Asking the right questions…to the wrong people
It was just an acquaintance asking the general populace what kind of new computer they should buy. Having an appreciable understanding of computers, I jumped into the gaggle of responses and added my own to the mix. My feedback was simple, keeping my reply under a...
We’re all working for ourselves
I've slung around the term "entrepreneur" for most of my life. My parents owned a grocery store before I was born, then they owned a meat packing plant too. Then they owned a farm, a pawn shop, a natural remedy store, and currently a furniture and appliance retail...
Why I like “The On Purpose Person”
I struggle with sticking to what I've chosen: also, I'm not very good at choosing. Without much question, I'm a person who really likes to do a lot of things. I like to try new things often, and that "new" excitement is usually enough to drive me to becoming just a...
Writing for higher education
I was writing an assignment for my English class this afternoon. It should probably be noted that I find it almost impossibly difficult to take this class seriously. Aside from that, I feel like I take the type of stance on most things that might be...
At what point can I look at you and say “Hey, what are you doing?”
Recently I asked, publicly, when it is acceptable to look at another person and say: "Hey, you're wrong." Since I was the person asking the question, I felt it was safe to assume that I wasn't the best person to answer the question. So, I listened to several other...
When is ok to correct someone?
I don't know when to correct people, and when not to. I have a lot of knowledge stored up in my brain. Now, I say "a lot", but of course that's relative, because compared to someone perhaps ten years older than I, it is a tiny amount of information; however, compared...
Outside the box? What Box?
"No particular concentration or area of study is inherently a better ticket to security, leadership, or personal satisfaction than another. Students should be encouraged to follow their passions and interests, not what they guess (or what others tell them) will lead...
The simple complexity of writing
Have ideas. A few things about writing: Being a good writer is entirely dependent on someone saying you are. Luckily that someone can be anyone, including yourself. You: "I'm a really excellent writer." Them: "Oh really?" You: "Yes." The end. When you have reached the...
The struggle of creation
I have said all these things: "I wish I had something focused to write about, and that I was good at writing it." "I think if I picked something to write about, I'd be good at it." "Maybe not like professional level, not right at first...but pretty quickly."...
Where are the Processes?
It's the digital age, where almost all information is available at the tips of our fingers. Has there been a time when we could more easily collaborate to create? To share ideas? To easily distill massive amounts of information down into something that helps us...
It’s all the same except the method
We talk about disruption all day. The world is moving at an incredible rate, things are changing every day, advances in technology, forward thinking, progression... but nothing is really changing. "People" is what we are. As people, we have some innate needs and...
I’m not original and that’s ok
If you're reading this, you should know that it's not original. Oh, I wrote it myself. Everything I'm saying does come from my own observations. What I write about are usually patterns I notice as I do business, and am immersed in the lifestyle of that. I especially...
We are players in their stories
This morning, my daughter was born. As I waited there in the hospital room, hoping that my presence was somehow encouraging to my wife, and receiving the flood of texts from supportive friends, I remembered for the thousandth time along this journey: I am just a...
7 Things You Need to Know as an Independent Contractor
I've had it up to here (hand above head) hearing about companies being sued by their "contractors" because they're not receiving "employee" benefits. Well, if you're an IC (Independent Contractor), I have some news for you: you work for yourself. As a person who has...
The 3 Step Iteration Model
About a year ago I listed a house on Craigslist that I was renting and living in at the time with my wife. We didn't own the house, our lease was pretty long, and we needed to move...so we needed someone else to come rent it as soon as possible. I decided to use a...
Wait for it…
Have you experienced that moment when you suddenly have the perfect new idea that will grow your business? You're excited now, you don't know why you haven't thought of this before. Of course that's what you should be doing! You're pumped! you need to get to work on...
Dream, Plan, Do
I read The E-Myth a few months ago. I really enjoyed the book, there were a lot of parts that I agreed with and just as many that really challenged me. I've taken many of the concepts of that book and put them into practice as I help other businesses to create systems...
Time to think
How many times has someone told you about the new idea they had in the shower? There's a relatively simple explanation for this: When we're doing something that is so habitual that our brains don't need to make executive decisions, you actually have space to think...
People are People
The people who buy from me know me, and I know the people that I sell to. We've all heard the term "customer" - it just means "someone who purchases goods." If you do something that someone pays for, then you have a customer. You might get paid for working a job, or...
Know your product
One of the most powerful sales techniques that exists is knowing your product. My wife and I recently watched a documentary called “Jiro dreams of Sushi” about Master Sushi Chef Jiro Ono. Mr. Ono has been making Sushi for 70 years, and is considered to be the world’s...
Repeated small sales are the big sale
Picture this scenario: A man walks into a cafe, and sees a woman sitting at a table by herself, reading a book. He walks over to her and asks her about the book, saying that he recognizes the author but hasn’t seen this one before. She tells him about the book a...
Marketing Plans are easy
This year Turnkey took on a project to develop a marketing plan for one company. That ended up turning into four projects, designing plans for four different companies. Marketing firms were something that each of these customers had looked into and then not pursued....
Template everything you can
Last week I talked about Marketing Plans and how they’re really easy. Part of the reason they’re easy is because we now have a template for how to make marketing plans. There are a bunch of other things that are pretty easy for us here at Turnkey, some examples would...
You can’t improve on nothing
In order to improve, there must be something to improve upon. How many first impressions do you get with someone? Of course, just one. So it has to be perfect, right? We just talked about templating things and how building from an existing foundation allows you to...
The crumbling of the Job – a rant on Innovation
I just spent an hour reading, in various ways, about Uber. I read about the "gig economy" and how the "uberization" of everything isn't actually working out. I read about how Uber is working out...and how a lot of people are furious about it. Namely, the drivers. In...
I just want wireless headphones
I've been on the lookout for wireless headphones for several years now. I've seen several companies pop up, go for a little while, and then go out of business without ever shipping a product. I have a whole diatribe on shipping a product early that I've had to learn...