Mac Software Business Podcast

I recently subscribed to the Mac Software Business Podcast and finished listening to the eight or so podcasts out there. I am really enjoying the commentary from the talented group of Micro ISV developers from such companies as Flying Meat, Rogue Amoeba, and No Thirst Software to name a few. Even Alex Lindsay of Pixel Corps fame showed up in one of the episodes.

I think I stumbled across this podcast series thanks to Bob Walsh who writes excellent articles on the 47 Hats site. BTW, this is another great feed for Micro ISV news and info if interested.

In news related to this, I wanted to mention that I created a new business page on this site to capture some of the Micro ISV news and tidbits that I am finding interesting. Not much there at the moment but you might find it useful in the future as I flesh it out more.

Ideal Management

In my experience, the methodologies and mentalities of corporate management have never been that impressive. That is to say that it is more about them and less about you, the employee. Instead, it should be more like “all for one and one for all!” Anyway, I am not a manager and have no plans to be one (although you could say I am one now as I do wear a bunch of hats these days). The following is a list of top-ten traits I would want to have, or would seek out in or as, a manager:

Top Ten Managerial Traits To Have

1. Don’t forget to be human. Remember The Golden Rule.
2. Earn and maintain the trust and respect of your team.
3. Empower your employees.
4. Be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of each member of the team, capitalizing on the strengths where possible. If there are weaknesses, work on turning them into strengths.
5. Be decisive but not a dictator.
6. Be able to communicate clearly and concisely.
7. Be a peer to your team.
8. Be additional help when help is needed.
9. Be responsible for tasks assigned to the team.
10. Have faith and confidence in your team.

Things to Consider

Here are a few additional sources of information worth checking out:

• Project Management Made Easy by D. Keith Robinson.
• The Myths of Innovation - Follow the link and download the podcast. I found the discussion interesting and worth checking out as it covers some of the points above and a few more.

Starting a Business

Introduction

The following is a capture of some useful getting started tips and related resources to help get your new business up and running.

Getting Started

1. Study the following web sites for context: Business - a government site for business information, My New Company - pay a fee and have someone else to setup your business for you, and Startup Nation - another resource worth checking out.
2. Follow this checklist as a basic guide.
3. Write a business plan. Here is an outline.
4. Check out the IRS Online Classroom which has a collection of online training videos. They are dry and filmed just like those wonderful driver education videos of years past but can answer a few tax questions along with use cases and examples.

Limited Liability Company (LLC) Quick Steps

Since I am based in Colorado, here are the steps I went through to establish my company as an LLC in the State of Colorado.

1. Read the new business checklist or this checklist as found on the Colorado state web sites.
2. Register your new business (cost is $50). Tip: There is no need to apply for an Federal Employer ID Number (FEIN) a.k.a. Employer ID Number (EIN) when you create an LLC but if you want to learn more check out the IRS EIN document.
3. Setup your business accounts (i.e. checking and savings) for your business with your favorite bank. All you need is your drivers license and the bank will search for your newly created business via the state web site.
4. Dust off your recycling bin and prepare yourself for a new form of snail mail spam.

The Advent of Berserk Technologies

I have mentioned starting my own company in the past and now it has become a reality! Today is the first day of a new company: Berserk Technologies.

While there is no official web site for the company as of yet, I have created a page on this site to capture some of the details. Baby steps, ya know.

…and no, this is not an April Fool’s Joke.

Tags: Berserk Technologies

MyStudio Beta

© Studio One Media, Inc.

It looks as if the cat is out of the bag as Studio One Media, a startup located in Scottsdale, AZ, has added more info to their public web site that describes the business, what they are about, and how it might impact you. If anyone wanted to know more about what I was working on last summer, now you know.

Freelance Radio

© Freelance Switch

A while back I attended a Refresh Denver (Web Business Startups) meeting. While the meeting and some of the notes I captured were useful, I was still left with a lot of questions. I then stumbled upon a series of interesting Freelance Radio podcasts. I recommend listening to all of them. They are, however, lengthy (over an hour in some cases) but informative.

Should you enjoy the podcasts and be yearning for more information, I would recommend checking out the rest of the Freelance Switch web site and reading my Enterprise of One post as well.

Professional Blogging Tips

The following tips are worth considering should you be looking for ways to improve how you write and manage your information:

• Practical Advice on Becoming a Better Blogger.
• 55 Essential Articles Every Serious Blogger Should Read.
• How To Write Excellent Blog Content - What We Wish We Knew.
• 10 Ways to Eliminate the Echo Chamber.
• 101 Steps To Becoming A Better Blogger.
• 5 Prerequisites For Blogging Success.
• The Rules Behind Creating a Great Blog.
• How To Find News For Your Blog.
• How To Reach Major Bloggers In Your Niche.
• 10 Simple Steps To Directly Monetizing Blogs.
• 10 (+5) Requisites for Professional Bloggers.
• 23 Ideas for Finding New Readers for Your Blog.
• 5 Surefire Steps To Increase Readership 300% (or more).
• Intelligent Design and Stickiness.
• Understanding The Rules of Great Content.
• A Few Last Lessons On Blogging.

Telecommuting

Most companies are resistant to employees telecommuting — working from home or some remote location that is not within corporate walls. However, life within corporate walls is not anything to get excited about. Usually you are given a cubicle office with a desktop or laptop and a few office supplies like staplers, pencils, pens, a white board, etc. Unfortunately, cubicles can be loud, non-private, small, and uninspiring. Yet, companies love cubicles because they are cheap and take up minimal space. From an economical standpoint, it makes perfect sense for a company to have a sea of employee filled cubicles.

For me, as a software developer, being in a cubicle is a mistake. Well, unless you practice some form of Agile development that is. I feel that when you are working deep in the code, the last thing you want is random people walking by and interrupting your work. It does not help that there is no door to close to prevent hearing conversations of fellow co-workers a few cubicles down. I have seen some people using earplugs or putting “do not disturb” signs on the outside of their cubicle walls but that only gets you so far.

I believe that if you can demonstrate talent, reliability, trust, performance, and quality a corporation should let you work from home or any location you desire. As long as the employee knows how to work from home properly, then why not? It is cheaper for the company and less stressful for the employee.

Think of telecommuting as a form of freelancing. It should not be a taboo. If you can not cut it then, yeah, a cubicle life it is for you. Otherwise, it is time to start being more economical. The money you save on gas can be better spent during happy hour on Fridays with friends and fellow co-workers!

Business Cards

Inevitably, when you start a new job, you end up with a box of business cards printed for you. These cards are decorated with the standard set of information: company logo, your name, company location, company phone, etc. Initially, I liked using these cards. It meant I had one form of a professional breadcrumb to leave behind when necessary.

Over time, however, I began to scratch out the phone number and e-mail address on my business cards and scribble in my personal phone number and/or e-mail address instead. I did this not out of disrespect for the company but because my experiences and personal/professional network are my own while companies can come and go.

These days I no longer use the standard box of business cards provided for me, I create my own, pointing to my digital self:

If you already have a web presence, this might be something to consider. Besides, it is the individuals that make up a company. I would rather learn more about them than be presented with the traditional corporate facade, wouldn’t you?

Rethinking the Résumé

Despite what some naysayers might have you believe, I have always thought that blogging can be a positive force for both your personal and professional life if used wisely. Consider the following:

• Web Worker Daily - Why You May Need An Online Persona
• Nature - Could blogs replace résumés?
• Bokardo - The Blog is the New Resume.