The Cranking Widgets Blog - Latest Comments

Re: How to Use Google Analytics to Refine Your Marketing Efforts

Ralph — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 05:26:51 -0000

NIce info. I really miss the benchmarking feature. It was good for comparing the bounce rate to sites with similar content.

Re: Trent Hamm on Haircuts and Frugality

randymurray — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 20:58:02 -0000

Yes, but primarily because I believe the many of them are armed!

And I learned long ago to never piss off a waitress . . .

Re: Trent Hamm on Haircuts and Frugality

Andy P — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 20:55:26 -0000

I actually considered adding the bald-man caveat. That's hard to argue with. There is really only one result and anyone can indeed achieve it. :)

But here's the real question: do you tip taxi drivers?

Re: Trent Hamm on Haircuts and Frugality

randymurray — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 20:50:17 -0000

I am of two minds on this one, but my bald head wins out. I find a few minutes with the clippers every week or so keeps me in good order. I calculate my savings over the years to be in excess of one million dollars.

OK, maybe not that much, but it does add up!

Re: How to Make Companies Beg to be Your Client

Kim Raufort — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 07:57:09 -0000

Great article keep up the good work
Kim Denmark
http://www.cueshop.dk

Re: The Delegation Experiment, Part 3: Teaching It

Mikem — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 20:23:57 -0000

ProperProcess sounds pretty cool. Any update on when it's going to open up the beta a little so we can try it out?

Re: Tim Ferriss on tolerable mediocrity, false idols, diversifying your identity, and the advice he gives startups

sari — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 03:50:37 -0000

hallo .
nice post .
thanks .

Re: Danielle LaPorte: 20 personal money practices that got me to a place of grooving prosperity. (part 1)

Alison Moore Smith — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 13:15:48 -0000

Amen. And not just what you're passionate about, but what you can actually do effectively.

Having just finished building a new home, we only did the things we could reasonably do. Otherwise it's a waste of time and resources. I use my expertise, the subcontractors use theirs. The specialization in our society really does add to efficiency.

Re: The Delegation Experiment, Part 2: Counting the Hours

MagentoC — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 02:47:49 -0000

Good post...

Looking forward to see more stuff from you...

Re: The Delegation Experiment

Anonymous — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 22:47:24 -0000

The first thing I did was delegate the book keeping and bill paying to a service. I still have to do collections, but that is off on their shoulders.

The second thing I delegated was transcribing hand written notes. I scanned them in, and transcribed them.

I then delegated the transcribing of all my audio recordings. . and now the translation of my written stuff. . . and the delegation continues.

Your first good step is in determining what can be delegated.

Thanks for sharing.

Re: The Delegation Experiment

randymurray — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 09:07:52 -0000

Thanks for the link love, Aaron. And good luck with your delegation experiment. Remember, when you delegate, have the shared goals discussion with the one you delegate too. That's how you'll come up with clear standards of measure and agreement on how things need to be done, without you directly doing them.

Re: Managing a Business Through Proper Documentation

Aaron M. — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 15:34:02 -0000

Hi Shay,

A great place to start is with the classic business management book called The E Myth by M. Gerber. Besides being a fantastic resource for your business, the core idea is that you build your business to be something that can run without you. So procedure manuals become essential in that type of situation. Great read.

Aaron M.

Re: Managing a Business Through Proper Documentation

Aaron M. — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 15:31:42 -0000

Glad you have found enrichment here, Alex. Be sure to subscribe (RSS) and check back often for new insights and perspectives!

Re: Managing a Business Through Proper Documentation

Peter G. James Sinclair — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 00:37:10 -0000

Hi Susan
Years ago my wife attended a course that required the writing of a business plan. I helped her with this and we ended up with a document the size of a small novel. We were awarded first prize for this document, out of over 300 entrants, but the document was, as a working document, absolutely useless.

So these days I simply write one page business plans every year – as promoted by John McGrath of McGrath Real Estate – and it contains the following headings - Strategy, Key Projects With Time Line, Key Outcomes For Business, Key Drivers Of Success & Measurable Mile Stones - and then all I have to do is fill in the missing spaces.

I refer to this document on a weekly basis. I carry it into management meetings with me to discuss with my team. It is a living, lively working document that I adhere to and change as required while implementing. By having this plan in place it stops me from just being busy, but rather someone who is living his life purposefully. Now that’s effective.

Re: Managing a Business Through Proper Documentation

Susan — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 22:33:17 -0000

Hi Aaron,

No question - a master procedure manual seems like a great idea. But how does it get done in a small business? Seems like an overwhelming task -- and maybe one of those documents, like a 60-page marketing plan, that just sits on a shelf.

Any suggestions on how to get it done?

Susan

Re: How Holidays and Vacations Make you Sick and What to do About it.

Fred — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:15:40 -0000

Use of ibuprofin (Advil) for more than about 3 days leads to gastrointestinal bleeding. It inhibits prostaglandens production which is needed to maintain the mucous lining protecting you from your own digestive acid.

Re: It’s Official: Entrepreneurs Have Better Personalities than Managers

Dan & Jennifer — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:35:08 -0000

LOL As a fellow serial entrepreneur, I will just add that being an entrepreneur is SO MUCH MORE FUN than being a manager! But that's just me, and maybe it's just my excitement and adventure loving entrepreneurial spirit talking. :-)

Have an awesome day!
Dan

Re: LINK: What Entrepreneurship Is and Isn’t

Chris Guillebeau — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:24:18 -0000

Hey, thanks so much for the mention! You're right, that's an old one - I had forgotten all about it. :)

Re: LINK: What Entrepreneurship Is and Isn’t

Jared Goralnick — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:04:56 -0000

This is a really great curation of one of Chris' best points...and one that I think we all need to pay attention to. Not because it puts many solopreneurs down, but because it offers guidance to what's needed to really create a business. Thanks for highlighting. (And I know I owe you an email...)

Re: Theme Change #2: Productivity for Entrepreneurs

Rob Rawson — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:45:19 -0000

I'm on a continuous exploration for the best methods of achieving productivity in business and life. It would be great to collaborate on this.

Re: LINK: I Will Teach You To Be Rich – 6 Week Boot Camp

Jared Goralnick — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:50:51 -0000

Completely agree on your perspective here and am recommending this to everyone I can. From what I've investigated of the curriculum and having read his book, this stuff is rock solid. As a reader of both yours and his site, I'm glad to see the recommendation!

Re: How I Use Evernote

lisalisalisalisa — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:38:52 -0000

I just started with Evernote and find it a great way to keep track of potential christmas gifts. My 3yr old has even gotten involved asking me to take camera pics of her wishlist items to send to santa (who's address is at Evernote).

Re: 14 Numbers Your Cell Phone Can’t Live Without

Slingshot Fuel — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:55:52 -0000

Indeed a great list, i would certainly not forget all these numbers and will keep them handy!

Re: How to Make Your Outgoing Voicemail Message Not Suck

Mr. Shiny & New — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 11:08:10 -0000

For business phones it makes sense to leave your number or extension if people get sent to your voicemail by a directory or another person and don't know how to reach you. Similarly telling people when you'll be back at work is helpful. For a home number this could be problematic.

However I've often had messages where people didn't hear the voicemail greeting properly and thought a human had answered the phone. That's why a standard "leave a message" prompt is good: it gives people a second to switch from "talk to a human" mode into "leave a message on the machine" mode.

Re: Why Working Long, Hard Hours Gets You Behind (?)

carloscastellon — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 01:03:43 -0000

Great article. Personally, giving myself time really helps me "sharpen the saw". Some people actually think that you're not being productive just because you're not panicking and agonizing over your tasks, when in fact, we know that the opposite is true.