not embracing them. Maybe it’s a failure on my part, but I think it’s generally a flaw of human nature. That no matter how beneficial something may be for someone, they need to discover their own path. But unlike entrepreneurship, AI is not something to be ignored. It will consume everything and without re-skilling, hardly anyone will be immune.peopleanyonetheirpathembracingsomethingera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/as-with-everything-in-life-there-is-no-black-or-white-only-202308/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/as-with-everything-in-life-there-is-no-black-or-white-only-202308/As with everything in life, there is no black or white, only shades of grey.Tue, 01 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMTAs with everything in life, there is no black or white, only shades of grey. This spectrum holds true for our potential future too. Some say AI will usher in a utopia. Others say it’ll accelerate into a dystopia. But why must we accept a binary? Utopia literally means “no place” in Ancient Greek. And the concept of dystopia often is considered the antonym to utopia, though both share many of the same scenarios. So with that in mind, where is the grey zone of these “-topias” and how can AI help? Recently, Kevin Kelly introduced the concept of a protopia. And it’s worthy of consideration within these AI-based future scenarios. Essentially, a protopia is a scenario where today is better than yesterday. And this concept gives me great hope for the human race, because as AI infiltrates every aspect of our lives, eliminating our current way of life, there are many reasons to believe tomorrow will be better than today. A protopian future is possible.lifefutureutopiaconcepttheregreytopic:Personal Reflectionera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/prediction-by-2030-construction-workers-and-tradespeople-lik-202307/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/prediction-by-2030-construction-workers-and-tradespeople-lik-202307/Prediction by 2030: construction workers and tradespeople, like electricians and plumbers, will NOT work on new buildings.Tue, 18 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMTPrediction by 2030: construction workers and tradespeople, like electricians and plumbers, will NOT work on new buildings. Humans will only be needed for repairs and renovations to older buildings. As all new buildings will be built and maintained by robots. Because if a house can be 3D-printed and finished by robots, the buildings will also be designed to be repaired by robots too. For instance, have a plumbing leak in a new building? A robot could be dispatched instantly to fix the pipe, at no additional charge and without any delays.buildingsrobotsera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/there-will-come-a-time-when-most-assets-will-be-powered-by-202304/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/there-will-come-a-time-when-most-assets-will-be-powered-by-202304/There will come a time when most assets will be powered by crypto.Thu, 13 Apr 2023 00:00:00 GMTThere will come a time when most assets will be powered by crypto., Your house deed will be a token on a blockchain., Your insurance policy will be a smart contract on a blockchain., And many more assets: video game items, concert tickets, health records, etc. But the vast majority of folks won’t even know this is happening. It’s infrastructure and only a sliver of folks care about tech. Most people will simply have a digital wallet where all of these items live.blockchainassetsitemsfolkstopic:Technologyera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-new-milestone-up-ahead-for-ai-will-be-the-concept-of-202304/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-new-milestone-up-ahead-for-ai-will-be-the-concept-of-202304/The new milestone up ahead for AI will be the concept of artificial general intelligence (AGI).Sat, 08 Apr 2023 00:00:00 GMTThe new milestone up ahead for AI will be the concept of artificial general intelligence (AGI). Which basically means, the system is completely autonomous and can think for itself. If you’ve ever seen the movie “Her” with Joaquin Phoenix, the AI character played by Scarlett Johansson is a good example of an AGI. And so, the interesting thing about AGI, is the wide array of predictions of when it will emerge. I’ve heard in 5 years, I’ve heard in 20 years, and I’ve even heard: never! But in reality, with the rise of vector embeddings via Pinecone, interaction frameworks such as LangChain, and models like GPT-4… they are all accelerating this race to AGI faster than most realize. Personally, I wouldn’t be surprised if we have AGI by the end of 2023.heardyearsera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/when-the-history-books-are-written-about-this-era-of-the-ame-202304/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/when-the-history-books-are-written-about-this-era-of-the-ame-202304/When the history books are written about this era of the American Experiment.Tue, 04 Apr 2023 00:00:00 GMTWhen the history books are written about this era of the American Experiment. And how the United States followed in the steps of Ancient Rome. The fingers won’t solely be pointed at politicians, corporations, wealth gaps, or the growing list of divisive mindsets. The biggest reason our society is slipping into a dystopian nightmare, is because of mainstream media’s obsession with clicks and eyeballs. The search for the almighty advertising dollar by those who are highly influential, and should be impartial, distorts our vision of reality. These “news organizations” create and amplify narratives to benefit their bottom line. They appease their advertisers with puff pieces or hit pieces depending on the direction of the dollars. But there are ways for us to challenge this narrative. We have the ability to change the direction of our society before it’s too late. It is possible… How? Turn off the news we know is biased and divisive, learn to do research while reading headlines, and most importantly, get involved in society. We all can do our part to make the world a better place. And it starts by understanding the motives of others before believing what they say.societydivisivenewstheirtheypiecestopic:Politics and Societyera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/a-lot-of-negative-things-have-been-said-about-the-tech-secto-202303/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/a-lot-of-negative-things-have-been-said-about-the-tech-secto-202303/A lot of negative things have been said about the tech sector during last week's Silicon Valley Bank fiasco.Sat, 18 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMTA lot of negative things have been said about the tech sector during last week's Silicon Valley Bank fiasco. But the one thing these critics fail to acknowledge, is the tech sector is the greatest advocate for the poor and underserved. Mostly because the tech sector creates a deflationary economy. Let’s consider education… it once cost tens of thousands of dollars to get most good-paying jobs. And then YouTube was released, where anyone in the world with an internet connection can learn nearly anything, for free. Or, let’s consider communication… remember when long-distance calls, especially international calls, were reserved for only the rich or for special occasions? But then Skype was released, suddenly allowing anyone in the world to communicate with each other via video, basically for free. And there are many more examples of how technological innovations have driven consumer expenses to near zero. All in, by considering how the quality of life has been improved because of tech, it’s hard to complain that the USA must do everything it can to have a vibrant tech sector.techsectorbecauseconsiderreleasedanyonetopic:Technologyera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/we-ve-been-made-to-believe-journalism-is-something-done-by-s-202303/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/we-ve-been-made-to-believe-journalism-is-something-done-by-s-202303/We’ve been made to believe journalism is something done by specialists.Tue, 07 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMTWe’ve been made to believe journalism is something done by specialists. By folks who are paid by organizations to report the news. But that isn’t the true definition of journalism. Anyone can be a journalist. All it takes is a camera and to be in the right place at the right time. I believe this revival of citizen journalism is on the upswing. Because we see it all the time: photos of major events, videos of injustices, and interviews of witnesses. These can all now happen without news organizations’ involvement. And so, next time you see something you deem newsworthy, capture it. And most importantly, share it. Because you’re doing your part to maintain a well-informed public, which is the bedrock of democracy.journalismtimebelievesomethingorganizationsnewsera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/heres-something-to-think-about-on-this-day-of-love-202302/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/heres-something-to-think-about-on-this-day-of-love-202302/Here's something to think about on this day of love...Tue, 14 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMTHere's something to think about on this day of love... So we all know the vast majority of matchups these days happen via dating apps. But did you know, the vast majority of dating apps are owned by just a few companies? With that in mind, almost all future relationships will be created from algorithms crafted by a handful of people. And through filter bubbles and software developer biases, these algorithms determine who sees (or doesn’t see) potential mates. Carry this forward one generation… and most kids around the United States will be products of algorithms decided by a few developers. Happy Algorithm Day... I mean Valentines Day! lolalgorithmsknowvastmajoritydatingappsera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/me-ai-optimism-for-monday-while-it-s-fairly-obvious-that-mos-202301/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/me-ai-optimism-for-monday-while-it-s-fairly-obvious-that-mos-202301/me AI optimism for Monday… While it’s fairly obvious that most of our current job titles are going to be eliminated by AI and automation.Mon, 09 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMTSome AI optimism for Monday… While it’s fairly obvious that most of our current job titles are going to be eliminated by AI and automation. It’s not all bad. Because what is a job? It’s simply a set of tasks we do to solve problems. For instance, some people solve the challenges of accounting. Some people solve the challenges of writing. And some people solve the challenges of manufacturing. All three of these challenges are being solved in ways which will no longer involve humans. But in the process of solving these relatively mundane challenges, new problems will become apparent. From childcare and education to climate change and sustainability, we will always have problems to solve. This provides all of us an opportunity to re-skill and pursue bigger challenges. And to solve problems that’ll lead humanity into a new era of growth, prosperity, and abundance.solvechallengesproblemspeopleera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/twenty-years-ago-no-one-would-have-imagined-a-job-title-of-202212/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/twenty-years-ago-no-one-would-have-imagined-a-job-title-of-202212/Twenty years ago, no one would have imagined a job title of Social Media Manager.Thu, 29 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMTTwenty years ago, no one would have imagined a job title of Social Media Manager. But now, that role is nearly ubiquitous in the business world. Back in the 1980’s, a lot of these social media professionals would’ve instead worked at newspapers, magazines, or probably a factory. All roles eliminated by technology advances. The same is happening now with knowledge workers. Most white collar jobs will go away; attorneys, accountants, writers, researchers, customer support, and others. But I’m guessing there will be a hot new industry folks will want to explore. I haven’t seen much online about this, so I’m not sure what it’ll be called. Though if I had to name it, I’d say, Prompt Design. Here’s why… As artificial intelligence and robots get integrated throughout our lives, not everyone will have the skills to directly interact with these systems. So in the same way a lot of business owners don’t have the skills to manage their social media presence. They will also be looking for folks with the skills to write prompts into AI engines. btw, a prompt is the general term for the information given to an AI to perform a certain task. It could be as simple as “summarize this text” or as complex as “transform this data into ___ using linear regression mixed with ___ and visualize it with a 3D Feynman Diagram and output it into a PDF” These prompts are simple in concept, just like posting on a social network. But in practice, it gets incredibly challenging, quickly. This new role will become ubiquitous throughout the business world. And is an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in starting the re-skilling process. Though keep in mind, there will still be a couple of years before this is in high demand. But historically, this is the best time to get into the new industry. As early thought leaders have first-adopter advantage. Good luck, future prompt designers!businesssocialmediapromptskillsyearstopic:Entrepreneurshipera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/about-100-years-ago-lots-of-people-made-saddles-for-horses-202212/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/about-100-years-ago-lots-of-people-made-saddles-for-horses-202212/About 100 years ago, lots of people made saddles for horses.Mon, 26 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMTAbout 100 years ago, lots of people made saddles for horses. They would train and improve their skills as saddle makers. These saddle makers were experts at their craft. And even while the first automobiles hit the roads, they had decades of “job security” ahead of them. But over time, their skills became unnecessary. As the horseless-carriage made horses irrelevant for the average traveler. Fast forward to today… we are ALL saddle makers, diligently doing our craft, about to be irrelevant because of artificial intelligence.theirsaddlemakersmadehorsestheyera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-past-couple-of-years-has-been-a-quasi-experiment-into-un-202212/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-past-couple-of-years-has-been-a-quasi-experiment-into-un-202212/The past couple of years has been a quasi-experiment into Universal Basic Income (UBI).Sun, 18 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMTThe past couple of years has been a quasi-experiment into Universal Basic Income (UBI). And I’d say it failed spectacularly. If you recall my previous posts about UBI, the mainstream reasoning for the concept is to provide a foundation of financial support for those displaced because of technological changes, namely automation and artificial intelligence. Simultaneously, the world is just now reentering a period of normal jobs again, now that the world is opening back up after the pandemic. However, at the same time jobs would typically become available, we’re seeing them eliminated because of the quantum leaps in artificial intelligence and automation. This perfect storm is going to result in a drastically altered economic landscape. Where folks don’t have available jobs and the government doesn’t have the financial tools to provide for the jobless. Re-training wide swaths of people with the skills to outpace the developments in AI will be a losing battle. So buckle up folks, this decade is going to be a wild ride.automationintelligencejobsprovidefinancialbecausetopic:AI and Autonomyera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/there-was-a-time-when-we-all-shared-the-same-feeds-like-202212/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/there-was-a-time-when-we-all-shared-the-same-feeds-like-202212/There was a time when we all shared the same feeds, like CBS and the local newspaper.Fri, 09 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMTThere was a time when we all shared the same feeds, like CBS and the local newspaper. Everything we consumed was the same as everyone else. Now we all have our own personalized feeds, but still share the same content, like Facebook and TikTok. We all still have a chance to see the same viral videos and memes. But some day, we will all have our own personalized content. And it’ll be rare to share anything, including the same movie or book. All content; writing, audio, video, everything… will be tailored to our specific interests and preferences. No one will see the same content as anyone else. And those future people will look back at our era with wonderment for our “boring” times. Just like the way we now look back at the pre-internet, pre-cable television era when there was only one of three tv channels.contentliketherefeedseverythingelseera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/we-live-in-the-safest-period-in-human-history-202212/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/we-live-in-the-safest-period-in-human-history-202212/We live in the safest period in human history.Wed, 07 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMTWe live in the safest period in human history. Yet, if we turn on the tv or visit a news feed, we'd think it's the worst. This is because news organizations know the most powerful way to keep us tuned in: fear. But the funny thing about fear? It's just an evolutionary byproduct which kept our ancestors alive long enough to reproduce. Fear prevented our ancestors from getting too close to lions. Yet, now we let fear prevent us from living our best life. We fear our neighbors, we fear losing a job in a down economy, we fear doing bold things in business, and we fear stepping out into the unknown to achieve our goals. All while these feelings of fear are just trying to keep the reptilian brain safe from predators. No one deserves to live in fear. We all deserve better. So the next time we see a negative post, article, or video, we must remember their intent and reject their attempt to keep us trapped in fear.fearkeeplivenewsit'sancestorsera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/chasing-happiness-is-a-recipe-for-failure-202211/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/chasing-happiness-is-a-recipe-for-failure-202211/Chasing happiness is a recipe for failure.Tue, 29 Nov 2022 00:00:00 GMTChasing happiness is a recipe for failure. Because happiness comes from within. Some folks believe the next “thing” will finally be the magic solution to overcome unhappiness. During this chase, they may quit a good job, move away from a supportive community, end a loving relationship, burn bridges with valuable connections, or worse. All of this, of course, are external factors, masking the real reasons of unhappiness. However, looking inward is oftentimes painful. So it’s easier to look outward. To blame our external environment for our feelings. Because when we look inward, we uncover memories of past pain. Of past trauma. Of past hurt. And these memories can create the same (or worse) feelings as the day these events happened. But the funny thing about our memories is they are usually misremembered, or even false. And without a doubt, they no longer exist. Nostalgia makes the heart grow fond of our earlier, more simpler times. Even if those events weren’t as rosy and sunny as we may remember. And conversely, depression distorts our memories in destructive ways we rarely acknowledge. Usually rewriting our history, where good times turn into bad times. As Lao Tzu once wisely said, “If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the now.” Thus, we live in this delicate balance of memories and desires. We long for our simpler times while hoping the future fantasies come true. Unfortunately, our fantasies require us to cherry-pick a lifestyle which is unattainable. Fantasies require us to suspend reality and sabotage our present. And this sabotaging of our present creates this feedback loop of depression and anxiousness. It’s sad to see these struggles in those we love. We wish we could take their pain as our own. We want to wave a magical wand and make these feelings of unhappiness go away. However, reality isn’t that simple. Everyone must ultimately find their own happiness by conquering their inner demons. We all must face these battles on a daily basis, whether it’s a minor struggle or a major trauma, the journey towards happiness isn’t easy. Do I know the roadmap to discover internal happiness? No. But I do know it starts with mindfulness, meditation, and doing our best to live in the now. Personally, I fall back towards the concepts of Stoicism. That we all must look inward and accept reality as it is, not as we wish it to be. As Marcus Aurelius reminds us: “You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength… because the happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.”happinessmemoriespasttimesbecauseunhappinessera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/most-people-don-t-realize-that-society-is-controlled-by-prop-202211/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/most-people-don-t-realize-that-society-is-controlled-by-prop-202211/Most people don’t realize that society is controlled by propaganda.Fri, 25 Nov 2022 00:00:00 GMTMost people don’t realize that society is controlled by propaganda. Unfortunately, over the past couple of years, this has become very apparent to me. Many “disliked” aspects of our world, from nuclear energy to crypto, suffer from an onslaught of propaganda campaigns. But for this post, I’ll use crypto as an example… Though first, a quick background: I understand the crypto industry fairly well. Probably going as far to say, I understand it better than 99.9% of people. I’ve spent the majority of my life as a technologist, a futurist, and an armchair economist. Simply put, I research the crap out of things that interest me, like crypto. And so, when I see most of the criticisms of crypto, I shake my head. Because almost ALL of the crypto critiques are based around false information. And unfortunately people eat up the propaganda like candy. I know these regurgitated taking points about the industry are false. But folks love to share these tidbits, without doing any real research. As most are easily disputed and proven false. Yet, their followers then share their teaspoon of “new” knowledge, never realizing their ignorance and blind obedience to the propagandists. Thus, it makes me wonder… What else are people pushing which are directly from the mouths of propaganda creators? It’s never been easy to have ideas spread. True or false, if something is presented in a way people can easily digest, they won’t look deeper. They simply share, retweet, and comment on these topics. Ultimately doing the bidding of propagandists without ever realizing it. Because of these realizations over the years, I rarely take something at face value. I do the research from both sides of the topic. And make up my mind based on a wide array of datapoints. It’s not easy to stay on top of most topics, but it’s essential for us to know the truth. Whether we like to hear it or not. The mantra, “trust, but verify,” is a great roadmap to get started in overcoming the societal misconceptions created by propaganda. As I’m sure there are countless issues and topics which have been steamrolled by malicious people with ulterior motives. We need to stay on top of the truth. Personally, I’ve found my research skills improve over time. So while it may seem intimidating to thoroughly research something before committing it to memory or sharing the info, it gets quicker and easier. We must do the work to weed out the false information out there. Our ever growing complex society will require us to be well-informed. And it’s ok to say, “I’m not sure where this info originated from, so I’ll consider the opposing viewpoint by looking deeper.” Or better yet, “I don’t know, so I won’t share this.”cryptopeoplesocietypropagandaresearchfalsetopic:Technologytopic:Politics and Societyera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/boredom-is-a-relatively-new-first-world-problem-202208/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/boredom-is-a-relatively-new-first-world-problem-202208/Boredom is a relatively new, first-world problem.Tue, 16 Aug 2022 00:00:00 GMTBoredom is a relatively new, first-world problem. Because for the span of human history, there was too much to do, which prevented humans from becoming bored. So evolutionarily speaking, we don’t know how to cope with boredom. Thus, we find ways to fill periods of downtime with technology, namely video games, mindless TV, and social media. Which was fine until the algorithms took over. Now, we have millions of bored people endlessly scrolling feeds custom made just for them. With posts and ads uniquely designed to eliminate the boredom of each user, consequently forming habits and emotional demands for more and more content. Each new like or funny video further reinforces our dependency on social media to prevent us from that foreign feeling of boredom. But the algorithms have placed us within bubbles of our own creation, thanks to the constant feedback loop of likes and engagement: We engage with one post and the algorithms believe we should see similar posts, which we may also engage with, confirming to the algorithms to send even more similar posts our way. Soon, it’s all we see, until a new interest of ours is alerted to the algorithms. Consequently, our inability to handle boredom is creating dopamine-dependent prisons for us, designed to sell more ads and keep us in an endless loop of self-reinforcing beliefs.boredomalgorithmspostsboredvideosocialera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/here-s-a-tip-if-you-own-a-products-based-business-and-you-202206/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/here-s-a-tip-if-you-own-a-products-based-business-and-you-202206/Here’s a tip if you own a products based business and you sell via your website.Thu, 09 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMTHere’s a tip if you own a products based business and you sell via your website.  Don’t allow folks to leave reviews on your website. It’s fine when they review on Amazon or Home Depot or wherever. But why let a tiny minority of (usually ignorant) people tarnish your brand? Most bad reviews are either from people not understanding the product before buying or of something outside your company’s control like shipping delays. Here’s an exercise for you: Don’t think of a pink elephant. Are you thinking of a pink elephant? But I just told you not to think of one. Because the only way to not think of a pink elephant is to not mention it in the first place. Same with reviews, if you don’t present them on your website, most folks won’t look for them.websitereviewsthinkpinkelephanthereera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/questions-to-ask-ourselves-while-consuming-the-news-what-is-202202/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/questions-to-ask-ourselves-while-consuming-the-news-what-is-202202/Questions to ask ourselves while consuming the news: What is the political leaning of this publication?Fri, 18 Feb 2022 00:00:00 GMTQuestions to ask ourselves while consuming the news: What is the political leaning of this publication? What is the agenda of the creator? What information have they conveniently left out? What is the other side of the story? Because unfortunately, the hot pursuit for clicks and ad revenue has left us with niche publications focused on eyeball counts over unbiased reporting. And while we’ve always had agenda-based journalism, it’s only going to get more extreme as competition for attention heats up.whileleftera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/i-ve-been-thinking-about-a-weird-twist-of-fate-to-an-inevita-202201/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/i-ve-been-thinking-about-a-weird-twist-of-fate-to-an-inevita-202201/I’ve been thinking about a weird twist of fate to an inevitable outcome.Thu, 06 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMTI’ve been thinking about a weird twist of fate to an inevitable outcome. Read on to learn more: One of the most surprising results of the past couple years is The Great Resignation. As most of you know, I’m an advocate of pursuing your passions and to never settle for under-employment. I’ve also been an advocate of implementing robots and automation throughout our society. Which will free up our lifestyles from the mundane daily tasks which do no one any good. But because of the massive amount of people refusing to flip burgers and clean toilets, businesses are forced to find new ways to accomplish these tasks. Which, of course, routine tasks can easily be done by robots and/or software. So back to my surprising realization: I once thought businesses were going to replace employees with robots, purely from a profit motive. However, businesses now are scrambling to install robots because they can’t find workers. tl;dr, We all thought people would lose their jobs to robots, when instead, robots gained jobs because people no longer want the jobs.robotstasksbecausepeoplebusinessesjobsera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-cost-of-college-actively-hurts-innovation-in-the-usa-202111/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-cost-of-college-actively-hurts-innovation-in-the-usa-202111/The cost of college actively hurts innovation in the USA.Sun, 21 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMTThe cost of college actively hurts innovation in the USA. Why? Because there are countless unfollowed business ideas and inventions left in peoples’ dreams due to the mortgage-sized student loan debt payments each month. When someone has $100k in student loans and a family to feed, it would be absolutely terrifying to leave the security of a steady paycheck to explore the unknown. The cost of failure with unforgivable debt is too risky for most. And is a leading cause of destroying the American Dream.studentcostdebttopic:Education and Learningera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/if-society-collapsed-who-would-inherit-the-earth-202111/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/if-society-collapsed-who-would-inherit-the-earth-202111/If society collapsed, who would inherit the earth?Thu, 18 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMTIf society collapsed, who would inherit the earth? It would be those who can survive without Walmart. Namely, the hunter gatherers. And they say, history is written by the winners. So let’s fast forward 1,000 years after the collapse, what will be said of this era? Would future humans know anything about our current understanding of quantum mechanics, genetic biology, the internet? Or even simpler, what about sewers and roads? Given this thought experiment, how many civilizations have come and gone, in which we know nothing of their advancements in science, technology, engineering, math? There’s very little remaining structures from 1,000 years ago, let alone 10,000. Yet, there are mysterious remains all over the planet. From the jungles of the Amazon to the deserts of the Sahara. It’s fascinating to think about what was before our written history. What knowledge has been lost to time. And how many advanced civilizations we’ll never know existed those many millennia ago.historyknowwrittenyearscivilizationstheretopic:Historyera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/over-the-upcoming-months-and-years-youll-begin-to-hear-more-202110/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/over-the-upcoming-months-and-years-youll-begin-to-hear-more-202110/Over the upcoming months and...Thu, 28 Oct 2021 00:00:00 GMTOver the upcoming months and years, you'll begin to hear more and more about "Web3" or Web 3.0 This is the natural evolution of the internet and builds on top of Web 2.0 A quick refresher: Web 1.0 was basic websites hosted on your own server. Web 2.0 was logins and interactivity hosted in the cloud. So Web 3.0, by extension, will be blockchains and crypto built on decentralized servers. The key here is: decentralized. As the current cloud is incredibly centralized. And Big Tech runs ALL of Web 2.0 ... meaning they know everything, from your location to your likes. In other words, decentralized technologies will not be built by Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, or Google. Because by design, these are centralized companies. As much as Facebook and Big Tech will try to hijack the term Web3, do not believe anything built by Big Tech to be decentralized. The new Google's of Web3 will be DAO's (decentralized autonomous organizations) and many of the future dominating technologies are currently just small scrappy groups of coders right now. Decentralized technology is the future and will be the solution to many of society's problems brought on by Big Tech.techdecentralizedbuilthostedcloudcentralizedtopic:Technologyera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/to-build-a-personal-brand-and-a-loyal-audience-a-person-ofte-202110/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/to-build-a-personal-brand-and-a-loyal-audience-a-person-ofte-202110/To build a personal brand and a loyal audience, a person often needs to take a side on an issue.Sun, 17 Oct 2021 00:00:00 GMTTo build a personal brand and a loyal audience, a person often needs to take a side on an issue. This means they need to boldly declare their views as correct. And that the other side is wrong. The challenge with this approach, is any well-reasoned person knows there are always two sides to the story. That the middle ground is often the most accurate. Unfortunately, their audience doesn’t want a well-reasoned approach. The audience wants to hear their views reaffirmed back to them. In other words, people want confirmation of their beliefs. We see this with personal brands like Rachel Maddow and Ben Shapiro. Their views are extreme and don’t factor in the many nuances of a subject. This issue is further compounded by social media algorithms. We are all byproducts of filter bubbles and are mostly shown similar content to anything we’ve “liked” in the past. Because the days of everyone huddling around the TV to watch one of three channels are (thankfully) gone. This Cambrian Explosion of content has opened the eyes of many to the previously unseen issues in the world. We now have agency over what we consume. But most consumers don’t realize these content creators are simply pandering to their loyal audience and are not going to provide a reasoned analysis of the subject. And so, how do we overcome this phenomenon? I’m not sure. Though here’s what I do when I hear something that seems extreme: I consider the source, I Google the topic, and I try to find contrarian views. I know it’s a lot easier to just trust the headline. Unfortunately, we live in a world where we also need to verify. tl;dr Do your own research. Trust, but verify.theiraudienceviewscontentpersonalloyalera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/we-are-speeding-towards-a-future-where-everything-is-free-202109/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/we-are-speeding-towards-a-future-where-everything-is-free-202109/We are speeding towards a future where everything is free.Thu, 30 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMTWe are speeding towards a future where everything is free. Deflation is happening all around us. Think about it, what do we truly need to pay for anymore? If you’re willing to use a two year old iPhone, you can have a super computer in your pocket for FREE. If you’re willing to sit through ads, you can watch nearly any show/movie ever created for FREE. If you’re willing to share your personal data, you can have nearly any software (maps, docs, email, etc) for FREE. If you’re willing to make some compromises on products, brands, timelines, and privacy… many of the once-expensive aspects of life is now FREE.freewillingnearlyera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/did-you-know-that-many-of-the-products-on-amazon-are-actuall-202109/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/did-you-know-that-many-of-the-products-on-amazon-are-actuall-202109/Did you know that many of the products on Amazon are actually from Alibaba in China?Mon, 06 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMTDid you know that many of the products on Amazon are actually from Alibaba in China? A growing trend is called Fulfilled By Amazon (FBA) and consists of people shopping on Alibaba, buying in bulk, and having it shipped directly from China to Amazon’s warehouse. The seller never sees or handles the product. Instead, Amazon packages and ships the products directly to the buyer. This is why you’ll see many of the same products with various brand names or bundles. They are all from the same source in China, just different FBA seller accounts.amazonproductschinaalibabadirectlysellerera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/here-s-something-to-ponder-technology-has-continued-to-drive-202106/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/here-s-something-to-ponder-technology-has-continued-to-drive-202106/Here’s something to ponder… Technology has continued to drive down prices of nearly everything.Mon, 14 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMTHere’s something to ponder… Technology has continued to drive down prices of nearly everything. For example, the cost to travel coast to coast is a fraction of what it was 100 years ago. Or more strikingly, cell phone providers basically give away the 2-year-old iPhone with a basic plan. The term for this concept is called deflation. And technology and capitalism (through competition) continually cause prices to fall. But what do you hear about more? Inflation. We are told prices always go up, that the value of the dollar is worth less today than it was yesterday. And in general, it’s basically a tax on anyone holding fiat currencies long-term. However, if we go deeper into what inflates, we find assets like houses and stocks, as well as, services like healthcare and education. What do these have in common? One thing: government intervention. These industries can keep their prices high because the vast majority of their revenue ultimately comes from government subsidies, government backed loans, and other governmental programs. For instance, houses are backed by mortgages, backed by banks, backed by the government. The stock market is propped up by The Fed’s support, through endless stimulus. Healthcare knows the insurance companies will financially support most of their customers and if not, the government can always step in with additional assistance. And higher education institutions raise their rates every year because they know that Uncle Sam will be providing the loans to (naïve) 18 year old kids hoping for a better career. So with all that said, what would happen if the “free markets” didn’t have unlimited access to newly printed Greenbacks? And can we truly call them “free markets” if the government selectively chooses what industries and sectors it helps? The world’s economy, (because of technological advances), is massively deflationary. Unfortunately, the government has created a hidden tax on all of us, called inflation.governmenttechnologyinflationeducationmarketspricestopic:Economics and Marketstopic:Politics and Societytopic:Technologyera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/having-a-job-is-a-relatively-new-concept-in-human-history-202103/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/having-a-job-is-a-relatively-new-concept-in-human-history-202103/Having a job is a relatively new concept in human history.Tue, 09 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMTHaving a job is a relatively new concept in human history. Prior to the industrial revolution, many people spent their entire day obtaining resources through farming, trading, hunting, etc. And for millennia, humans never thought life would be different. So why must the concept of a job persist in the upcoming era of unlimited abundance? Robots, artificial intelligence, 3D printers, drones, and other upcoming technology is about to create a Cambrian Explosion of new ways of life. These technologies will also result in a deflationary economy, where nearly everything is free. And while it may seem like a foreign concept, not everyone will have a job. Many will be able to pursue life trajectories drastically different than what we can comprehend right now. And those of us who want to live above the baseline, we will create jobs to obtain additional resources. But a job will no longer be a requirement for survival.lifeconceptresourcesdifferentupcomingcreatetopic:Personal Reflectionera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/if-someone-relies-on-facebook-to-deliver-their-news-they-are-202102/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/if-someone-relies-on-facebook-to-deliver-their-news-they-are-202102/If someone relies on Facebook to deliver their news, they are only receiving content the algorithm believes will increase that person’s engagement with...Sat, 27 Feb 2021 00:00:00 GMTIf someone relies on Facebook to deliver their news, they are only receiving content the algorithm believes will increase that person’s engagement with the post. In other words, we are only shown stuff that computer code wants us to see. It’s a filter bubble based on our prior likes and actions, deepening the divide in what our neighbors, family members, and us may know about current affairs. There are parts of the world where the people call the internet “Facebook” because it’s all they use. And these people are now unknowingly trapped in a filter bubble designed to keep them scrolling past ads.facebooktheyfilterbubblepeopleera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/i-feel-like-people-are-seriously-underestimating-how-much-th-202102/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/i-feel-like-people-are-seriously-underestimating-how-much-th-202102/I feel like people are seriously underestimating how much the world will change this decade.Wed, 24 Feb 2021 00:00:00 GMTI feel like people are seriously underestimating how much the world will change this decade. Artificial intelligence is evolving at such a rapid pace, governments and legacy organizations won’t keep up. Our only hope is the companies in the USA remain the dominant players in the industry. And if there were ever an argument FOR the big tech monopolies, it would be on the grounds of national security in regards to AI development. Whoever wins the race, wins nearly everything else.winsera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/research-and-reflection-leading-to-independent-thoughts-seem-202102/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/research-and-reflection-leading-to-independent-thoughts-seem-202102/Research and reflection leading to independent thoughts seems to be increasingly rare.Sun, 14 Feb 2021 00:00:00 GMTResearch and reflection leading to independent thoughts seems to be increasingly rare. Society wants talking heads on broadcast news stations to tell us all what to think and believe through biased opinions. Which is leading to bubbles of beliefs. Conversely, there are no boxes filled with constraining perspectives by open minded, independent thinkers. All topics and talking points are on a spectrum. Hardly anything is on the extremes. Rather, almost everything is within one or two standard deviations of the mean.leadingindependenttalkingera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/want-to-know-one-of-the-root-sources-for-society-s-problems-202101/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/want-to-know-one-of-the-root-sources-for-society-s-problems-202101/Want to know one of the root sources for society’s problems?Sun, 03 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMTWant to know one of the root sources for society’s problems?  This graph shows how much the Federal Reserve has devalued our hard-earned US Dollars. And every time the Fed prints more money (à la stimulus), the value drops even more. Besides the obvious, here’s why it’s a problem: The buying power of the dollar has dropped while wages have stayed constant. This means minimum wage workers and the middle class continue to lose its ability to function in society. When the American Dream of owning a home with a white picket fence continues to slip through peoples’ fingers, it causes a feedback loop of disappointment and despair. This problem is masked by the continued advancements in manufacturing and technology, keeping the prices of consumer goods low. Which manipulates the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the main measure of inflation within the economy. Because as goods get commoditized, the average person can buy pretty amazing products, like TV’s and TV dinners, for dirt cheap. But is this the best gauge of the economy? I’m not so sure. At the same time, hard assets like stocks and real estate are becoming dramatically more expensive. So a share of Tesla or that house in a good school district is quickly becoming unattainable for most Americans. And so, back to the topic at hand. With the endless money printing by the Fed, these trends are only going to speed up in an exponential wealth transfer. The middle class is disappearing and the American Dream is dying. It’s happening in real time and not many are paying attention. What are we to do? Start businesses, buy assets, and continue to educate ourselves. ps. Massive wealth gaps are hypothesized as a leading reason the Roman Empire fell.societyeconomytimemoneyproblemmiddletopic:Politics and Societytopic:Economics and Marketsera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/having-meditated-for-the-past-decade-and-having-studied-quan-202012/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/having-meditated-for-the-past-decade-and-having-studied-quan-202012/Having meditated for the past decade and having studied quantum mechanics pretty deeply, I believe the physical reality we observe is created in our mind.Sun, 13 Dec 2020 00:00:00 GMTHaving meditated for the past decade and having studied quantum mechanics pretty deeply, I believe the physical reality we observe is created in our mind. Had we evolved different senses or alternative ways to store our perceptions as memories, the world we interact with would be drastically different. But because our reality is defined in the same place as our consciousness, we cannot remove ourselves from our perceived world views. Think of the old parable of the fish in water by David Foster Wallace: “There are two young fish swimming along who happen to meet an older fish. The older fish nods at them and says: ‘Morning boys, how’s the water?’ The two young fish swim on for a bit and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and asks: ‘What the hell is water?’” This illustrates my point about reality perfectly. And is something meditation and mindfulness brings about after many years. We define our reality.fishrealitywaterhavingdifferentworldera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/imagine-two-boats-on-a-large-lake-202010/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/imagine-two-boats-on-a-large-lake-202010/Imagine two boats on a large lake.Sat, 31 Oct 2020 00:00:00 GMTImagine two boats on a large lake. They start out going in the same direction, completely parallel. Now imagine one of the boats turns the wheel just a bit away from the other boat. At first, this slight angle isn’t noticed. They could go a long way without noticing the boats are starting to move apart from each other. But after a few miles, these boats really start moving away from each other. And by mile four or five, it is almost unrecognizable that they once were right next to each other. Now let’s imagine the boats are filled with passengers of all ages and precious cargo which can’t handle much turbulence. So if the two boats want to come back together, it’s unlikely a sharp turn will happen, as the passengers will be thrown around the boat. So the only solution to safely bring these two boats together is a slight turn back towards the other boat. They won’t come back together right away, but just as they gradually departed, they gradually get closer and closer. After a couple more miles of this revised course, they are finally back traveling in parallel and have safely come together. Yay! If you haven’t guessed the analogy by now, these two boats are representative of society. Wherein our divisions happened long ago and only now are they becoming more and more apparent. And so, as a nation, we must all slowly do our part to turn the boats back towards one another. Drastic shifts are dangerous, instead every small action to bring people together is the safest way to connect society again. It starts with every one of our daily actions, every act of kindness, every compliment, every time we show compassion to others... this is the way to bring the boats back together. ❤ 🇺🇸 ❤boatstheybacktogethersocietyeverytopic:Politics and Societyera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/imagine-if-everyone-in-the-usa-had-a-secret-code-that-1-202008/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/imagine-if-everyone-in-the-usa-had-a-secret-code-that-1-202008/Imagine if everyone in the USA had a secret code that: 1.Sun, 23 Aug 2020 00:00:00 GMTImagine if everyone in the USA had a secret code that: 1. Was used as an identification number AND password in many government systems. 2. Could only be changed through a very difficult and complicated process. 3. Was widely stored throughout countless banking, insurance, accounting, school, government, and employer databases. 4. Easily accessible by most employees of said organizations. 5. And if found by the wrong person, could lead to personal and financial ruin. That would be crazy right? Well, I just described our social security number. The USA needs to have progression towards more advanced systems or we are going to become a lot more vulnerable to cyber attacks.governmentnumbersystemstopic:Politics and Societyera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/i-don-t-think-most-people-realize-how-quick-ai-and-robotics-202007/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/i-don-t-think-most-people-realize-how-quick-ai-and-robotics-202007/I don’t think most people realize how quick AI and robotics are advancing.Sun, 19 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMTI don’t think most people realize how quick AI and robotics are advancing. Most current jobs will be gone soon. But there’s hope, you only need three skills to stay relevant: 1) creativity 2) communication 3) work well with tech Without all three of these, there will be very little opportunities to earn a living. And livelihoods will be dependent on what the government provides, through something like Universal Basic Income (UBI). But with these three skills, there will be a world of abundance available. New business models and job roles will be created for those who can provide value in this new economy.therethreeskillsera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/i-have-a-tip-for-you-to-potentially-save-thousands-of-dollar-202007/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/i-have-a-tip-for-you-to-potentially-save-thousands-of-dollar-202007/I have a tip for you to potentially save thousands of dollars a year...Tue, 07 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMTI have a tip for you to potentially save thousands of dollars a year... Scan through your credit card charges for any subscription services you don't use anymore, e.g. Hulu, Internet add-ons, magazines, services, etc. It usually takes seconds to cancel. Though you may need to call for some, (I just sat on hold with SpectrumTV for 30 minutes but it saved us $480/year). Here's a sample calculation: 10 different subscriptions x $15 a month on average $1,800 in your pocket each year 🥳yearservicesera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/it-s-interesting-to-me-how-people-take-direct-quotes-and-usu-202005/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/it-s-interesting-to-me-how-people-take-direct-quotes-and-usu-202005/It’s interesting to me how people take direct quotes and, usually out of context, add subjective words to them.Sat, 23 May 2020 00:00:00 GMTIt’s interesting to me how people take direct quotes and, usually out of context, add subjective words to them. These subjective quotes are then interpreted into bite-sized headlines and spread as news. Which are then further interpreted and spread as social media commentary. And all of a sudden, our collective knowledge around a subject isn’t based on truth, but rather a fuzzy memory of an interpretation of an interpretation of an event. For instance, a few weeks ago I watched the press conference where Trump mentioned the now infamous quote around injecting disinfectants. Instantly, the social web lit up with articles, jokes, and controversy around his comments. Many articles mention things like injecting bleach. And then folks on social media start talking about drinking Clorox. But that’s not what he said. Here’s what the actual quote was: “And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning, because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it’d be interesting to check that, so that you’re going to have to use medical doctors with, but it sounds interesting to me.” No where did he mention bleach or Clorox. But if you ask most people about this quote, they’ll quote the misquotes. Personally, I think it’s dangerous to brainstorm life-altering medical procedures in front of the entire world. But in general, people like Trump need to be more aware of this phenomenon for twisted quotes of quotes and be more selective with their words. Though, ultimately, it is the fault of the people who misquote sources. Anyway, the lesson in all of this? Don’t blindly trust folks who offer interpretations, rather if it’s important, go directly to the source.medicalpeoplequotesquoteinterestingsocialtopic:Health and Wellnessera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/keeping-things-in-perspective-202003/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/keeping-things-in-perspective-202003/Keeping things in perspective...Sun, 22 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMTKeeping things in perspective... Just because we see a picture of something like an empty store shelf online, it doesn't mean the global food supply is drying up. The picture only means that one shelf, at that given time, was not stocked with products. It's very easy to get overwhelmed and anxious right now. But now is the time to have hope. Because there are a lot of smart people doing very generous things right now. Things will get worse before they get better. But we will make it through these wild times. All together!thingsbecausepictureshelftimerightera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/me-people-think-the-world-is-ending-202003/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/me-people-think-the-world-is-ending-202003/me people think the world is ending.Fri, 13 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMTSome people think the world is ending. Some people think nothing about their daily lives should change.  The truth is, we’ll mostly all make it through these strange days unscathed. But in order to do so, we need to work together. Let’s care about the well-being of our neighbors. Of the employees who are missing income. Of the small business owners losing revenue. And of those about to lose much more. We’re on the cusp of some very hard times. But together, we can make it a little easier. If you’re at the store and there’s only two left of something, grab only one. Or maybe consider leaving both for those more in need. If you’re not feeling well, don’t risk it. Keep your distance from others. If you’re scared or feeling alone. Reach out to others, chances are they are feeling the same thing. We WILL make it through these challenges. With the silver lining hopefully being a slightly more sanitary world. Where people have formed the habits of sneezing into the crook of their elbow. Where people actually wash their hands on a regular basis. Where public spaces are cleaned more vigorously. And where detractors finally see the value of an improved healthcare system for all people.peopletheirmakefeelingthinkworldera:synovaformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/when-i-try-to-control-an-apple-device-via-hey-siri-about-201912/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/when-i-try-to-control-an-apple-device-via-hey-siri-about-201912/When I try to control an Apple device via "Hey Siri" about 5 different devices fire up before the one I want to control 🤷‍♂️ In a perfect world, we'd...Thu, 19 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMTWhen I try to control an Apple device via "Hey Siri" about 5 different devices fire up before the one I want to control 🤷♂ In a perfect world, we'd be able to name each device. But if we didn't say "Siri" it would completely devalue the service. Because functionally, there's really no difference between Siri, Alexa, Google, and others. They all play music, set alarms, etc. Pretty amazing that voice control is essentially a commodity holding onto only one word (its name) to survive.controlsiridevicenameera:sitecastformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/i-was-the-keynote-speaker-for-uw-stevens-point-s-steam-scien-201905/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/i-was-the-keynote-speaker-for-uw-stevens-point-s-steam-scien-201905/I was the keynote speaker for UW Stevens Point’s STEAM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Art, and Math) day.Sat, 04 May 2019 00:00:00 GMTYesterday I was the keynote speaker for UW Stevens Point’s STEAM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Art, and Math) day.  Spoke to 150 seventh and eighth graders about my experiences in technology. And focused on three main areas: challenges, mindset, and success. In school, we are told failure is bad, but when doing big things, failures are simply learning lessons. Fears once allowed our ancestors to carry-on the human race, now they just hold people back from their full potential. Understanding goals and habits are key to pursuing AND achieving their dreams. And to discover success, they must never stop learning. Set big goals and take massive action to achieve them. Don’t let classmates, family, friends, or even teachers tell them their goals aren’t achievable. Anything is possible with the correct amount of positive energy focused on achieving their goals. After the talk, Rubie and I taught a couple classes to the students on how to code their first website. Was a fun day at Treehaven.goalslearningtheirfocusedsuccesstheytopic:Personal Productivitytopic:Education and Learningera:sitecastformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/i-spoke-with-the-entire-5th-grade-at-the-av-w-elementary-sch-201904/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/i-spoke-with-the-entire-5th-grade-at-the-av-w-elementary-sch-201904/I spoke with the entire 5th grade at the AV-W elementary school today about business.Wed, 10 Apr 2019 00:00:00 GMTI spoke with the entire 5th grade at the AV-W elementary school today about business. They are doing a shark tank style project where they are building business plans, prototypes, and presenting them later this year. During the presentation they asked me a bunch of questions, during which I made sure to mention: - Fear is natural but let it push you forward instead of hold you back. - Always try new things. If they do want to start a business, look within their passions and find a problem. Solve the problem. If it doesn't work out, try something else. Don't just give up. Mastery is a long road. - Failure is ok as long as you learn from it... sometimes it's even the best outcome when trying new things. - Get mentors, there's all sorts of people who have already done so much and a willing to give them the roadmap. And answered many more questions about how apps make money, what apps I've built, and all sorts of cute questions about software. It was entertaining. (I also informed them websites are apps 🤯) Their questions were very intelligent and they really impressed me. Kids these days are so smart!businesstheyquestionsthemappsduringtopic:Entrepreneurshipera:sitecastformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/my-prediction-on-the-future-of-cable-tv-201903/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/my-prediction-on-the-future-of-cable-tv-201903/My prediction on the future of cable tv...Wed, 20 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMTMy prediction on the future of cable tv... First, to set the stage for this prediction, a few realities: 1. There are more and more video consumers “cutting the cord” on Cable TV. Meaning they are choosing the internet for video vs traditional cable boxes. 2. The days of a family huddled around a TV in the living room are dying. People all have very unique tastes in genres. And tablets / phones / laptops are great ways to consume personalized content. This spells disaster for traditional cable DVR’s. 3. Also, keep in mind, kids these days are more happy to watch someone play a video game on something like Twitch or YouTube than a scripted detective show about a murder. 4. Streaming video services, like Netflix, will continue to lose their third-party licensed content, like Marvel, and rely more heavily on its own content, like Stranger Things. What you’ll begin to see are companies who own a ton of content will begin to create their own premium streaming services. Some of these streaming services still require a cable tv subscription, like AMC. Mostly because of contracts. But those with stronger positions in the market, like Disney, can begin to charge for the content independently. The days of cutting the cord (on TV) was a panacea promised by streaming services. But now we will all subscribe to 5-10 different services, e.g. Netflix, STARZ, HBO, Disney, ESPN, Twitch, etc. Suddenly the convenience of cutting the cable tv cord becomes 10 different bills we have to pay each month. So here’s the prediction: after a few years of multiple streaming services cluttering up our credit card statements, we will see a service promising to wrap all the services into one offering. This service combining all streaming services will be a virtual replica of the cable tv box everyone initially ran away from. The circle of life will be complete.servicescablelikestreamingcontentvideoera:sitecastformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/thought-experiment-imagine-you-are-1-riding-in-a-driverless-201812/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/thought-experiment-imagine-you-are-1-riding-in-a-driverless-201812/Thought experiment: Imagine you are 1) riding in a driverless car, 2) there are a lot of people around you, and 3) you’re about to crash.Sun, 30 Dec 2018 00:00:00 GMTThought experiment:  Imagine you are 1) riding in a driverless car, 2) there are a lot of people around you, and 3) you’re about to crash. How does the car decide who dies in the car crash? http://news.mit.edu/2018/how-autonomous-vehicles-programmed-1024 If you’re familiar with the trolley-problem in philosophy, it’s quite similar. Do you save one person you know or save five people you don’t know? But this time, does the car save its occupants, the baby in the stroller, or the crowd of people? Automation and artificial intelligence has a lot of unsolved ethical challenges ahead. #automationautomationpeoplesavecrashknowtopic:AI and Autonomyera:sitecastformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/incredibly-honored-to-have-served-as-a-guardian-for-the-vete-201810/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/incredibly-honored-to-have-served-as-a-guardian-for-the-vete-201810/Incredibly honored to have served as a Guardian for the veterans of the Never Forgotten Honors Flight to Washington DC.Mon, 15 Oct 2018 00:00:00 GMTIncredibly honored to have served as a Guardian for the veterans of the Never Forgotten Honors Flight to Washington DC.                I assisted my father, Chuck, along with 101 Vietnam Veterans, 2 Korean Veterans, & 1 WWII veteran, on a wonderful trip around the National Mall. My Dad served in the Marine Corps in the Sixties as an avionics instructor working on A4 Skyhawks. He volunteered for the Vietnam War in 67-68. During this week’s Honor Flight experience, he and the other Vietnam veterans finally got the warm recognition they never received when they originally arrived home from the Vietnam War. Highlights: We received a presidential police escort throughout the airport, the National Mall, and DC. The lead motorcycle cop was fearless. He blocked highway traffic as we passed, had us going down the opposite sides of the street, and we cruised non-stop through downtown rush hour traffic. I cannot express in words how entertaining it was. We witnessed the changing of the guard, along with a special wreath ceremony for dignitaries, at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. We found a few names of soldiers my Dad knew on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. Incredibly heartbreaking to see how many people gave the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam War. We visited the Marines Corps War Memorial and captured great photos of the raising of the flag at the Battle of Iwo Jima statue. Truly epic statue which towers over the park. Overall, this experience in DC is something my Dad and I will never forget. Thank you for your service to our country, Dad!vietnamexperienceveteransnevernationalincrediblytopic:Personal Reflectionera:sitecastformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/honeymoon-was-a-success-201809/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/honeymoon-was-a-success-201809/Honeymoon was a success.Thu, 06 Sep 2018 00:00:00 GMTHoneymoon was a success. Backpacked and camped around Isle Royale National Park. A 55 mile ferry ride brought us to this remote and massive island in Lake Superior.             Keeping each other alive while exploring the solitude the island has to offer was the absolute best way to do a honeymoon. Carried in most of what we ate, boiled water when camping backcountry, and hiked many miles of rugged terrain. There are over 1,500 moose on the island and a few nights they visited our campsites. We could hear them drinking from the lake, eating plants, and even rubbing the velvet off their antlers. It was scary but exhilarating trying to sleep while listening to them explore our campsite. Moose are ginormous. The one calf (baby) we saw was larger than an adult white-tailed deer. They are very stealthy and blend right into their surroundings. I wonder how many we walked past without seeing. A park ranger told us Isle Royale is the least visited, but most returned to, national park. This island gets as many visitors in a YEAR as Yosemite gets in a DAY. We will definitely be back and we recommend everyone to visit this wilderness paradise. Especially with your loved one. Just be sure to bring a water filter, a lightweight backpack, and your endless curiosity to explore.islandparkhoneymoonisleroyalenationalera:sitecastformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/fun-fact-six-years-ago-i-lived-for-3-months-in-various-201802/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/fun-fact-six-years-ago-i-lived-for-3-months-in-various-201802/Fun fact: Six years ago I lived for 3 months in various hotels on the Las Vegas strip.Tue, 06 Feb 2018 00:00:00 GMTFun fact:  Six years ago I lived for 3 months in various hotels on the Las Vegas strip. Went out there for the Super Bowl... stayed through March Madness. The sportbooks in Vegas are spectacular! Why various hotels, you ask? Because I learned the hard way that there is a law in Nevada stating you can only spend 28 days in a hotel before you are considered a resident. So I had to bounce from hotel to hotel. Fun times as a digital nomad :)hotelvarioushotelsvegasthereera:sitecastformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-us-congress-repealed-internet-privacy-protections-allowi-201703/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-us-congress-repealed-internet-privacy-protections-allowi-201703/The US Congress repealed internet privacy protections, allowing ISP's to sell your browsing data.Tue, 28 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMTThe US Congress repealed internet privacy protections, allowing ISP's to sell your browsing data. If you're a website user, be sure to only use sites with https in the URL. This means ISP's will only see generic information about your visit. Without https, the ISP's can see EVERYTHING about your usage. And sell it to the highest bidder. If you own a website, please install an SSL certificate. This will encrypt all data sent between your visitors and your server. Without SSL, the ISP's can see EVERYTHING about your visitors. And sell it to the highest bidder. Encryption is our friend. But ISP's? Not so much. p.s. Install a VPN, use Tor, and never forget you will be watched forevermore.isp'sselldatawebsitehttpswithoutera:sitecastformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/ive-spent-a-lot-of-time-worrying-about-internet-security-cyb-201703/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/ive-spent-a-lot-of-time-worrying-about-internet-security-cyb-201703/I've spent a lot of time worrying about Internet security, cyber warfare, and the fate of our fragile technological society.Thu, 23 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMTI've spent a lot of time worrying about Internet security, cyber warfare, and the fate of our fragile technological society. Here's why I'm seeing hope: There's a rapidly evolving technology called Machine Learning. It's the precursor to AI (and the foundation of my software company). And with ML, we mere humans can feed a computer (the machine) with a bunch of data to process, allowing it to make probabilities and determinations (learn). With cyber warfare, our systems are continually getting attacked. While in the short run these attacks mean emails get leaked, passwords hacked, and credit cards stolen. But in the long run, these attacks offer plenty of data for our defense systems to continually learn. Making them smarter and smarter. Consequently, it will become harder and harder to achieve a successful cyber attack. A new hope.cyberwarfarehopemachinedatalearnera:sitecastformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/our-technological-security-the-cyber-is-about-to-disappear-201611/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/our-technological-security-the-cyber-is-about-to-disappear-201611/Our technological security ("the cyber") is about to disappear.Wed, 09 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMTOur technological security ("the cyber") is about to disappear. Here's my thoughts on protecting yourself: -- Use Tor for browsing the Internet. -- Only visit https domains. -- Use a VPN for masking your traffic. -- Always update your devices immediately. -- Use two-factor authentication. -- Encryption is a good thing - contrary to what you've heard. -- Use a password manager. -- Never reuse a password. -- Use Signal for messaging. -- Cover your webcam and disable your mic. -- Use only authentic cables to connect devices. -- Never plug any unknown USB flash drive into your computer. -- Use Little Snitch to monitor network requests. -- DO NOT trust the big companies like Facebook and Google. They must comply with government requests for information. The last 16 years we gave the government unprecedented access to our devices and internet usage. We thought they would have our best interests in mind. But now we have a squad of scared idiots with full access to everything we search, see, and say on the Internet. I'm honestly afraid of even sharing this post.internetgovernmentdevicespasswordneverrequeststopic:Technologytopic:Politics and Societyera:sitecastformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-medical-system-is-incredible-201602/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-medical-system-is-incredible-201602/The medical system is incredible.Tue, 16 Feb 2016 00:00:00 GMTThe medical system is incredible. Out of curiosity I called my primary clinic back home to find out my blood type. Here is the abbreviated conversation: Me: I'd like to know my blood type. Clinic: You need to come in for a test. M: Isn't it in my files? C: But you have a lot of pages here and it'd take to long to find it. M: Can I see the pages? C: No, you can look at them while you're here. M: I can't see any of my records? C: You can request to see individual records. M: How do I do that? C: I can fax you a permission form. M: Fax? ... *gives up hope*hereclinicfindbloodtypepagesera:sitecastformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/when-was-the-last-time-you-downloaded-an-application-onto-yo-201408/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/when-was-the-last-time-you-downloaded-an-application-onto-yo-201408/When was the last time you downloaded an application onto your personal computer?Tue, 26 Aug 2014 00:00:00 GMTWhen was the last time you downloaded an application onto your personal computer? Probably not in a long while. If you're like me you open a web browser and access anything you need via the Internet. This is inevitable for mobile devices. Applications - or as Steve Jobs wisely renamed them 'apps' - on a phone are bound for the same demise. As a result, app stores and the need to download apps will soon be nostalgia. But just as applications on the PC were popular for decades, native apps currently have a stronghold on mobile devices because they allow for more functionality and interactivity. So here's my native vs web prediction: As mobile web browsers improve and bandwidth increases - just as our desktop experience improved - web apps will win the war. Long live HTML, long live the web!appslongmobileneeddevicesapplicationsera:sitecastformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/after-a-5-year-love-affair-endless-good-times-while-travelin-201408/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/after-a-5-year-love-affair-endless-good-times-while-travelin-201408/After a 5 year love affair, endless good times while traveling, and countless digital badges which made me feel special, I'm sad to say...Fri, 22 Aug 2014 00:00:00 GMTAfter a 5 year love affair, endless good times while traveling, and countless digital badges which made me feel special, I'm sad to say... Foursquare? You're dead to me. Why must you split into two apps. I can't date both of you.... Swarm: If I check into one place, then want to find more information, I cannot. Foursquare: If I find a cool place to visit and want to document my visit, I cannot. Why can't you two coexist? Until your overlords bring back my badges, we're officially over. Sincerely, Brad Gauthierbadgesfoursquarecan'tplacewantfindera:sitecastformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/are-you-a-fan-of-proper-spelling-grammar-201405/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/are-you-a-fan-of-proper-spelling-grammar-201405/Are you a fan of proper spelling/grammar?Thu, 08 May 2014 00:00:00 GMTAre you a fan of proper spelling/grammar? If you look at the history and evolution of language - from its Germanic roots through Old & Middle English into today's rules defined by Oxford, et al. - there's one common pattern: simplification. Observing the vernacular of today's youth, we must be prepared for a day when 'u' replaces 'you' and 'k' replaces 'yes, I will' Because every time you see a kid on an iPad, you're witnessing the future. And the future doesn't have time for proper grammar.propergrammartoday'sreplacestimefutureera:sitecastformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/thought-id-share-my-email-response-to-an-entrepreneur-who-re-201404/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/thought-id-share-my-email-response-to-an-entrepreneur-who-re-201404/Thought I'd share my email response to an entrepreneur who reached out to me today about creating their business, what a business plan should look...Sun, 06 Apr 2014 00:00:00 GMTThought I'd share my email response to an entrepreneur who reached out to me today about creating their business, what a business plan should look like, and how to get initial capital for the company: The best advice I could give you is to not waste time on a business plan. If you're unsure of your business model, the business plan will only lead you down a path which may not serve you well. And DO NOT take investment money. Debt is good for a big business. Horrible for an entrepreneur. Because whoever writes the checks is the boss and it prevents you from being flexible with your offering. Rather, find a service someone is willing to pay you money for. Even if it's a little money for a lot of effort, don't worry. Once someone gives you cold, hard cash. Look at what you enjoyed out of that process then find someone else to pay you for that same thing. Keep doing what you enjoy, stop what you don't. As you bring in more and more cash flow, look for bottlenecks within the process and begin to automate the process. Maybe it requires software. Maybe employees. Whatever you can do to transcend time and create a multiplier for your effort. Good luck!businessentrepreneurplanlookmoneysomeonetopic:Entrepreneurshipera:sitecastformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/for-a-brief-moment-in-my-past-i-fell-into-a-9-5-201403/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/for-a-brief-moment-in-my-past-i-fell-into-a-9-5-201403/For a brief moment in my past I fell into a 9-5 job.Wed, 26 Mar 2014 00:00:00 GMTFor a brief moment in my past I fell into a 9-5 job. And because it was for all the wrong reasons, I began to look for avenues to escape. Weekends at the bar, weeknights in front of the TV, and an occasional extended long trip to a destination. We've all been there. And most of us are still there. But as we continually separate work from life, neither side wins. Work becomes a task. It becomes an activity we do to pay the bills, keep the family fed, and sustain the rat race. At the same time, life becomes mundane. It forces us to find more TV shows to entertain us, it causes us to save vacation days for better trips, and our family settles into a life of monotony. As personal life battles for the hours in our day, work suffers. We lose track of why we were working in the first place. This mythical concept of work-life balance and the external - not internal - search for happiness gets in the way of our once relentless pursuit of lifestyle advancement. However, it doesn't have to be this way. And it starts with passion. We all have something we're passionate about. For me, it's building software that enhances the lives of others. You may find passion in music, in writing, in science, or in being a parent. Whatever your passion may be, follow your heart and the universe will find a way to carry you through to a happy, successful life.lifeworkbecomesfindpassiontheretopic:Personal Reflectionera:sitecastformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/sat-next-to-an-old-man-robert-on-the-train-201403/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/sat-next-to-an-old-man-robert-on-the-train-201403/Sat next to an old man, Robert, on the train.Thu, 20 Mar 2014 00:00:00 GMTSat next to an old man, Robert, on the train. His flannel shirt was tattered, at least three teeth were missing, and I could tell he had seen better days. Giving him a smile he asked my name and we began talking... Two hours later I ended one of the most intelligent conversations I've ever had about organic and biological chemistry. Behind everyone is a story so interesting it may change you forever. All you need to do is say hi.era:sitecastformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/a-while-ago-i-published-an-article-which-ranks-1-in-google-201312/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/a-while-ago-i-published-an-article-which-ranks-1-in-google-201312/A while ago I published an article which ranks #1 in Google for "college ruined my life" amongst many other similar search queries.Wed, 11 Dec 2013 00:00:00 GMTA while ago I published an article which ranks #1 in Google for "college ruined my life" amongst many other similar search queries. Hundreds of searchers find this story every day and I get about 10 emails a week with people thanking me and often sharing with me their own story of college & debt. This has gone on - every day - for about 4 years now.  With so much interest for a scary term, it's undoubtedly very representative of how college isn't for everyone and that our preconceived notions of needing a piece of paper called a diploma isn't the only path to find success in life.collegelifestoryfindeveryisn'ttopic:Personal Reflectiontopic:Education and Learningera:academyonthegoformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/college-was-not-worth-it-201309/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/college-was-not-worth-it-201309/College was NOT worth it.Fri, 27 Sep 2013 00:00:00 GMTCollege was NOT worth it. The minimum monthly payment on my Sallie Mae loan is $211... of which $165.50 is "interest & fees" Society's bullshit perceived requirement of needing a diploma to succeed in life is destroying our nation. With over $1 trillion of outstanding student loan debt in America, we must do something about this before it's too late. We've created a societal class of white-collared indentured servants reminiscent of the early 1800's immigrants forced to work in plantations to repay their transportation costs to America. But only now they've traded cotton fields for cubicles.loanamericaera:academyonthegoformat:essayBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/uncertainty/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/uncertainty/The Only True Path for Overcoming an Uncertain FutureFri, 26 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT When was the last time you found yourself uncertain of the future? If you're like most people, uncertainty creeps up far too often. It's a horrible feeling isn't it? **But it doesn't have to be this way.** You don't need to live in a state of constant upheaval. Because one thing is for certain; as the old saying goes, the only constant is change. And identifying and addressing change is the only solution for overcoming a mysterious and depressing future. Simply put, you cannot alter, prevent, or stop uncertainty from creeping into your life. But you can do something about it... ## Comfort vs. Conflict Understanding your scenario and why you feel a particular way is the first step towards a meaningfully better life. But it's not a solution. For instance, when was the last time you had an argument with a loved one? An argument that caused you to say a few mean things you instantly regretted, yet were completely true? But to make peace, you take those things back, pretending they never happened. It may have diffused the situation, however, it never solved the problem. The same thing happens internally. You argue with your true self all the time. *Am I making the right career choices?* *Should I be in this relationship when I know there is someone out there I'm truly meant to be with?* *Can I climb out of debt with my current money choices?* *Is my lifestyle affecting my health in negative ways?* The formula for most every life argument: **\[current problem\] , \[current solution\] = \[uncertainty\]** In other words, when we choose a current path to overcome a challenge, we are (oftentimes subconsciously) uncertain of our choice. You see the complication with these internal arguments is we are an irrational species. We constantly lie to ourselves. We overlook reality. And we seek comfort over conflict. But those conclusions to internal arguments, however minute or subconscious, leave us wondering if we are taking the easy way out by seeking comfort. When given the choice, we'd choose to be comfortable in life by searching for a solution that causes the least pain. And conflict, whether external or internal, causes a ton of pain. The difficulty with choosing comfort over conflict, though, is we never truly grow as a person. As painful as it is to admit, comfort is the easy way out. ### What to do? It's easy for me to stand on a soap box and shout how comfort over conflict is causing uncertainty in our lives. But the truth is, I'm not saying anything you don't already know. However, at some point in our lives, we chose to bury these notions. As time went by, and the world continued to shit on our goals and dreams, it was easy to let comfort take the wheel. So, what is the only true path for overcoming an uncertain future? 1.) Stop lying to yourself. 2.) Identify your comfort zones. 3.) And, *however painful it may be*, **choose conflict**.era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/couchsurfingceo/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/couchsurfingceo/The Three Sides of Leaving a Legacy in this Noisy WorldThu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT In July of 2011, I had ventured out in the world to search for meaning. And it's been an eye opening experience. During which, I decided to create a travel persona called the [CouchSurfingCEO](/writing/the-end/). I created a blog and Twitter handle with the brand name. And dedicated significant time and resources into effectively launching the project. But in that time, a few things became apparent that I did not, nor could not have foreseen. And while I'm still traveling as a minimalist, digital nomad, I have decided to kill the "personal brand" for the following reasons: ## 1. Legacy The spectrum of leaving a legacy in the 21st Century is complicated. I once heard Google's Eric Schmidt mention that there is more content created in two days, than the sum of all content created from the dawn of man up to the year 2002. So needless to say, there is a lot of noise out there. And remarkable contributions to society can easily be lost in the mix. In the days of early humans, content was the drawings on the walls of the cave. As papyrus took hold in Egypt, that content was transfered to sheets. With the advent of the printing press, content became duplicatable. And with the rise of the social web, content has taken on many forms. From the time of hieroglyphs & pottery art to today's videos, posts, & status updates, content creation is evolving. Ok, back to the legacy spectrum. On one end of the spectrum we have accessibility. If no one knows you exist, your contributions are meaningless. Think of a monk in a monastery high in the mountains. This man may have the answers to all of life's problems. Yet, he has no means to spread this message beyond the temple walls. The interconnectivity of the web solves the problems of accessibility. Hitting send on an iPhone can make any message instantly accessible to anyone else in the world with an Internet connection. But this ease of accessibility is overshadowed by the fact a billion or more people are able to hit send on a daily basis. Which leads to the other end of the legacy spectrum. Permanence. Do a search on Twitter for any term you're interested in and watch how the tweets build up. Or go to Google and search for that same term, take a screen shot of the results, and return two months later. The page will most likely be radically different. Blogs, social media, and the multitude of rising abilities to create and share *stuff* has shattered the permanence of content. In history, an etching in stone was permanent. A sacred papyrus guarded in a temple was permanent. A book held in an institution was permanent. But none of these were accessible. Accessibility in the 21st Century requires content to be delivered instantaneous. Or it will suffer from content competition. Permanence in the 21st Century requires content to be created remarkably, demanding it to be shared, reviewed, and saved. Or it too will suffer from content competition. Therefore, the catch-22 of leaving a legacy comes from developing a strategy that is both accessible and permanent. But when done correctly: ### What we do today, will carry on for a lifetime. Which leads me to the second point: ## 2. Impression I have nothing against couchsurfing. I can't count how many times I've crashed on a vague acquaintance's couch. And I don't plan to stop. However, as my company [New Methods](http://newmethods.org/) expands and I continue to grow my network, I don't want to send people to a body of work that isn't my name, Bradley Gauthier. A "personal brand" is only effective if that name is all you want to be known for. Which is fine for many people. But personally, I have high aspirations for my legacy and CouchSurfingCEO isn't one of them. Also in a year or so, had I continued the CouchSurfingCEO blog, it would most likely have a substantial amount of quality articles and a growing audience. But outside of that audience, my entire societal contribution would be based on quick assumptions. It's been six months since I started the Twitter handle and blog and in that time I have met many influential people. None of which understood or embraced the "brand" openly. Only other digital nomads and others interested in lifestyle design, understood it. And while you may be thinking, who cares what others think. In some circles, you do. When dealing with high-powered entrepreneurs, investors, and leaders, the secret is this: ### You only have a split second to make a positive impression. It sucks, but it's reality. But anyway, onto the third point: ## 3. Higher-Order In 2008 when I [quit my job](/writing/quitting-my-job/) in search of a better life, I had no idea where the road was going to take me. But for the past few years, the road I *thought* I wanted to travel down was that of a digital vagabond. Of a person who created enough passive income to finance fun and exciting adventures without any rhyme or reason. And so, in the summer of 2011 I had recently partnered with [Greg Hartle](http://www.greghartle.com/) to build a company that would provide digital training to anyone with an Internet connection. This would allow for a digital nomad lifestyle without any 9-5 desk work. I thought that I would want to make enough money to provide a healthy living and that's it, no bigger motives other than helping a few people learn some skills while I travel. But then something remarkable happened a couple months ago. On one of Greg and I's weekly strategy calls, we started talking about the economy and how there is a growing gap in those people who magically "get it" and the majority of those, who don't. While the topic of the conversation was nothing new. (It's the very reason we founded New Methods in the first place) The remarkable thing was, we found a sense of clarity. That we have an extraordinary opportunity to change the lives of potentially billions of people. Society en masse could benefit for what we are building over this coming decade. At that moment, nothing else mattered. I had [connected the dots](/writing/connecting-the-dots/). I was on this planet for a reason and I have a miraculous opportunity to help create a meaningfully better society. While I know this is a lofty goal, the subsequent conversations with Greg and other's in my network have continuously reinforced my eureka moment. I have a higher-order. And it's to help you, your family, your neighbors, our society, and our future generations. The point is this: in a time of high unemployment, record foreclosures, a [student loan epidemic](/writing/how-college-ruined-my-life/), money in politics, growing income gaps, climate change, and the rest of the near endless list of problems in the world, I am making it my life's work to do anything and everything I can to help. And the best way to do the above is by focusing all of my effort on building New Methods into the best "for-benefit" business it possibly can be. To contribute meaningful content to the world with accessibility and permanence in mind. And to become an example of what possibilities there are in life, given the right kind of motivation and perseverance. ### I, Bradley Gauthier, am here to serve you.era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/how-to-achieve-your-goals/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/how-to-achieve-your-goals/The 5 Steps for Achieving Your Goals in 2012Thu, 29 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMTWe all have hopes and desires for this upcoming year. It may be paying off a credit card, traveling somewhere exotic, or in my case, get published. But having goals and achieving goals could not be more different. Anyone can say they want to do something. Actually doing it, on the other hand, is the true sign of success. We all know big talkers in life that brag about their plans, yet mysteriously as time goes by, those plans never come to fruition. I hope this post helps you prevent the "I would have, ***but...***" syndrome. And instead help you crush your goals. So without further ado, five things to consider for goal success: ## 1. Make Them Attainable  The first step in achieving our goals is being honest. Most people would love a private island and yacht, but if you're struggling to make rent, is it reasonable to believe those are , at least in the short-run , attainable goals? Probably not. But creating enough extra cash flow to pay off a credit card or to visit one new country is well within anyone's reach. *And just to be clear, I'm a huge proponent of shooting for the moon with goals. However, this article is "how-to achieve your goals," not "hopefully, maybe, possibly one-day capture your goals."* When setting goals we must look at what we can truthfully achieve. Shooting for the moon will not always land you amongst the stars. ## 2. Have a Roadmap  Creating a roadmap to achieving your goals should be at the forefront of the entire process. Saying you want to increase your income threefold is great and all. But how are you going to do it? Without a plan to succeed, you will never succeed. There is no magical goal fairy that visits you at night. Reaching a goal is up to you and only you. When it comes to bigger goals, I like to use the concept of chunking. By deconstructing the goal into manageable parts, days, and milestones, the steps towards success become easier. Essentially, chunking goals will eleviate stress and prevent those horribly overwhelming *I-want-to-sleep-all-day* feelings. Most importantly, your roadmap should have specific dates attached to when these goals are to be achieved. This will further keep you focused ## 3. Write Your Goals Down  Simply thinking about your goals will not do you any good. You must see them on paper before you set out to achieve your goals. Without writing them down your brain will continually overlook the goal. Or worse, suppress it. But by seeing the goal in ink, your brain can formally process it. The important concept to keep in mind here is to write the goals in the present tense. For example, "July 12th: I am in Italy for a month." Not, "I will be in Italy on July 12th." This will help you put yourself in the moment, instead of in the distant future. **Update:** Another great point to add here, thanks to Srini in the comments (p.s. his [blog is a must read](http://theskooloflife.com/)): Be sure to also write down what action(s) you took each day as it will help you stay on task and continually ensure you are on the right path. This is based on [Zig Ziglar's work](https://www.amazon.com/Pick-Four-Pack-Designed-Share/dp/1936719215). ## 4. Read Them Every Morning & Night  Constantly reminding yourself of the goals you set forth is extremely necessary. What good is a goal if you put it aside, barely giving it a second thought after you initially write it down? By reading your goals before and after you sleep, you will keep focused on your goals. And if at all possible, read them out loud for stronger mental reinforcement. ## 5. Post Pictures  Above and beyond writing down your goals, hanging visual representations on your wall, at your desk, and anywhere else you commonly are located is very important. The ability to imagine yourself enjoying that golf club membership, wearing that bikini, or sailing along the coastline is the most powerful motivator you have in your goal achieving tool belt. Personally, I have an Aston Martin as the background of my computer and cell phone. I want the car and its purchase will be a symbolic step in my entrepreneurial life, so with me seeing it constantly, I repeatedly get to visualize myself sitting in it. ## Bonus: 6. Just Do It Life's hard. It's easy to give up. Don't. Everyday, do at least one thing that brings you closer to your goals and dreams. Soon you'll be doing two a day, then three things a day. Suddenly, you'll find freedom. You'll find happiness. You'll find yourself surrounded by family and friends who love you. **Your life will be better.** We all have the ability to do something amazing. The deciding factor though, is *actually doing it*. By following these guidelines for achieving goals you'll have an amazing chance of succeeding. I wish you the best of luck in 2012! Already doing these tips? Do you have any success stories you'd like to share?era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/pretend-to-work/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/pretend-to-work/How to Use Gmail to Pretend You're Working 9-5Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMTUnfortunately, most clients, bosses, and associates have this weird assumption that we should work during the day. I don't share this view. Don't get me wrong. I'm a hard worker. But my productive hours aren't during the industrial-aged idea of a 9-5, Monday-Friday workweek. I'm at my best during the later hours of the day and into the night. Since most of the time I'm working on my own projects, no one is the wiser of when I'm working, when I'm sleeping, and when I'm playing. However, the secret is out when I send emails. It's hard to be perceived as *normal* when people see an email timestamp of 4:07am. Until now... ## Tricking the Timestamp System What if there was a way to make it look like you were working, when you're actually out enjoying the day?  Luckily, there's a nice add-on for Gmail that solves the email timestamp dilemma. By using [Boomerang for Gmail](http://www.boomeranggmail.com/), you can schedule when emails are sent. Which allows you to work when convenient or when you're most productive. Yet appear to work during *normal* working hours. And ultimately, it'll help you live your life the way ***you*** want. ### For Instance... You'd like to spend time on the beach Monday morning. But since you're working on some projects that require collaboration with colleagues and clients, it normally would require you sitting in front of the computer sending emails all morning. Then waiting until the afternoon for replies. Now with the help of this app, you can get your work done the night before, type out all your requests in Gmail, and schedule them for delivery Monday morning. You've safely made a huge window of time for your morning in the sun. Cool, huh? So do you have any ideas of how to use this add-on to improve our workday? Let us hear 'em in the comments below!era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/living-your-life/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/living-your-life/The Realities of Living Your LifeFri, 02 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT Most people don't understand me. My friends no longer get me. And my extended family often believes that by me not "working," I'm wasting my life away. Ah, if you've chosen an alternative path for your life, those statements probably ring all too close to home. But who cares? It's your life. But unfortunately, our society has adopted preconceived notions of a normal life. And the crippling assumptions continue to snowball amongst most circles. Built on false pretenses, their advice on what life entails falls short of what's possible. > *Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.* > > \~ **Mark Twain** The only reason most people think they need a job, is because someone told them so. The only reason most people think they need a nice house and a fast car, is because that's what others have. And the only reason most people settle for less, is because everyone else does. ## Live YOUR Life! As you live outside of societal norms, forget what the critics say. There is never a shortage of critics. But remember, critics are supposed to criticize, let them live in their boring little safety bubble, while you go out and do remarkable things. The reality of life is clear: ***Your life is whatever and however YOU choose to live.*** ### So make your life the best damn life imaginable!era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/separate-work-personal-life/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/separate-work-personal-life/5 Simple Tips to Separate Work from Personal LifeThu, 17 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT I spent the past weekend with this view. It was gorgeous! But this view came with a cost more important to me than money... It was deep in the woods of Northern Wisconsin. Which meant there was no Internet and no cell phone coverage. ***No Internet! What the hell am I thinking!?!*** If you're like me, the thought of no connection to the outside world for a couple days is torturous. But I knew the weekend would be fun and it would be a great opportunity to get away. So I joined a group of my buddies at a lake cabin. And at first it was nice. Unfortunately, though, it got depressing fast. Because it made me realize how dependent I am on being constantly connected to the world. And rightfully so. This is after all the essence of being a digital nomad. The ability to work anywhere at anytime is essential for this lifestyle design. However, after I got through the moments of wondering what I should do with my life, I realized that no Internet connection didn't matter. ### We all need a break from work! Luckily, it doesn't take travelling to the middle of the woods to escape work for a while. By using the following five strategies, you'll be able to easily separate work from your personal life: ## 1. Proper Expectations I may be young, but I remember the days of no cell phones. Or when email and texting wasn't the preferred communication channel. People weren't always available. And it was ok. *So what changed?* **People's expectations of communication have evolved into an unreasonable now or never fantasy world.** Everyone thinks they need their answer five minutes ago. But things can wait. Until the people you do business with understand that you have a personal life, you will never be able to effectively escape work time. *I know, I know.* This is easier said than done! But you have to make an attempt at reframing your contact's expectations on how they work with you. ## 2. Virtual Receptionist I only have a cell phone. Which obviously makes it harder for me to escape work. However, I'm proud to say that only a few select people know my cell phone number. Everyone else, *clients, colleagues, associates, etc*, all have my virtual receptionist's number. And I love it! By the way, my virtual receptionist is named [Google Voice](https://www.google.com/voice) 🙂 Google Voice is amazing for separating work from personal life. Because if you're like me and you use a cell phone for your only phone, you rarely can escape the calls at odd hours and weekends. But not with Google Voice! It works like this: When you sign up for the ***free*** service you get a number and voicemail inbox. From there, you get to choose what phone number calls are routed to. In turn, the caller must announce who they are which allows you to accept the call or send it to voicemail. No one is the wiser if you are technically available but not in a talkative mood. It's glorious! Check it out, definitely worth implementing if you work with people over the phone. ## 3. Working space Whatever you do, try not to mix your working area with your living area. I know how easy it is to sit in your bed with some work. Or curl up in your favorite chair with a laptop. **Don't do it!** Subconsciously you are destroying your work-life balance. As you condition yourself to believe your personal spaces are work spaces, you will never mentally escape your work. Therefore, dedicating a specific area for working is vital! ## 4. Notepad of Ideas It always seems that the more I try not to think about work, the more I end up devoting brain power towards work ideas. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I'm betting your best work-related ideas happen when not working. The key, though, is to not let this interfere with your personal time. Which is why carrying a notepad, [Moleskin](http://www.moleskineus.com/moleskine-softcover-notebook.html), [Evernote](https://www.evernote.com/), or any other preferred way of capturing your ideas is vital. Write down the idea. And get back to your life! ## 5. Managing Email I saved the best for last. Everyone I know has trouble escaping email. And rightfully so. We have evolved into a society that depends on email. But if you have already completed step 1 and set proper expectations with your correspondence, the best advice I can give you is to shut down anything that receives email. The world will still revolve if that Texas Roadhouse coupon remains unopened. I firmly believe that the perfect antonym for productivity is *notifications*. Think about it; you get an email and your computer gets a popup, your phone beeps, and twelve different apps now have a number attached to the icon. It's almost impossible to not know you have new emails waiting for you. To escape the onslaught of email you must hide any indication of new emails. Remember the old adage: out of sight is out of mind. Therefore, disable push notifications on your phone and close down your email client... or hopefully put away the devices altogether! With nothing announcing you have new messages, you can successfully escape email. ### It's possible to separate work & personal life! By following the above steps, I feel positive that you'll be able to escape the clutches of work. Good luck! What have you found that helps you balance work and life? Any tricks you use to escape work? Let us know in the comments below:era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/quitting-my-job/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/quitting-my-job/The Scariest Time of My Life: The Story of the Day I Quit My JobFri, 11 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMTIt's a warm autumn evening in 2008. I'm 22 years old. And I just quit my great job at a Fortune 500 company. My hands are shaking as I struggle to find my mass transit card amongst a bag of papers and desk momentos. The line of commuters behind me clearly display their displeasure as I've taken a few extra seconds to search for the card in my bag. I'm at the Quincy station of Chicago's iconic "L" subway system, surrounded by hundreds of people in suits and business casual garb. By the time I find the card, swipe it, and go through the turn-style, the line has diverted to the other gates. And rightfully so, had it been the day before, I would have been in a rush too. *But not today.* Today I don't care about rushing. I don't mind if it takes 5 seconds longer to find my card. There are no signs of any trains coming, so no one is missing anything. Standing on the platform, I watch them anxiously stare down the tracks for the next train to arrive, as if their focus on the empty third-rail will make the train come quicker. A few minutes later, the "L" arrives, and the commuters pile into the train-car. And with no seats available, I struggle to hold onto a handle. Packed in the car like sardines in a can , *and smelling as such* , we continue on. Finally, I take a moment to think back on how I got here: ## The Evolution of Becoming an Employee Having started my first business at the age of 12, I've always aspired to become a successful entrepreneur. But while attending high school and college, the business could never find my full attention. School, friends, sports, and the 5,000 other things that students have going on made it extremely difficult to keep my web design business running full time. So on occasion, I had also worked part-time jobs while going through school. *Which were all fun for a kid like me:* I emulated the [shenanigans of Caddyshack](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bg8lSyGavc4) at a golf course. I talked computers for 8 hours a day at Best Buy. And I bartended at an upper-class supper club, tuxedo and all... *Ask me to make you an Old Fashioned... Best. Drink. Ever.* These were all fun jobs. I gained experience. I earned beer money. But they didn't mean anything. The jobs were just part-time gigs. By the time I graduated college though, I had accepted the plight of a full-time corporate job. At least for a few years. Everyone told me a salaried job with good benefits and a 401k at a corporation is the next logical step in post-college life. *After all, it is what everyone else is doing!* But the money and freedom I earned from my business during my younger years told me that I mustn't make this a long-term career path. And so, eighteen months after graduating college with [\$70,000 in student loan debt](/writing/how-college-ruined-my-life/), here I was: **Voluntarily jobless...** ## Oh shit. I liked my job. I liked my bosses. I liked *most* of my coworkers. I liked the money. I liked playing Wii Tennis on the conference room projector. I liked the continuous trainings. I liked the view of the Chicago River from the skyscraper. I liked it all.... *But there was no turning back.* **What have I done? Why would I give up that security?** ## Exploring the Employee Mindset *(let's quickly fast forward to today)* Lately, when I talk with people who are employed for others, the conversation is much different than they are accustomed to thinking about. Because I don't approach them from the perspective of another employee learning about what they do professionally. But rather, I approach the conversation as a person generally interested by the underlying decisions of their lifestyle choice. At this point in my life, I generally don't get why people choose to be employees. I'm rarely empathetic to that lifestyle. So I am always curious about what decisions have led them to their current mindset. And wondering why they choose to forgo their passions for a paycheck. But over time, I have noticed there are three stages of employee job satisfaction: ### Loving a Job I've met a few people over the years who love their job and would never consider doing something different. While I've never understood how someone could love working for someone else, making other people rich, and having to ask permission to do things. I can somewhat see the logic in following a passion while working for someone else. A full-time writer & photographer for the National Geographic comes to mind as someone who probably ***loves*** their job. > *Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.* > > \~ **Confucious** An extremely talented sales trainer once recited this quote when I asked them why they still worked for their company. And I think about that conversation often. As his thought-process was the first time having a job made sense to me. ### Hating a Job On the other end of the job enjoyment spectrum, is hating a job. This should be obvious for everyone. Hating a job is understandable: A bad boss, horrible working conditions, annoying coworkers, low pay, boring tasks... the list is endless of why people hate their job. Hating a job makes it easy for us to call it quits. You often hear of people who get disturbed with their life and make a drastic change. *Because change needs to happen.* If you hate something with enough passion, you can find a way to overcome it. ### Enduring a Job I didn't love my job. But I didn't hate it either. Rather, *I was ok with it*. And in reality, this is where most people find themselves. They are *content* with their current job. It pays the bills, it allows for a couple martinis on Fridays, and it offers a decent vacation a couple times a year. **But being content should scare the shit out of anyone.** Because once you find yourself accepting your surroundings, it becomes nearly impossible to change. *"It's not ideal, but it's fine,"* people say. Subconsciously knowing they are lying to themselves. In turn, people who are content with the way things are, continue to suffer. Because it's comfortable and there is no pressing need to change. **Ergo, they unfortunately settle for shitty lives, *because it's comfortable*.** ## Escaping the Confort Zone *(ok, back to the story)* Here I am, standing on the "L" realizing what I just did. They say ignorance is bliss. And it's true. Because up until this point, I had only a wild-idea for an Internet company. No real rhyme or reason for leaving my job other than I had amassed the necessary training, capital, and skill-set to start my new business. *I had yet to fully think through the entire scenario:* **No more guaranteed income means no more guaranteed life.** Shoulder to shoulder with a dozen strangers, I find myself in an intense fight or flight moment. What if this new business doesn't work out? What am I going to do about bills? Where am I going to live? How do I feed myself? **What do I do now?** It was fucking scary... But in those brief, tense moments I fought the urges to crawl back to my job. Instead, I explored my life's goals, examined my current lifestyle, and determined why quitting was a *good* thing: ### Because I was confortable with my life. I was comfortable with the view of the river. I was comfortable with my coworkers. I was comfortable with this shitty commute. I was comfortable with my job. But I didn't ***love*** any of it. I know my life is destined for more. So I took a deep breath, smiled, and enjoyed the rest of the "L" ride. > *There is no passion to be found playing small , in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.* > > \~ **Nelson Mandela** And now, looking back at that day, quitting my job has [made all the difference](/writing/connecting-the-dots/) in my life. ## The Uncomfortable Challenge Writing this post was extremely uncomfortable for me. So I hope you take my experience as a wake up call for change. I challenge you to take a look at your life from an outside perspective and ask yourself: ### Am I truly happy? Do I love what I do? ### Or am I comfortable? But please don't keep quiet about what you discover. Tell people. Use the comment form below. Facebook your goals with your friends. Tweet your desires to your followers. Email your confidants. Share your desires at dinner with the family. Do anything that helps you realize how comfortable you are with something in your life. And set out to change it. **Take action.** It starts today. It starts now...era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/jar-rocks-pebbles-sand/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/jar-rocks-pebbles-sand/How to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed and Get Your Stuff DoneFri, 04 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT Have you ever had one of those days? You know, those days that kept you active from 8 in the morning til 6 at night. *You were super busy*. But looking back at the day, it was filled with mundane tasks. And while you felt eventful, in reality you didn't accomplish anything. I've had these types of days. I'm assuming you have too. I call this, ***working for work's sake***. And it's the murderer of an enjoyable life. ## Learning from Rocks, Pebbles, & Sand Before we start this visualization, list your tasks from most to least important. Then associate these with rocks, pebbles, and sand. The biggest rock being the most important task. And sand being the minutiae. Also, let's imagine a jar as your day, timeframe, or project timeline. Now let's craft these two scenarios: ### Scenario 1: Starting with Sand Filling a jar with the sand first is easy. It falls right in. But what about the pebbles and rocks? The pebbles still fit but when it comes time to add the larger stones, the task becomes practically impossible. The jar overflows and the biggest rocks do not fit.  **Put In Other Words:** Small, unimportant tasks are attractive. They are easy to complete. And are usually the most enjoyable. But can consume your day. Starting with the easier tasks may make the day more fun. But at the end of the day, your most important work is left largely untouched. Pushed back until *tomorrow*. Knowing all to well, tomorrow never truly comes. ### Scenario 2: Starting with Rocks Adding the biggest rocks first is hard. You have to look at their size and figure the best plan of attack for fitting them all in. It's a struggle to piece them together, but it's possible. And then comes the pebbles. The jar needs to be shaken occasionally. But they fit. Finally, the sand can be dumped in. Easily, the sand slides between the rocks and pebbles. Magically, the rocks and pebbles as well as all of the sand now fits into the jar.  **Put In Other Words:** Your most important tasks are usually the most taxing. They require additional brainpower. Or they may be the least enjoyable. But these tasks are also the most productive and profitable. In this strategy, the mid and low priority tasks are put by the wayside. Confronting them only if there is time. And as a result, your day will be amazingly successful. ## Conclusion Every time you are faced with a large work load, remember: ***Rocks first, pebbles second and if there is time, fill your jar with sand.***era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/travel-without-receipts/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/travel-without-receipts/Traveling for Business? How to Never Carry a Receipt AgainTue, 01 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT**If you're like me, I bet you wish you could throw your receipts away while traveling for business?** If you've ever traveled a lot for business you unfortunately know this scenario: You're meeting a client while on the road, and having just paid \$50 for the meal at a restaurant, you need to keep the receipt for expense and tax purposes. You briefly scribble down the meeting details and fold the receipt into your pocket. Easy right? But later that day as you empty your pockets for the night, you realize that you cannot find the receipt anywhere. Unknowingly, you had dropped it while at a store. And with no receipt, there's no deduction, no reimbursement, no nothing. You are without proof of a \$50 expense. *There's got to be a better way!?!* **Thankfully, there is!** ## How to Instantly Throw Receipts Away The other day I found an amazing strategy for combating the never ending nightmare of receipts piling up while traveling. **The Overview:** By integrating two free software offerings together and using the camera on your phone, you can instantly snap a picture of your receipt, click a couple buttons, and instantly ***throw your receipt away!*** ### The Required Ingredients: **1. Evernote** It begins with [Evernote](https://www.evernote.com/). *If you aren't using Evernote already, ask yourself why not? It's free and amazing!* But anyway, the beauty of Evernote is that you can store notes, pictures and pretty much anything you'd like to capture in a searchable database, backed-up on their server. **2. Expensify** If you run your own business, have an expense account, or keep receipts for tax time, this software is wonderful! [Expensify](http://www.expensify.com/) allows you to create expense reports easily with their online software. ***And it's free!*** **3. Smartphone** While the above two services don't directly require a mobile device. This receipt trick does. Because if you have to still carry around the receipts and manually enter them later, what fun is that? Evernote works with iPhones, Androids, Blackberrys, and Windows phones. **4. A Receipt** Kinda obvious 😉 ## Automatic Expense Reports So if you have the above four ingredients, here is how to start a digital file cabinet: First, head to [this page](https://www.expensify.com/evernote) to connect the two accounts. After a few simple steps an Expensify notebook will appear in your Evernote account. Now when you are handed a receipt, simply snap a clear picture of it in Evernote and tag it into the Expensify notebook. **That's it, you're done! Throw the receipt away!** ### How it Works Once you upload the image to Evernote, it automatically also sends it to Expensify. From there, your receipt is archived into any expense report you select. And you have the ability to enter any other information you'd like. This can be done days or weeks after the trip is over.  **But what if you don't feel like entering additional information?** This is where the whole process is absolutely remarkable! For 20 cents a receipt, Expensify's software will scan the receipt for you, pulling the date, amount, & location from the receipt and automatically enter it into the expense report. *(If you didn't get extremely excited just now, please re-read that last sentence.)* This is the feature that won me over. Because, if you think about it, on any given day traveling you would rarely have more than 5 receipts. So for less than a dollar a day, there are no more hassles or worries associated with keeping track of expenses! You now have the receipt securely saved in your Evernote database for easily searchable future reference. And in a clean expense report for your accountant... gotta love it! ## The Final Result Let me recap how ridiculously awesome this process is: You get a receipt from a vendor, take a picture of it with your phone, archive it to Evernote... ***And throw the receipt away!*** Without any more effort, that expense is automatically entered into an extremely easy to use report:  This is reason #5,324,205,443 to love technology! ### Enjoy! 🙂 **ps.** I was curious of the viewpoint from the IRS on this so I did a little further research. This process [is completely legal](https://www.irs.gov/publications/p552/ar02.html#en_US_publink10008576)!era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/connecting-the-dots/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/connecting-the-dots/Connecting the Dots: How Steve Jobs Changed My LifeThu, 06 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMTThe greatest mentor in my life, whom I had never met, died yesterday. And it deeply saddens me. Steve Jobs, creator of the Apple II, Macintosh, Pixar, iPod, iTunes, iPhone, iPad and countless other innovations, touched millions of lives. Including mine. I have always admired Mr. Jobs. His mentality towards creating products has been the guiding light for nearly all of my business decisions. I owe him dearly. **But this post isn't to mourn him.** Steve wouldn't want that. He is famously known for wanting us to not miss a beat. That we must continue striving to change the world. My consulting and speaking career has been based around Steve's innovative mindset. In fact, just yesterday, I published a post about the [evolution of technology](/writing/iphone-minimalism/). And no one more than Steve understood this. We must embrace change. ## And Steve Changed My Life... About 3 years ago I had watched a remarkable speech on YouTube given by Steve Jobs in 2005. And it changed my life forever. If you haven't seen it, please watch this: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1R-jKKp3NA&feature=emb_imp_woyt](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1R-jKKp3NA&feature=emb_imp_woyt) Throughout the speech, Steve makes the point to trust that you know where you are going. That only after you're there, can you then connect the dots. *"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something , your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life."* \~ **Steve Jobs** **My life has certainly seen its fair share of ups and downs thus far. But I hope my failures are out-shadowed by my successes.** **However, up until I watched this video, I had never given full consideration into what got me to where I am. And to where I was going.** **I had not yet considered the dots, let alone connect them.** **At that time, I had just left my well-paying job in a Fortune 200 company to re-enter the world of entrepreneurship. I had looming student loan debt. And I was completely over my head.** **At that time, my life was still a scattered graph of random dots. I had no real significant contribution to the world. But Steve assured me that the dots will eventually connect.** **I trust Mr. Jobs, so I trusted my path.** ### Connecting the Dots **Fast forward three years. I have an online marketing firm and a growing consulting/speaking career, as well as launching an Internet startup. Life is good.** **And the dots finally make sense:** **Had I not been a curious, shy little kid on a tiny indian reservation full of bullies and fights... I would not have avoided the troublemakers by self-teaching myself how to build computers and websites.** **Had I not been infatuated with modifying my car in high school, spending countless hours and thousands of dollars... I would not appreciate the subtleties of finding art in everything around us.** **Had I not worked as my Dad's little helper growing up, suffering through what, at that time, seemed like overly strenuous child labor... I would not understand what hard work truly is.** **Had I not become bored with college, skipping classes, losing interest, and barely graduating... I would not have immersed myself into hundreds of books of my own accord.** **Had I not taken the corporate job in Chicago, developing a severe case of work-place depression... I would not appreciate the true benefits of being my own boss.** **Had I not destroyed my financial statement with student loan debt, nearly impossible to pay when starting a business... I would not appreciate the value of a dollar.** **Had I not tirelessly worked with hundreds of businesses through my marketing firm... I would not deeply understand business in the broad perspective that I do at age 25 nor be capable of launching my new startup.** **Had I not have you in my life... I would not be where I am today.** **So I thank you, the reader. I thank my parents, my family, my friends. I thank all those who have changed my life for the better.** **And of course, I thank you, Steve. Thank you for helping me connect the dots.** ## Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/iphone-minimalism/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/iphone-minimalism/Why the iPhone is Ruining Your Life (and What To Do About It)Wed, 05 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT**Another new iPhone?** *It's overwhelming!* Everyday there are new headlines featuring fancy new technologies promising to slice and dice through our daily tasks. Endless streams of commercials for new computers, widely publicized press events for new smartphones, email blasts for new apps, huge store displays for new TV's... *there are disruptions for new everything*... no wonder our society has a collective case of ADHD. And our pain is understandable. We may buy an expensive new cell phone that is outdated before taking it out of the box. We may spend a week learning how to use a new app that receives a complete facelift two days later. But is this technology ruining our lives? Or are we letting our lives be destroyed by technology? There must be a silver lining to the rise of technology? ## Minimalism Through Technology Today I read a post from a well-known minimalist blogger, whom I respect immensely, about [the unnecessary need of an iPhone](http://mnmlist.com/iphone/). And maybe new gadgets do go against true minimalism , *as less is more*. But the world isn't changing in favor of our ideals. The world is evolving *en masse*. *"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change."* \~ **Charles Darwin** **In a classical sense of the term evolution, we see animals adapt physically to their surroundings. But these changes occurred over countless generations.**  ### Virtual Evolution **Throughout our society, evolution is happening exponentially. At a pace often impossible to comprehend. But it's not happening physically. Humans are generally not becoming stronger or faster. We are creating external tools to help us evolve.** **But unfortunately, people love to reflect nostalgically of the past:** **"Remember when we didn't have cell phones?" I've heard people say a million times.** **Yeah, I remember not having a cell phone. We had impossible times communicating.** **Land lines? Obnoxious. Calling cards? Complicated. Pay phones? Gross.** **And that was in my lifetime. My parents had it worse with switchboards and community lines. My grandparents I'd imagine would simply lose touch with family and friends as postal letters were only as effective as you know their address. Our ancestors? They had no options for long-distance communication. People would simply disappear out of their lives.** **Fast forward to the current world. Where communication has evolved from letters, telegraphs, and static-filled phone calls to that of tweets, pokes, and texts. Is technology ruining our life? No. We have evolved.** **And as Darwin once famously noted, those who are able to change with the surroundings will survive.** **The way I see it, there are only two scenarios for society:** 1. **Adopt the latest technology, *(wisely)*** 2. **Allow the world to leave you behind** **So unless you plan on living the rest of your life on an island, disconnected from the outside world, you must embrace technology. It's not slowing or going away anytime soon.** **But remember, with all the hoopla surrounding the growing lists of distractions in the palm of your hand. It is up to you on how to handle them.** **I could give you a shovel and say, "You can do a lot with this."** **It doesn't mean you need to dig holes 80% of the day.** **A shovel is a tool for accomplishing a task. Nothing more, nothing less. So when handed a shovel, you decide what to do with it. The shovel doesn't force you to dig trenches in the backyard. So goes for the iPhone, it is only a tool.** ### Technology can ruin your life... ***But only if you let it.***era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/aj-bombers-madison/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/aj-bombers-madison/Lunch at AJ Bombers in Madison WISun, 02 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT The crunch of the *p-nuts* under our feet rings familiar of a small town dive bar. But the decor along the walls reflect a view of quality reminiscent of those unique destination restaurants I've seen only on the Travel Channel. The cheerful waitstaff has me wondering how people can be so happy while working. And the bartenders are having seemingly far too much fun launching railed bombs filled with *p-nuts* to tables throughout the restaurant. And as my business partner, [Greg Hartle](https://twitter.com/greghartle), and I take our seat in the booth, the confusion continues with a glance of the menu. *How can the prices be this insanely low?* Yet, I've heard only but good things, so I keep the faith. With our friend [Joe Sorge](https://twitter.com/JoeSorge) (who happens to own the place) at the table, he reassures us his staff has every guest in good hands. Joe's philosophy: Great food, consistent taste, served quick , matched with outstanding service and a fun experience , will create a happy guest every time. And while it's simple to write, most restauranteurs I've met will never come close to achieving this formula. But will AJ Bomber's prove me wrong?  After taking the first bite of my veggie burger topped with an egg & bomber sauce, life becomes clear... I could live here. This [burger joint](http://ajbombers.com/) is amazing. As a vegetarian, finding a good "burger" abroad is extremely difficult. My theory for this unfortunate phenomenon is because the folks creating a burger menu consider veggie burgers an afterthought. One of those damn menu items needed to quiet us green-freaks. However, as Joe explains to us, his wife is the yin to his yang, the ping to his pong, the peanut butter to his jelly *(not sure if I'm quoting 100% accurately)* and she keeps the menu earth friendly. Veggie patties, black-bean patties, and 100% grass-fed beef all make an appearance on the menu. While I devour my veggie burger, Greg affirms that the beef burger is extremely tasty. But with my disdain for meat, you'll have to take his word on it 🙂 ## I came... I ate... I Got Bombed! As the waitstaff continue to happily hustle through their tasks and *pnut bombs* fly overhead, we leave overwhelmingly satisfied. If you are ever passing through Southern Wisconsin and you are looking for a great burger place, AJ Bomber's in Madison, Wisconsin (or their Milwaukee location) is a wonderful choice to get *bombed*. ### Bonus:  After you fill your belly with tasty food, you can work off those extra calories with Madison's ingenious bike rental stations spread throughout downtown. It's great to see progressive, bike friendly cities.era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/groupthink/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/groupthink/The Three Words That Will Destroy Any AdventureTue, 27 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMTThree words said everyday by almost everyone in all scenarios. ***These damn words.*** Seemingly harmless when muttered, are slowly eroding away your individuality. And whether we know it or not, we all say these words out of habit when we are with other people. From simple choices of where you want to eat... to more meaningful decisions of locations you'd like to travel to or sights you'd like to visit. And from an exploration standpoint, these three words will ruin a trip. So what are they? ## "I DON'T CARE" These words are killing your uniqueness. And will kill your potential experiences. It usually goes like this: Friend: "So where do you want to go?" You: "I don't care." Are you sure? Do you really not care? Have you no opinions? Most likely yes if the following statement is true: *"I'm a mindless drone, living life with others making decisions for me."* Sounds harsh, doesn't it? But it's a reality. However, I hope that this statement is false. And I'm going to assume that you enjoy thinking for yourself. So read on... ### The Perils of Groupthink Unfortunately, there is a phenomenon in social psychology called ***groupthink***. And it destroys group travels. When making choices amongst a group we believe leaving decisions up to others is being polite. That we are playing friendly. And worse still, that we are avoiding conflict. But it's not true. Groupthink is hurting your life experiences. **The cure for groupthink?** *Stop being passive!* It's not being demanding. It's not being unruly. It's about voicing your opinion and leaving the choice up for debate. But without a "care" there is no debate to begin with. Personally, I'd rather entertain an idea that is overruled, than never voice it at all. And I hope you'd want the same. ## Your Homework The next time a friend asks you where you'd like to eat, say a specific place. Don't give a few options. Don't ask them what they would want. And especially, do not say that you don't care... **Say exactly what you want.** After a few times of voicing a specific opinion you'll begin to love group decisions. Remember: There's a huge disparity between living a care-free life and having no input.era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/barefoot-winter/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/barefoot-winter/How to Go Barefoot All Winter LongFri, 23 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMTI can count on one hand how many times I've worn socks and traditional shoes in the past 6 months. Instead, I opt for Vibram Five Fingers, Reefs, or most usually, nothing at all. In fact, this has been the case for at least 3 summers now. But at this time of year , *when mother nature starts to crap out buckets of cold snow on the Midwest* , is when I face the unbearable reality: shoes & socks! **Not anymore!** ## The Solution for a Barefoot Winter With the leaves changing colors and the temperature slowly losing its comfortable numbers, fall is clearly upon us. As sad as I am to see summer go, I have new hope for an enjoyable cold season thanks to my buddy, Ian. Ian introduced me to his "non-shoes" called [Sanük Sidewalk Surfers](http://www.sanuk.com/). And after a brief description of how they are barefooter sandals with a canvas upper, I was instantly intrigued. But his Sanuks were only canvas covered with no insulation whatsoever. Which may work through fall, *but unless I don't mind losing a couple of toes*, they wouldn't be a solution for 10 degree weather. Luckily, as I browsed through Sanuk's product selection online, I found they have a product line called *Chill* designed for winter. **Jackpot!** ### The Sanuk Vagabond Chill  For \$65 I picked up these Vagabond Chill Sanuks from [Moosejaw](http://www.moosejaw.com/moosejaw/shop/product_Sanuk-Men-s-Vagabond-Chill-Shoe_10170383_10208_10000001_-1_). They have a sandal-like bottom, a canvas upper, and some sort of confortable micro-fiber insulation. And without any harm to animals, they are earth-friendly and vegan. After about a week of wearing, my impression of them are mostly positive. I love that they have little support or noticeable "shoe-like" features while wearing them. Best yet, they are extremely light weight. Which is essential for minimalist footwear. Moreover, the overall construction is of very high quality. The sole is extremely flexible, the canvas is durable, and they run true to size for me. Also, with my already laid-back persona, the "non-shoes" hopefully will sneak by as business casual footwear. *At least they're more professional than my sandals 🙂* Unfortunately, one small negative is they have slightly more cushion in the sole than I'd prefer. But then again, I'm used to being completely barefoot. I'd imagine after a few more weeks, I'll barely notice the slight give in my step. And actually, anyone who wears normal shoes on occasion may think the opposite of me. Overall, I am extremely happy with their value, comfort, and styling. ## Final Verdict If you're a fan of minimalist footwear and/or looking for a comfortable winter sandal. I highly recommend checking out the Sanuk Vagabond Chill.era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/death-at-50/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/death-at-50/Why Society Tells Me I'm Going to Die at the Age of 50Wed, 21 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT"You gave away all your shit? Are you having a mid-life crisis, man?" This is oftentimes the response I receive when I tell people about [my new project](http://couchsurfingceo.com/about/). My project, it seems, is unusual for most. *But why?* Having given away most of my worldly possessions, moving from my four-bedroom house, and exploring the world did seem daunting to me. Even a little overwhelming. *But never as a **crisis**.* I'm 25-years-old with little ties to anything. So I ask, why not? This is not a mid-life crisis. However, it appears that society has lost their capacity to see another's worldview , their empathy is non-existent. And worse yet, they've lost their ability to believe there is more to life. To me, the real crisis is wanting to sit in a fucking cubicle all day making someone else rich, needing advanced permission to take a day vacation, all while hoping that in 40 or 50 years there will be enough zeroes in the bank statement to travel the world. Why wait? Why not live a remarkable life now? It's possible. And this blog will be a real-world case study of my adventures as I travel, experiment, and search for the ideal lifestyle. I hope you will join me.era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-end/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-end/The Introduction of the CouchSurfingCEOTue, 20 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMTLife is short... Live life to the fullest... Live like you're dying... We've heard 'em all before. The timeless antidotes supposedly said to motivate those who have lost focus. To jumpstart those who are fading into normalcy. And ultimately, to provoke inner growth and personal change. But are these statements enough? Do they serve justice for the ideology behind the light-hearted quips? No. *Not in the least.* Why? Because words are only words. They are mere allusions to a greater philosophy impossible to articulate. In turn, we hear these thinly motivating structures of thoughts, ponder them deeply yet rarely take action. Words , no matter how powerful , seldom motivates action. We are simply animals. We evolved from tribes. And we follow whom we revere. But we don't follow other's words. Instead, we follow their actions, their motives and their mentality. Unfortunately, with that said, the 1^st^ world society has collectively conditioned themselves into believing the fallacies and preconceived notions of a *normal* lifestyle, with materialism ever increasingly in tow. And with this typical lifestyle of bigger is better, more equals meaning, and shiny toys reflect wealth, we've lost focus on what truly matters in life. "People say that what we are all seeking is a meaning for life. I don't think this is what we're really seeking. I think what we're seeking is an experience of being alive." \~ Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth ## Introducing the CouchSurfingCEO As of today, I am publicly launching a new persona. A travel persona, to be exact. Cheekily named after my new vagabond lifestyle. The travel blog is going to serve as an outlet for cool lessons learned on the road (travel hacks), recounts of my adventures, and documenting my ever increasingly experimental lifestyle. But as I mentioned above, a blog is useless if it is mere philosophy. Of things I *could do*, instead of things **I am doing**. And the CouchSurfingCEO will be a real-world case study into the search for a meaningful life. So hopefully my actions speak louder than words, and that my posts of real-life lessons and stories evoke you into pursuing a life worth living. I hope you will join me on my new blog as we together search for the ideal lifestyle. ## Update: 9 Months Later With the launch of [New Methods](http://newmethods.org/). And with the [realization of a higher-order](/writing/couchsurfingceo/), I have flipped the switch on the couchsurfing experiment. But don't worry, I'll still be traveling, experimenting, and sharing with you all that I learn. It will simply be more centrally focused on this website as a personal brand (not a persona) and throughout the web in various forms. It was exciting, fun, and eye-opening. But bigger things are calling my name now 🙂 Stay tuned!era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/how-to-make-impossible-goals-possible/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/how-to-make-impossible-goals-possible/How to Make Seemingly Impossible Goals, PossibleWed, 24 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMTWe all have dreams and desires of a better life , of goals of doing more. Unfortunately, we often find ourselves struggling to achieve these goals. And instead, fall into the trap of overwhelming despair. **The bigger the goals, the easier it is to be overwhelmed.** Currently as I write this, it's been happening to me. I occasionally find myself waking up to anxiety attacks fueled by overwhelmed thoughts and notions. I guess it's rightfully so... Between operating a handful of businesses, launching [an education company](http://newmethods.org/), building my professional speaking career, and starting the early stages of writing a book , *all while being homeless* , life is a little daunting right now, yikes! But it's still not acceptable. This is a product of my own doing and this constant struggle to achieve all my goals must change. So I've been backtracking mentally into how I once was able to handle many projects and tasks simultaneously... I've been doing this business stuff for over a decade now, and I know [it's possible to accomplish anything](/writing/how-to-achieve-your-goals/) when putting your mind to it. And after much reflection, I've re-discovered my magic formula for achieving my goals: ## Chunking the Impossible? If you look at your goals from a birds-eye view, everything you wish to do will seem overwhelming. And this big picture viewpoint is often how we normally see our goals. It's human nature. "I have to do **all** of that..." "I've got to finish **all** of this..." "I need to complete **all** of it..." But we live our lives day by day. Each day is a new day. So why not break down our projects, tasks, and goals in a similar manner? Every project isn't a 1-to-1 ratio wherein completion results from one big step. Instead, projects have many steps and many actionable items that eventually results in completion. Therefore, as you look at your goals, it's important to realize there are many steps to achieve your goals. Not one grandiose action. But a series of small victories. And there's the golden ticket: To achieve any goal, you must break down the process into many small attainable victories called chunks. The easier you can accomplish the victory, the quicker these chunks will add up to extraordinary levels of achievement in life. Ultimately, you can now make impossible goals, possible. Remember: **Anything is possible...** Good luck chunking down your goals!era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/how-college-ruined-my-life/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/how-college-ruined-my-life/How College Ruined My Life and What You Can Learn from My MistakesTue, 23 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT ## Sixty-eight thousand four hundred seventy-two. Awfully large number... I'll see if numerically helps: ## 68,472 Nope. Still large. ## 68,472... 68,472... 68,472... Shoot, it doesn't get smaller after repeating. Ugh! **So what is this number?** *It's not my favorite number, that's for sure.* Actually, this number is the amount of student loan debt I accrued over my three years in college. **3 years = \$68,472** ... whoah! That's roughly \$62 a day, every day for three solid years. ## The Debt Snowball Before getting into it, let's first travel back to my 18th year of life. I have a thriving business ([I started when I was 12](/writing/how-i-created-a-successful-business-at-the-age-of-12/)) implementing technology in residences & offices, as well as designing websites for businesses. I'm maintaining a 3.9 Advanced Honors GPA without any effort. And I have zero debt. Basically, life is good. Having grown up as a minority from an Indian reservation along with a superior ACT score, I am besieged by college recruiters. From Ivy leagues to west coast universities, I truly have the pick of any school in the nation. But being a nervous teenager leaving my loving home for the first time, I choose the best private college within a half-day's driving distance. And I love it. New friends, new town, new everything... College life is for me. Fast-forward to 4 months later. I find myself in a seemingly endless line waiting to sell back my books from a successful first semester... After an absurd couple of hours in line, I'm up! From a wave of seller's remorse, I keep my Intro to Psych textbook as well as my Econ book out of sheer interest in the subjects. But I decide to ditch the Middle East History book and an overpriced piece of crap that is my Business Computing book. *Or so I thought.* *Apparently history changes because the college didn't renew my history book, which means they wouldn't buy it back. But that's understandable, there's a lot going on over there and times are changing.* ***But the real kick in the pants?*** *They would not accept the Business Computing book due to a campus wide Microsoft Office upgrade...* ***Which means I spent the past semester force-fed outdated information.*** ### *My Educational Catharsis* *Two days later , heartbroken from the realization in the bookstore , I return home for the winter break. There I reconnect with my older brother, Frank, who knowingly or unknowingly changes my life forever. A simple gesture, yet with powerful effects, he gives me an audiobook. And no, not a fictional book about vampires and elves. He gives me How to Win Friends and Influence People. **And a complete paradigm shift ensues.*** *In about 6 hours during a roadtrip to Chicago, I learn more valuable life information from this \$20 CD set than I had learned the previous three months of college classes. More importantly, for the first time in my life I actually enjoy a non-fiction book. Partly because of the great content, but mostly because I voluntarily listened to the book.* *And that is the key, I **want** to listen, not required to listen , no professor assigned the book, I'm genuinely interested in the topic.* *What follows is a endless quest to find more books I want to read or listen.* *I now start listening to books on my three hour drive to and from campus on weekends & holidays. And am learning exponentially more life altering information in a car than in these busy-work college courses. It's remarkable how in a few short hours, I can learn someone's complete life's work on a subject.* *And the beauty of these audiobooks is that I can now listen to one or two amazing books a week while attending school.* ***I wasn't going to let college get in the way of my learning.*** ## *My Biggest Mistake* *Unfortunately, being the responsible student, I decide to stick it out and finish my college education. I figured that by having a piece of paper with the college's name on it, life would improve and I could create the career path of my dreams. Therefore, I shape my class choices in order to fast track the process, receiving a degree in Business with a minor in Psychology and emphasis in Economics, in three years.* *But it's too late, I've accrued a mortgage payment equivalent monthly loan amount. Before consolidation I'm looking at \$750 a month just to pay interest. I've been out of college 4 years and I still have yet to begin paying down the principal.* ***Don't get me wrong...*** *I'm not here to complain about my financial misfortune nor about the astronomically high costs of attending college. I'm here to disclose the perils of a high-achieving, self-starter's education. And the misconception that college is a must.* *Imagine if I had the \$70k back in my pocket to invest into my business? What would my business I started as a teenager look like today? Instead I dissolved my business based on preconceived notions that college is a requirement for success in business and in life.* *Furthermore, what I failed to recognize while taking these business classes, is that traditional schooling breeds you to become a well-trained employee. To fall in-line with the masses. **To lead an unremarkable life.*** *College, at the outset, is positioned as an experience that inspires you to strive for more. But in reality, it creates a workforce of mindless drones, set to take orders from the corporate hierarchy. It does not create the [Steve Jobs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1R-jKKp3NA) of the world.* ## *My Advice* *Caveat: This only applies to self-starters who do not live by the status quo. To those who have problems with authority, who believe their way is the best way. But also readily look for mentors and others to help them grow as a person. For those who seek out problems to solve and have an unquenchable thirst to continually learn about the world around them. And most importantly, for those who know they were put on this planet to serve the greater good. That their purpose is to help others more than they help themselves.* *If the above is you, read on:* ***You do not need to go to college.** We are living in the most wonderful age of humankind. Where information is readily available from a search box in Google or from your home feed on Twitter. You can read books from a Kindle on a beach in Maui, listen to audiobooks on your smartphone while working out, and watch videos on YouTube, [TED](https://www.ted.com/), or my startup, [Academy on the Go](http://academyonthego.com/) from anywhere in the world with an Internet connection.* *Information does not need to be learned through 16 semester hours a week filled with bullshit busy-work taught by professors who are so far removed from reality that they distort your mind into believing you're a product on a factory line.* *You are unique. Never forget this. You have been born into this world to improve it. And you will not do so with a pile of student loan debt sitting in a cubicle taking orders from a thoughtless manager going through a mid-life crisis.* ## *YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD* *and you don't need a college diploma to do so...* *Alright, enough of me talking, it's your turn:* ***Is college worth it for entrepreneurs or anyone else who knows their mission is to improve the lives of others around them?***era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/appreciating-the-small-things/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/appreciating-the-small-things/Appreciating the Small Things of LifeThu, 18 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMTSince [giving away everything](/writing/on-minimalism/), I currently own 6 shirts, 2 pairs of jeans, 3 pairs of shorts and a handful of other clothing. Yesterday I was down to my last clean set of clothes. And faced with my usually dreaded act of needing to do laundry. But this time was different. It wasn't a chore. It wasn't annoying. **It was enjoyable.** Yes, you heard that correctly. Doing laundry was enjoyable. ### Why was this? This is tough to answer. And coming from a guy who used to pay a lot of money weekly to have the laundry done professionally, I've put a lot of thought into why I was happy to do laundry. *My conclusion?* Doing laundry greatly improved my current scenario. Normally, I'd have an entire closet of backup clothing. And laundry was just another one of those things I needed to do. But now that I have no other clothing options to fall back on. I have two choices: 1\) Wear dirty clothes. 2\) Clean them. Therefore, cleaning the clothes created a sense of well-being. A sense that I was doing something to better my life. ## Stop and Smell the Roses It seems that in our hectic lives, many aspects of what we do are done without thought. In other words, we do *stuff* because we have to. But why? Have you ever asked yourself that? I'd imagine not enough. As time goes by, some of the small things that become routine lose meaning. However, these small things are often some of the most meaningful things we do in life. Examples include: - **Making your kid lunch.** *(You're improving the welfare of a child)* - **Mowing your lawn.** *(You're improving the appearance of your yard)* - **Driving your spouse to work.** *(You're improving the success of a loved one)* - **Cleaning your bathroom.** *(You're improving the cleanliness of your home)* Most everything you do improves your life and the lives of others around you. So while you may see routine, mundane rituals as a boring necessity. Think about why you are doing them. And about the outcome the task creates. Ultimately, with constant reminders of the benefits behind your chores, you'll begin to greatly appreciate the small things of life. Good luck!era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/on-minimalism/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/on-minimalism/A New Beginning: Initial Thoughts on MinimalismWed, 10 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT *Caveat: This blog is transforming into a guide to help you create your ideal lifestyle. One in which travelling is easy, money comes naturally, and you are free to follow your passion. My marketing blog is now [The Edge of Innovation](http://newmethods.org/blog/).* ### A New Beginning Ten days ago I moved out of my four-bedroom house in Wisconsin, giving away most everything I own , from my enormous couch to my significant amount of clothes. And have since been living my first week as a minimalist. Bouncing from friend's couch to friend's couch in Chicago, vagabond style. It's daunting. *But exciting!* For starters, the most profound realization thus far is this: **I'm still alive.** I know that probably sounds strange. But hear me out... I once lived in a state of *wants*. A state in which I believed owning more and more things was essential for living. That I couldn't live without that stereo, without that pair of jeans, without that ping-pong table, or even without that cool looking pen. I thought all of the things I owned were necessities for life. ***They weren't.*** ## Needs vs. Wants The beauty of minimalism is that it forces you to distinguish between needs and wants. That the stuff you own is simply that; stuff. Most possessions only feed an undying urge to buy more and more doo-dads. And as you acquire more and more, everything seems to be a necessity. For instance, when I was deciding on what to pack in my suitcase for my travels, it was easy to thoughtlessly toss a bunch of clothes in the bag. Which I normally have done when traveling. But this time it wasn't as simple. Because anything I threw into the bag added to the weight & hassles. Do I need 4 pairs of jeans? Or will 2 pairs suffice? My realization: Less is more. ### The Ultimate Appeal of Minimalism While I'd imagine you wouldn't want to give away everything like I have done. Downsizing is extremely liberating. In fact, words cannot describe the overall feeling of , *after a lifetime of collecting material goods* , owning very little... **It's mental freedom.** But more importantly, donating beloved possessions gave me a huge sense of charity. The smile that my buddy had on his face when I handed him a \$2,500 stereo... The look on my parent's face when I assembled the \$4,000 couch in their living room... The overwhelmed look of the Goodwill attendant as I dropped off bags full of Banana Republic, Express, J-Crew, etc... ***All priceless feelings.*** And it brought a much needed smile to my face. ## Going from here... So where do you and I go from here? As the title of this post says, "A New Beginning," I'll be helping you design the lifestyle that you deserve. All based on my experiments going forward. Since my lifestyle experiments will be extremely drastic, I will chronicle them in terms in which you will be able to adopt them into whatever stage of life you are currently in. I'm here to help you. Let's journey together.era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/finding-meaning/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/finding-meaning/I'm Giving Away Everything to Find MeaningFri, 15 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT In two weeks I will be emptying my house, giving away everything I own, and taking the leap into a life without possessions. It's a daunting transition. But necessary to start building my dream life. For those of you familiar with my genius business partner, Greg Hartle and his remarkable [Ten Dollars and a Laptop](http://tendollarsandalaptop.com/) project, you may be having a bit of deja vu. Well fear not, I'm not stepping on his toes nor stealing his thunder. Personally, he is an extreme motivator and mentor towards minimalism. I am, however, finally setting in motion a plan I created about 4 years ago. I've never played by the rules. I was a disinterested student throughout college. A rebellious employee in the corporate world. And most unconventional, an avid couch-surfer during impromptu adventures. ## Life's Strange, Embrace It We can never predict what the future has in store for us. Ask me 10 years ago what I'd be doing in 2011 and I would tell you I'm a professional golfer. Six years ago would be an Industrial & Organizational Psychologist. Ask me 3 years ago and I'd say I own a 40 person marketing firm. One year ago, a travelling college professor. Life is strange... Never would I guess that I'd be sitting on a laptop creating an [education company](http://newmethods.org/), preparing to revolutionize how we learn. And most remarkably to me, I'll be building this project while downsizing my possessions, upping my technology and forcing myself to redefine a normal life. **But what is a normal life?** At first glance, I'm not sure exactly. However, I do know what it isn't. A normal life is not working 50 years at a 9-5 job. But beyond this, I have yet to discover the answer. ## The Metamorphosis With my bed and couch non-existent, I will essentially become a vagabond, traveling the world. Bouncing from available Internet source to available Internet source. I'll be resting my head on the couches & spare beds of friends and family. And if I'm lucky, the occasional hotel room. Hopefully I don't find myself on the streets, but even so, everything is a learning experience. It may be 6 months before I have a place again or 6 years, only time will tell. And this blog *(with a cool redesign in the works)* will officially transition into a digest of my adventures. Of my insights into what it truly means to be alive. To live a fulfilled life. ***As for my business?*** It is no longer that of an Internet Marketing firm. While I love helping other businesses improve their marketing, I will be significantly scaling back my client list as I can reach and help more entrepreneurs through [New Methods](http://newmethods.org/). ***As for my viewpoints on business, marketing & entrepreneurial life?*** Please join the conversation on my new blog: [The Edge of Innovation](http://newmethods.org/blog/). ## May I have your advice? Considering I've invested everything I have into the New Methods project and am extremely cash-strapped, this leap is a little daunting and nerve-racking. Therefore, I'd love to have your advice and thoughts. I am all ears 🙂era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/how-twitter-can-save-the-tv-commercial/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/how-twitter-can-save-the-tv-commercial/How Twitter Can Save The TV CommercialMon, 28 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMTAsk anyone with a DVR if they watch television commercials and I bet you'll hear a resounding **"NO"**! But follow that question with asking if they use their laptop, iPad or smartphone to [browse the web while watching TV](http://searchengineland.com/highest-use-of-mobile-search-at-home-report-69557) and you'll probably hear an emphatic "yes." Or at least a "sometimes." We're living in an age of attention multi-tasking. We can watch TV with our peripheral vision while catching up on emails and reading the latest news headlines & blogs. All while scanning Facebook & Twitter to see what our friends have going on in their lives. **Where does this leave the traditional marketers?** We are barely watching TV anymore, *let alone the commercials*. So what are advertisers to do? ## Television advertising, as we know it, is dead. *Or is it?*  I'm a fan of [Mark Cuban](http://blogmaverick.com/). He's a go-getter powerhouse in the world of business. And I'm happy to report he is on the new season of [Shark Tank on ABC](http://abc.go.com/shows/shark-tank). Anyway, I follow [Mark on Twitter](https://twitter.com/mcuban) and noticed that he was live tweeting during the show. His insight was remarkable. And it lead to a host of people chatting about the current happenings on the show. ### The TV Commercial Savior Welcome [Twitter hastags](https://www.searchenginejournal.com/twitter-hashtags/9419/). And its unbelievable communication power. The [#SharkTank](http://tweetchat.com/room/sharktank) chat was interesting because it highlighted a pathway for the revival of a live & largely communal television watching experience. *(While it's not the first instance of this, the chat is a great example)* If you truly were interested in a show, you most likely would be interested in chatting with others about the show. Since we live in such a private society , *watching TV from our living rooms* , Twitter is the best option for us to interact with ease. There are four huge implications of live tweeting: ## 1. Increase *Live* Viewership This is obvious. But important. Those who want to chat about the show will be forced to watch it live. Which means no fast forwarding through commercials. Because once it's DVR'd and replayed, the chatting will be over. Think about it this way, if you want to join the party, you've got to arrive on time. Not two nights later. ## 2. Increase Loyalty Having the TV networks ensure the stars of the show are chatting during the show, the fans will become hugely loyal. [Daniel Tosh](https://twitter.com/danieltosh) does this extremely well on the hilarious [Tosh.0](http://tosh.comedycentral.com/) on Comedy Central. He live chats with his fans and the tweets are sometimes funnier than the show itself. ## 3. Attract New Viewers With people tweeting about the show, their followers may become interested and turn on the tube. It's not hard to believe this could happen on an ever increasing large scale if the conversation is lively. ## 4. Advertisers May Be Welcomed If the advertisers joined the conversation in a non-sleazy way, it could be a fun thing. A little creativity & freshness could be a great addition to the chatting. Coming back to the title of this article, people would watch their commercials, not only because they'd have to, but because they'd want to. If the advertiser was adding compelling, high-value commentary to the chat, people would have more interest in seeing their ad. ### The Long & Short of It All By giving viewers a compelling reason to watch TV live, advertisers may be able to combat the onslaught of the DVR. *And prevent the death of the television commercial.* p.s. The absolute best option for chatting on Twitter is [TweetChat](http://tweetchat.com/). It allows you to login to your Twitter account, input the desired hashtag and instantly join the conversation. It automatically adds the hashtag as well, which is a nice addition. **Update:** A few days after I wrote this, [CBS announced a "Tweet Week"](https://www.fastcompany.com/1744088/cbs-conscripts-twittering-stars-for-cbstweetweek). Clearly they are subscribers of my blog because they took this blog post and ran with it! 😉era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-plight-of-the-bookstore/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-plight-of-the-bookstore/The Plight of the BookstoreFri, 25 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT For the first time in about a year, I was in Barnes & Noble yesterday buying a book and realized that bookstores , *as we currently know them* , are on their death bed. As I stared blankly at the business section, I noticed some favorites and some new books. Most had an attractive title and compelling cover art. But something was missing: Social proof. I've read hundreds of books and know not to judge a book by its cover. *Literally*. It may have the most captivating inside flap, yet will leave you wishing for your time and money back. Big-box bookstores, no matter how well staffed, will never have the ability to guide you into a buying decision the way Amazon or [800-CEO-Read](http://800ceoread.com/) does. I among most other book buyers, base 99.9% of the buying decision on reviews and chatter online for a book. While yes, they could integrate some kiosks or what not into the store to read reviews, but at that point why leave the house? I can do that from the comfort of my couch and my iPhone's Amazon app. And have the book on my doorstep the next day. ## So What Is A Bookstore Owner To Do? Over the upcoming years, I'm predicting a huge transition in the ways bookstores position themselves. Just as any other business must focus on a niche in a highly competitive market, bookstores will start segmenting themselves. If a bookstore is to compete successfully against online stores, the staff and offerings must become extremely compelling. Someone should be able to walk into the store, rattle off a few favorite books to a well-read worker, and within minutes be happily walking out of the store with a book perfectly suited for their desires. If the bookstore can't accomplish this, they will follow in the [footsteps of Borders](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/16/borders-files-for-bankruptcy_n_823889.html). This past weekend I was watching CBS Sunday Morning and they had a great segment on a bookstore doing just that: Pretty interesting huh? ### How I'd do It If I were to create a bookstore tomorrow I'd include the following: - Less than 1,000 books in the store that at least one of the members of the staff have read and enjoyed. - An online blog reviewing every book read by the staff. - A book club to create a community of enthusiasts and brand advocates. - Specials on new arrivals in exchange for reviews of the book. - A membership database that tracks what books they've read with an algorithm to predict what books they may enjoy. For the most part, this strategy isn't rocket-science, but also it isn't generally implemented. In my experience, even the corner bookstore tries to carry everything from *Harry Potter* & *The Da Vinci Code* to *Rachel Ray's Cookbook* & *Think and Grow Rich*. There's no focus with their offering... and ultimately, no appeal. **So the questions I pose to my fellow book readers:** What do you foresee happening to bookstores? How would you improve the customer experience? Would a mix between an online/offline community be a good fit?era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/does-easy-equal-simple/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/does-easy-equal-simple/Does Easy = Simple?Thu, 24 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT*This post is for the consultants, coaches, trainers, contractors and other service industry folk out there curious about pricing their offerings...*  When you reflect on your area of expertise or specialty, do you feel it has become pretty routine? I bet you do. And I bet a lot of your skills have become effortless. How do you perceive your ability? If you've been doing it for a while, I bet you start feeling anyone can do it. If so, do you feel it's become easy? Or is it simple? ### Ignore what your dictionary says for a moment... Let's define **easy** as *achieved without effort*. And **simple** as *anyone can do it*. **So, where am I going with this?** I was working with a client on her pricing structure today and realized a profound theme: most people think what they find easy isn't worth charging for. "How could I charge money for this, it's simple?" I've heard it many times before. People who are good at something will naturally feel it's simple. *But is it simple?* Or has it, over time, become easy? Think back to when you were first learning your specialty. You had no idea how to do it. We've all had a challenge: tying our shoes, driving a car, speaking in front of a crowd and so on... just remember back to the days before you didn't know how to do it, was it *easy* then? Probably not. Instead, what makes something easy is your learned ability. If you provide a service that sometimes from your point of view seems anyone can do it, most likely it's not. And unfortunately, if you start to think your offering is simple, you're bound to lose your edge, your tenacity and your drive to help others. Remember, just as tying your shoes is now a no-brainer, your specialty may seem easy. But keep in mind that while it seems effortless for you, other's still need your help. **People want your talent. Don't be afraid to charge for it.**era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/twitter-auto-followback-strategy/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/twitter-auto-followback-strategy/The Lazy Way to Grow Your Twitter Follower CountWed, 23 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMTThe beauty of Twitter is that you are allowed to follow anyone you'd like. And anyone can follow you. Unlike most other social networks, there is no requirement to reciprocate follows. However, the entire concept of Twitter is foreign to most people. It's not a valuable microblogging platform as initially intended. Nor is it effective as a popularity contest. Rather, it's a powerful communication tool. And is only as effective as the level of trust and authority your followers associate with you. Let me repeat that: **Twitter is only as effective as the level of trust others associate with you.** But with most people misunderstanding Twitter, they look at what others are doing. And what they have found over these past few years is that people with large follower numbers notoriously have equal or greater following numbers.  Seeing these inflated numbers, the majority of Twitter users interested in an expansive following blindly follow back every follower they receive. Or they may have adopted software that automatically follows whoever follows them as well as searches for & automatically follows new people. In their strategy, a follow gets a follow, no questions asked. Nor any engagement needed. As a matter of fact, the well known Twitter advocate Chris Brogan once employed this strategy. However, he said [no to this autofollow strategy](http://www.chrisbrogan.com/effective-immediately-no-more-auto-follow/) in 2009, but it was to late. He had already accrued too large a number of people he was following (as of this post, he follows around 138,000 people). And now he has a [heck of a time managing](http://www.chrisbrogan.com/my-twitter-presence/) it all.  The autofollow has created a false idea for most Twitter users. And have even given rise to large groups of people (eg. #teamfollowback) who follow you if you follow them. But the second you unfollow, their software instantly unfollows you. This does not build trust nor authority. ## The Long-Term Flaw of the Auto-Followback We all have our specialties and expertise. And we all have our interests. If you want to successfully use Twitter as a communication tool, following everyone under the sun is not the answer. Nor will it make for an enjoyable long-term Twitter experience. Example: A dog trainer likes gardening so she reaches out and follows a gardener on Twitter. This gardener dislikes dogs. Is she supposed to add a string of dog training tweets to her home page? Multiply this one Twitter following interaction by 10,000 and you have what your home screen will look like after a year or so of auto-following. A jumbled mess of random, useless tweets by Twitter users you've never met, nor may ever care to meet. Furthermore, when does it stop? If people say the true purpose of Twitter is to connect with everyone, shouldn't we all be following millions of people? Or maybe just instantly be connected with everyone else on Twitter the day we sign up? ### Twitter is about Your Influence, Not Your Follower Count By reaching out to others, offering value and engaging in conversations, you'll quickly realize the true use of Twitter. An effective communication tool perfect for connecting with your sphere of influence. However, if you truly want to increase your follower count, try this: - Follow & engage with those you admire. - Head to [Search.Twitter](https://search.twitter.com/) and jump into conversations you find interesting. - Stop worrying about who is or isn't following. Basically, just start getting involved with your desired group of users and let them know you are out there and interested in building solid relationships. **The Questions I Pose** Would you rather have 10,000 followers who do not know you exist and are following you just because you followed them? Or 100 followers that love your tweets and cannot wait for the next one? What has been your experience with this strategy? Is it rude not to follow others back? Or what determines why you follow someone?era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/social-media-marketing-in-a-small-town/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/social-media-marketing-in-a-small-town/Social Media Marketing in a Small TownThu, 17 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMTAsk anyone from a rural area about technology and you'll hear two common responses, "limited cell phone coverage" and "slow Internet speeds." Which means most of the residents in low populated areas can't easily access YouTube, communicate on Twitter or check-in on Foursquare. **Do you want to become a big, well-connected fish in a little, low-technology adoption pond?** This lack of social media adoption in small towns unfortunately leads to small businesses believing that the [old methods of marketing](/writing/5-marketing-and-sales-strategies-that-no-longer-work/) (eg. newspapers, phonebooks, local TV) are the best strategies. Yet, most businesses fail to realize it's 2011 and technology is improving rapidly. While AT&T may be crappy today, tomorrow (actually let's be serious, AT&T will be horrible long-term)... Verizon, Sprint and the like are quickly improving their coverage and speeds. Add to this the expansion of high speed offerings farther into the boondocks and we will be discovering that social media is on the verge of much higher adoption rates in low population areas ## The Implication for Small Town Brands If you are marketing your business in a small town and have yet to create an account on the top social networks (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, FourSquare, YouTube, etc). Nor have you found the tech innovators in the town or set alerts for your brand and town, do it right now. The sooner you can learn the networks and establish a presence, the more prepared you will be against the competition. **Specific Strategies to Start:** ## 1. Create the Accounts Obviously, this is step one. You may think your business will never use Twitter, Gowalla or Tumblr, but I bet you will. At least, you want to reserve your brand name. This is basic online reputation management. You can use [KnowEm](http://knowem.com/) to search and identify networks that apply to your industry and goals. They say, "you miss all shots you don't take." Similarly, you're going to miss all customers on sites you're not signed up for. ## 2. Connect with the Innovators I don't care how desolate your town may be, I guarantee there are some residents using the networks. Start with [Search.Twitter](https://search.twitter.com/) using your town name, parks, stores and other popular locations to find people tweeting in the town. This may show other community members they're chatting with, following or listed. Also, this may lead to blogs, FourSquare accounts, YouTube videos, Facebook profiles, the list goes on. ## 3. Attract the Visitors I'll explain this one in a killer example: Imagine a social media savvy traveler is visiting a town for the weekend. And they send a tweet on Friday right before they leave, "heading to town XYZ for the weekend." If you created an alert in Hootsuite for the town name XYZ. (saved keyword search) And by seeing the visitor's tweet you can respond "glad to hear you're coming to our town, hope you have a great time." You see what happened there? If not, I'll explain. Without any marketing dollars and without being an annoying sales person, you just created a huge brand recognition for someone who knows nothing of the town. This may open dialogue into all sorts of avenues. At least, the visitor may ask for directions to your place. At most, your Twitter account has become a point of contact and tour guide. *With under 140 characters of marketing.* This is one of [countless missed opportunities](https://search.twitter.com/search?q=minocqua) for businesses near Mincoqua, WI:  No one ever replied or responded to this tweet. ## 4. Follow the Industry Leaders If this post has you confused, just Google some of the more popular brands in your industry that are located in bigger cities. By liking these other industry businesses on Facebook or following them on Twitter, you'll notice what they are doing to capture the market. I understand that you may be a mom & pop general store, small coffee shop or a fishing guide, it doesn't hurt to connect with your distant competitors. You'll learn more from these people/businesses than you could ever imagine. ### My Firsthand Story Personally, when I moved back to the Northwoods of Wisconsin from my brief time in Chicago, I was shocked how many businesses didn't have any online presence, let alone a social media presence. I couldn't get social proof of businesses through Facebook, communicate to others through Twitter, and every store or restaurant I visited had to be added to FourSquare. And since the Northwoods is a huge tourist area, I bet most of the businesses over the past few years have completely missed out on easy foot traffic & sales. Are you from a small town or have you been through one that failed at creating an online presence? And what do you think about the above strategies?era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/building-your-audience-ellen-gold-digger/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/building-your-audience-ellen-gold-digger/Building Your Audience: What Ellen's Gold Digger Machine Can Teach UsMon, 14 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT [The Ellen DeGeneres Show](http://ellen.warnerbros.com/) is genius. She is smart and funny, a tough combination to achieve. One of her segments is *Gold Digger*, in which a viewer gets a few moments in a box with flying money up for grabs. But a common theme I've noticed is the contestant usually freaks out and tries to grab the biggest clumps of cash. However, reflexes aren't as fast as the fan blowing the money. So by the time their hand reaches the large wad, it's gone. They try for the big bucks, yet end up with nothing. Having grown up on an Indian reservation (blocks from a casino), I've watched these cash boxes in action first hand. And I've always noticed the participant grabbing for the clumps while winding up with nothing. However, what rarely happens is the contestant [thinking logically](/writing/questioning-everything-the-missing-art-of-critical-thinking/). We know the clumping strategy doesn't work because we're slower than the fan. But what does work is concentrating on one bill at a time. Humans have the ability to focus on one flying item and pluck it from the air. Maybe it's an innate quality passed down from our hunter-gatherer ancestors. Whatever it is, we can focus and grab one item at a time. No matter how fast it's flying. To reiterate, grabbing one bill at a time is the key to tons of cash. ## Building An Audience So what does this have to do with building your audience? In one word, *everything*. All to often, brands try to take a shortcut and grab for clumps of followers. They think it's possible to bypass the need for individualized attention of their fan-base. This simply does not work. A friend of mine shared with me a [Wall Street Journal article](https://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304510704575562032768052598.html) today about a company, Bill.com, complaining that their B2B business is not seeing any positives from social media. But as I explored deeper into their strategy they are failing to understand how to cultivate a following. The article states that they have over 10,000 customers. Yet hardly any followers. Boo hoo! Cry me a river... A quick glance at their [Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/billcom) shows that they are all about themselves. Of the five or so status updates they've posted over the last couple months (pitiful I know), their wall is of their products, brand and pictures of a sponsored race car. Not too impressive. Where are they giving back to the customer? If I were to follow them, I'd want helpful articles, how-to's and other posts of value. A look into their [Twitter account](https://twitter.com/billcom) has little to no \@replies. Where's the engagement? If I were a customer, I'd follow because they would interact with me. A [two second Twitter search](https://search.twitter.com/search?q=bill.com&lang=en) resulted in all sorts of chatter around the brand, yet no response from Bill.com. The following tweet was sent four days ago and resulted in no \@reply from anyone:  How easy would it be to create an alert in Hootsuite for Bill.com and respond to tweets like these? One focused response with a link to a testimonial or referral to another Bill.com user for third-party recommendation would almost guarantee they earned that customer's business. And finally, I searched for their LinkedIn account... non-existent. Anyone complaining that their B2B social media strategy isn't working, yet is not on LinkedIn, clearly hasn't grasped the concept of finding a target platform. Because last time I checked, their are [a lot of business people visiting LinkedIn](https://press.linkedin.com/about/) on a daily basis. I don't mean to pick on you Bill.com, I bet your service is great. But you're complaining about social media not working, yet you're failing to do it correctly. It's not social media's fault, it's yours. You are grabbing at clumps when you should be seeking out bills. Pun intended. And who knows, I may follow or like you, Bill.com, before ever thinking of becoming a customer. Because if you added value to my life and business, I would see you as a source of knowledge and expertise. But until then, I'll stick with your competitor, [Freshbooks](http://www.freshbooks.com/). They understand their customer. ## The Lesson When building your audience, you must focus individualized attention on your followers. Grabbing for clumps of visitors by sending out self-centered posts, worthless tweets (no \@replies) or not utilizing the best platforms, will not get you the pay-day you're looking for. But rather, broke and alone. What do you think?era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/escalator-temporarily-stairs/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/escalator-temporarily-stairs/Escalator Temporarily StairsSun, 20 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMTHave you ever wondered what would happen when a piece of technology you've become familiar with, breaks? How would you react? Do you have a backup plan? Or would you turn into these people: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSIkjNaICsg&feature=emb_imp_woyt&ab_channel=ThatBobGuy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSIkjNaICsg&feature=emb_imp_woyt&ab_channel=ThatBobGuy) When building your business, unfamiliar events are bound to happen. There will come times that systems you've grown dependent on will let you down. It's almost a guarantee. Personally, this happened to me a few days ago. My blackberry crashed. Kaput. D-E-A-D, dead. Worse yet, I had no other backup phone immediately available. And it just so happened that it died shortly after I gave a two-hour social media presentation to a large group of local business people , all potential clients. *(In hindsight, I could have temporarily forwarded my number to my Skype account)* *I was in hot water. I had learned the hard way that we must be cautious of technology , to tread lightly , as it can disappear at anytime. And believing my phone could never fail me, I didn't have an alternative option.* ***The Lesson*** *Technology won't always be available. It's up to you and your team to anticipate and overcome technological obstacles. And it's those businesses that can adapt who will keep their uptime and maintain their momentum.* *Do you have any examples of this? And how did you overcome your tech-downfalls?*era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/david-ogilvy-headline-copywriting/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/david-ogilvy-headline-copywriting/The Secret Behind David Ogilvy's Brilliant Headline CopywritingMon, 31 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT*"On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar."* ***\~ David Ogilvy*** ***David Ogilvy is one of the greatest ad men ever. His contributions to the marketing industry are incalculable. And anyone in advertising couldn't imagine a world without his iconic ads.*** ***In his day, marketing budgets were spread amongst the traditional marketing outlets; magazines, newspapers and commercials, for example. But as we have transitioned into the digital age, what could we possibly learn from this classical ad man? Turns out, a lot.*** ## *Appealing to Your Audience*  ***The above ad contains what is [arguably considered](http://robertrosenthal.typepad.com/blog/2007/09/did-david-ogilv.html) the most famous headline of all time. But why is this? To answer that, we must think critically about the underlying message here and what Ogilvy is attempting to convey to readers.*** ***"I don't know the rules of grammar. If you're trying to persuade people to do something, or buy something, it seems to me you should use their language."*** ***\~ David Ogilvy*** ***Imagine this scenario: It's 1958, Americans have been living in a prosperous post-war era for years, and the automobile is the ultimate rolling status symbol. The folks at Rolls-Royce approach Ogilvy for promotion.*** ***What could David possibly do to persuade buyers towards a Rolls-Royce versus the slew of other luxury options? In essence, a luxury car is just a luxury car, right? They all claim to be quick, comfortable and classy.*** ***Ogilvy recognized the similarities between all the luxury automobile offerings and searched for a remarkable trait. A benefit that spoke to the audience. But what benefit would the upper-elite crave the most? The ad man knew an escape from the impoverished world is something the upper-class notoriously desire. Or in other words, they longed for peace and quiet. So by simply pulling a quote from the Technical Editor's write-up in The Motor, he had his headline:*** ***"At 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock."*** ***Eureka! He had struck advertising gold. And the rich and famous finally had an option to escape the average, everyday lower-class world while driving from mansion to beach-home.*** ***Lesson: His headline spoke the language of the intended audience.*** ## *The Modern Day Challenge*  ***You may be thinking, what does this have to do with Internet marketing? Well actually, everything. From landing page design to blog posts, the headline is vital. But first, we have to rethink the headline.*** ***In web marketing, the modern day headline isn't simply the start of your ad copy. But rather, it's the link that must demand a click in Google's SERP's, the only thing a Twitter user reads next to a shortened URL, the bold headline font of a landing page, the clickable link in a Facebook share, the list goes on and on.*** ***With the endless other distractions on the Internet, how can you attract their attention for longer than a split-second?*** ***Thus, the challenge for modern day copywriting comes in when attempting to capture an audience's attention while speaking to them in engaging yet understandable language.*** ### *The question I pose to you:* ***How can you craft a headline that speaks to your intended audience while staying relevant in all of these different modern day mediums?***era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/disagree-talk-to-the-hand/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/disagree-talk-to-the-hand/Disagree? Talk to the HandWed, 19 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMTWe all have disagreements. It's inevitable. But understanding how to civilly solve them is often lost in the mix. So let's take a look at exactly what a dispute is , in example form: Imagine you and I are standing face-to-face and someone else holds a hand up between us. With the palm towards you, they ask you to describe it. I'd assume you would have an easy time. You'd see all of the intricacies of the hand. The love line, the childhood scars, everything. Now, what if they ask you to describe the back of their hand? With their palm still towards you, it would be impossible. You can assume they have fingernails, knuckles and such. But you wouldn't see the tiny details. It's facing me and only I can describe it. And until you were able to see the back of the hand, you'd have no idea what I see. Nor could I tell you what the palm looks like. We are both looking at a hand, yet we both see something completely different. The moral of the story here is that when we have a disagreement with someone, we must realize that we are simply seeing a different angle of the same problem. So remember... You're looking at the same hand. How can you see the other side?era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/social-media-behind-the-brand/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/social-media-behind-the-brand/Who's Behind the Brand? 15 Examples of Companies Rocking Social MediaThu, 13 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMTThe beauty of social media from a brand standpoint is the ease in which a community can be created. But all too often I see the company fail without knowing they failed. Let me explain in example form: If you go to a convention, a meet & greet, a seminar, networking event or any other physical meeting with companies, do the booth representatives magically talk from a megaphone while hiding behind a huge logo? Hopefully no. But rather they have name badges on and are pressing palms with the folks. They're answering questions and chatting with everyone they can, even the competition. To put in other words, they are being human. So if this is how representatives act while on location, why are so many brands sitting faceless on a podium when it comes to Twitter, Facebook, Blogs and other social network websites? It makes no sense. But lucky for us, there are also many brands who understand the power of social media. That it's a two-way conversation and that listening is as powerful, if not more powerful, than speaking. Below are 15 examples of brands I adore. Nor just because they have an excellent company, but because they get the idea of being social. Here we go: ## Twitter First let's look at a few companies that are rocking their Twitter following: ## [**Dogfish Head Brewery**](https://twitter.com/dogfishbeer)  Besides having extremely tasty beer and an entertaining show on TV, Dogfish Head Brewery is the essence of a solid social media strategy. They interact with their fans and tweet nothing but valuable information. ## [**SyFy**](https://twitter.com/Syfy)  Craig does a wonderful job in promoting the SyFy brand on twitter. He frequently has Q&A sessions as well as many fun contests and giveaways. ## [**Research in Motion (Blackberry)**](https://twitter.com/BlackBerryHelp)  If you have a Blackberry (& a Twitter account) and you are not following these guys, you're missing out. They are on top of the ball when it comes to customer service and fan interaction. Have a question or concern about your Blackberry? Tweet it to them and you'll quickly have your answer. ## [**Foursquare**](https://twitter.com/foursquare)  There's not much to say other than the folks at Foursquare cannot shut up on Twitter. But I say this in a lovingly good way. They regularly chat with their followers. ## [**Craftsman**](https://twitter.com/craftsmanclub)  I love Craftsman's Twitter account almost as much as I love their tools. They do a great job in keeping strong brand recognition. A personal example: I once tweeted I wanted to bust out the power tools to make my desk. Twenty minutes later Rich from Craftsman kindly sent me a tweet to post a pic when I was done. No sales pitch or anything, just two guys chatting about power tools. *(lesson: set a search query to alert you of keywords in your industry)* ## [**Drs. Foster & Smith**](https://twitter.com/DFS_Ellen)  Drs. Foster & Smith is a nationwide pet supply company located in my neck of the woods. Ellen does a wonderful job posting valuable tips for pet care as well as continually chatting with pet owners on Twitter. ## [**PR Web**](https://twitter.com/prweb)  I can't count how many times I've chatted with Frank and Stacey over at PR Web. They understand the power of keeping in contact with their customers. ## [**Unbounce**](https://twitter.com/unbounce)  Oli at Unbounce does a great job chatting with anyone who will listen. He has a strong understanding of the power of Twitter. ## Facebook Next, let's look at some strong brands on Facebook. While not exactly the same as Twitter communication-wise, Facebook can seriously boost a brand's level of interaction with their fans. ## [**Starbucks**](https://www.facebook.com/Starbucks)  Besides the [new Starbucks logo kerfuffle](/writing/whats-the-problem-with-refreshing-a-brand/), the company is doing extremely well with their social media campaigns. And they have over 19 million fans to support this. ## [**Nutella**](https://www.facebook.com/Nutella)  I've never had Nutella, but from what I hear it's like crack in a jar. And their Facebook presence reassures this. Their constant insightful posts and fan ravings definitely creates a sense of community, which a few short years ago would be unheard of: a community of tasty hazelnut spread fanatics. ## [**Californication**](https://www.facebook.com/Californication)  I love Showtime's hit show Californication. While not exactly a company as the post title suggests, the show is still a very powerful brand on Facebook. They often post behind-the-scenes videos and pictures as well as upcoming news. It allows for us fans to truly feel engaged in the show outside of the few short minutes we have a week with it on TV. ## [**Dove**](https://www.facebook.com/dove)  Along the lines of Nutella, in years gone by, who could have imagined a soap company creating a community around its products? But yet, they have found a way to become one of the more popular brands on Facebook with over 300,000 fans. ## [**Victoria's Secret**](https://www.facebook.com/victoriassecret)  I love Victoria's Secret because of... ehem... um... their marketing ability, that's it. They have great marketing. ## [**Flip Video**](https://www.facebook.com/flipvideo)  The dead simple camera has taken the world by storm. And so has their social media strategy. Their Facebook page is filled with valuable posts and many provoking ideas to get out and record stuff. I would go as far as saying that if Flip didn't have their strong social media campaign we wouldn't know the camera existed. ## [**Oreo**](https://www.facebook.com/oreo)  I was sold on Oreo's marketing ability when the official "coin" of the [Kraft Fights Hunger Bowl was an Oreo](http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kraft-foods-calls-an-audible-for-the-coin-toss-of-the-kraft-fight-hunger-bowl-113064814.html). But from a social media standpoint, it's hard to argue against their dominant presence. And while Oreo has always had a strong offline following, their 16,000,000 Facebook fans reassures us that Oreo must be doing something right. ### Conclusion I hope you see the trend from these brands. Social media is supposed to be social. No one wants to support a faceless organization. In the world of Social Media, raving fans will only rally for the brands they can interact with. *What are you doing to connect with your audience?*era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/putting-things-in-perspective/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/putting-things-in-perspective/Louis C.K. Puts Things into PerspectiveTue, 11 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMTThere's a lot of pessimism right now in the media and amongst most folks. It seems everywhere I look something bad is happening in the world. Sometimes, we just need to take a step back and put things in perspective. We've all got to realize the world is much better than it seems. But instead of me ranting on, I'm going to let the funnyman Louis C.K. take the mic: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r1CZTLk-Gk&feature=emb_imp_woyt&ab_channel=checkoutmytrip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r1CZTLk-Gk&feature=emb_imp_woyt&ab_channel=checkoutmytrip)era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/usability-resources-to-improve-website-conversions/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/usability-resources-to-improve-website-conversions/12 Usability Resources to Improve Website ConversionsTue, 04 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT**A usable, high-conversion website.** It's the goal of any Internet marketing campaign, but how do we do it? While we all strive for a better converting website, we may find ourselves confused by all the different points-of-views of graphic designers basing answers on so-called design trends. Worse yet, our graphic designer may value a pretty website over a functional website. **So before you accept your next website design, take a look at these usability and conversion optimization articles and resources:** ## [**The Myth of the Page Fold**](http://www.cxpartners.co.uk/thoughts/the_myth_of_the_page_fold_evidence_from_user_testing.htm)  **Summary: This article is a thorough write-up & images of what user's look at on a website. Most importantly, they conclude that when the site is designed correctly, the content below the "fold" of your website still has a chance of being seen.** ## [**Google Labs: Browser Size**](http://browsersize.googlelabs.com/)  **Summary: Input your website's address and see what it looks like to the majority of users. But I would recommend those with centered website designs to shrink your browser to it's smallest size without a horizontal scroll bar.** ## [**The \$300 Million Button**](https://www.uie.com/articles/three_hund_million_button/)  **Summary: By changing only one button, a company saw an increase of \$300 million in sales in one year.** ## [**F-Shape Pattern for Reading Web Content**](http://www.useit.com/alertbox/reading_pattern.html)  **Summary: The long-running authority in usability, Jakob Nielsen conducted a study on what users looked at on websites.** ## [**Eye Tracking Results for Article Design**](http://www.ojr.org/ojr/stories/070312ruel/)  **Summary: My favorite article of this list. They describe how changing the styling of an article can increase the chances of it being read to the bottom.** ## [**10 Useful Usability Findings and Guidelines**](http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/09/24/10-useful-usability-findings-and-guidelines/)  **Summary: A great list of usability findings. Read it, trust me you'll learn something.** ## [**15 Standard Screen Patterns**](http://designingwebinterfaces.com/designing-web-interfaces-12-screen-patterns)  **Summary: A huge collection of patterns to use when creating a highly usable framework for your design.** ## [**"Mad Libs" Style Forms Increase Conversions**](http://www.lukew.com/ff/entry.asp?1007)  **Summary: An interesting take on form design. Instead of the usual table form, they present a more functional method for designing your next form.** ## [**Stop Using CAPTCHA's**](http://webdesignledger.com/tips/why-you-should-stop-using-captchas/)  **Summary: The title says it all: Please stop using CAPTCHA's! The article gives examples of alternatives to use instead of the annoying letter guessing game.** ## [**The Ultimate Guide for A/B Split Testing**](http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/06/24/the-ultimate-guide-to-a-b-testing/)  **Summary: Once you have a strong design (or couple designs), you will want to test their effectiveness. For those already in the Internet marketing industry you may already know about this. But for those just getting their feet wet, this article is a very extensive resource.** ## [**25-Point Usability Checklist**](http://www.usereffect.com/topic/25-point-website-usability-checklist)  **Summary: A great checklist to download. Make sure you don't overlook anything in your design.** ## [**10 Examples of Effective Landing Pages**](http://unbounce.com/landing-page-examples/your-landing-page-sucks/)  **Summary: A little landing page inspiration from the geniuses over at Unbounce.** ## Conclusion **I hope this list of valuable resources helps you with your next web design. And if you enjoyed this list, please share it!** **Good luck with your design!**era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/change-habit-in-20-seconds/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/change-habit-in-20-seconds/How-To Change Any Habit in 20 SecondsTue, 28 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMTNewsflash: Turns out we are generally a lazy species. Which you'll shortly see is good news for those looking to switch out a bad habit for a better habit. I recently finished reading Shawn Achor's excellent book, [The Happiness Advantage](https://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Advantage-Principles-Psychology-Performance/dp/0307591549/) and I found a very intriguing concept. A concept that's only 20 seconds in practice. Yet can change your life. ## The 20 Second Rule We all have a vice we'd like to exchange for a better alternative. It may be grabbing that cookie instead of a handful of celery. Or it may be plunking down in front of the TV instead of reading. Whatever it may be, there's hope. Shawn described how a cafeteria could reduce the consumption of unhealthy snacks by moving the ice cream cooler further from the lunch line. Or increase the chances of reading a book by placing it next to the TV remote and moving the remote's batteries into the next room. To explain further, when you make your bad habit harder to do while making the good habit easier, you are much more likely to take the easy route. The golden rule is to make your vice 20 seconds away, while making your good habit immediately available. ### A few possibilities that come to mind: Want to start working out in the morning? Get creative with the locations of your equipment, gear and shoes. Looking to stop eating unhealthy snacks? Place the treats on the furthest, highest shelf. Been wishing to only watch TV on the weekends? Unplug the HDMI cable in back. Need to escape from work at night? Leave the Blackberry and work laptop in the furthest room. Tired of wasting your day on distracting websites? Use this [plugin](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/3145/) for Firefox to block sites and require extra steps to access them. **To Conclude** While this may seem like a simple idea, I hope this will help you change some of your habits. Good luck! Do you have any examples or experiences you'd like to share?era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/theres-an-alternative-to-cheese/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/theres-an-alternative-to-cheese/There's an Alternative to Cheese?Sun, 26 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMTI was in the supermarket with my brother and sister buying ingredients for vegan macaroni & "cheese," and realized something interesting. The grocery store assumes people know there is non-dairy cheese and that it's located in the natural food aisle. This is fine for the folks who shop in that section of the store. But what about those who want to eat a bit healthier yet don't travel up and down every aisle in the store? Without specifically seeing the couple offerings in a tiny corner of the natural food fridge, they may never know there is an alternative to dairy cheese. ## Learning from Vegan Cheese You can never assume your customers and clients know all of your offerings. But rather, you must make the effort to present all applicable options during the sales cycle. No matter how obvious the product or service is to you, keep in mind that your customers aren't psychic. Amazon.com does this extremely well with the "customers also bought," "customers also viewed" and the "related items" showcases on each product's info page. What do you think? Do you have examples of this in your life or business?era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-1-skill-needed-to-succeed-in-anything/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-1-skill-needed-to-succeed-in-anything/The #1 Skill Needed to Succeed in AnythingThu, 23 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMTWe all want to be successful. It's a given. But unfortunately most people find themselves staring at a glass ceiling. Unable to leap to the next levels in their careers and life, forever locked into their current scenario. Why is this? While I cannot make sweeping conclusions, nor assume everyone *can* become successful. A majority of people are lacking in the ability to sell. And I'm not saying they cannot sell real estate or life insurance. **They fail to sell their ideas.** Think about this for a moment: When you call a coworker for immediate action to support your project, what are you doing? Selling your need for help. When you plead with your kids to eat their green beans, what are you doing? Selling the benefits of green beans. Or most importantly, when you approach your boss for a raise or promotion, what are you doing? Selling yourself. But alas, those who disagree with the need for sales skills relate the skill to a used car salesman. Something that's far too sleazy and dubious in nature. "It's not for me" I hear people say when I recommend sales books. However, since you are reading my blog, I have faith in you. You have already taken the first step. You understand the need for continual self-improvement. My goal with this post is to give some guidance to those who haven't thought to deeply into this concept before. So here it is, my recommended reading for improving your ability to sell your ideas: [The Secret of Power Negotiation by Roger Dawson](https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Power-Negotiating-Roger-Dawson/dp/1564144984) , The first step in improving your selling ability is negotiation. Period. [Influence by Robert B. Cialdini](https://www.amazon.com/Influence-Psychology-Persuasion-Robert-Cialdini/dp/0688128165) , The second step in understanding how to sell, is understanding people. Anyone that knows me knows I obsess about psychology. There's a reason; I understand the science behind business and social conventions , *an important life skill.* [SPIN Selling by Neil Rackman](https://www.amazon.com/SPIN-Selling-Neil-Rackham/dp/0070511136) , A book I've recommended a dozen times already on this blog. Technically, this book is for multi-stage selling of products and services to business accounts. But I interpret the concepts differently. If you read the book thinking the product is your idea and the business account is your potential "idea buyer," you will learn some amazing sales techniques. These three books will instantly give a huge boost in your selling abilities. **To Summarize** It doesn't matter if you are an accountant, a parent or an entrepreneur. You must be able to sell yourself and your ideas. What do you think? Do you have any recommendations on where we should learn how to sell?era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/is-this-the-future-of-tv-commercials/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/is-this-the-future-of-tv-commercials/Is This The Future Of TV Commercials?Wed, 22 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMTWith the ever evolving use of DVR's and online video, it is only a matter of time before we see a drastic change in how advertisers market their products on TV. As we all probably know by now, a growing number of shows and movies have started integrating products into the script. While some shows pull off the placement well, others fail horribly. Case in point: If this is the future of product placement, I'm selling my TV. Could you imagine someone doing this in real life? It would be ridiculous: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhIIPbO_6xg&feature=emb_imp_woyt&ab_channel=JamesGabriel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhIIPbO_6xg&feature=emb_imp_woyt&ab_channel=JamesGabriel)era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/10-rules-for-restaurant-success/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/10-rules-for-restaurant-success/10 Rules for Restaurant SuccessTue, 21 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMTFrom what I've experienced working with restaurateurs struggling to make it in the restaurant business, becoming successful is not only challenging. Success often comes with back breaking hard work, dedication and years of building a reputation. That is, however, if the restaurant follows the strategies of the majority. Which usually consists of average food and forgettable experiences. I, on the other hand, believe a restaurant can become an instant success if the following 10 rules are applied correctly: ## Rule #1: Remarkable Creating a restaurant that others talk about and willingly recommend to others is paramount for restaurant success. But yet this is easier said than done. Most places fall into the realm of boring, unattractive eating establishments. So how does one create a remarkable restaurant? By obeying these following principles: ## Rule #2: Simple but Delicious Menu Bill Cosby said it best, "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to *please* everybody." All too often I see menus with page after page of unique food offerings. While this huge selection is great in theory. Most people don't need that many choices. A dozen or less main courses are enough. Some meat, some vegetarian and that's it. No one needs 15 styles of chicken at a steak house. Moreover, when you offer everything under the sun, it becomes almost impossible to create amazing dishes with the absolute freshest ingredients. Instead, your signature arugula soup with goat cheese is going to sit in the warming pot, cooking itself into a slow burnt death. And it's all because you have a slue of other mediocre offerings diluting people's choices. ## Rule #3: Seating Restaurant revenues are directly related to how many people get through the door in a day. And with margins so small in most cases, a successful restaurant must be able to serve as many as possible. I'm not saying a cafeteria-style seating arrangement is necessary. But rather a smart, elegant yet expansive layout is essential for boosting profits. ## Rule #4: Sign As with food, presentation is everything. And having a 20-year-old sign with peeling paint, is not presenting your business in a positive manner. Most off-the-street guests pick where to eat by what they see. Often by the number of cars in the parking lot, *which is mostly out of your direct control*, and by the sign. The nicer the sign, the more likely people will stop in for a bite to eat. ## Rule #5: No-Frills Atmosphere People looking to eat aren't all to judgmental. Who cares if there isn't a tablecloth? Or that the napkins are paper instead of the finest Egyptian cotton? A table, chairs and interesting stuff on the walls is all most people need. Head to eBay for some used decorations and [allposters.com](https://www.allposters.com/) for fake, yet elegant looking paintings. ## Rule #6: Wait Staff Personality No matter what else, the wait staff has to be memorable. Not ass-kissing nice. Memorable. Creating a crew of fun-to-be-around workers is what will get folks coming back and guaranteeing positive recommendations to friends. Besides the food, most people dining out are doing so for an experience. If they just wanted good food and a boring time, they would have ordered delivery. ## Rule #7: Location and/or Parking City locations must be near high foot traffic areas. Suburban and rural restaurants must have ample parking. Enough said. ## Rule #8: Memorabilia Besides the huge profit margins, memorabilia is a great way to increase your chances of success. Hundreds or thousands of people occasionally wearing your branded shirts and drinking out of logo'd glasses is amazingly effective marketing. Especially considering the fan paid you for the privilege of advertising your restaurant. However, you must make sure the stuff is cool and unique. No one will wear an out-of-style t-shirt or buy a shot glass with a crappy sticker on it. ## Rule #9: Social Media Presence It once was the future of marketing. Now, it's just marketing. Get your brand active on Twitter & Facebook. Create specials on Foursquare. Post fun pictures and content to your blog. Do whatever it takes to create a loyal online community. ## Rule #10: Sweat the Small Stuff, eg. Napkins How many times have you been at a restaurant and had to ask for more napkins? Unless I'm the only one who can't eat a salad, bread, main course and dessert without demolishing a single napkin, people need more than one napkin. Having customers track down a worker to ask for things that should be readily available is the easiest way to annoy a patron. From a guest's perspective, think the entire dining process through. Are there any speed bumps along the way? I bet simple solutions can be found for every hurdle. ## Bonus , Rule #11: Create Motive for Free Press Adam Richman of Man vs. Food fame would agree with me on this one. Eating contests, ginormous meals and other clever marketing tactics can be an easy way to gain free press and coverage. ### Conclusion I've always wanted to own a bar/restaurant. But cannot foresee me doing so anytime soon. So the above ten rules are my secrets for how I'd create a successful restaurant. Not a restaurant owner? Forward this post to your favorite eating-place. I'd imagine they will enjoy reading this.era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/combating-social-media-overload/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/combating-social-media-overload/Simple Three Step Process for Combating Social Media OverloadMon, 20 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMTMaintaining a Facebook page, a Twitter account, YouTube channel, a blog, etc. can be extremely overwhelming. Social media can quickly begin consuming more and more of your day. You may find that the majority of your work hours consist of reading, commenting and posting relatively useless info. With this information overload, it's easy to get distracted. Worse yet, I often notice people automating the entire process through services like [Hootsuite](https://www.hootsuite.com/) and [Ping.fm](http://ping.fm/), in where they post the exact same thing on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and anywhere else they can. This strategy is not only ineffective, ***it's lazy***. My solution for those just getting their feet wet, *or drowning*, in the social media pool is a simple, yet effective one: ## Step One Pick only one platform to initially focus your efforts. This may mean temporarily ditching the Twitter account. Or neglecting your Facebook page. Whatever you decide is the most effective medium for connecting with your desired audience, use it, and only it. In most cases, if you concentrate on one network, you can become more active while spending less time maintaining the account and relationships. *Caveat: As a matter of online reputation management, I suggest signing-up for as many social network accounts as warranted. While you're not active on all of them, you still want a presence on the networks.* ## Step Two Once you have a grasp on your first network, you will want to have a stronger home base that you can control. This is where a website comes into play. And while I'm a big proponent for a blog, you can simply start with a landing page through [WordPress](https://wordpress.org/) with a short blurb and contact capture form. It doesn't need to be the prettiest website, nor does it need to be overloaded with content. It just needs to be effective for conversions. The beauty of WordPress is you're able to easily add pages, content and eventually a blog. ## Step Three As time goes by, you will become relatively efficient at maintaining your sole social network and your growing website. Therefore, you can now branch out into the next most promising avenue. If you've been posting daily on Facebook, start to explore Twitter. But please keep in mind that each social network serves its own purpose. And you should rarely post the same thing on all your networks. ### To Summarize Marketers feel they need to be everywhere online in order to be effectively promoting their brand. This is simply not true. There are over 500 million people on Facebook and a few hundred million on Twitter. Not to mention the billions of searches on Google that could lead to your blog. Any one of these routes leaves much opportunity to seize your slice of the market. Put in other words, spread yourself too thin amongst all the social networks and you'll become ineffective and overloaded. Conversely, by focusing on one or two avenues you'll begin to see a great return on your efforts.era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/rethinking-follow-friday-on-twitter-ff/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/rethinking-follow-friday-on-twitter-ff/Rethinking Follow Friday on Twitter #FFFri, 17 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT**I dread Twitter on Fridays.** Absolutely dread it. Because my entire follow stream and @ replies are filled with string after string of Follow Friday recommendations. For those of you wondering what I'm talking about, Follow Friday or hashtag FF, is a ritual where tweeters send out tweets listing users who they feel should be followed by their follow-base. For example see pic above \^ ### The Flaw in Follow Friday The fundamental flaw in this annoying habit is these tweets provide **absolutely no value** to anyone. Who are these people? Why should I follow these people? And now that I'm thinking about it, who are you & why should I trust you with this random recommendation? *And don't get me started on those who RT the #FF saying thanks, therefore sending the same message to the half dozen people again.* Put in other words, when you string together a bunch of random twitter usernames, no one knows why they should follow these strangers. ## My Cure to the Follow Friday Addiction Instead of listing tweeters in such an ambiguous manner, take a step back and look at what you're trying to accomplish. You would like your followers to follow a few tweeters who you adore. And you want to spread the love through this #FF ritual. So why not take the first 120 characters of the tweet to say why anyone would want to follow **one user**, then list their username and the FF hastag. And if you have five or six people you'd like to share, split them up into five or six tweets. For example: You see the difference between this tweet and the tweet up top? ## To Summarize If you want to participate in the Follow Friday ritual, please, please, please, please, please, please, please **add value**!era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/how-mannequins-boost-inventory-turnover/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/how-mannequins-boost-inventory-turnover/How Mannequins Boost Inventory Turnover at Retail Clothing StoresThu, 16 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMTHave you ever gone clothes shopping and find yourself standing in the middle of a store in utter confusion? What the heck should I buy? Everything looks nice! I've done it. Especially in stores like Banana Republic, J Crew and Express. Their selection is amazing. For the fashion illiterate (like me), the huge selection makes for a difficult time deciding what shirts go with what ties. And what sweaters go with what pants. So I often look for inspiration throughout the stores , usually by checking out the stylish mannequins. But with that said, I am beginning to see a trend. The wardrobes on the mannequins are usually sold out. And not just one or two items. Almost every time I see a well-dressed mannequin in a store, all of the pieces are unavailable. **So what does this tell us?** It tells us that if retail store managers are serious about moving product. They must be aware of what is available in their inventory in comparison to the mannequins. If they are displaying a wardrobe that is no longer available, they'll clearly not achieve their revenue goals. What do you think? Have you noticed this trend in your favorite stores?era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/how-to-gain-an-instant-boost-of-happiness/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/how-to-gain-an-instant-boost-of-happiness/How To Gain an Instant Boost of HappinessSun, 12 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMTAs winter rolls around, we will all face it at some time or another... we're bound to become SAD, or as smarter-people than I say it, Seasonal Affective Disorder. And while long-term depression is a rough road, usually impossible to cure yourself, it is possible to quickly boost your spirits short-term. ## The Happiness Boost We all have memories in our lives that we may never forget. An experience filled with supreme ecstasy. It may have been the birth of a child, a family vacation, moving into your first home or, in my case, the purchase of your first car in high school. We remember the moment like it was yesterday. And while thinking about that extremely joyous time, it's almost impossible not to smile. But guess what also happens when we take a few minutes to sit and reflect on those happy memories? Our brain becomes entrenched in those feelings. And all sorts of happy chemicals are released, just as if you had been there in person. It's a beautiful thing. ### What do you think? Reflecting on a happier time is the easiest method I have found for instantly boosting the feel good juices. Have you developed any cool methods for instant happiness?era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/how-to-kill-your-first-impression/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/how-to-kill-your-first-impression/Is This Simple Item Killing Your Chances at a Positive First Impression?Thu, 09 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMTIf you're in a profession where first impressions matter. *Which is every profession*. You must be aware that people are judgmental. And while most people wouldn't admit it. Subconsciously, they are. So what does this mean for you? It means you must be aware of one of the most crucial aspects of your wardrobe... **Your shoes.** This may seem a petty after-thought or possibly even counterintuitive. But it isn't. ## Why Your Shoes Matter Next time you're face-to-face with a new acquaintance, watch their eyes. Eventually during the conversation their gaze will drift to the floor. And guess what's down there? Yup, your tattered, ugly 4-year-old shoes. While yes your beloved shoes fit like a glove and they hold sentimental value ever since you traveled through five countries with them. But the other parties in your conversation don't know these things. They just know your shoes are ugly as shit. *Excuse my French.* But it needs to be said. I run into too many sales people trying to earn my business by pledging their superior quality and utmost attention to detail, yet they wear the ugliest shoes. It seems common sense to me, nevertheless, countless business people fail to understand this simple concept; **dress to impress**. *However, to be accurate, this is much more common a problem with men. Most women, at least the ones in my life, LOVE their shoes. But don't get me started on that subject...* ### To Summarize Go to [Zappos](https://www.zappos.com/) and buy some new shoes. It's an investment worth making.era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/is-black-friday-worth-it/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/is-black-friday-worth-it/Is Camping Out for Black Friday Worth It?Tue, 23 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMTAs Thanksgiving meals end and turkey-filled relatives & friends say goodbye, many Americans will be headed to crowded, cold concrete sidewalks outside their favorite stores. A long, frigid night is ahead for these *smart shoppers*, huddled under blankets waiting for the **Black Friday sales** to commence. *But is it worth it?* When I was in college I had a part-time gig at the local Best Buy. And my first official day was the Friday after Thanksgiving. It was intense and a bit nerve-racking walking into work for the first time at midnight and being greeted by a line of eager customers lined around the building , when just hours before I had been with my family celebrating a day of thanks. As the GM handed me my shirt and badge all I could think about was how crazy these people were for sacrificing get-togetherness time for a \$300 computer and a \$40 dvd player. It didn't make sense to me. And it still doesn't. **The question I pose:** Why would anyone in their right mind go through the agony of crowded, frantic shopping conditions after waiting in the cold for hours? **The answer of most:** The deals are too good to pass up. While yes, a new flat-screen TV for half-off is an attractive offer, it isn't a deal. Not at all. Here's why: ## Need vs. Want If you had never picked up that Bed, Bath & Beyond sales flyer, would you really have wanted that \$100 automatic wine decanter? Exactly. Almost everything on sale this holiday season isn't stuff you require out of necessity. But rather, it's all things you want because you noticed the substantial discount. ## The Add-Ons One thing I learned while working at Best Buy was the concept of Add-Ons. Best Buy could lose a ton of money on a computer, TV, or other main electronics device. Because they knew the profit could be recovered in cables, accessories, batteries, and warranties. Getting that new laptop computer for \$300? Don't forget the anti-virus software for \$30, the external mouse for \$20, the airport-friendly case for \$50, the security cable for \$25, Microsoft Office for \$400, the extended warranty for \$100... you get the point. You will quickly find that had you shopped around outside of Black Friday, a better overall deal may have been widely available. ## The Web Websites such as [Slickdeals.net](https://slickdeals.net/) and [Spoofee](http://www.spoofee.com/) have saved me thousands of dollars over the years. And don't forget sites like [Groupon](https://www.groupon.com/) which can help save a bundle of money. The deals you can find on the web are amazing. And oftentimes depending on the store, sales can be found year-round. ## Impulse Buys You head into the store for a new TV, but while walking through the aisles you notice a Blue-Ray DVD player on sale. Without a second thought you toss it in the cart. And of course you need something to watch, so you impulsively buy a few movies. Oh, and while you're in the checkout aisle, you spot the infamous [shake-weight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt6dcDk7qKA) you wanted last year. You've been meaning to shed a few pounds *(and bonus, you can use it while watching Gladiator in Blue-Ray)*. Bam, it's in the cart. Now you're a few hundred bucks over budget. Impulse buys are as slippery a slope as the add-on buy. ## It's Crap: Remember TINSTAAFL Have you ever heard "There Is No Such Thing As A Free Lunch?" Put in other words, someone is making money , usually through clever cost-cutting supply side strategies. And one of the easiest methods to cut costs is downgrading the quality of components. [Dell somehow continually gets away with this](https://www.engadget.com/2010/06/30/documents-show-that-dell-knowingly-sold-defective-computers-mis/). Wal-Mart notoriously [pressures its manufacturers](http://naturalbias.com/dont-help-wal-mart-degrade-the-quality-of-organic-food/) into cutting costs through this methodology as well. You can usually spot this bait & switch through the product number. Two weeks prior, they may have been selling FRD-301ac. But as Black Friday rolls around, magically the product number changes to FRD-301ad. ## Most Importantly: The True Costs Unfortunately, most Americans think costs are black and white. That everything revolves around money. And by spending a night in a line outside a store to save a few hundred dollars is justifiable and worth the suffering. Well, I'm here to say it isn't. That by looking at the bigger picture, you actually spend more than you save. What could you have rather been doing? For most, it's socializing with family and friends. For others, it's sleeping in on one of the few vacation days of the years. And for everyone, it's avoiding lunatic shopping conditions. If you don't believe what I have written, happen to like crowds and can't stand the family, please still don't give into the temptation of Black Friday... ***go read a book***. It will provide much more usefulness in your lifetime. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA0TtJPt_lQ&feature=emb_imp_woyt&ab_channel=AssociatedPress](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA0TtJPt_lQ&feature=emb_imp_woyt&ab_channel=AssociatedPress) **To Conclude** I'm a big proponent for having a rational behind my actions. And obviously, saving money is a great reason for doing something out of the ordinary. But with a birds-eye view of the inner workings and downfalls of post-Thanksgiving shopping, I cannot foresee putting myself through the agony of Black Friday. **Neither should you.** ### What's your take on this?era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/famous-daves-merchandising/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/famous-daves-merchandising/How Famous Dave's Restaurant is Losing Countless \$10 Sales & Unlimited PromotionTue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMTThe family and I took a labor-day road trip to Hayward, WI. After a great time at the [Fishing Hall of Fame](http://travels.bradleygauthier.com/national-freshwater-fishing-hall-of-fame-and), we decided to hit up the original location of [Famous Dave's](http://www.famousdaves.com/) restaurant chain. *For the non-BBQ fans out there, it's an award winning barbecue joint with dozens of locations across 36 states.* Besides all of us appreciating the great atmosphere, the scrumptious food and the beautiful location on Round Lake, my bro-in-law and me enjoyed one of the local brews on tap. (worth mentioning before continuing: they were served in generic mugs). Since I'm a collector of beer glasses I was excited to remember the occasion by buying a Famous Dave's logoed beer mug. And I knew they once existed because my dad bought one from a previous Hayward trip a while back. ## A Case Study in a Failed Merchandising Strategy Having visited the gift shop, I looked through the custom tees, the logoed water bottles & coffee mugs, even a business success manual from the founder. But no bar gifts. No beer mugs at a famous restaurant/bar's gift shop? Seriously? So after finding out they didn't have any barware for sale I inquired into the matter. The response I received from both the gift shop lady and the bartender was, "too many people were stealing them." What? While I seriously doubt these workers' ridiculous reasoning for discontinuing their barware line. I responded by saying, "Your destination location with huge memorabilia appeal doesn't have logoed mugs anymore because of crappy security?" And the fact that people were stealing the mugs, it shows the high demand for these glasses , *I wonder if there would be a way to cash in on the demand? Hmm...?* The heart of the matter boils down to the fact that most businesses, like this one, miss out on the easiest money. All while busting their asses on low profit offerings. For instance, their rack of ribs being sold at 20 bucks involves top shelf meat, multiple cooks and tons of other overhead & resources. But conversely, a deal such as "15 bucks for a beer, you keep the glass" costs no more than a bartender pouring tap beer into a couple dollar beer mug. Put in other words, giving customers the opportunity to pay \$10 more for a beer in return for a keepsake mug, the bar would be looking at a huge profit margin. ## Promotion Now besides the clear fact that the place is losing out on easy money; the business is missing the bigger picture. Logoed items, such as barware, help build brand recognition. As well as giving the glass owner a conversation piece, turning them into a brand advocate. I'd imagine a typical conversation with a guest when pouring a beer in a logoed glass would normally include a chat about the trip to the bar and how truly amazing the place is. *Perfect situation for word of mouth marketing.* And since Famous Dave's has an amazing location and food, there is no doubt the place would receive constant positive referrals. But without any barware collectables to remind the visitors of the place, chances turn to slim of a referral. It's so obvious from an outside perspective, yet they clearly are missing the big picture of creating brand advocates through conversation pieces. ### To Conclude Don't get me wrong, I'm not hating on Famous Dave's. Everything about their place is great. But their marketing decision to discontinue barware is stupid. They lose both money and easy brand recognition. **The takeaway?** Don't model your merchandising strategy after the original location of Famous Dave's. What do you think? What would you do?era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-cost-of-convenience/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-cost-of-convenience/The Cost of ConvenienceThu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMTI was in the beverage aisle of Target today and I noticed something interesting:\ The packs of RedBull were on sale. But with a non-congruent pricing structure. The two choices on sale were 4 packs and 12 packs, priced at \$5.99 and \$18.99 respectfully. This got me thinking... how many people fall for this trick? \$1.02 more for the convenience of buying one box, instead of 3? Do people not know math anymore? ## Illogically Logical This pricing structure is genius. Target must make a ton of extra cash on people's inherent laziness to logically think situations like this through. And I'm willing to bet this strategy is carried throughout the store and undoubtedly the bulk of shoppers will not catch this price difference. *(note: I've seen this gimmick many times in other stores as well)* Symbolically, this has many underlying themes applicable to your business. As you are pricing your service or products, think about what you could do to cash in on laziness. Or how a little convenience may be consciously or subconsciously worth extra to them. And most importantly, always remember: **Most buyers do not think logically.**era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/becoming-a-great-conversationalist/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/becoming-a-great-conversationalist/Becoming a Great ConversationalistTue, 31 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMTDon't you love having a chat with someone who leaves a lasting impression on you? You know, the kind of convo that makes you think, "Wow, I thoroughly enjoyed talking with that person." Well, I'm willing to bet that you overlooked the reoccurring theme in these chats: Think back to your last great conversation. Now ask yourself, **who did most of the talking?** Contrary to what you may remember, it's most likely YOU who talked the most. *Not them.* *In general, a great conversationalist is usually not the dominant talker in the group. But rather it is the person who asks the questions, listens and responds intelligently to the topic.* *They control the direction of the conversation with their questions. All while accurately and intelligently chiming in only when the chat warrants. Put in other words, they know when to add their two cents and when to keep quiet.* *And this method unequivocally works because anyone with a pulse loves to talk about themselves and the stuff they are passionate about.* ## *Trying This At Home* ***Caveat:** This relatively simple concept is easy in theory. But come time to apply this questioning technique, it no longer seems like child play. Trust me. Asking open-ended-questions on something that may not be of any interest to you is hard. Oftentimes, it may be downright boring listening to another's interests. However, a little initial intrigue into people's passions is essential to becoming a great conversationalist. And if you truly begin to feel the other side's enthusiasm, the topic will quickly become rather interesting.* ### *For Instance:* *I once had a 20-minute chat with a guy I just met at a networking event... the conversation was mostly about his new precious cell phone. Being a tech geek myself, I had already seen the phone in use and knew a decent amount about it. So it would have been easy to dismiss a conversation about the phone. But I could tell he was extremely interested in his new toy. Therefore, I used my knowledge of the product to ask intelligent questions with more precise follow-up questions. And quickly the conversation turned into a pretty good techie-bonding session. (However, it's important to point out I never once flattered him.)* *Not surprisingly, I left that talk with a greater appreciation for the features of that phone. But more importantly, I gained a new acquaintance. And to this day, he still talks to others about how they must meet me.* *In short, I've gotten numerous leads from the glowing referrals of a person I spent about 25 seconds (of that 20 minute chat) telling him I did marketing consulting. And more remarkable still, this isn't a rare occurrence. As anyone who follows these principles could tell you; this stuff , without fail , works!* ## *Quick Tips on Becoming A Great Conversationalist:* - *Ask open-ended-questions about the passions and interests of the other person.* - *Listen intently and take mental notes of what has been said.* - *Become generally interested in what the other person has to say.* - *While the urge may be strong to talk about yourself, stay focused on them.* - *Eye contact is key. But too much will weird them out.* - *A genuine smile can soften up anyone, even the most curmudgeonly.* - *Body language will subconsciously display your true level of interest in the current topic. e.g. crossed arms vs. at your side, leaning back vs. forward, etc.* - *Remember: Everyone enjoys a compliment but no one likes flattery.* - *End the conversation on a good note to ensure a great lasting memory.* ### *To Summarize* *In order to become a great conversationalist, you must first become a great listener as well as a great questioner. The actual conversing part is just a natural side effect of these two abilities.*era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-new-dorks-phone-system/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-new-dorks-phone-system/The New Dork's Phone SystemSun, 29 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMTThe guys and gals at [Grasshopper](http://grasshopper.com/) have struck online viral marketing gold with the spoof of Jay-Z & Alicia Keys' song [Empire State of Mind](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UjsXo9l6I8). If you're not one of the million plus views and you're an entrepreneur, in marketing or a Jay-Z fan, you must watch it. Funny and awesome at the same time: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exmwSxv7XJI&feature=emb_imp_woyt&ab_channel=RhymeCombinator](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exmwSxv7XJI&feature=emb_imp_woyt&ab_channel=RhymeCombinator) At first, the song seems to have no correlation to phone systems. Until you realize that Grasshopper is the self-proclaimed "phone system for entrepreneurs." Now this seemingly random song carries all sorts of marketing win for the company. To elaborate, if you or someone you know is an entrepreneur, undoubtedly the video will eventually be seen and shared. They'll tweet it, email it and even write articles about it , just as I am here. And what does every entrepreneur that is constantly on the run and is technologically advanced need that Grasshopper just happens to provide... you get the picture. It's genius. With that said, creating a viral marketing campaign is not easy. Not at all. But when an idea like this song comes along. *And is pulled off correctly.* You can certainly prepare for a flood of new business. Hopes this inspires you to go create something remarkable. Good luck!era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/all-inclusive-resorts-perfection-of-the-value-add-business-model/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/all-inclusive-resorts-perfection-of-the-value-add-business-model/All-Inclusive Resorts: Perfection of the Value-Add Business Model?Thu, 26 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMTA few months back, I had the fortunate opportunity to be invited to an [all-inclusive resort in Cancun](http://travels.bradleygauthier.com/the-beach-palace-resort-in-cancun-mexico) with one of my old college buddies. Not one to say no, I took him up on the offer. To summarize the experience in one word: amazing. While it was nice to be there and partake in all the events, I couldn't help but be entranced by their business model. Within 12 hours of my arrival I had already eaten many plates of sushi, drank countless blended drinks and pretty much cleaned out the pre-stocked fridge in our room. How can a business sustain this clear over indulgence of someone like me? I'm assuming amazing budgeting and math skills as well as a strong understanding of consumer psychology. But is that it? ### Demand for Inclusivity The most remarkable concept of the all-inclusive model is how effectively the value-add entices guests. Through conversing with fellow guests, people generally enjoyed not caring about what they did or what it cost. They loved that everything on the trip was included with that little wristband. This was analogous to other freebies I've seen people go through hell and high water to receive, e.g. free lunches for training seminars, free pens and t-shirts during product launches, etc. ### How I Suspect That Resort Makes Money No different than an all-you-can-eat buffet but on a much larger scale, the money is made through the relatively high percentage of guests who do not consume their fair share of the free stuff. For example, a group of 6 (3 guys 3 girls) checks in for 5 days. Of the six, not everyone will have more than small meals, a few drinks and not much more. Even with those who order more than they can consume, the hotel is still better off. ***Put in gambling terms, the house always wins.*** Ultimately, an all-inclusive resort boils down to the fact guests are unknowingly and indirectly paying an obsessive amount for each meal and drink. But the remarkable reality is that it doesn't matter if they realize it. From my observations the majority of guests did not consider or care that they were not fully capitalizing or consuming their rightful share of the included pie. What is your take on their mindset? ## Reinforcement of the Value-Add Knowing that this model is oftentimes sustainable and profitable, it greatly reinforces the value-add business model. Not only does it clearly illustrate the demand for "free stuff." But it displays the importance of adopting some form of value-add into your product or service offering. Put in other words, throwing in a bunch of items at no-charge can help you raise your rates while directly adding a warm and fuzzy feeling to your customers and clients. What's your take on this?era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/how-i-created-a-successful-business-at-the-age-of-12/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/how-i-created-a-successful-business-at-the-age-of-12/How I Accidentally Created a Successful Business at the Age of 12Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMTThe summer of 1998 was life altering. I was entering 7th grade in a small school on a Native American reservation. And while other kids my age were out being kids, I was doing something drastically different. At the tender age of 12, I was building a business , a technology-handyman business to be exact. What I had discovered was that the surrounding area was predominately home for retirement age folks all in need of a little technology help. And I had an unwavering drive to become their solution. So with some initial referral help from my teachers and parents' friends, *I came in to gobble up market-share.* Since this was pre-Geek Squad days, business was-a-booming! Here I was, a middle-school kid garnishing upwards of a couple hundred bucks an hour for things I enjoyed so much I would have done for free... And the following 6 years would prove to be a huge learning lesson in business, money management, marketing and living an a-typical life. ## How I Did It *(and How the Concepts Still Apply)* In retrospect, the growth of my business came through natural responses to the needs of that time. I wasn't a mastermind in business or marketing. I simply applied common *teenager-wanting-spending-money* logic. ### Hand-For-Hire The first money I earned was from someone needing a simple , *at least to me* , computer task completed. And they offered to pay me. Eye opening, to say the least. I discovered that I could charge money to do something I already enjoyed doing. And would have normally done it for free. At that age, I loved tinkering around with electronics. So the money was simply a bonus back then. But this concept has stayed with me ever since; find something you love to do and the money will naturally find its way to you. ### Networking Apparent to me now how necessary this skill is, but another natural step in my business was talking to others. I didn't realize it at the time but I was a master networker. If I couldn't find the solution for someone's problem, I knew someone who did. And this willingness to help other business people out definitely came back tenfold. My phone was ringing off the hook with requests. Mostly from folks I never knew before. All wanted *"the whiz kid"* to help them out. ### Marketing I quickly found that people needed to contact me. So within the first few weeks of being in business I downloaded a freeware graphic design program and whipped out the above business card. In turn, I had 250 raised ink cards printed. Again, at the time I didn't realize I was following fundamental business principles. In this case, how the impression high quality marketing collateral makes on someone. I, on the other hand, simply wanted something cool looking. However, quickly after I started handing these out to teachers and friends, I found that a nice looking business card is a conversation starter. Commonly I would hear something to the effect of "Wow, these are nice! You must really care about your image." Another natural progression of my business was using the latest marketing strategies to promote my services. Consequently, I had bought Adobe GoLive and LiveMotion along with an 800 page HTML book... a few weeks later I had a website. *And another service in my tool belt.* I was now a sought-after website designer. Nevertheless, after these huge business evolutionary steps, I was still doing everything in response to the needs of the marketplace. I wasn't reinventing the wheel. But rather answering the local peoples' needs. ### The Teenage Business Owner After a couple of years I continued slowly working at my business. And while this was the time of the Dot-Com era, where kids were receiving millions in VC money. I obviously wasn't one of them. *(In actuality living on a tiny indian reservation in Northern Wisconsin, I really didn't know that was going on)* But by this time I had become a 14-year-old business owner with adults requesting my services. It felt pretty good. For example, I had branched out my web business to include products such as reselling of site hosting. And I had clients both locally and in the cities of New York and Chicago. Little did those companies know that the person faxing the monthly invoice was a 14-year-old boy. All-in-all, I had accidentally created multiple streams of cash flow, built a technology expert image in my community and ultimately ensured that I would never have a "40-hour-work-week" career path. Looking back at my teen years, it was a pretty remarkable turn of events. ## The Outcome? *Caveat: I was an immature kid; so don't hold this against me.* I did what most kids with little financial responsibility would do, I spent most of my earnings on ridiculous things: - A fully modified car complete with PS2 & XBOX (in the days when most people didn't have these gaming systems in their homes, my friends and I were playing Grand Theft Auto in the high school parking lot) - Countless foot-long Abercrombie & Fitch, Express and Banana Republic receipts - Custom in-home technology that would still make most techies drool - Top-of-the-line golfing, fishing, biking and other sport gear - The list continues... *but it depresses me, so I'll stop* ## *However...* *I did open an Ameritrade account and invested a portion of the money, buying some extraordinary growth companies (eg. Hanson Naturals , before they created Monster Energy Drink and Registry Magic , before they created WAP security for bluetooth technology), thus launching me into a life of investing. But that will be a future post...* #### Conclusion The learning experience of earning all this money and becoming a well-known technology expert as well as building a strong entrepreneurial foundation was invaluable. There is no way that I would be where I am today, if it hadn't been for this early success in life. I hope you were able to take something valuable away from my story. Thanks for reading!era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/4-reasons-your-brand-will-never-succeed-on-twitter/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/4-reasons-your-brand-will-never-succeed-on-twitter/4 Reasons Your Brand Will Never Succeed on Twitter (and How To Prevent It)Mon, 23 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMTI've been hearing a lot of folks saying, "I created an account, but no one is following me!" and "I'm not seeing any benefits of Twitter." *(The high frequency of these statements is probably directly related to my recent attendance of networking events in North-Central Wisconsin , which are similar to time-traveling back a few years, social media-wise.)* But at any rate, I am here to dispel some commonalities of bad tweeters by listing the top 4 reasons most people will fail at Twitter: ## 1. Not Active Enough Logging in and posting a status update once in a blue moon will not help you gain a following. Most people follow a ton of other folks. So your occasional update will probably get lost in the mix. *Not every post is seen by every one of your followers.* Without keeping up a healthy presence on Twitter, your brand will never gain the brand recognition and support you're likely hoping to achieve. ## 2. DM'ing Links If I take the time to follow you and in return you auto-send me a spammy direct message, how am I supposed to take you seriously. I don't care if you have a proven system to gain 5-figures a month. **Don't spam me. *Period*.** ## 3. Push, Push, Push... I believe strongly in sharing links and other information. But don't expect to gain a strong audience by only pushing out links. The first step is to start following interesting people both inside and outside your industry. However, be sure to become involved with your follow-base. Comment on their posts. Maybe you could retweet other's messages that you feel continue the conversation with your following. Ultimately, just be social. After all, social media is called social networking for a reason. ## 4. Self-Centered **The most important reason you will fail at Twitter?** *Constantly talking about yourself.* No one cares if you are having a long day. Or that you just ate a burrito and it's giving you heartburn. In order to be successful on Twitter, you must talk to others. Add to their conversation. And become generally interested in your followers. *(Successfully listening to your audience often requires you to follow your followers back, so be prepared to [create a bunch of lists](https://support.twitter.com/articles/76460-how-to-use-twitter-lists))* Put in other words, showing interest into the lives and happenings of your following is vitally important. And will be the ultimate catalyst for an extremely loyal audience. With that said, stop complaining that Twitter isn't working...era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/using-the-spin-selling-method-to-write-great-ad-copy/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/using-the-spin-selling-method-to-write-great-ad-copy/Using the SPIN Selling Method to Write Great Ad CopyTue, 17 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMTWriting ad copy is not easy. Or let me rephrase that, writing *great* ad copy is not easy. However, it's essential for success in business. But most copywriters get the entire process wrong. *It's not about how awesome you are, pal. It's about the needs of the audience.* So as an entrepreneur *(aka marketer hat)*, how do we accomplish great marketing copywriting? I'll let you in on my secret to copywriting; I use the SPIN selling model. For those of you unfamiliar with the SPIN cycle. Neil Rackman's book, [SPIN Selling](https://www.amazon.com/SPIN-Selling-Neil-Rackham/dp/0070511136) changed my professional career completely. In summary, the method teaches you to use a series of specific questions in a sales situation. I highly suggest you read it. *But for the sake of this article, put the book on you wish list, toss on your marketing hat and keep reading...* The SPIN cycle is an acronym for situation questions, problem questions, implication questions and need-payoff questions. Each step in this strategy essentially brings the answering party closer to selling themselves on the product or service.\ \ In ad copy we obviously cannot list a string of questions as the method suggests. But we can use the underlying concepts to bring the reader in. *And closer to a conversion.* Here's how: ## Situation After [crafting your headline](/writing/david-ogilvy-headline-copywriting/) *(an article in itself)*, the first sentence is the essential stage of effective ad copy. The first sentence must pull the reader into the advertisement. Put in other words, the intended audience must be engaged immediately or your ad will become *just another ad*. And of course we do not want that, so by relating to the audience in some manner is a necessity. By using the first sentence to pose a situation statement or question, the reader takes a second to process. This is exactly what we want. Break them from their rhythm. But this is easier said than done. So I will use a real life example (I needed to come up with a short write-up for a social media class I'm conducting at a local college) to illustrate: ### The Break-Down We'll look at this ad, section by section. Starting with the Situation sentence: *Every business must have a strong presence on social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.* *This simple but effective sentence hits subconsciously on the reader. If they are a business owner or marketer, they already are aware of this. In turn, the intended audience is engaged slightly enough to at least glance at the start of the next sentence.* ## *Problem* *What problem is your reader facing with the stated situation? This second stage in the SPIN cycle is designed to further engage the audience.* *So with the situation sentence bringing the audience onto this sentence, the problem statement **must** instantly hit a heartstring. Mainly by contradicting the previous sentence in which they currently agree with. Example:* *But without a proper game plan* *This half-sentence may not seem too effective, but it has all the necessities of posing a problem. The word but is viewed as a contrasting conjunction. In other words, starting a sentence with but instantly contradicts the previous sentence.* *To summarize, the reader must think, "Maybe we have this problem too?"* ## *Implication* *For most sales people learning the SPIN selling strategy, this is the hardest step to put into words. Thus oftentimes a sales person will jump over this step. But it is crucial, as it's the guts of this entire method.* *"What implications does this problem pose to your situation?" is essentially what this stage is all about. It gets the reader thinking that if they continue having the above problem, they are in trouble. Example:* *social networking can be an extreme waste of resources and time* *To summarize this step, you must attach a serious consequence for having the given problem.* ## *Need-Payoff* *Now you can finally talk about yourself. This portion of the copy should answer their prayers. Example:* *This class will teach you how to successfully create a social media marketing strategy using best practices and proven tactics.* *In essence, you must illustrate your value to the reader. "What makes you attractive?" and "How are you solving their problem?" are questions you must ask yourself when writing this section of the ad.* ***Conclusion*** *Now that you have gone through all the stages of the SPIN selling cycle, lets re-look at the social media class ad in its entirety:* > *Every business must have a strong presence on social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. But without a proper game plan, social networking can be an extreme waste of resources and time. This class will teach you how to successfully create a social media marketing strategy using best practices and proven tactics.* *I bet you didn't imagine a simple paragraph like this could have so much underlying tactics built into it, huh?* *Thanks for reading and good luck with your future ads!*era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/determine-what-book-to-read-next/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/determine-what-book-to-read-next/A Simple 5-Step Method to Determine What Book to Read Next from AmazonTue, 10 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMTIf you are like me, you read a lot of books. But no matter how fast you read or how many you have already read, there will always be too many books to easily decide on what book to read next. So I have developed a quick and easy method using [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/) to find your next read: ## 1. Determine the genre This is the only step that requires any thought. But luckily Amazon does a good job of guessing what type of books you like to read. Depending on how often you use Amazon, it may take a little poking around to get them to have recommendations for you. Look through your recommendations and select a random book with a genre that looks appealing. From the book's main page, you must scroll down a bit to the product details. Most of the time (if it's a popular book), you will find what categories it ranks well for: ## 2. Rank by best selling Once you have found the exact category you are interested in, you will get to the following list. (There is a way to skip the previous step and go directly to the top bestsellers. But I have found that it limits the discovery process, since some books hide in categories you would never think of exploring) ## 3. Skim through only 4-5 stars I apologize for the prejudice, but I only consider reading books with 4-5 stars and multiple reviews. And until I read every well-reviewed book, would I consider books with poor reviews. There are so many good books out these days, that wasting time and money on a 3-star or less book is too risky for me. ## 4. Ensure there are a significant amount of reviews A ton of reviews for a book usually signify that there is a good chance it is remarkable. At the least, it is a book others felt compelled to take the time to discuss. *Frankly, the more reviews, the more likely it will be a great read.* ## *5. Read the top three reviews* *Once I find a book that looks appealing, I will read the top three reviews. These are the write-ups with the most peer reviewed commentary. Thus you can quickly infer that the three viewpoints are most accurate.* *If you feel the reviews are in your ballpark, buy the book. If not, move on. It's that easy. Impressively, this system has yet to discover a bad book for me.* ***One Additional Tip:** Subscribe to [Amazon Prime](https://www.amazon.com/prime). It may be a little bit of money now, but you get free 2-day shipping and \$3.99 overnight. It pays for itself very quickly!* *If you have any suggestions on how you decide on books to read, please let us know in the comments below. Thank you!*era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/still-jobless-maybe-its-not-the-economy-buddy/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/still-jobless-maybe-its-not-the-economy-buddy/Still Jobless? Maybe It's Not the Economy, BuddySun, 08 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMTI rarely watch or read the news. But it seems that every time I turn on the depression-engine, er, I mean news broadcast, there is a report on unemployment. And without fail, there is always a correspondent interviewing jobless folk complaining about everything from their former employer to the President. What I have yet to hear is any accountability on the unemployed side. And I find myself internally screaming at the TV: Why did you truly get laid off? Was it because someone had it out for you? Or more likely, did you get canned ***because you suck***? The last time I checked, there were many businesses doing extremely well. Most are hiring. Or at least attempting to fill roles left by another's departure. This need for new employees holds universally true across most industry jobs, except maybe typewriter technicians and trans-fat factory workers. So what's up with this historically substantial out-of-work population? ## The Rise of Entitlement Most Americans are ignorant when it comes to self-empowering. No one deserves a secure job. But yet, hundreds of thousands plead with the government and businesses to provide a steady line of work. ***This is industrial age mentality.*** And it has given birth to an ugly, half-breed baby with DNA based upon ridiculous pension plans and false sense of job security. The corporate guarantees *(finger points at GM)* promised to our workforce over the previous century were obviously unsustainable. And while most companies had changed policies to better accommodate new age strategies for human capital management, the labor force still takes their job for granted. The typical employee mindset goes something like this: 1. Go to college... 2. Get good grades... 3. Graduate... 4. Find an entry-level job... 5. Kiss ass & work hard... 6. Get promoted... 7. Repeat steps 5 & 6 until retirement... What's missing from this life schedule? That's right... *continual self-improvement*. And don't try to tell me that the management issued training two years ago counts. Or that the pamphlet at the checkout line of Office Max you leafed through last month was career altering. ### Stop Lying To Yourself Everyone believes they have self-worth. Well forget what your mom told you and grow up. If you do not constantly strive for more education, stop complaining about your crappy or no job. **You must continually craft your expertise!** ## Where To Start There are many options available to effectively, and often times, cheaply improve your chances of landing a great job: ### Read Books Reading books is hands down the best way to make yourself much more attractive to prospective employers. Having the ability to learn a slice of someone's life knowledge on a subject in an afternoon is incredible. A couple of these books a week multiplied by a few months, and I will guarantee you'll outshine anyone competing for the same job. And no, Twilight is not the genre of book I'm talking about here. They must further your education into your field. Furthermore, don't sit there and say books are expensive. Or that without a job you're stuck financially. Skip past that 30-pack of High Life. Cancel your \$130/month cable tv service. And get an [Amazon account](https://www.amazon.com/prime). Strive to read at least one highly rated book a week. ### Attend Seminars The big brother of books, seminars and conferences are great avenues to learn more about a subject. The atmosphere is conducive for learning as you are thrown in with a mix of others, all listening and participating to the same discussion. And don't think you need to wait for the huge annual industry-specific conference in Las Vegas. You can start small. First go to some local seminars and begin meeting others. See where that takes you... I'd imagine far. ### Subscribe to Blogs There is a wonderful sense of enlightenment every morning when I check my RSS reader. It's constantly filled with a daily digest of industry insight, personal development and other articles for self-improvement. And they are free. Imagine that! Hundreds of sources of career growth available at your fingertips, 24/7. I personally use [Google Reader](https://www.google.com/reader). And whenever I stumble upon a great blog, I search for the little RSS symbol on the page and [subscribe](https://feeds.feedburner.com/bradleygauthier). It's easy and unimaginably beneficial. ### Engage in the Industry By joining and participating in official organizations, you'll stay versed in the latest happenings in the industry. Also visit and actively engage in industry specific online groups. LinkedIn groups, Facebook pages and Twitter chats are great places to get your feet wet. From there, you may find more resources and areas in which to meet and network with fellow industry colleagues. ### Volunteer in Your Community If you're jobless, what else do you have to do? You'd typically be at work anyway, right? So give back to the community. And besides the direct benefits of helping others. You'll meet a slew of like-minded individuals that share a common goal of improving the well being of others. But guess what? As you network with these folks, you will gain name and face recognition with prominent leaders in the area. And who normally are the hiring type? You bet, prominent leaders. ### When All Else Fails? Change Careers So you've been reading books and hanging out with others in your industry, yet no job? Chances are you're simply in the wrong career. But don't feel bad, not every job is perfect for every person. So buck up, buddy. And [move on](/writing/six-steps-to-change-your-life-for-the-better/)... To conclude, if you're reading this blog, I doubt you didn't already know the aforementioned info, so go out and continue with your success. Thanks for perusing my rant on the unemployed. And if you enjoyed it, please share:era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/5-feel-good-benefits-of-owning-a-business/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/5-feel-good-benefits-of-owning-a-business/5 Feel-Good Benefits of Owning a BusinessSun, 20 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT**On the fence about starting a business?** That's completely understandable. It can be intimidating. But before you make your decision, read the following. I've listed my top 5 favorite benefits of owning a profitable business. Enjoy! ## 1. Eat What You Wish When Going Out Never having to worry too much about the price of dishes in a restaurant is an amazing feeling. And since the majority of restaurant tabs are tax-deductible, order away! *Add sautéed mushrooms for two bucks more?* No problem... *Another glass of wine?* Sure, why not! ## 2. Do What You Want During The Week Besides the occasional meeting, the self-employed choose their hours. There are no too weak, I mean two weeks, vacation time RFP's. *Daughter's Afternoon Music Recital?* Sit in the front row... *Case of the Mondays?* Go golfing and catch up on work a little later. ## 3. Forget Paying Personal Expenses Since most personal expenses (cell phone, car & gas, etc.) can become a business deduction, your personal-life stress level will plummet. Not worrying about paying bills is an excellent feel-good benefit of entrepreneurism. And most business related products, such as technology, fall under this category. *Do you want that new iPhone/iPad/iAnything?* Just buy it. ## 4. Travel the World with Pre-Tax Dollars With an expert tax-strategist and ethical business intentions, traveling becomes much cheaper and easier. *Looking at investing in a REIT somewhere warm?* Go for it and be sure to fly first class... *Want to boost office morale by scheduling the company's annual retreat in Hawaii?* Your staff (and you) will love it! ## 5. Support the Less Fortunate ***The ultimate feel-good!*** Donating to your favorite charities is an excellent way to increase your mood and self-esteem. Besides, *whom would you want to give your hard earned money to anyway*... The government? Or a group who truly deserves and needs the money? I choose the latter. **Conclusion** If you're still contemplating whether or not you should start a business. Let me help you out... ***DO IT NOW!***era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-art-of-self-control-are-your-goals-a-marshmallow/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-art-of-self-control-are-your-goals-a-marshmallow/The Art of Self-Control: Can You Wait for the Second Marshmallow?Thu, 17 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMTImagine you are guided into a bare room and abandoned with one marshmallow, which you can eat at anytime. But if you do not eat it until the facilitator returns, you will be given one more marshmallow. What would you do? Eat the one immediately? Or wait a few minutes for two? This experiment has been conducted on countless squirming children. And hilarity usually ensues. The temptation for the yummy marshmallow is most times too overwhelming for the youngsters. As seen in this cute and often hilarious video: [https://vimeo.com/5239013?embedded=true&source=video_title&owner=377539](https://vimeo.com/5239013?embedded=true&source=video_title&owner=377539) The underlying concepts of the marshmallow experiment holds true for your life as well. Do you have a marshmallow you're dying to eat? However, if you hold off, is there another one waiting? ### The Moral of the Story It is often very easy to accomplish a portion of your desires. But, in turn, blow it just as quickly. Knowing all too well that you should have [reinvested your success](/writing/build-a-successful-business-by-delaying-gratification/) back into your dreams. Put in other words, we all have that inner child in us, begging for that marshmallow. However, our level of self-control will directly affect our ability to accomplish any goal. ***And earn that second tasty marshmallow.***era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/price-anchoring-and-comparison-pricing-tables/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/price-anchoring-and-comparison-pricing-tables/Price Anchoring: The Power of Comparison Pricing Tables on a Subconscious LevelSat, 15 May 2010 00:00:00 GMTBuyers are a fickle bunch. Most consumers shop around. And nowadays the web has made every shopper, a savvy shopper. They can easily find coupons by checking out sites like [Slickdeals](https://www.slickdeals.net/). And they can compare prices of similar products and services relatively quickly. As marketers, how do we convert these price conscious shoppers into happy purchasers? Assuming you have a somewhat unique offering through a differentiation strategy, *you must reshape their subconscious price bias*. There is an interesting concept in [Neuro-Linguistic Programming](https://www.amazon.com/NLP-New-Technology-Achievement-Comprehensive/dp/0688146198/) (NLP) called ***anchoring***. In short, people can become attached to a certain concept and retain that bias when making future decisions. This has huge implications for your offerings and pricing. And should be taken seriously when looking to successfully compete in your industry. When a potential buyer becomes anchored to a price, breaking their preconceived price notions is difficult. Which is why you must create your own anchor. While this is easier said than done, it is possible. The initial rule of thumb is the buyer will generally not choose the cheapest or most expensive offering. But rather they'll choose the middle ground. ***The safe bet.*** ***For example, the next time you head to a fine restaurant, watch an amateur wine enthusiast order wine. (background story: I worked one summer as a bartender in a classy restaurant) I bet they will pick the second cheapest wine. No matter what the price. Whether the glass costs \$4 or \$40, the lowest priced wine has anchored their bias. Thus making the second cheapest wine a good choice.*** ***Apple and AT&T pull off anchoring amazingly well when offering 3G service for the [iPad](https://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_ipad/family/ipad). They have two options. The base (anchor) is a pitiful 250mb priced at a reasonable \$15. AT&T isn't dumb. They know that anyone buying an iPad will require much more data usage than 250mb per month. But the anchor has been set. For only an additional \$15 a month, your iPad will now have unlimited data usage... what a deal! Put in other words, AT&T realizes that the consumer has no other offerings to help compare these services. So by creating the feeble base offering, the iPad buyer becomes anchored to a minimum monthly price of \$15. Therefore the slightly more expensive but hugely more valuable plan looks like a steal.\ *** ## *Price Tables* ***A price table is a very effective method for creating an anchor.*** ***Knowing that website users read in an [F-shape pattern](http://www.useit.com/alertbox/reading_pattern.html). That buyers cannot easily compare your unique offerings to other companies. And that anyone can be swayed of previous biases. A pricing table is a great marketing strategy. But they must be constructed properly to be effective:*** - ***Highlight the differences not the similarities in offerings*** - ***List highest to lowest prices from left to right or top to bottom*** - ***Create a middle-of-the-road, best deal offering*** - ***The cheapest offering should be decent but not overly attractive*** ***A few excellent examples of anchoring in price tables:*** ***Basecamp*** ***Form Stack*** ***Harvest*** ***Wufoo*** ***These price tables are from websites. But you can definitely apply these same concepts to any print marketing collateral as well. Be sure to illustrate what makes your offering better than anyone else. And that your first price creates a subconscious anchor.*** ***Conclusion*** ***With some research and common sense, you can create a pricing structure based on anchoring. When pulled off correctly, you will see your sales grow and your higher priced offerings will become much more popular. I look forward to hearing your success stories! Good Luck!***era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/seo-techniques-that-do-not-work/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/seo-techniques-that-do-not-work/Avoiding Scams from SEO Gurus Advising Techniques That Do Not WorkWed, 28 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMTThere is a ton of bad search engine optimization advice out there. And I'm annoyed by how these so-called SEO gurus are stigmatizing the industry. Apparently creating a Twitter account with "SEO" in the username gives anyone permission to self-identify as an SEO genius. I've even received extraordinary proposals through my contact form, "we guarantee #1 listings on the Google pages." I wonder what they truly expect from those emails? *"Guaranteed rankings? Amazing! Where do I sign up!?! And since you obviously have a way with words, I'm excited for you to copywrite my site's content!"* Yikes! I feel sorry for anyone who gets roped into these scams. Most likely any website "optimized" by these *SEO ninjas* will get punished to Google's equivalent of hell, that is [*until you fix it*](http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-hell/). *Ok, enough with the rant... on with the post.* I do about 90% of my work from my computer so needless to say; I spend a lot of time online. And, out of curiosity, I often find myself glancing at the SEO structure of websites I visit. The two things I usually notice are either no optimization what so ever or completely ineffective, outdated techniques. Rarely do I find a search engine friendly website. This tells me that the SEO industry is going to see *a substantial increase in these "gurus"* as more website owners innocently hop on the search engine optimization train. Put in other words, the [demand for SEO services](http://www.seomoz.org/blog/8-predictions-for-seo-in-2010) will overwhelm the good guys and with low barriers to entry, SEO gurus will flood the market. With a rise of these bad SEO's, no doubt there will be an increase of false information. So before you plunk down the dough for a search engine friendly website, please read this list of useless and often dangerous advice: ## Overly Obsessed with Keywords Keywords, keywords, keywords! I hear it all the time. "SEO ninjas" are obsessed with finding the best keywords and smothering your site with them: ### Keyword Stuffing Back in the day, webmasters would add a bunch of keywords into the meta tags, content and footer of the website in hopes of ranking for different search queries. While I am not sure how well it worked back then, it absolutely does not work now. *(I made my first website in '98 and I never did this. I'd like to say because I knew better but in reality I just thought keywords out of context looked stupid.)* #### Bad Advice Red Flags (*and the truth*): - ***They over-emphasize meta tags*** - The title and description meta tag should include a few targeted keywords but ultimately written to attract clicks from searchers. Oh and [Google no longer factors the keyword meta tag](https://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2009/09/google-does-not-use-keywords-meta-tag.html). - ***Sacrificing readability for more keywords*** - If your content reads like a grocery list of industry terms, change it. - ***Extraneous keywords throughout the page*** - DO NOT hide text behind images or on the page with fonts the same color as the background. The footer should carry only relevant information, not a ton of keywords. #### Best Practice Write for humans first, bots second. ## Getting Creative with Links While the essence of SEO is high-quality links pointing to your pages, these methods are cause for concern: ### Link Dropping Blogs and forums are great places for community interaction. Unfortunately, some folks think that any links they post will do wonders for their SEO efforts. This is a ridiculous but often implemented link-building technique. In reality, it's just rude. And since most [links are nofollow](https://googleblog.blogspot.com/2005/01/preventing-comment-spam.html) anyway, it's ineffective. #### Bad Advice Red Flags *(and the truth)*: - ***Use a targeted keyword as your name on blog comments*** - Blog comments should be your name. Not "Best Chicago Business Card Printers" - ***Include links in your comments and forum posts*** - Only if it's relevant. #### Best Practice Comment on blogs and forums only if you have something to say. Use your actual name or web handle. And only submit a link if it continues the conversation. ### Link Buying Proceed with caution if an SEO advises you to start buying links to your site. The risk-reward ratio is too extreme to concern yourself with the tactic. Even if they know what they are doing, paying for links can get extremely expensive. Worse, the long-term benefits of paid-links is insignificant compared to the free links high-quality content can create. #### Bad Advice Red Flag (*and the truth)*: - ***We will add a link to your site on 500 websites for \$200/month*** - More times than not, any service offering links for sale is a waste of money. I'm not talking about well-trusted directories and other such paid-submission websites. Instead, I'm saying run from anyone claiming tons of links for a periodical payment. #### Best Practice If you do decide to buy links, be careful. ## A Few More Cautionary Bits of Advice ### Link Exchanges The search engines are looking for quality pages to index. In turn, a one way link carries far more weight than a two way link. ### Page Rank Hoarding Some people think that linking to other websites will harm their PageRank. Or that they need to thoroughly sculpt their links to maximize "link juice." This isn't true. The Internet is called the web for a reason. Web pages should intertwine and the search algorithms have gotten smart enough to reward for this. Don't believe me? Maybe you'll listen to Matt Cutts on [PageRank sculpting](http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/pagerank-sculpting/). ### Super Secret SEO Strategies Anyone promoting some special method for getting your site ranked is a moron. Sticking to best practices and striving for high-quality links will easily outperform any of these special strategies. ## Still Doubting The *SEO Guru*? If you are still concerned that the so-called SEO is inexperienced or a downright scam, forget them. Move on... There are some [great search engine optimizers](http://www.visiblenorth.com/) out there *(wink, wink)*. Good Luck!!!era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/congratulations-youve-won-the-ovarian-lottery/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/congratulations-youve-won-the-ovarian-lottery/Congratulations, You've Won the Ovarian LotteryTue, 20 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMTIn Warren Buffett's biography, [The Snowball](https://www.amazon.com/Snowball-Warren-Buffett-Business-Life/dp/0553384619/), I found an intriguing concept. The Oracle of Omaha said that he had won the *Ovarian Lottery*: *I've had it so good in this world, you know. The odds were fifty-to-one against me being born in the United States in 1930. I won the lottery the day I emerged from the womb by being in the United States instead of in some other country where my chances would have been way different.* *Imagine there are two identical twins in the womb, both equally bright and energetic. And the genie says to them, "One of you is going to be born in the United States, and one of you is going to be born in Bangladesh. And if you wind up in Bangladesh, you will pay no taxes. What percentage of your income would you bid to be the one that is born in the United States?" It says something about the fact that society has something to do with your fate and not just your innate qualities. The people who say, "I did it all myself," and think of themselves as Horatio Alger , believe me, they'd bid more to be in the United States than in Bangladesh. **That's the Ovarian Lottery.*** Warren Buffett won it. And if you're reading this *(hold for applause),* you've won it too. Congrats! The world we live in is an amazing place. Anyone with an Internet connection and a passion can completely transform their lives for the better. Even the poorest and lowest-class individuals of 1st world countries have unbelievable potential to be great. So think about the words of Warren Buffett the next time something discourages you from accomplishing your dreams. And do not forget the incredible opportunities available to us Ovarian Lottery winners.era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/networking-101-what-to-do-with-those-business-cards/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/networking-101-what-to-do-with-those-business-cards/Networking 101: What To Do with Those Business Cards After an EventSun, 18 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMTExpos, chamber gatherings and other networking events will certainly leave you with pockets full of business cards. And I am assuming you cherish the business cards from the important contacts you met. But what about all of the cards from folks you may never intend on speaking to again? *(i.e. an unrelated industry worker)* What should a smart networker do with these contact cards? Most people fail to do anything with seemingly undesirable business cards. Some may throw them away. While most others probably toss them in a drawer, only to throw them away five years later. And so it seems that most people never recognize the golden opportunity presented with all business cards: **building a network**. *Shocking revelation, huh?* Since this was your original intention of going to the networking event anyway, might as well do it correctly. Here's my advice: ## Google Their Name You'd be amazed at what you can find by Googling a seemingly average person. If they have their stuff together, they may have a great online presence and impressive career track record. And will instantly become a higher-value contact. If the only thing listed for them is a second place softball tourney write-up five years ago, they may not be worth a whole lot of your time. But in either case continue onto the next step: ## LinkedIn Search The networking capabilities of [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/) are amazing. From validating someone's career path to keeping in contact with professional acquaintances, LinkedIn is the place. If you decide to add them as a connection, be sure to write a personalized message reminding them where you met and that you'd appreciate staying in touch. If you send the pre-written generic message, they may ignore your connection or worse, [click "I don't know this person."](http://www.favstocks.com/linkedin-invitations-%E2%80%93-why-hitting-i-don%E2%80%99t-know-this-person-is-a-bad-idea/107700/) *And if they don't show up in a Google or LinkedIn search?* Well, use your best judgment of their value. ## Email Them If you are serious about connecting with them in the future, emailing within 24 hours is a must. It will set you apart from everyone else at the networking event, as I guarantee no one else does this , at least that quickly. This is where an email-capable phone takes an advantage. Shoot them a short, friendly email thanking them for talking with you. Also, ensure your contact info (and link to your website) is in your signature. ***Do not automatically add them to any email list you may have!*** This happens to me all the time, I'll give out my card and two weeks later I receive their monthly newsletter. *Hey man, I didn't sign up for this and I never gave you permission to spam me!* GRRR!!!! Put in other words, reach out with a friendly hello and leave the conversation open for follow-up talks. *And don't spam them!* ## Digitally Archive Their Info Finally, enter their information into your contact manager. This is vital. Before you can put the card to its final resting place, be sure to digitally archive their contact information. Also, include any notes of where you met them and what you talked about. I personally use and recommend [Highrise](http://highrisehq.com/) from 37 Signals. [Salesforce's CRM](https://www.salesforce.com/) is pretty nice too. Whatever contact manager you use, do not forget this step. It is much easier to do a quick search in the CRM for a contact, than digging in a drawer for the physical card. **Conclusion** If you take the time to complete the above tasks, you'll be amazed how quickly your network of contacts will grow. Good luck!era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/death-of-the-resume/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/death-of-the-resume/Death of the ResumeMon, 12 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT**Job Seekers:** Do you have a resume? If so, please do something for me: *delete the file and burn any hard copies*. Done? Cool, welcome to the new decade. Resumes are boring and filled with fluff. They're unbiased and only highlight a few carefully crafted bullet-point details about a career. And it is absolutely impossible to learn about someone from a single piece of paper. Instead, employers will now perform a [2 second name search](https://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/20/more-employers-use-social-networks-to-check-out-applicants/) in Google, shedding extraordinary light on potential hires. ## The Attraction of Expertise Compare a typical resume toting 15-year veteran to an industry-specific, high-traffic blogger a year out of college. Who will look more desirable? *I'd put my money on the blogger.* The college kid has tangible proof of their knowledge. And both colleagues and clients will put increased trust into the new hire with obvious, proven expertise. Those who can demonstrate they are a source of quality insight into their field will instantly (and subconsciously) be accepted as higher value. And I'm not just talking about 9-5'ers; anyone looking for work will benefit, i.e. consultants, freelancers and other hands for hire. I'm also not saying everyone should start a blog. But a few industry syndicated articles or some well-publicized case studies will do wonders for boosting your name online. ### What to do next? Give Yourself an Online Audit Google or Bing (*is Bing a verb?*) your name. What do you find? Would you hire yourself if the only mention of you is a second place trophy from a softball tourney two years ago? Probably not. So register a .com and a install blog. Or at least a [landing page](http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/11/10/designing-coming-soon-pages/) with links to your social media usernames. [Complete your LinkedIn profile](http://www.chrisbrogan.com/make-your-linkedin-profile-work-for-you/) and get active in the community. And regularly join discussions in your industry-specific blogs and forums. **Conclusion: You Must Outshine the Masses** Since this economy has created an almost endless supply of job applicants, consultants and freelancers, anyone looking for work must go above and beyond. In other words, get your name out there and show 'em what you're truly made of! **Updated:** I found a great website that posts [creative resumes](http://www.vizualresume.com/).era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/6-reasons-to-start-your-company-without-a-business-loan/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/6-reasons-to-start-your-company-without-a-business-loan/6 Reasons to Start Your Company Without a Business LoanTue, 06 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT**"I can't start a business, I don't have any money!"** I'd currently be on Forbes' Rich List if I got a nickel for every time I've heard this limiting belief. *My response?* "Great, you're in an excellent position to become extremely successful!" The misconception that a business needs a loan to start-up is the old way of thinking. Here are 6 reasons why you should structure a bootstrapping business model: ## Reason 1 , Because it's Possible to Start Without a Loan **Some people say you need money to make money.** *This is 100% false.* The era of needing millions of dollars to finance the equipment in a factory are no more. These days a factory can simply be a computer, Internet connection, cell phone and a strong passion. Do you have a specialty? Start consulting. Are you handy or analytical? Create a repair business. Have a way with words and something to say? Blog it, gain an audience then [sell something to them](http://www.bradleygauthier.com/hire)... The business options are literally endless these days. ## Reason 2 , Less Stress Worrying if you'll make enough money to cover the next installment will keep you awake at night. The [bank doesn't care about you](http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/12/90309/too-small-to-succeed-firms-still.html); they care about their bottom line. The same goes for VC's... unless you think you have the next sensation, stay away from sharing a portion of your business in turn for a quick buck. ## Reason 3 , Keep Your Friends and Family, Happy Friends and Family It may be easy to call your rich uncle for start-up capital. But it will be extremely difficult to re-call him 6 months later to announce that you chose to go another route in life and the business will be closing. ## Reason 4 , Creative Advertising Marketing your business can be expensive or it can be extremely cheap. And surprisingly, the low-cost marketing methods may be remarkably effective. A blog, Facebook page, business cards and a little [creativity](http://www.bootstrappingblog.com/15-more-guerrilla-marketing-examples/) will take your business much farther in the beginning than say TV/newspaper ads and a billboard. ## Reason 5 , Materialistic Wants are Not Needed Fancy office chairs, state-of-the-art laptops and a Starbucks-esque espresso machine in a prime-location office may be nice but they are not necessary to start. Some of the largest companies in the world have been started in someone's basement with recycled equipment. Additionally, the lack of this unnecessary stuff in the beginning will give you something to strive for. And (trust me on this one) buying that comfy [Aeron chair](http://www.hermanmiller.com/Products/Aeron-Chairs) will be much more rewarding when paying with those hard earned profits. ## Reason 6 , Exit Strategy I hate to say it, but not all business ideas will be successful. And a failed business with a pile of debt creates two scenarios for you: scramble for money from personal sources or declare bankruptcy. Neither choice sounds enjoyable! **To Summarize** *You don't need money to make money!!!*era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/questioning-everything-the-missing-art-of-critical-thinking/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/questioning-everything-the-missing-art-of-critical-thinking/Questioning Everything: The Missing Art of Critical ThinkingThu, 01 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT*"In the valley of the blind, the one-eyed man is king"* ***\~ Gerard Erasmus*** When you learn something new, what do you do with the information? If you are like most people, the new info is quickly processed then stored in your long-term memory. Rarely to be thought of again. This sounds typical of our thought process: learn, process, store, retrieve, expel... But what's missing from this equation? **Questioning...** Depending on the source and method of delivery, most statements are automatically considered fact. Do you believe me? You shouldn't... *at least not right away*. As you read a book, listen to a seminar or simply converse with a colleague, consider the scenario. Question the underlining motives of the source and their background. Ask yourself, is this new information true? How does it compare to my current beliefs on the subject? Can I pick out the facts from opinions, all while cross-referencing the opinions with my own belief system and worldviews? Put in other words; think critically. And more importantly, **think for yourself**.era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/stop-complaining-and-strive-to-stand-out/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/stop-complaining-and-strive-to-stand-out/Stop Complaining and Strive to Stand OutTue, 30 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT***Is your brand not performing as expected?*** Before you start blaming the economy, your clients, your employees or anything else. Realize that this so-called less-bad economy is the new normal. And unfortunately, *the problem is with your brand.* So it's time to do something extraordinary. Create something different, something new, something remarkable. *And stop complaining.* The world has changed, and so must you. Luckily, it has never been easier to gain an audience, target your business model and dominate your market. But you must recognize the needs of the new world. ## The Death of Normal This new world has completely reshaped our perspectives while banishing anything mediocre. For instance, [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/) used their innovative business and marketing structure to all but eliminate most unremarkable online stores selling *everyday unremarkable stuff*. More astonishing is the fact that a blog (in the eyes of its loyal readers) can carry more authority than a billion dollar news corporation. Or that a steady stream of above-average (and far cheaper) remote workers from around the world can be found on [Elance](https://www.elance.com/). This changing world has ensured that your employees, prospects and/or audience will rarely reside in one geographic area. Are you a retailer? Whether you sell TV's or hand-knitted sweaters, you're business is now competing globally. And service providers? Your expertise and reputation can be quickly assessed with a simple Google search of your name. Put in other words, your audience has evolved and good enough is no longer acceptable. ***Your brand must become sensational.*** And the marketplace is begging for brands that offer uniqueness, expertise and influence. Before you ask why your brand is failing you, recognize that the world has changed. And while the choice is yours, *please stop complaining and **strive to stand out***.era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/six-steps-to-change-your-life-for-the-better/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/six-steps-to-change-your-life-for-the-better/Six Steps to Change Your Life for the BetterSun, 28 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT**Most people are not happy with their life.** Yet they continually venture down the same road of unhappiness. Never willing to change. As you take a birds eye view of your current lifestyle, do you like what you see? Are your relationships, career choices, financial situation and other aspects of your life truly satisfying? Or do you feel there should be more? While most of us have moments of joy, they are usually overshadowed by hours, days and even years of affliction. Stress, depression, heartache and overall anxiety are human nature. But it doesn't have to be the case for you. You deserve to have the best life possible. The good news? Change is also a part of human nature. In fact, I believe there is an unwritten rule of life stating that the only constant is change. Put in other words, nothing will ever stay the same. This is a huge concept. The reason this is significant for you? **Your life *is* going to change.** But it is completely up to you which direction you will take your life when these inevitable changes approach. Will you choose to stay on your current melancholy life direction? Or will you rise up and pursue a life of fulfillment and happiness? The ball is in your court. Below are the specific steps every person needs to explore, embrace and ultimately take action on before life-altering change can truly occur: ## 1. Get Disturbed We must become the change we want to see. \~ Mahatma Gandhi **Enough is enough!** When deciding you want change in your life, you must truly get upset with your current situation. *Your emotions are very powerful.* And you'll find that by using this energy as a catalyst for change, your desired life will be within your grasp. Depending on your circumstances, you may need to fire your thankless boss, pack-up and leave an abusive relationship or sell those cherished but unnecessary electronics to pay your bills. Whatever your scenario may be, you must make a drastic shift in your mentality. Keep in mind, the more significant your desired life outcome, the stronger your convictions for change must be. ## 2. Find a Passion The more intensely we feel about an idea or a goal, the more assuredly the idea, buried deep in our subconscious, will direct us along the path to its fulfillment. \~ Earl Nightingale **Everyone has an inner passion.** It may be as drastic as moving to the tropics; allowing you to study the effects of pollution on the coral reefs. Or as simple as having the ability to devote a few extra hours a day to give back to your church, school or other local organization. Having an overwhelming motivational force to jump out of bed *every day* is extremely important for staying happy. However, until you find a life path you truly enjoy, you will struggle with the monotonous hassles of a normal lifestyle. Ultimately leading you to the same desolation you've experienced in the past. Additionally, ***the power of a passion can lead you to accomplish extraordinary things.*** Warren Buffett helps businesses become extremely successful. Jane Goodall taught us more about chimpanzees than we would have ever imagined. B.F. Skinner gave us amazing insight in the psychology of subconscious learning. And by finding your passion, you too can join the ranks of the many remarkable people who have contributed huge advances in their field of interest. Furthermore, imagine you had access to a time machine and traveled 100 years in the future. Paradoxes aside, you find your great-grandkids and other members of your lineage. What would you want these descendants to say about you and your life? That you toiled a half a century of your life away in a dead end job and a mediocre personal life. Or that you followed your passion and led an extraordinary life doing what you loved while directly improving countless people's lives. *The choice is yours.* *One other consideration. Don't lie to yourself. If your passion is to have a big house and fancy car, that's ok. Not everyone wants to move to a third world country or donate a majority of his or her money to medicine research. Feeling guilty is no way of living life; go after what you truly love. However, I know there will come a time when you will want to give back. Donating \$400 to a charity feels much more rewarding than buying the latest and greatest Scotty Cameron putter.* *To summarize, without a passion, your life will never truly be fulfilled.* ## 3. Get Out of Bed Some people dream of success while others wake up and work hard at it. \~ Unknown **Beating a sunrise is an amazing feeling.** More importantly, [rising early](/writing/tips-for-waking-up-early-in-the-morning/) will have an extreme effect on your overall life and well-being. The formula is simple: **Go to bed early, wake up early**. You will feel amazingly well rested while accomplishing far more during your day. Moreover, by rising a few hours earlier, you'll quickly begin to notice how productive every aspect of your life will become. And change will be inevitable as you must find something to do with your newly acquired free time. From pursuing your dreams to doing more of the activities you love, you're life is sure to improve by getting out of bed. ## 4. Think More Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death. \~ Albert Einstein **Every change first occurs in your mind.** But just as sheep blindly go through their life, most people's lives are consumed in thoughtless activities. And we are unknowingly losing the ability to critically think for ourselves. Without advanced abstract thought, **change will *never* occur.** You will settle for the current and fail to strive for more. Let me pose a question; if you could absorb an expert's abridged life experiences on a subject in a few afternoons, would you do it? Of course. Well, let me now tell you a secret; you can! It's called a book. *(Shocking, I know)* So if your interested in the biogeochemistry of a forested ecosystem, I'm guessing you can find some research material on the subject. *Revolutionary stuff here huh?* Not really, but our idea of a typical day and lifestyle has evolved to a point where advanced intellectual thought processes are rarely accessed. Unfortunately, most Americans are dumbing themselves down with all of the brainless pastimes available these days. For example, the average American spends 4 hours a day glued to the television. This is mindless activity that will not benefit your overall life. Do you remember what you watched six weeks ago? Or what you learned from the program? Conversely, what did you gain from the non-fiction book you *(hopefully)* read six weeks ago? And how much did the concepts presented in that book linger in your mind? I am assuming the book had a much more profound effect on your introspection than the TV show. So stop watching American Idol and pick up a book at night. Attend seminars & conferences when available. And listen to audio books or talk radio on your commutes. **Change *will* happen *if* you open your mind, *trust me!*** ## 5. Exercise Daily A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world. \~ Paul Dudley White **Devotion to motion, equals emotion.** Your level of physical activity and your overall health will have a huge effect on your well-being. More importantly, exercise will keep your mind healthy, in turn greatly helping your desired change come to fruition. And since you have already gained a few hours by waking earlier, you have no excuse for not exercising daily. A bonus of cardiovascular training is the extended periods of time you'll have with only your thoughts. Something perfectly suited for meditative but strategic change planning. ## 6. Stay Optimistic A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. \~ Winston Churchill **Optimism is the key to success.** Unfortunately I encounter pessimistic viewpoints almost every time I talk with up and coming entrepreneurs. And the scary thing is, they are usually unaware of their glass-half-empty psychology. Your limiting beliefs are just as powerful, (if not more powerful) than any other emotion during times of change. Therefore, these pessimistic feelings need to be squashed before they ruin all chances of refining your life. You must realize that striving for change is a bumpy road. With the emotional roller-coaster that change brings, it will be difficult to stay on track. And it is extremely easy to fall back on your old habits. Luckily, an [optimistic point-of-view](/writing/optimism-the-single-most-important-factor-to-an-entrepreneurs-success/) can metaphorically hold your hand through your change process. It will keep you happy and give you something to look forward to as your days of change go by. Additionally, optimism will keep the good juices flowing while smashing any psychological roadblocks you may encounter. Which is exactly what you need to ensure a long and happy life, doing what you love. ### Conclusion Changing your life is possible. But it takes strong convictions and mental perseverance. I am positive you can do anything you put your mind to. Good luck! ## UPDATE: 7. Academy on the Go Due to the outstanding popularity of this and my other articles on improving your lifestyle, I've recently launched an online academy for changing your life for the better. It carries over many of the concepts from this post. Along with many other areas of one's life. If you truly want to begin changing your life, I strongly recommend you check out [Academy on the Go](http://academyonthego.com/).era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/5-ted-talks-every-entrepreneur-needs-to-watch/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/5-ted-talks-every-entrepreneur-needs-to-watch/5 TED Talks Every Entrepreneur Needs To WatchTue, 23 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMTWhere can you spend countless hours watching the world's smartest people give passionate speeches, *at no charge*? [TED.com](https://www.ted.com/), that's where. TED is amazing. Seriously. And below is a collection of my 5 favorite TED talks every entrepreneur should watch. Enjoy! ### Tony Robbins Asks Why We Do What We Do ### Seth Godin on Standing Out ### Rory Sutherland: Life Lessons from an Ad Man ### Malcolm Gladwell on Spaghetti Sauce ### Alexis Ohanian: How to Make a Splash in Social Media There you go! Five great TED talks to inspire, motivate and further develop yourself as an extraordinary entrepreneur. I hope you enjoyed these videos!era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/tips-for-waking-up-early-in-the-morning/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/tips-for-waking-up-early-in-the-morning/Tips for Waking Up Early in the MorningMon, 22 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT**I love the snooze button.** *But I hate the person who invented it.* If you're like me, there is no better place to be than under the covers on cold mornings. However, sleeping in is not a strategy for success. With that said, I have tried many methods and have found some great strategies for getting up quickly and easily. ## Go to Bed When You're Tired Sounds like common sense but there is a little more to this strategy. I've read articles on sleep that say you should go to bed at the exact same time every night. *This is nonsense!* Mostly because depending on your day's activities, your energy usage will greatly vary from day to day. When heading to bed make sure you are tired enough to fall asleep within 5 minutes. If it takes longer than a few minutes to drift off, you are wasting your time. Conversely, if you rob yourself of sleep by postponing bedtime you may throw off your sleep cycle and wake up tired. ## Wake Up At the Same Time Everyday Standardizing your wake up routine is key for easy mornings. If you wake up at random times *(which you probably do now)* your circadian rhythm will be in constant disarray. By waking every day at the same time your brain will be subconsciously trained to prepare for waking at your desired time. Personally, I have found that I am so accustomed to waking at 6am that sometimes I wake up a few seconds or minutes before the alarm goes off. Which is slightly eerie but definitely a reinforcement that this strategy works for me. Furthermore, if you had less sleep than desired during the previous night, you will simply become tired sooner that day. And, in turn, want to head to bed sooner. Therefore your circadian rhythm will begin to self-regulate more accurately and your sleep cycle will find an equilibrium on a daily basis. ## Forget the Snooze Do you need to be up at 6am? Then don't set your alarm for 5:30 with the intent of hitting the snooze button a few times. Set the clock for six and forget the snooze! ## Stretch Have you ever observed a house pet before and after their nap? Every pet I've watched has done a quick stretching routine. And this strategy applies to you and I as well. By stretching before bed you will enjoy a better night sleep. Stretching at first wake will help get your blood pumping, in turn waking you up faster and easier. ## Oxygen and Water When the alarm goes off, instantly take a deep breath. Oxygen to your brain is vital for waking up. Also, keep a glass of water by the clock and drink it when you arise. This will further wake your brain and body. ## Motion = Emotion I learned this trick from Tony Robbins. When the alarm goes off in the morning make sure you hop out of bed instantly. *And start moving around.* Be sure to have your workout clothes and shoes ready for a morning exercise session. This strategy was initially difficult for me to routinized but it definitely makes waking quicker and the day much easier. ## Condition Your Wake Up Pattern These strategies work, however implementing them at 6:00 in the morning will not be easy. Therefore you will have to reinforce your quick wake up method during the day. This may sound a little quirky but practicing your routine is extremely effective. Be sure to recreate as much of your pattern as possible (brush your teeth, put on the PJ's, etc), set your alarm for a few minutes out and then "go to bed." The more you consciously perform your wake up procedure, the easier you will be able to follow through on a chilly morning. ### Conclusion There you go! My favorite tips for waking up in the morning. I hope you find some gems in this article, as I have definitely found these strategies to be extremely effective. If you have any tips you use, please let me know. I'd love to hear them! And I'll leave you with a little comedy from Jerry Seinfeld: Broken Videoera:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-ultimate-entrepreneurs-list-of-lists/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-ultimate-entrepreneurs-list-of-lists/The Ultimate Entrepreneur's List of ListsSat, 20 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT## *The Best Lists for Entrepreneurs* There is a ton of information out there for entrepreneurs. And I love using [StumbleUpon](http://www.stumbleupon.com/) to find the latest and greatest articles. Every now and again I find a great list filled with links and other resources for various subjects. Below are some of the ***best lists for entrepreneurs*** I have recently bookmarked. Enjoy! ## Technology & Automation [65 Indispensable Websites for Business Owners](http://www.entrepreneur.com/websmarts/article199544.html) [The Entrepreneur's Guide to Web 2.0: Top 25 Applications to Grow Your Business](http://www.quicksprout.com/2010/03/02/the-entrepreneurs-guide-to-web-2-0-top-25-applications-to-grow-your-business/) [71 Technologies & Resources to Help Simplify An Entrepreneur's Life](/writing/71-technologies-and-resources-to-help-simplify-an-entrepreneurs-life/) [101 Useful Resources for Online Entrepreneurs](http://www.blogtrepreneur.com/2008/03/10/resources-for-online-entrepreneurs/) [25 Free Mac Apps That Will Boost Your Productivity](http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/07/05/25-open-source-mac-apps-that-will-boost-your-productivity/) [100 Financial Calculators Every Entrepreneur Needs](http://www.businesscreditcards.com/bootstrapper/calculate-this-100-financial-calculators-every-entrepreneur-needs/) [40 Social Networking Sites Specifically for Small Business, Entrepreneurs, and Startups](http://smallbizbee.com/index/2010/02/02/ultimate-list-40-social-networking/) [20 Places to Find a Top Notch Virtual Assistant](http://www.dumblittleman.com/2008/12/20-places-to-find-top-notch-virtual.html) ## Entrepreneurial & Personal Development [Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive](http://www.moskalyuk.com/blog/yes-50-scientifically-proven-ways-to-be-persuasive) [85 Absolutely Free Online Business Classes](http://smallbizbee.com/index/2009/02/11/85-absolutely-free-online-business/) [Top 100 Personal Development Blogs](http://www.bachelorsdegreeonline.com/blog/2009/top-100-personal-development-blogs/) [50 Free Resources That Will Improve Your Writing Skills](http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/06/28/50-free-resources-that-will-improve-your-writing-skills/) [50+ Free Resources for Writers, Bloggers, And Other Freelancers](http://freelancefolder.com/fifty-free-resources-for-freelance-writers-bloggers-and-others/) [Top 100+ Personal Finance Blogs](http://www.wisebread.com/top-100-most-popular-personal-finance-blogs/) [100 Ways to Be a Better Entrepreneur](http://www.entrepreneur.com/management/article79260.html) [25 Things I Learned About Business from "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"](http://www.focus.com/fyi/small-business/25-things-i-learned-about-business-always-sunny-philadelphia/) [42 Questions Every Freelancer Should Ask Their Clients](http://freelancefolder.com/42-questions-every-freelancer-should-ask-their-clients/) [The Top Entrepreneurs of the Last 100 Years](http://www.focus.com/fyi/other/top-entrepreneurs-last-100-years/) ## Marketing [160 Creative and Inspiring Print Ads](http://www.backtoessentials.com/inspiration/160-creative-and-inspiring-print-ads/) [100+ Internet Marketing Resources for Entrepreneurs](/writing/100-internet-marketing-resources-for-entrepreneurs/) [30+ Places To Find Creative Commons Media](http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2009/04/30/30-creative-commons-sources/) [14 Tools to Legally Spy On Your Competition](http://www.grokdotcom.com/2008/10/07/14-tools-to-legally-spy-on-your-competition/) [Top 100 Fonts](https://www.dafont.com/top.php) [Cool Business Card Designs Part 1](http://creativebits.org/cool_business_card_designs) \| [Part 2](http://creativebits.org/cool_business_card_designs_part_2) \| [Part 3](http://creativebits.org/inspiration/cool_business_card_designs_part_3) ## Lifestyle [50 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do](http://www.marcandangel.com/2008/06/02/50-things-everyone-should-know-how-to-do/) [100 Geeks You Should Be Following On Twitter](https://www.wired.com/geekdad/2009/05/100-geeks-you-should-be-following-on-twitter/) [The 90 Best Lifehacks of 2009: The Year in Review](http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/the-90-best-lifehacks-of-2009-the-year-in-review.html) [30+ Pieces of Inspiring, Funny and Interesting Advice](http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/30-pieces-of-inspiring-funny) [Top 100 List: Health Websites You Can Trust](http://caphis.mlanet.org/consumer/index.html) [18 Great Cooking Resources](http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/18_great_recipe_discovery_resources.php) [80+ Green Sites: Green Living Toolbox](https://mashable.com/2007/08/14/green-toolbox/) [100 Ways to Save The Environment](http://www.seql.org/100ways.cfm) There you have it! A huge list of lists. I hope you find a ton of helpful information to further your lifestyle as an entrepreneur. If there are other lists you think should be on this post let me know in the comment section... And if you enjoyed this list, please share it with your friends and colleagues. Have a great day!era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/poor-vs-broke/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/poor-vs-broke/Poor vs. BrokeFri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMTAs I talk with others about investing or starting a business, I very often hear, "I don't have any money to do that, I'm poor." And other times they say, "not right now, I'm broke." These are interesting statements to me as the dictionary defines broke and poor similarly. However, subconsciously the two words set off strongly opposing implications. Broke is a ***scenario***. Nothing more than a temporary setback. A broke person is simply someone that is low on funds. But they can change their financial situation. Poor, on the other hand, is a ***lifestyle***. These people actively chose to pursue a poor life. And can be identified as the moneyless folks that love the couch, do not care about education and are not willing to change. They've been poor, they're currently poor and they'll always be poor. The next time you are low on funds, how are you going to explain your situation? Are you poor? *Or just broke?*era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/competing-on-price-with-your-brick-and-mortar-store-good-luck/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/competing-on-price-with-your-brick-and-mortar-store-good-luck/Are You Competing on Price With Your Brick and Mortar Store? Good Luck!Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMTI thoroughly enjoy the rise of the Walmart-style businesses in the world. Low-cost leaders have all but destroyed those location-based businesses that live in the past, hate change and failed to evolve. *(You know... the stores that usually emit a mysterious scent of mothballs)* And while I do feel for the employees of these failed businesses who lost their jobs, the owners and managers are to blame. With the rise of these super companies we have become accustomed to sub-standard customer service and the slue of other complaints I constantly ramble on about... *Where are you now [Circuit City](https://www.inc.com/magazine/20090501/why-circuit-city-failed-and-why-bh-thrives.html)?* Lucky for us, the lack of niche, value-added storefronts has created a hole in the market. And savvy business owners can jump in and rapidly take market share from the big guys. In general, though, most businesses are failing to innovate and are falling back on only low-priced claims. To illustrate this growing trend of competing on price, simply open your local newspaper. Special sales, coupons and price cuts galore! "Mom and pops" are not buying in mass enough quantities to afford these cost cuts. So where does the cash flow balancing act come from? The essentials, that's where. Important expenses such as training and retaining employees as well as constant storefront innovations are going by the wayside. These stores feel their price slashing is necessary to compete... not so! Over the years I have worked with numerous brick and mortars on their rebranding efforts. And I have found a common theme for storefront success. **Here's how to eliminate low cost considerations:** ## Create a Destination **By creating an experience for the shopper, a destination of sorts, any business will find its customer base expand greatly , usually from word-of-mouth. [Cabelas](http://www.cabelas.com/) is a great example of perfectly implementing this strategy. There is so much extra stuff to do and see at Cabelas than a regular big-box outdoor supply store. From huge fish tanks and animal displays to carnival-style hunting games. Even corrals for "parking" your horse (if equine is your preferred method of travel), the store is a sight to be seen.** **While this strategy works for a fairly big chain like Cabelas, it will also work for any average sized store as well. An inviting atmosphere with fun entertainment will bring in the masses. And the masses will most likely overlook the slightly higher prices.** ## Ditch the Extreme Low-End Products **By eliminating commonly available low-end products, the everyday penny-pinching shoppers will start disappearing. These exhausting customers do more harm than good. By sticking to better products, your customer base will be of a higher quality and your staff's headaches will disappear. With less cumbersome customers, storewide morale will raise as well. And keeping your employees extremely happy is key to great customer service.** ## No-Charge Value Added Offerings **Customers who appreciate the value of subtle no-charge additions to their shopping experience are also usually higher quality customers. Which means fewer complaints, less hassles and better word-of-mouth marketing. Some simple ideas of no-charge additions that come to mind:** - **Gourmet coffee in a boutique** - **Shoe cleaning at a shoe store** - **Tune-ups for bikes purchased at a bike store** - **Level 1 technical support at a computer store** **When you offer extreme value you should not lower your prices, instead keep the full retail price for your products. *Nothing less.* Who cares if Walmart has the product for 10% less? If you are adding value along with the rest of the strategies on this list, you shouldn't need to worry about the price difference. Your quality and value-added services will take care of the higher prices.** ## Train Your Employees... Train Them Some More... and More and More... and... *You Guessed It*... Some More!!! **Expertise of your product offering is essential. Ask a Wal-Mart employee about the stitching of a dress shirt and see what they say. Then head to Nordstrom and repeat the question. *Point taken?* Great!** ## Add-Ons, Up-Selling and Continued Services **Any business owner will know this one but it is worth mentioning. The best customer is a current customer. Going in for product A may result in the sale of Product B & C much more easily than trying to sell B & C by themselves. For instance, if you sell TV's , which even at full retail has little profit , be sure to add-on. While obvious additions such as cables, DVD players and what not boost the profit, do not forget the warranty, installation services, subscriptions and other products the customer may be intending to buy. *But would normally look for elsewhere.* In my experience, the main reason a consumer skips the purchase of things such as a satellite TV subscription is the salesperson's failure to mention their availability. Or *more importantly* the benefits of buying them from your store.** ## Follow-Up **This one may vary in application and effectiveness as it depends on the actual purchase and your ongoing relationship with the customer. At any rate, a follow up in some manner is huge. And for some reason, no one does this easy customer relationship task. For example, after two months send a personalized letter asking how they like the product. This will do wonders for your word of mouth reputation and brand recognition.** ## Conclusion **With the incompetent stigma created by years of the big guys slashing prices and competing on price, I now feel I can help start almost any business in any relevant geographical area. *And be extremely profitable!* Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to brag, I am convinced anyone can do it. With that said, I strongly believe low cost leaders have made niche businesses more profitable and sometimes much easier to start since a significant group of consumers have had it with these cost cutting shenanigans.** **In other words, *thank you low-cost leaders!* Keep up the sub-standard work! Your bad habits are making properly created niche brick and mortar businesses rock!**era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/overcoming-a-setback-get-disturbed/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/overcoming-a-setback-get-disturbed/Overcoming a Setback: Get DisturbedSat, 27 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMTI came to a huge self-actualization this past month. It resulted from a temporary setback to the expansion plans for one of my businesses. The result? More motivation with a stronger drive to succeed. *And now a banker to prove wrong.* ## The Story One of my companies needs four new employees. And although I have great credentials with a substantial accounts receivable ledger, my business was turned down for a line of credit. The decision came from a commercial banker I have known very well , *since I had my first business at 16 years of age.* Anyway, this so-called go-to bank for SBA lending decided that creating more jobs wasn't in the playing cards for me. Based on the denial phone call, I feel the decision came from incompetence of the banker rather than any analytical rational. Needless to say, I was not happy. And while I know I can simply move onto the next bank, it triggered something inside me that was unfamiliar: *fear*. With this unsubstantiated turndown, questions flew through my brain. Was he correct in saying that my business was not successful? And what if my company does fail? If so, what will happen to my current employees? Or even worse, am I not cut out for this entrepreneur stuff? Considering I have had countless setbacks and turn downs in the past *(which is very common in the world of business)*, my deep quixotic uncertainty was extremely scary. ***Downright horrific.*** ## *The Result?* ***Borderline depression. Productivity plummeted and I decided to take a two-week hiatus to Chicago. With my background in psychology I knew this path was not good, not at all! That was until one day this past week. I awoke to a self-actualization that, I know, will make me more successful than ever:*** ***I became disturbed.*** ## *My Realization* ***Lying in bed that morning, I thought how quickly my life changed for the better. I had gone from corporate anonymity to a successful entrepreneur and public speaker within a few years. Who was this one person , who will never take the leap out of a comfy banking job and a boring middle-class lifestyle , to tell me my company isn't a success? I know my company is extremely successful with the sky the limit. I see the numbers and I know the potential. We're gaining clients at an extraordinary pace and there is no sign of slowing. After telling myself, "Enough of the pity party! Get back to building your business!" I hopped out of bed in a eureka moment, reinitiated talks with a few prospects and within 15 minutes added yet another account to my company. And with a renewed spirit, I had found a much stronger drive to succeed.*** ## *The Lesson For You* ***Just as I was trapped in a lair of fear, closely succumbing to the unfamiliar but foreboding sense of failure, you most likely will find yourself facing a fight-or-flight setback. And overcoming these setbacks may not be easy , believe me, I know! The entrepreneurial road is full of hurdles. And only the most powerful positive emotions will give you the inspiration to conquer these roadblocks. When things aren't going your way, get disturbed! Strive for change... for something better. Realize what makes you great and keep those feelings strong.*** ***Ultimately, an entrepreneur's positive emotions are constantly challenged. Those who figure out their own method for withstanding setbacks will be successful. And those who succumb? Well... they'll fade into the statistics supporting the notion business building is risky.*** ***Remember, when it comes to overcoming your next substantial setback; realize the situation for its face value, get disturbed and rise to the occasion.***era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/whats-the-problem-with-refreshing-a-brand/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/whats-the-problem-with-refreshing-a-brand/What's the Problem with Starbucks Refreshing their Brand?Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMTThe online world this week has been in an uproar. Why? Is it because of child starvation? Unfortunately, not really. Unjust wars? Nope, not this either. Global warming? No, people have gone crazy because [Starbucks announced a redesigned logo](https://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704405704576063940765196656.html). *I know, it's preposterous, how could they change it? It's iconic...* Are you kidding me? What's the big deal? We all know people don't like change. Look at the constant rabble of Facebook users when change happens. Ok, bad example I don't like most of Facebook's changes either. How about the [Gap Logo](http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2010/10/new-gap-logo-despised-symbol-of-corporate-banality-dead-at-one-week.html)? Oh, I am not batting 1.000 with these. But seriously, Starbucks has a legitimate reason for dropping coffee from its logo. They are looking towards the future. Without "Starbucks Coffee" circling the mermaid, they can branch out from coffee. The brand is powerful and known for its fast, quality service. Why not launch additional products and services around the Starbucks name? Makes sense to me. ### Is the customer always right? When a company proposes changes that don't directly affect the end user, should they worry too much about what others think? Most opponents to change do so under ignorance. They rarely know a slice of the story, let alone the whole pie. Or worse, they follow false pretenses. Take for instance the "Ground Zero Mosque." If there hasn't been more [false information about a proposal](http://www.cracked.com/blog/3-reasons-the-ground-zero-mosque-debate-makes-no-sense/) I'd be shocked. It's a seemingly wonderful project. But the opposition has taken a few sound bites amplified by their ingrown prejudices and completely blew the whole scenario out of proportion. ### The Takeaway? While the contention to the Starbucks logo hasn't gotten to the point of rallies and riots, it has shown an important reality. As your brand grows and inevitable change happens, you will have people that don't agree with your plans. But you have to consider the silent majority. The silent majority are those who love your stuff but also have lives. They could be sitting on websites and forums all day talking about the decisions of your company but that little thing called a job and family gets in the way. When planning for changes in your brand, remember these are the people that truly matter. They embrace change and understand that any decision was probably made with good reasoning.era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/how-to-make-the-perfect-green-smoothie/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/how-to-make-the-perfect-green-smoothie/How To Make The Perfect Green SmoothieTue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTTwo years ago, **the book [Green For Life](http://www.greenforlife.com/) completely changed my life and lifestyle**. *No joke*. Before I read the book, I had a typical western diet and unfortunately, my health followed suit. I was constantly tired and constantly sick with colds, head aches and other illnesses. It was no fun and from my experience, this is a normal lifestyle for most Americans. After the second reading of the book in under a week, I was prepared to take the leap into my first ***green smoothie***. ## What Makes It Healthy? In one word: [**Assimilation**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assimilation_%28biology%29). Our teeth and digestive system are not designed to harness the extraordinary benefits of greens, fruits and seeds to the fullest. For instance, if you watch our evolutionary siblings (primates) eat, they chew and grind their food for a very long time. This crushes the greens before swallowing. Since we usually fail to thoroughly chew our food, our digestive system cannot properly assimilate the nutrients. Therefore, ***most greens pass right through us***. By blending greens, we simulate the thorough grinding action of primate-like chewing. Don't believe me? Head to the nearest zoo, check out a gorilla's diet, then challenge the gorilla to a weight lifting contest... *Good Luck!* ## My First Green Smoothie I perused the aisles of Whole Foods and decided to buy some romaine, frozen strawberries, mangoes and fresh bananas. Against the recommendation in the book to have a good blender, I dusted off my \$20 blender and added the ingredients. About *2.3 seconds* into the blending, ***a loud clunk followed by smoke told me I should have bought a new blender***. Undaunted I ordered a [Vita-Mix](http://www.vita-mix.com/) , *now extremely determined to make a green smoothie*. While waiting for my new baby to be delivered I searched the web, reading more about blending greens and the benefits of green smoothies. A week before trying my first smoothie, I felt I was an expert in the field. And I had no problem preaching this to my co-workers, promising to bring in servings for everyone. ## My Second Green Smoothie Success! **Vitamix blenders are amazing!** In the same time it took my old blender to break, I had blended 40 oz of frozen & fresh ingredients. And it was surprisingly tasty. *Who would think a bunch of spinach and frozen peaches would taste so good!?!* ## Your First Green Smoothie When I began to do research for this article I came across this video from [Tim VanOrden](http://www.runningraw.com/) I had originally watched about a year back. This video is excellent for introducing the concepts behind a green smoothie. (He uses a [Blend-Tec](http://www.blendtec.com/) blender which is basically the same as a Vita-Mix.) Tim has been a huge advisor in the raw foodist community and with out further ado: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-stAb1Pkgg&feature=emb_imp_woyt&ab_channel=RunningRaw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-stAb1Pkgg&feature=emb_imp_woyt&ab_channel=RunningRaw) ## My Additions To This Video I have made complex smoothies like Tim's in the past, however, greens and other fresh ingredients only last so long. I tend to keep my smoothies more simplistic and use frozen fruits as much as possible. Also, I usually use more greens. For instance, a head of romaine is virtually flavorless when mixed with berries. However, greens such as kale, parsley, carrot tops and watercress have a much stronger flavor, so be cautious when experimenting with ingredients. The author of the Green For Life book, Victoria Boutenko, offers a bunch of [green smoothie recipes](http://rawfamily.com/recipes.htm) on her site. ## My Two Favorite Recipes ### Strawberry-Banana-Mango-Romaine My personal favorite, very flavorful which makes it perfect for beginners and anyone not yet fully sold on the taste of a green smoothie: • 1 Cup Strawberries • 1 Cup Mangoes • 2 Bananas • 1 Romaine Heart • 2 Cups Cold Water Blend the water, romaine, and bananas with a high-speed blender for 20 seconds add the strawberries and mangoes for another 20 seconds of blending. Enjoy! Produces 40 oz of delicious smoothie! ### Peaches-Spinach A wonderful green smoothie perfect for a warm summer's day: • 16 oz Peaches • 1/2 Bunch of Spinach • 2 Cups Cold Water Blend the water, peaches, and spinach with a high-speed blender for 30 seconds. Enjoy! Produces 40 oz of delicious green smoothie! ### Good Luck! And I look forward to hearing about your Green Smoothie experiences! ## Resources For Getting Started - [Raw Family](http://www.rawfamily.com/) , The main website of for the author of Green For Life - [Green Smoothies Facts](http://www.squidoo.com/green-smoothies) , A great lens on Squidoo - [List of Alkaline and Acidic Foods](http://www.energiseforlife.com/list_of_alkaline_foods.php) - [Running Raw](http://www.runningraw.com/) , Tim VanOrden's site - [Vita-Mix Blenders](http://www.vita-mix.com/) - [Blend-Tec Blenders](http://www.blendtec.com/)era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/71-technologies-and-resources-to-help-simplify-an-entrepreneurs-life/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/71-technologies-and-resources-to-help-simplify-an-entrepreneurs-life/71 Technologies & Resources to Help Simplify An Entrepreneur's LifeWed, 09 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTAs entrepreneurs we sometimes find ourselves living much different lives than the rest of the world. An 80-hour workweek may be followed by an 8-hour week by a 60-hour week. We may find ourselves out grocery shopping at 1 PM when others are busily working. Or, if you are like me, happily working at 3 AM when others are sleeping. We entrepreneurs play by our own rules because we want to. Sometimes, however, we want to escape it all , to simplify and forget the work for work's sake trap we may occasionally find ourselves in. *Ultimately, isn't this the true reason we left the 9-5?* With the continuous improvements in technology, freeing up time has become much easier to achieve. Having the ability to work anywhere, anytime and on any computer is an amazing advantage for entrepreneurs. Personally, I do not miss having to head to the office daily, travel to most meetings or spend hours on paperwork. Well I have put a ton of research into this and have found an extensive list of websites, software & other resources for simplifying your life , *hopefully*. In order to help a wide range of entrepreneurial styles, I made sure to include both lesser-known resources as well as some of the much more popular options. ## Personalized Home Pages **1. [iGoogle](https://www.google.com/ig)** , You can add almost anything to your home page; weather reports, calendar & to-do list, rss feeds, Gmail, maps, site specific search forms, etc... And it's linked to your Google account, so your settings follow you from computer to computer! **2. [My Yahoo!](https://my.yahoo.com/)** , Similar to iGoogle **3. [Pageflakes](http://www.pageflakes.com/)** , Again another personalized dashboard **4. [Netvibes](https://www.netvibes.com/)** , One more for your choosing! **5. [Jimmyr](http://www.jimmyr.com/)** , Aggregation page of a ton of technology, news & entertainment sites ## Document Management & OCR **6. [Evernote](https://www.evernote.com/)** , I love this OCR software. Take a picture, scan, web clip, PDF, even hand written memo and Evernote will convert it to a searchable text document. It works! Better yet, they provide Blackberry & iPhone apps for mobile use. **Highly recommended!** **7. [NetDocuments](http://netdocuments.com/)** , An online document management system ideal for small offices. Haven't tried it yet but will definitely give it a shot at my real estate office. **8. [Google Docs](https://docs.google.com/)** , Great alternative to the overpriced (*in my opinion*) Microsoft Office suite **9. [Cometdocs](https://www.cometdocs.com/)** , Converts a wide variety of files , *online!* No software needed! **10. [HTML to PDF](http://html-pdf-converter.com/)** , Great option for easily saving or emailing entire web pages. Converts any page into a PDF. ## Data Storage & File Back-Up **11. [Dropbox](https://www.dropbox.com/)** , The online backup system I use. A folder is created on the computer and any file saved into that folder is automatically saved online. **12. [Mozy](http://mozy.com/)** , I haven't used this one but it seems to be the most popular online backup option. **13. [Sugarsync](http://www.sugarsync.com/)** , Another popular backup option. They have a mobile solution available which makes this option pretty attractive. **14. [Box.net](http://www.box.net/)** , Excellent solution for group collaboration & sharing of files. *And it works with Salesforce CRM!* **15. [Amazon S3](https://aws.amazon.com/s3/)** , Great storage option for hosting files for web output. Mostly designed for developers, but it can be beneficial to bloggers for hosting pictures and files to prevent overloading the blog's server. ## Software Suites **16. [Zoho](https://www.zoho.com/)** , An extensive selection of online productivity tools. **17. [Netsuite](http://www.netsuite.com/portal/products/netsuite/main.shtml)** , A seemingly very robust set of online software. Haven't tried it but seems decent. **18. [Google Pack](https://pack.google.com/)** , Most of Google's software available for download. More focused for Windows users. ## Project Management & Collaboration Tools **19. [Basecamp](http://basecamphq.com/)** , A very popular project management software offering by 37signals. If you haven't heard of it or used the trial, *do it now!* **20. [Backpack](http://backpackit.com/)** , Another offering by the folks at 37signals. It helps your team share and collaborate with extreme ease. **21. [The Trac Project](http://trac.edgewall.org/)** , A Wiki-style project collaboration service. **22. [PBworks](http://pbworks.com/)** , Another online collaboration offering. The interface is nice & clean. **23. [activeCollab](http://www.activecollab.com/)** , Yet another project management / online collaboration tool. **24. [Zoho Projects](https://projects.zoho.com/)** , One more project management option. This time from ZOHO. **25. [Google Wave](https://wave.google.com/)** , It's in beta form right now with an invitation only to work out bugs. (*I think its a maneuver to create scarcity, similar to when they introduced Gmail*) Anyway, I was lucky enough to be invited a while back and I see great potential with it. Right now, however, I feel it's ineffective without widespread adoption. ## Remote Presentations, IM & Video Conferencing **26. [WebEx](https://www.webex.com/)** , A video conferencing system owned by Cisco. Since I'm a fan of almost everything Cisco (although they may be a little pricey), I recommend this for corporate use. **27. [GoToMeeting](https://www.gotomeeting.com/)** , It seems every webinar I've been involved with has used this software. *I have mixed reviews on it.* I'm not sure if it has been the Internet connection or what, but almost every meeting has been interrupted with dropped audio or another complication. However, they must be doing something right if they are still being used on a broad scale. **28. [Dimdim](http://www.dimdim.com/)** , An alternative to the above two options. Worth a try. **29. [Campfire](http://campfirenow.com/)** , Another high quality product from 37signals. It's a robust instant messaging platform with specific group capabilities. The ability to archive discussions is a nice feature. **30. [Skype for Business](https://www.skype.com/business/)** , This service has saved me so much time, money & head aches since I adopted it last year. I can call pretty much anywhere in the world from my iPhone with only a wifi connection. More importantly, its business features and video conferencing is extremely handy for my remote employees. With their recent improvements in call quality, this is a must. **Highly recommended!** ## Contact Manager & CRM **31. [Highrise](http://highrisehq.com/)** , Yet another amazing product from 37signals. Track your leads, manage contacts and monitor deals all through an online software offering. **32. [Plaxo](http://www.plaxo.com/)** , A great system to keep track of everything going on with your contacts. **33. [Mozilla Thunderbird](http://www.mozillamessaging.com/en-US/thunderbird/)** , With its open source framework and subsequent plethora of add-ons, Thunderbird is not only an excellent email client but a great contact manager as well. **34. [Salesforce.com](https://www.salesforce.com/)** , If you are serious about tracking your sales pipeline and managing your contacts, this is your software. Its enterprise level software is available on a per user basis, allowing any business the ability to adopt the system. **35. [Microsoft Outlook w/ Contact Manager](https://office.microsoft.com/en-us/contactmanager/)** , Outlook is clearly the most popular option for email. With this upgraded version, you have the ability to track your contacts. I wouldn't use it since there are much better options on this list, *but to each its own I guess*. **36. [Zoho CRM](https://crm.zoho.com/)** , Another option for your customer relationship management needs. This time from Zoho. **37. [NetSuite](http://www.netsuite.com/portal/products/crm_plus/main.shtml)** , I'm not too familiar with this CRM option, but from their website it looks to be a robust enterprise level system for tracking your customer. ## Time Management & Tracking **38. [RescueTime](http://www.rescuetime.com/)** , This is software that you install onto your computer for tracking your time on specific applications. You can analyze where you are spending (*or wasting*) your time and in essence help create a more productive day. Check the website out, it could be extremely helpful in some cases. **39. [iClockr](http://www.kedisoft.com/iclockr/features.php)** , Great for Freelancers or any one looking to track time spent on a job. I use it on occasion but I think it is Mac-only software. **40. [Zoho Planner](http://planner.zoho.com/)** , An online planner from Zoho. **41. [Google Calendar](https://www.google.com/calendar/)** , Yet another great product from Google. It's nice having the option of checking appointments and to-do lists on any computer. ## Invoicing **42. [Fresh Books](http://www.freshbooks.com/)** , A great online option for invoicing. **43. [Blinksale](https://www.blinksale.com/)** , Another online option for sending invoices. This is a great choice for anyone looking for complete control over the look of the invoice. They offer templates and the ability to customize the look with CSS. **44. [Less Accounting](http://lessaccounting.com/)** , One more invoicing option. It links with some of the [37signals](https://37signals.com/) software mentioned above. ## Personal Finance *\*\* I may be overly cautious but I've always been wary of giving out my banking info to a third party. There are many options online for tracking your finances but these two are the only options I'd stick with \*\** **45. [Quicken Online](http://quicken.intuit.com/personal-finance-software/free-online-money-management.jsp)** , Track all your accounts at once from the online dashboard. I haven't tried this but I have used other Quicken products and know they produce high quality software. **46. [Mint.com](https://www.mint.com/)** , This is the service I swear by. Unfortunately, not all banks are in their system yet (such as my local bank... come on [River Valley](http://www.rivervalleybank.com/)!). It's free because they offer unobtrusive advertisements as "ways to save," *which is kind of an oxymoron since they are usually ads for credit cards and such.* ## Social Media **47. [Ping.fm](http://ping.fm/)** , Post to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and dozens of other social media websites all at once! **Huge time saver!** ## Access Your POP3 Emails Anywhere **48. [Gmail](https://www.gmail.com/)** , This popular free email offering goes above and beyond with the ability to add your [pop3 email support](https://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=13273). **49. [Mozilla Thunderbird Portable Edition](https://portableapps.com/apps/internet/thunderbird_portable)** , Great solution for road warriors. Install Thunderbird on a USB flash drive **for free**. *'nuf said, go get it!* ## RSS Readers **50. [Google Reader](https://www.google.com/reader/view/)** , My favorite option for my feeds. **51. [Newsgator](http://www.newsgator.com/individuals/default.aspx)** , A popular news reader with many offerings: [FeedDemon for Windows](http://www.newsgator.com/individuals/feeddemon/default.aspx) \| [NetNewsWire for Mac](http://www.newsgator.com/individuals/netnewswire/default.aspx) \| [NetNewsWire for iPhone](http://www.newsgator.com/individuals/netnewswireiphone/default.aspx) \| [NewsGator Go! for Mobile](http://www.newsgator.com/individuals/newsgatorgo/default.aspx) \| [NewsGator Inbox for Outlook](http://www.newsgator.com/individuals/newsgatorinbox/default.aspx) **52. [Bloglines](http://www.bloglines.com/)** , Another solid choice for RSS feeds. **53. [Blogbridge](http://www.blogbridge.com/)** , An open source option. ## Remote Computer Access **54. [LogMeIn](https://logmein.com/)** , A robust option for remotely accessing PC's, Macs & smart phones. I've only played around with it for a few minutes but seems to be well worth a try. **55. [GoToMyPC](https://www.gotomypc.com/)** , A very popular option for accessing your computer remotely. The Mac version is in beta. **56. [Remote Desktop 3](https://www.apple.com/remotedesktop/)** , A Mac specific option for remote computer usage. ## Keyboard Shortcuts **57. [Windows](https://support.microsoft.com/kb/126449)** **58. [Mac](https://support.apple.com/kb/HT1343)** **59. [Mozilla Firefox](https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Keyboard+shortcuts)** **60. [Gmail](https://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=6594)** ## Other Helpful Internet Tools **61. [Instant Domain Search](https://instantdomainsearch.com/)** , Anyone who has searched for a domain name knows the process is extremely clumsy. This website instantly shows if the .com, .net & .org is available. As a bonus, they include a link to GoDaddy with an automatically applied coupon to save around 25% on the purchase. **62. [DNZoom](http://www.dnzoom.com/)** , Helpful platform for managing domain names with multiple registrars. I would say it's better than GoDaddy's dashboard only if you have different registrars or if you don't use GoDaddy. If you are like me however, stick with registering and managing at [GoDaddy](https://www.godaddy.com/). **63. [Google Dashboard](https://www.google.com/dashboard/)** , Monitor all of your Google products on one handy page. ## Shopping **64. [Amazon Prime](https://www.amazon.com/gp/subs/primeclub/signup/main.html)** , I would bet that there is no faster method of buying something online than with Amazon's one-click feature. Random impulse buys are getting pretty expensive for me, but I do save a bunch of time. And more importantly I don't have to deal with the hassles of department stores and malls. Also, the reviews are helpful when deciding on what to buy. **65. [Google Products](https://www.google.com/products)** , Great way to quickly find cheap prices at respectable shops. If the name looks unfamiliar you probably remember it as Froogle. **66. [Bing Shopping](https://www.bing.com/shopping)** , Similar to Google Products, you can search quickly for products. Also, it's hands down the best way to save money on purchases thanks to [Bing CashBack](https://www.bing.com/shopping/pages/howtouse.aspx). ## Travel **67. [Kayak](https://www.kayak.com/)** , Search hundreds of travel sites (i.e. Expedia, Hotels.com & Priceline) at once and compare results. *I actually found this one from a TV commercial, which is rare, since I DVR everything!* **68. [TripAdvisor](http://www.tripadvisor.com/)** , Find reviews and tons of other information for your next vacation. Allows you to quickly make decisions on where to stay. ## Bonus! A few articles I've had bookmarked on simplifying life **69. [Simple Living Manifesto: 72 Ideas to Simplify Your Life](http://zenhabits.net/2007/09/simple-living-manifesto-72-ideas-to-simplify-your-life/)** , ZenHabits **70. [50 Ways to Simplify Your Life](http://www.thirdage.com/stress-reduction/50-ways-to-simplify-your-life)** , Third Age **71. [35 Spectacular and Practical Time Saving Tips](http://www.dumblittleman.com/2007/09/35-spectacular-and-practical-time.html)** , Dumb Little Man **There you go!** 71 technologies & resources that should help you eliminate some paperwork, clean up your desk and ultimately free your time. This took an *extremely* long time to compile so I hope you liked it! **Please share this** with anyone who may be trapped in the rut of working for work's sake. And I look forward to hearing of any additional technologies you feel should be on this list! Thank you!era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/book-review-rick-smith-the-leap/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/book-review-rick-smith-the-leap/Missing Fulfillment in Your Career? Rick Smith Would Like an Evening of Your TimeMon, 07 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTWhen I was in high school the world seemed to be a blank canvas. I couldn't wait to make my marks on it. However, as I drifted through my second and third years at St. Norbert College, the canvas changed. The real world was slowly encroaching on my fun. No longer was this metaphorical canvas blank. Rather it had turned into a printed question: **"What in the \$@\*% are you going to do with your life!?!"** **Now , *for the first time ever* , I had to make a life changing decision. Do I go back home and work with my Dad's company? Relaunch my business? Stay in Green Bay and become a "townie?" Continue onto post-grad education? Or start climbing the corporate ladder in Chicago?** **Oh how I wish that during these decisions I could have read Rick Smith's recent best-selling book, [The Leap: How 3 Simple Changes Can Propel Your Career From Good To Great](https://www.amazon.com/Leap-Simple-Changes-Propel-Career/dp/1591842565/). *Who knows where I'd be now if I had been able to spend my senior year reflecting on the thought provoking case studies of this book!*** ## *The Author* ***After co-authoring a best selling book resulting in him being left on the street by his employer, Rick Smith was forced to make a change. Was it a drastic one? No, not at first. Like most of the unemployed world, he looked for another job. However unlike the typical jobless executive, he had an extraordinary idea to change his life. Why not get the top executives and world influencers together? They need to network and chat just like the rest of us. [World50](http://www.w50.com/) was formed. Instant success? Nope. Everyone he knew said it wouldn't work... except his target market. Nonetheless, one email to a CMO, a positive response and a \$50k check later, w50 was in business. Forty-nine others quickly followed suit with \$50k checks. Rick Smith had taken the leap. Rick has since worked with the likes of Bono, Alan Greenspan, Francis Ford Coppola and on & on. His knowledge and expertise made this book an eventuality. So without further ado:*** ## *The Review* ***[Rick Smith](http://ricksmith.me/) was kind enough to send me a copy during his launch event. Don't worry everyone; this wouldn't alter my verdict on the book! But it did help bump it to the top of the stack of books on my desk I wanted to read. Even so, I initially was scared off by the addition of the word career in the title. Didn't I become an entrepreneur to avoid that dreaded 9-5 career thing? Despite the slightly construed title, this book's content definitely encompasses business owners.*** ***Anyway, I recently finished reading this book and believe me, it's good. From the countless books I have read on business, professional training and personal development, this ranks in my top 5. That's a pretty bold statement. (In case you were wondering, my other four recs. would be The Four Hour Work Week; How to Win Friends and Influence People; The Cash Flow Quadrant; & The Secrets of Power Negotiation)*** ## *The Good Stuff* ***Rick Smith has found a way of making a 200-page book on career development and life choices fun to read. I'm not kidding. I started reading it after dinner and closed it , wondering where the time went , just before the airing of the nightly news. My biggest pet peeve is a dry, slow reading book. Fortunately The Leap passes the readability factor for me.*** ***More importantly, the book is extremely thought provoking. I would have cruised through the book in under 3 hours if I hadn't been constantly scribbling notes and ideas. In fact, I'm still frequently thinking about the case studies days later.*** ***My favorite chronicle in the book is of Sara Blakely, the creator of [Spanx](http://www.spanx.com/home/index.jsp) panty hose. I first heard of Sara in an interview she did about a year or two ago. She discussed the unique stories of the creation and initial sales presentation of Spanx. And from what I know of the formation of her company Rick has done an excellent job detailing her trials and tribulations. Additionally, I enjoy that he equates her startup costs with a two-week vacation to Hawaii. Great symbolism!*** ***Nonetheless, the examples in the book of past successes would be nothing new if he hadn't continually re-framed them in a comprehensive theme. Rick Smith keeps cohesion mainly through his concept of finding one's Primary Color. Basically, it's a concept that helps you find your true life's goal/path/calling. If you are interested, check out the website to [explore your Primary Color](http://www.primarycolorassessment.com/), it's really pretty interesting.*** ## *The Bad Stuff* ***I'm usually pretty critical of business books, but I really can't complain this time. My only complaint would be the length, or lack there of. I am not saying that the author didn't cover everything he intended. Not at all! Instead, it was such a fun easy read that I was a little sad when I finished it. I guess I am a bit selfish that way... hehe!*** ***Another downfall that comes to mind; no audio book version! I absolutely love road trips , my iPhone, an audible download and the open road , not the case for The Leap. Hopefully soon!*** ***With the lack of complaints, you can see why this book hopped onto my top 5.*** ## *In Conclusion* ***I recommend everybody read this book. Whether you are unhappy with your career path or have embraced a life you absolutely love. I strongly believe everyone will take something positive away from Rick Smith's book, [The Leap: How 3 Simple Changes Can Propel Your Career From Good To Great](https://www.amazon.com/Leap-Simple-Changes-Propel-Career/dp/1591842565/).*** ### ***Any of you already read it? What were your thoughts?*** ## *Additional Resources* ***[Video interview with Rick Smith](http://bookblade.com/the-leap-by-w50-founder-rick-smith/) on Book Blade*** ***[The Leap Builder](http://leapbuilder.com/) , Cool set of tools for your leap*** [***The Primary Color Assessment Website***](http://www.primarycolorassessment.com/) [***Rick Smith on Fox Business***](http://ricksmith.me/2009/11/30/black-2010/)era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-power-of-several-job-titles-the-virtual-multi-hat-negotiation-gambit/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-power-of-several-job-titles-the-virtual-multi-hat-negotiation-gambit/The Power of Several Job Titles: The Virtual Multi-Hat Negotiation GambitFri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT## ***Shedding The Status*** To an entrepreneur, what's the difference between a vice president, a director, a general manager, a partner and a chief? *Nothing*. When creating your corporate governance and management structure, keep this in mind. **A job title is nothing more than a tag line** on a business card and an email signature. However, job titles in general are one of the most important elements when going into negotiations. ## The Multi-Hat Advantage for Entrepreneurs As a start-up, you are free to label you and your initial employees whatever you want. This means you and your team can virtually be any employee of the business. In essence, you can construct a much larger business in the minds of prospective clients, companies and the public. Do you think the CEO of your competitor is going on sales calls? Probably not. But the senior account manager is. Swallow your pride and **shed the founder label**. Become the account manager on sales presentations, the director of marketing when buying advertising and the vice president when negotiating for better insurance rates. ### Why is this so important? The most important negotiation tactic to expose upfront is **higher authority**. And what better way to make the other side assume you have *little to no decision making authority* than by lowering your job title. When you become a mid-level employee, you shed the start-up stigma and **create a virtual chain of command**. This allows for constant supremacy on your side of the negotiations. For example, what sounds better? **You:** "Oh this is for six months. I am not sure if I can manage that. Can you do better?" **Them:** "Take it or leave it, we have spent enough time on this and you know you can sign off on it." Or **You:** "Six month contract? We were looking for a nine. I am going to have to take this back to my boss to see how we should proceed. It's unfortunate, as we were all looking forward to this and as it stands, I don't think they will be inclined to sign off on this." **Them:** "Ok, I guess, let me know what they say and get back to me" ## Watch The Counter An experienced negotiator will prelude any talks with the question: "If everything here is to your satisfaction, are you able to sign off on this today?" *(Or something to that extent)* This question will expose you as the decision maker if not handled correctly. **The good news?** *Most people don't know to say this*. But if they do and throw this line at you, there are counters to the counter. The two that have worked the best for me (and kept the talks flowing) are: 1) Admit to having the ability to sign off on the deal but eventually finding something ambiguous, overpriced or faulty with their terms. You will be able to go back to the beginning and throw another decision maker in the mix. And without much push back since the talks have gone in a new direction. 2) Create a committee. It may be you and an absent partner who is unfortunately never available to talk. Or a vague oversight group that may consist of only you. Either way, by creating an advertising committee, for example, you are allowed to hear what they have to say and relay the info and pricing for review. By being a mid-level employee, the need for higher authority approval is much more believable and easier to pull off. Does a CEO or President have to ask permission to buy a \$2000 service? Not usually! (besides the Board of Directors, I guess) But an office manager probably does. And guess what supplier? They didn't approve anything higher than \$1,800 , what now? Good luck managers, I mean entrepreneurs!era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/10-essential-considerations-when-going-green-in-the-office/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/10-essential-considerations-when-going-green-in-the-office/10 Essential Considerations When Going Green in the OfficeSat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTAre you looking to create **the ultimate green workplace?** Not only is this a solid strategy for differentiating yourself in the market as an environmental advocate, you will also be ensuring your organization has a *much smaller carbon footprint*. These 10 ideas will help produce an eco-friendly office: ## 1. Paperless Operations This is the single best strategy for saving both the environment and your supplies budget. By creating PDF's and using email instead of printouts and physical mailings, your office's taxation on the planet's resources will drop. An added bonus is your overall operation will become more *streamlined and secure* by using [digital documents in the office](http://www.bradleygauthier.com/entrepreneur-automation/6-reasons-your-business-should-go-paperless-137). ## 2. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Create a recycling plan for your office supplies. First, be sure to put out recycling bins next to the garbage cans. Consider *reusing single sided paper* for scratch paper. In addition, don't forget to bring old ink cartridges to a supply-recycling collector such as Staples. Also, old office equipment pose serious risks to the environment if not recycled correctly. In fact, CRT monitors are the worst culprits as they contain at least **5 pounds of lead**. With technology changing at such a rapid pace, be sure to recycle or donate unneeded equipment at [authorized facilities](http://www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/materials/ecycling/donate.htm). ## 3. Use Surge Protectors If coworkers shut their entire desk down at night, your office would save an amazing amount of energy. With a surge protector everything can be plugged into one central unit and *shut off with a single switch*. No longer would anyone forget to turn off, for instance, the printer or monitor. Also, the technology in newer surge protectors is *much better* for power efficiency. ## 4. Encourage Smarter Transportation Methods Trains and buses are excellent methods for daily commutes. Biking and walking for the select few close enough to the office is even better. If you are located in a suburban or rural area, carpooling will become a viable option as well. The best way to promote smarter transportation methods is to *develop an incentive plan* for coworkers. Anything from a free or discounted public transit card to gas cards and close parking spots will do wonders to promote green transportation. ## 5. Video Conferencing If you have multiple locations, a video conferencing system is perfect to *eliminate unnecessary traveling*. Meetings between offices become much greener while increasing productivity and overall efficiency. Luckily, the cost of this technology has dropped considerably too. ## 6. Task Lighting and Halogen Bulbs Without the need for large energy consuming fluorescent lights, your office's energy bill will drop. Instead, use *tiny desk lights*, which can be used only when needed. For main lights be sure to use energy efficient halogens. ## 7. Environmentally Friendly Interior Design Eco-friendly paint, flooring and other building materials are great choices when remodeling or building your office. Additionally, by using green or recycled office furniture, you can be assured your office's interior is as environmentally friendly as possible. *Best yet?* Your *coworkers and guests will appreciate* the much healthier and greener workplace. ## 8. Lots of Plants Boost morale and health by adding a little extra oxygen and beauty to the office. These [plants are perfect for the office](https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/indoor/best-office-plants-good-plants-for-the-office-environment.htm) environment and will reduce pollutants. ## 9. Install Energy Star Equipment As you buy new computers and appliances, be sure to get the most energy efficient technology available. Keep in mind that an energy star rating is a range of acceptable energy consumption metrics. Which means two similar products **could vary greatly in their yearly energy usage**. Manufacturers may bury the bad numbers in the documentation so remember to look at the actual energy star label for the information. And remember *Caveat Emptor , Buyer Beware*. ## 10. Get Everyone In The Office To Pitch In Set up a suggestion box for green office ideas. Your coworkers will be more than happy to help out in greening the office. **Wondering where to start? Complete a green audit.** If you are located in a progressive city, chances are good that there will be a green audit consultant available. They will come to your office and inspect your current operations. By the end you will receive a report, giving you great insight into your next needed steps. If, however, you do not or cannot hire a green auditor, I have found this nice [green audit checklist](http://www.gogreencommunities.org/Library/PDF/GreenerOfficeMasterChecklist090508.xls) (MS Excel file). It will give you a great outline of what needs to be done to turn your workplace into an eco-friendly office. Good luck!era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/optimism-the-single-most-important-factor-to-an-entrepreneurs-success/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/optimism-the-single-most-important-factor-to-an-entrepreneurs-success/Optimism: The Single Most Important Factor To An Entrepreneur's SuccessTue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTHave you started a business that failed? Invested in a system that fell flat? Invented something that didn't sell? However, did you **follow that failure with a huge success**? And if so, *what kept you going?* *When venturing into the world of entrepreneurship, everyone will face obstacles along the way. It's pretty much a guarantee. The defining characteristic of successful entrepreneurs, though, is their enormous level of positive thought. With the **power of optimism**, these downfalls turn into positives. For example:* *Imagine an all too familiar event for a budding entrepreneur... The company just lost a big account to a competitor.* *The pessimist would look at the scenario and say, "this is why I will never succeed, I can't compete and I must not be that great."* *The optimist, on the other hand, would look at the situation and say, "well I lost that account but I had the account for 2 years. What did I do right? How can I repeat what I did and replace that account with 5 more?"* *See the difference? It's all in your frame of view and how you spin outcomes.* ## *Positivity and Productivity* ***Optimistic people work harder.** It's true. In fact, [research studies](http://www.newsweek.com/id/61572) have proven that pessimism severely hinders a person's ability to engage in life-improving acts. To a successful entrepreneur, this should be obvious.* *Imagine: If you didn't care what happened today would you be energetic to get out of bed early, read that book, make some new contacts and work a few extra hours? Probably not! And this is exactly what successful entrepreneurs need to do, day in and day out. Those who don't will not succeed.* ## *The Power of Optimism* ***What Happens When You Become More Optimistic?** (Besides watching more sunrises, gaining more friends and doing more things you love) [Your business will skyrocket](https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/wired-success/200907/can-positivity-boost-performance). Sales will come much more easy, your employees will enjoy coming to work more and your bank account will quickly add zeros.* *Additionally, people around you will begin to feed off your positivity. This will allow you to naturally start selling your ideas much more easily. Getting people excited about your ventures with your optimistic point-of-view will quickly lead to a very wide following. Think about the last time you ran into someone who truly believed in what they were doing and that the world is an amazing place. Do you remember them as a successful, highly charismatic person? Most likely. And through constant optimistic thought, you can **project this powerful aura** too.* ## *Strategies to Improve Optimism* ### *Paint a Positive Future* - *By occasionally visioning your long-term dreams, you will keep your [mindset positive](/writing/one-word-can-change-your-life-the-importance-of-when-not-if/). This is especially important when something negative has happened. Imagining yourself in a Spanish vacation home or mailing a large donation to your favorite charity will instantly recharge your optimism.* ### *Forget the Snooze* - *By [hopping out of bed](/writing/tips-for-waking-up-early-in-the-morning/) on the first alarm sound, your day will already be headed in the right direction. Additionally, by waking up faster, you will be less drowsy throughout the day. Tiredness naturally leads to pessimism.* ### Breath Deeper & Drink Water, Lots of It - More oxygen to your brain will allow you think more clearly. Most people have shallow, tiny breaths that do little for you. Deep breaths, on the other hand, will help boost your positive thoughts. - Along the same lines of breathing deeper, drinking clean, cool water will give you an instant rush of positive energy. ### Ditch the Downers - Depressants are optimism killers. Everything from alcohol to negative people can significantly decrease your willingness to succeed. I'm not saying to stop drinking your nightly glass of red wine or to avoid your friends and family. What is necessary, though, is to tread lightly when around anything that will lower your mood and optimism. ### Meditation - Countless generations of humans would agree with this one. By sneaking away for 15 minutes a day, your optimism and energy will surge. Meditation is a huge subject, however to start, head to a dark room, sit in an upright position and clear your mind. Keep your eyes slightly open and focus only on your breath. Be sure to set an alarm for 15-20 minutes or you will unknowingly let a lot of time pass. ### Give Yourself Some Me-Time - Joining a yoga class, playing video games, reading a fictional book or any other activity that allows you to escape the world for a few hours will do wonders with your mindset. Hopefully, your me-time includes exercising. Remember: **Motion Creates Emotion** ### Forget the News - The local and national news is the worst activity you can partake in when striving to stay optimistic. News organizations trap people into a world of fear and uncertainty , exactly what you do not need. Think I'm wrong? Well, what did learning that a little girl was murdered in a neighboring state do for you? If you didn't know it, are you better or worse off psychologically? You have enough on your mind. Forget the news. To summarize, forget the negative and **surround yourself with everything positive.** Your success as an entrepreneur is directly relational to your optimism. So be sure to stay as positive as possible. *Good Luck!*era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/what-is-the-true-dollar-per-hour-value-of-an-employees-income/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/what-is-the-true-dollar-per-hour-value-of-an-employees-income/What Is The True Dollar Per Hour Value Of An Employee's Income?Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT**Most employees are liars.** ***Bold statement?* Yes. *The truth?* You bet. The reason being is their thoughts on income are flat wrong. Even those who remember to calculate take home as their actual income are not 100% correct. Thus, each time a worker figures their hourly rate, they are lying to themselves and every person they tell. Here's why:** **Scenario: Paul, a single man, is hired as the new network admin of a medium sized business in Illinois. He signs the contract at the agreed upon \$60,000 a year salary plus benefits, paid biweekly. Which is \$28.85/hour on a promised standard 40-hour workweek. Great! Or is it? Let's see what happens to that money by the end of the day:** ## Taxes; The Instant Income Killer - **Federal , the biggest hit to a paycheck. The fact that most people willingly give away 10% to 35% of their money without ever seeing it is simply amazing.** - **State and Local , varies by location but yet again another hit to one's take home pay.** - **FICA , I'd imagine that most employees don't think too much about this one. It's just another amount the company has to take out. However, the employer has to match your expense. The number, therefore, should be doubled; as this is money your employer cannot pay you.** **Thanks to these taxes, Paul's \$60k is in trouble! He is now taking home around \$1,650 a paycheck or \$44,000 a year. That's \$16,000 a year less than the amount on his contract! (And this doesn't include the implicit \$4500 a year for FICA his company is required to match)** **His hourly rate has dropped to about \$21 an hour with his 40-hour workweek. Being conditioned to paying taxes, it's still pretty decent he thinks. Not so!** ## Unexpected Work **Once in a blue moon, the network requires additional maintenance. This, on average, adds about 10 hours of extra work a pay period. Paul's pay has now dropped to \$18 to \$19 an hour. But wait, there's more...** ## The Forgotten Variables - **The Commute:** - **Travel Time = 1.25 hours round trip** - **Cost = \$10 a day** - **The Pre-work Prep:** - **Getting ready for work (outside of normal morning routines) = 30 minutes** - **Lunch:** - **Too busy to bring a meal from home and too far to drive home, Paul is forced daily to eat out or order in = 45 minutes** - **Cost = \$10 a day** - **The Post-work work:** - **Arriving home Paul has more on his to-do list, including training for certifications, catching up on emails, preparing presentations = 1.5 hours** **Without thinking too much into it, Paul is adding 5 hours onto his work schedule... a day! This creates a final calculated hourly rate of around \$10.50! Ten dollars and fifty cents! He voluntarily *gives away \$18 an hour*.** ## What is Paul to do? **My overly simplified suggestion: If Paul created a small IT consulting business (with a proper tax strategy & minimal additional expenses) he could charge his \$28.85/hour rate and work for almost a third of the time while making the same amount of money as his current full time job. Furthermore, he could hire more admins, a sales force and a manager as well as some outsourced workers... quickly allowing for a life of financial freedom. Now that sounds like a plan!** ***What's your plan?***era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/one-word-can-change-your-life-the-importance-of-when-not-if/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/one-word-can-change-your-life-the-importance-of-when-not-if/One Word Can Change Your Life: The Importance Of When, Not IfWed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTAn entrepreneur's mindset is one of the most important factors in success. However, since the brain controls most thoughts and aspirations subconsciously it becomes very difficult to stay positive on the bumpy, uncertain road to early retirement. That is unless you consciously train your brain. While the topic of *visualizations and affirmations* is a complex and broad subject, there is a very **simple method** to begin the reshaping of your thought process. Replace the word *If* in your vocabulary with the term *When* or any synonym there of. ## The Downfall Of *If* What sounds better? "If I had this." or "When I have this." I'm guessing you picked the latter, since the former gives a negative connotation of something unattainable. In other words, the term *If* has always been associated with negative feelings as we grew up in a society saying "If only..." But why does this work so well? It works because our brain , however far it may be conditioned to think otherwise , wants to be positive. As your innermost desires become subconsciously attainable, you will begin to **positively reinforce** these thoughts. And no longer will the future seem bleak, but rather as a blank canvas in which anything is possible. ## Caution While saying *When* is a subconscious motivator, your desires will not magically happen. You must have a **plan of attack** for your dreams. For example, the statement, "when I have a billion dollars" will not create some sort of self-fulfilling prophecy. However, if you follow that statement (vocally or mentally) with "by continuing to build my business and investing in assets" or something of that nature, you will begin to relate your aspirations with a road map to obtain them. ## Getting Started Changing one word in your vocabulary is a simple process, however, from time to time you will forget. Don't worry, when you catch yourself saying *If*, repeat the sentence with *When*. With this continued positive reinforcement, you will begin to see outlooks in a brighter light. To conclude, by scratching *If* from your word bank and replacing it with *When* you will start becoming **more optimistic** about the future. Give it a try and see what happens, it worked for me and I know it will work for you. Good luck!era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/beware-advisors-seek-mentors/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/beware-advisors-seek-mentors/Beware Advisors: Seek MentorsSun, 27 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTAs you begin your lifestyle as an entrepreneur, everyone will have an opinion. Critics might tell you to instead look for a new job or that your system simply won't work. Worst yet, there will be a huge influx of people giving advice. With a flood of conflicting views and information, *whom do you trust?* Answer: ***No one***. Or to be more accurate, no one who has yet to walk in your shoes , *AKA advisors*. Advisors will have suggestions usually directly related to their experiences. Employees who advise you know the business of working for someone. Small business owners understand the freedom of entrepreneurship but their advice comes from a life usually surrounded by too much work and not enough time. And then there are the well-off heirs with little concept of creating cash flows from nothing. They grew up with money and have most likely never been without it for long periods of time. ## So whom do you turn to for solid advice? *Mentors*. Mentors can talk the talk because they have walked the walk. A good mentor will understand your business aspirations and should have had similar experiences in their business creation history. Moreover, great mentors will have created business systems from scratch and have probably started out with little to no money. ## Find mentors and beware advisors. *Sound easy?* Well, it isn't. The world is filled with unqualified advisors. And with a scarce quantity of valued mentors, the chance that you receive constant good advice is rare. Furthermore, as bad advice is constantly at the forefront of your everyday conversations, your subconscious mind will be overloaded to the point of believing the advisors. To combat this onslaught of bad advice, try what I do. *Listen* to advisors and explore their brain. Ask questions and find out what makes them tick. However, **think critically**. And always keep in mind that advisors are not coming from your frame of view. Keep your dream and modify it accordingly. Critically analyze the advice received from all sources. To summarize, **seek mentors**.era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/100-internet-marketing-resources-for-entrepreneurs/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/100-internet-marketing-resources-for-entrepreneurs/100+ Internet Marketing Resources for EntrepreneuWed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTEntrepreneurship and Internet marketing are quickly becoming two topics that run hand in hand. Without a solid web presence, most businesses will be consumed alive by their competition. And for some entrepreneurs, the common terms such as search engine optimization (SEO), A/B split testing, and pay-per-click campaigns may still be a mystery. Over the past few years I have accumulated a long list of bookmarks on the topic of Internet Marketing. These links below consist of some of the more important sites, pages, and resources to improve your knowledge and business in the world of Internet marketing and search engine marketing (SEM): ## Articles ### Internet Marketing 101 - [The Beginner's Checklist for Small Business SEO](http://www.seomoz.org/blog/the-beginners-checklist-for-small-business-seo) - [Internet Marketing , Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_marketing) - [Basics of Search Engine Optimization](http://www.456bereastreet.com/archive/200502/basics_of_search_engine_optimisation/) - [Glossary of Search Engine Marketing Terms](http://www.sempo.org/learning_center/sem_glossary/) - [Google PageRank: What We Know About It](http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2007/06/05/google-pagerank-what-do-we-really-know-about-it/) ### Overall Traffic Generation Strategies: - [Three Simple Actions That Doubled My Website Traffic In 30 Days](http://www.problogger.net/archives/2005/12/30/three-simple-actions-that-doubled-my-website-traffic-in-30-days/) - [10 Steps to Advanced Keyword Research](http://www.seomoz.org/blog/10-steps-to-advanced-keyword-research) - [Huge Checklist for Web Marketing](http://www.searchengineguide.com/stoney-degeyter/the-best-damn-web-marketing-checklist-pe.php) ### Blogging and Writing: - [What is a Blog?](http://www.problogger.net/archives/2005/02/05/what-is-a-blog/) - [Blogging for Beginners](http://www.problogger.net/archives/2006/02/14/blogging-for-beginners-2/) - [Seven Deadly Blogging Sins](http://www.copyblogger.com/blogging-sins/) - [50 Free Resources That Will Improve Your Writing Skills](http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/06/28/50-free-resources-that-will-improve-your-writing-skills/) - [100 Useful Web Tools for Writers](http://www.collegedegrees.com/blog/2008/06/11/100-useful-web-tools-for-writers/) - [20 Essential Blog Directories to Submit Your Blog To](https://www.searchenginejournal.com/20-essential-blog-directories-to-submit-your-blog-to/5998/) - [Tim Ferriss on Blogging Without Killing Yourself (Video)](http://www.visiblenorth.com/blog/tim-ferriss-on-blogging-without-killing-yourself) ### Link Building: - [66 Ways to Build Links](http://www.brandon-hopkins.com/66-ways-to-build-links-in-2007) - [How to Build Links Fast: 101 Tips & Strategies](http://www.seobook.com/archives/001792.shtml) - [17 Ways Search Engines Judge the Value of a Link](http://www.seomoz.org/blog/17-ways-search-engines-judge-the-value-of-a-link) ### Site Optimization, Usability and A/B Split Testing: - [Matt Cutts on Pagerank Sculpting](http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/pagerank-sculpting/) - [Google Website Optimizer Case Study (Tim Ferriss)](http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2009/08/12/google-website-optimizer-case-study/) - [10 Principles of Effective Web Design](http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/01/31/10-principles-of-effective-web-design/) - [Your Site is Keyword Optimized But Is It Search Engine Friendly?](http://www.searchengineguide.com/stoney-degeyter/your-site-is-keyword-optimized-but-is-it.php) - [Ten Tips to Ramp Up The Success of Your Online Forum](http://www.entrepreneurs-journey.com/1634/ten-tips-to-ramp-up-the-success-of-your-online-forum/) - [10 Factors to Test That Could Increase the Conversion Rate of Your Landing Pages](http://www.wilsonweb.com/conversion/sumantra-landing-pages.htm) ### Social Media: - [Social Media Marketing Beginner's Guide](http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2008/04/social-media-marketing-beginners-guide.html) - [42 Top Social Media Tips and Tools](http://www.socialmediatoday.com/SMC/24209) - [Ultimate Guide to Twitter Marketing](http://www.webanalyticsworld.net/2009/02/ultimate-guide-to-twitter-marketing.html) - [137 Small Business Twitter Tips (PDF)](http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/07/137-small-business-twitter-tips.html) ## Additional Resources ### Blogs and Internet Marketing News Sources: - [SEOmoz](http://www.seobook.com/blog) - [SEO Book](http://www.seobook.com/blog) - [Matt Cutts](http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/) - [Entrepreneurs Journey](http://www.entrepreneurs-journey.com/) - [Search Engine Guide](http://www.searchengineguide.com/) - [Seth Godin's Blog](http://sethgodin.typepad.com/) - [Search Engine Land](http://searchengineland.com/) - [Search Engine Journal](https://www.searchenginejournal.com/) - [Copyblogger](http://www.copyblogger.com/) - [Problogger](http://www.problogger.net/) - [Search Engine Watch](http://searchenginewatch.com/) - [iMedia Connection](https://www.imediaconnection.com/) - [eMarketer](http://www.emarketer.com/) - [Search Engine Roundtable](https://www.seroundtable.com/) - [TopRank Blog](http://www.toprankblog.com/) - [Graywolf's SEO Blog](http://www.wolf-howl.com/) ### SEO Article Aggregator: - [SEOmash](http://seomash.com/) ### Search Engine Marketing Organization: - [Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization , (SEMPO)](http://www.sempo.org/) ### People to Follow: - [Follow The Top 40 SEO Experts on Twitter In One Click](http://www.authoritydomains.com/blogs/seo/follow-the-top-40-seo-experts-on-twitter-in-one-click.php) ### Books To Build a Solid Internet Marketing Foundation: - [Search Engine Optimization: Your Visual Blueprint for Effective Internet Marketing](https://www.amazon.com/Search-Engine-Optimization-Blueprint-Effective/dp/0470224487/) - [Web Analytics: An Hour a Day](https://www.amazon.com/Web-Analytics-Hour-Avinash-Kaushik/dp/0470130652/) - [The New Rules of Marketing and PR](https://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Marketing-PR-Podcasting/dp/0470379286/) - [Ultimate Guide to Google AdWords](https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Guide-Google-AdWords-Million/dp/1599180308/) - [ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income](https://www.amazon.com/ProBlogger-Secrets-Blogging-Six-Figure-Income/dp/0470246677/) - [Internet Riches: The Simple Money-Making Secrets of Online Millionaires](https://www.amazon.com/Internet-Riches-Money-Making-Secrets-Millionaires/dp/0814409954/) - [e-Riches 2.0: Next-Generation Marketing Strategies for Making Millions Online](https://www.amazon.com/e-Riches-2-0-Next-Generation-Marketing-Strategies/dp/0814414621/) - [Content Rich: Writing Your Way to Wealth on the Web](https://www.amazon.com/Content-Rich-Writing-Your-Wealth/dp/0979762901/) - [Letting Go of the Words: Writing Web Content that Works](https://www.amazon.com/Letting-Go-Words-Interactive-Technologies/dp/0123694868/) - [Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability](https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Make-Me-Think-Usability/dp/0321344758/) ### Sites to Promote Through the Press: - [PRWeb](http://www.prweb.com/) , Submit online press releases easily and cheap - [Radio TV Interview and Report](http://www.rtir.com/index.html) , Become a guest on radio/TV shows - [Cision](http://us.cision.com/) , Public relations software and services ### Keyword Research: - [Google Search-Based Keywords](https://www.google.com/sktool/) - [Keyword Discovery](https://www.keyworddiscovery.com/) - [Wordtracker](http://www.wordtracker.com/) - [Wordze](http://www.wordze.com/) ### Web Analytics: - [Google Analytics](https://www.google.com/analytics/index.html) - [CrazyEgg](https://crazyegg.com/) - [Webtrends](http://www.webtrends.com/) ### Search Engine Rankings: - [Advanced Web Rankings](http://www.advancedwebranking.com/) - [WebPosition](http://www.webposition.com/) ### Other SEO Tools: - [Google Website Optimizer](https://services.google.com/websiteoptimizer/) , Test multiple landing pages to ensure your final product converts more - [SEO Tools by SEOmoz](http://www.seomoz.org/tools) , Tons of free and paid web applications to analyze your marketing campaign - [SEO Software by Web CEO](http://www.webceo.com/) , Another full line of software to analyze your web presence - [Yahoo Site Explorer](https://siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com/) , Find an accurate list of inlinks to your site (or your competitors) I hope you find some gems in this extensive list of Internet marketing resources. As mentioned above, these are the sites I have used to improve my knowledge of Internet marketing. I know there are many others which are helpful as well and will show up in a future post. Until then good luck!era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/ten-tips-to-save-1000-or-more-a-year-buying-produce/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/ten-tips-to-save-1000-or-more-a-year-buying-produce/Ten Tips to Save \$1000 or More A Year Buying ProduceSat, 19 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT"Vegetarian , that's an old Indian word meaning 'lousy hunter.\'" ###### , Andy Rooney Living healthy is an important variable in an entrepreneurial lifestyle. I try to eat as much fresh, raw and organic produce as possible. However, this is not cheap. By utilizing these ten tips you will not only save your health, you will save your wallet: 1\. Buy flash-frozen fruits and vegetables When it comes to buying fresh vs. frozen fruits and veggies the only consideration is the nutrient content. However, the small loss of nutrients in a flash-frozen fruit or green is insignificant and thus makes a great alternative for buying fruits, especially varieties that are out of season. Also, frozen fruits are ideal for [smoothies](http://www.bradleygauthier.com/lifestyle/how-to-make-the-perfect-green-smoothie-695). 2\. Not everything needs to be organic (prelude: while the fact that organic is always better for the environment, it's just not always better for the wallet) There is a common misconception that all produce needs to be organic, while in fact there are many options in which non-organic will suffice if cash flow is tight. One such example is a banana in that the peeling helps protect the inner fruit from any pesticides or other harmful chemicals used in the growing and distribution process. Conversely, keep your items such as leafy greens, berries, and other produce that would have direct contact with the outside world should stay as organic as your budget allows. 3\. Farmer's markets If you shop at your local farmer's market, not only will you help save the environment and support your community, you can find extremely good prices. A tip to keep in mind is the later in the day you attend the market, the cheaper you can negotiate the price as the farmer would rather give a discount than have to bring back their crop. 4\. Sales on older produce Depending on your supermarket, you can find great deals on produce that may be approaching or exceeding its recommended life span. These products may limit you to eating them that day but when saving 50% of more, it's usually worth the concession. 5\. Buy in bulk Bulk warehouse stores can often hold amazing buys for produce. While initially you may wonder what you are going to do with 5 lbs. of oranges, a little creativity can go a long way. One tip we use is shopping with a friend or small group and split the products and the costs. 6\. Grow your own Whether you live on 80 acres out in the country or in a studio apartment in the city, everyone has the ability to grow some produce. For example, tomatoes not only look beautiful when growing, they taste amazing right off the vine. 7\. Stick with in season produce Long distance transportation of produce not only puts a strain on the environment, it adds additional justifications for a higher price. For example, if you live in an area that has growing seasons, stick with produce such as squash in the wintertime. 8\. Substitutions Do you truly need that \$5 head of boston lettuce when the \$2 romaine will do? Can that heirloom tomato be replaced with a regular tomato? While a majority of salads and other meals are very dependent on the exact ingredients, recipes such as green smoothies can alternate ingredients while maintaining their nutrient content and taste, ultimately saving you money. 9\. Wash the produce yourself Prewashed and bagged greens may be a time saver but they cost much more than unwrapped, unwashed alternatives. A 4-ounce bag of prewashed and precut salad mix may cost \$4 while cutting and washing 4-ounces of salad ingredients may cost you under a dollar. (besides, many reports have been released stating that prewashed produce should still be washed before consuming) 10\. Correctly store your produce Once you spend money on fruits and greens make sure that you can keep it long enough for you to also enjoy the produce. Keep the fruits out of the sun and preferably in fruit-saving green bags. Additionally, store the refrigerated produce in correctly calibrated crispers or purchase containers designed for produce. With these ten tips, you can rest assured that you will save your wallet while ensuring excellent health. If you have any further tips that may help other readers feel free to mention it in the comment section below. Good luck shopping and have a healthy day!era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/build-a-successful-business-by-delaying-gratification/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/build-a-successful-business-by-delaying-gratification/Build a Successful Business By Delaying GratificationFri, 10 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT"Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won't, so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people can't." \~ Unknown The majority of the world's employees will never take the leap into entrepreneurship due to an unfortunate reality; they have grown accustomed to a paycheck. When the thought of exchanging work for a steady income becomes one's mindset, the prospect of starting a business fades exponentially each pay period. While not as powerful an addiction as drugs or gambling (or as with my addiction, golf), this craving for safe and recurring pay psychologically destroys all but a slim chance of breaking the cycle and building a business. ### You're on the Right Road Seeing as you're reading this, you either understand the benefits of entrepreneurship or have already joined the club. If your business concept is in its infancy the probability of launching will be directly correlated with how well you answer this question: can you work for weeks, sometimes months on end in lieu of little to no pay without any guarantee of success? If you are already entrenched in building a business, you know all to well how accurate the question summarizes the start-up process and that the only acceptable answer is yes. ### Don't Stop Delaying gratification does not end when money starts rolling in. I have heard stories of people who start a business, stumble upon ok success and subsequently earn a modest profit. In turn, they spend all of their new money on relatively useless personal items; ultimately leading their business to its demise by leaving them with little to no money to reinvest in the company. ### Roadmap I Used to Help Delay Gratification The main step in delaying gratification is ensuring that you live within your means, thus no more personal credit card debt and definitely limit the useless purchases that do not benefit your business. The inability to carry out a more frugal lifestyle for a short period will doom your business. However, if you are serious about becoming an entrepreneur, cautious spending should generally be the easiest of the start-up steps. Rule of thumb: when pondering if a purchase is necessary, do what I do; ask yourself if the purchase will directly or indirectly help your business grow and by how much. Then analytically determine if the purchase is worthy of your hard earned money. Once unnecessary spending is out of the picture, more resources can be allocated to your venture. Keep in mind that you are not ditching gratification but rather delaying it for a more appropriate time. ### To Summarize The more you start to implement this strategy, the easier it will become to stay consistent. Ask yourself, "If I don't buy this useless product now, how many useful alternatives will I be able to buy down the road?"era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/quickly-save-10000-or-more-a-year-how-to-automate-purchasing-to-save-time-and-money/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/quickly-save-10000-or-more-a-year-how-to-automate-purchasing-to-save-time-and-money/Quickly Save \$10,000 or More a Year: How to Automate Purchasing to Save Time and MoneyWed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTBy utilizing efficient buying techniques, you will greatly free up your valuable time and quickly negotiate for better prices. A need for a new office printer came up so I thought I would put these techniques to the test and the following is an extremely helpful example based on my purchase. ## Here is how it works: The example scenario: You need a new office printer and the ideal product costs \$1350 at your current supplier. Your goal: \$150 off or a final cost of \$1200 Time Limit: 15 minutes Assumptions: you have moderate negotiation skills, a business account manager at your supplier (if not, get one, you will save money and receive a better overall buying experience), the account manager does not know that you are the decision maker in the process, and that you have the ability to create a good relationship with said supplier. Other items to consider before proceeding: Spifs: most business account managers are paid on commission but also from sales incentives on some products called SPIFs, these are payouts to sales people from the manufacturer on top of their regular commission. Knowing this will allow you to get a win/win situation on a lot of purchases. Most sales people are more willing to give up their entire concession range when they know that a backend bonus is coming. Work with newbie's: as long as you do not need the sales person to be knowledgeable or experienced, working with newer sales people will more likely result in a better price. They will usually resort right back to giving you a better price in order to get a sale out of fear of negotiating or because of their inability to explain the company's price justifications. ## Step One, Homework (5 minutes): Go to [www.froogle.com](http://www.froogle.com/), search for the printer, scroll the list, scan the prices for an assumed price, and find an ideal supplier to use in negotiations. ## Step Two, Contact your Supplier (5 minutes): The key to working with an account manager is kindness; they are simply doing their job and (from my experience) want a pleasant interaction and a sale. When on the phone (to make this work, call them so they do not have time to think of decent rebuttals) explain in this order after 3 minutes of small talk: 1\) "Your company needs printer model x, what is the best price you can do for me?" Make sure to flinch instantly after they give you the price, which should be about retail cost. ("\$1,350!!" and shut up to wait for a small concession which should sound like this; "ok, we can go down to \$1,335") One minute for \$15, you technically just made the equivalent of \$900 an hour! 2\) Next mention that your committee (remember the classic "resort to higher authority negotiation tactic") has set a budget of \$1100 for model x because they have found it from "discount printer supply" (found on froogle) for that price but you want to continue your great business relationship so against their wishes you thought you'd give them a chance. This will get the account manager to worry about losing the sale completely and since they already probably know how low they can already go, a new price will be given. In this scenario the cost may drop to \$1,275 with the sales person leaving an ambiguous statement of checking with someone on his or her end. End the call saying that you could probably get the committee to agree to \$1150 but not much more, ask for an emailed quote of their best price as soon as possible and you will bring it up to them. 3\) Your last statement with the sales person should set the expectation that they will only hear from you again if the committee agrees with the price emailed to you. This will get the sales person to doubt what you will go with and give you basically the lowest price they can. ## Step Three, The Rebuttal, Close, and Nibble (5 minutes): 1\) Once you have the price, which should be pretty close to their company's cost, get back to them one last time. For this example the price came back at \$1220, which is pretty acceptable, but we can haggle for more. Ask for one more concession, "we are liking this price more but if you knock another \$20 off we will take it," they most likely will say yes to this because the ball is now in their court to accept the sale. 2\) The nibble: once you have mutually agreed on everything the salesperson will have now let his guard down as he believes the negotiating and the sale is over. You say something to this extent: "alright, thanks for everything, you have been a big help... oh, this does include two day shipping, doesn't it?" or you could ask for printer cartridges at cost, extended warranty, whatever you think may be a small upgrade that can easily be given. Be sure not to ask for this before closing the sale as it will become part of the negotiations instead of an after sale add-on. 3\) A printer is now on its way for a hundred and fifty dollars below list with free upgraded shipping. ### To summarize: Through an efficient negotiation process you saved \$150 in 15 minutes of work. This means that you technically made \$600/hr! As you practice these skills and use other similar techniques with your suppliers, getting the best price will become second nature to you. The key here to remember when purchasing is to get a great price but not to spend excess amounts of time doing so. Keep economics in the back of your mind to ensure you are staying on top of being extremely efficient. Good luck and happy negotiations!era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthierhttps://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-rat-race-you-dont-need-to-escape-if-youve-never-entered/https://bradleygauthier.com/writing/the-rat-race-you-dont-need-to-escape-if-youve-never-entered/The Rat Race: You Don’t Need To Escape, If You’ve Never EnteredWed, 04 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTAcross the globe a newspaper cannot be read or a TV watched without hearing about record amounts of foreclosures, bankruptcies, and layoffs. Scrambling to regain their financial footing, Americans are hindered by one major illusory obstacle almost impossible to overcome: the rat race. Getting caught in this rat race is a slippery slope that far too many people unknowingly become trapped in, with little possibility of escaping. ### The scenario starts shortly after college: A once financially broke student (lets call him Steve) starts his first real full time job and after two weeks receives a decent paycheck. This newfound wealth goes to Steve's head and a new wardrobe is purchased. Credit card offers start rolling in promising low rates and high limits. Steve promises to only use the cards to build credit. Six months after graduation the student loan bills start coming in and Steve is now paying a week's wage each month on loan bills and another week's on rent. No problem though, there is still every other paycheck to finance his lifestyle. Next comes the lease for a shiny new car and the credit card is used to purchase a new set of golf clubs. Steve meets a beautiful mate, gets married, and the two of them buy their first place. The baby comes next as well as a second car, they refinance the house to pay off the credit cards only to start using them again ... and so on and so on for the rest of his life. In four short years after his college graduation, Steve has become trapped in the rat race. The security of a bi-weekly paycheck is now vital to keeping his way of life and the prospect of becoming an entrepreneur shrinks every day. ### How could you take this scenario and use it to your advantage? First, lets dissect what happened here on a psychological level. Steve has never truly had money in his life until this first job. These initial buying scenarios are what happens to every graduate and is, on a small scale, similar to lottery winners. They have little training or experience with a larger than usual sum of money and it goes to their head; they initially feel invincible. Most people in the rat race may be only a few paychecks away from financial ruin without knowing it. They believe that their 401k is a great investment and that a savings account is a great place to keep their excess cash. However, due to the latest economic downturn, many Americans are learning the harsh fact that their 401k's and savings account are not as safe as they thought. Retirement funds can sway violently and savings accounts do not beat inflation. ### What should be done instead? I would be a liar if I said that I didn't use my first year after college to make stupid buying decisions but what I did do is realize it before the spending became a problem. The things I learned after college about spending money can be summed up in one sentence: if the purchase will not make you money, don't buy it. Owning a legitimate business is key to enjoying life in lieu of becoming trapped in the rat race. Your new car? Business expense. Those golf clubs? Sales incentive. Anything from Starbucks and sushi dinners to a new computer and world traveling can now all become pre tax expenses when purchased correctly. ### To summarize: Keep the fear of the rat race in your mind every time you pull out that credit card or when wishing you had a fancy car. While new clothing and the latest electronics may cause a temporary surge of enjoyment, in the long run they only become a road block on your path to early retirement. Financial freedom starts with your mindset and only you have control over your destiny.era:academyonthegoBradley Gauthier