22
Mar 10
I “found” 2 million dollars
I almost never play the lotto. The odds of winning, as you know, are very low. I always use to say that I was just as likely to find the winning ticket on the sidewalk, as I was to purchase a winning ticket myself. While not a scientific analysis, you get the picture. Both events are unlikely!
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19
Mar 10
Used CD Market – The Hindenburg or a Phoenix
Disclaimer:
I’m bringing this post over from another blog as I have a few more thoughts about the subject. My apologies for being a dated read. It was originally posted on September 8th, 2009.
State of the Industry
It’s safe to say that the Used CD Market isn’t what it use to be. While it was a vibrant business model several decades ago, it has been reduced in cultural importance. Used CD shops have have resorted to selling higher margin yet non core items such as DVD’s, t-shirts, magazines, etc. Let’s discuss the state of the industry…
16
Mar 10
Local eatery serving up more than great gyros
Last summer I attended a meeting put on by the Denver chapter of the Social Media Club. I was introduced to a New Media consulting company called the Kendall Media Group.
KMG was presenting a project for one of their clients, The Giggling Greek, a Greek catering business based out of Longmont, CO. I love it when traditional businesses use new media. I think that the design of TGG website can be improved, but that’s a topic for another day. Traditional websites and menus don’t make me want to drive 45 minutes to try a new restaurant. Nothing can mobilize this self-proclaimed foodie like the sights and sounds of the meal being prepared. Is there a lesson here? You betcha… Continue reading →
13
Mar 10
How do you build a website?
I get asked this question from time to time, so I thought that I’d post my usual response. There are several costs when it comes to creating a website. Some of them are ongoing costs, and others are one time. My first recommendation is to evaluate all of the requirements individually. I.e. don’t buy all of these services from the same provider.
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21
Dec 09
My Smart Phone Dilemma
Given:
I have the original iPhone and it’s been two years.
I am no longer in a contract, and am on a month to month arrangement with AT&T.
Problem:
Next year’s iPhone promises to be dual processor, which would be game changing. I’ve noticed that my OG iPhone has slowed, and I’m looking for something a little zippier. I should also be able to keep my Iphone and use it as a iPod Touch. AT&T’s service is another story all together. There was significant downtime in downtown Denver this summer when AT&T upgraded their network for MMS. There were times when the downtime interrupted important calls, but it was easy enough to manage.
Sprint is known as the ‘telco’s telco”. I’ve never been a Sprint customer, but have always secretly envied their network. Sprint offers reasonably priced all you can eat data plans, and don’t gimp their phones the way other carriers do. AT&T & Verizon. I thought about the new Web OS powered phones for a second, but decided to go strongly consider a Google Android phone instead.
So, should I wait for next year’s iPhone, or get a Google phone today?
If Google, go with the Samsung Moment, or the HTC Hero? I.e. Vanilla Android, or a customized flavor? Tethering would be nice.
20
Aug 09
Wine Thicker than Blood
This is a second post related to our recent trip to Portland. My wife and I have had ‘A to Z’ wine before and are quite fond of their Pinot Noir. Our plan was to go to the ‘A t0 Z’ winery in the Willamette Valley for a tasting.
We learned a lot about the history of the wine and wineries. Incidentally we learned that ‘A to Z’ purchased Rex Hill Vineyards and produce a Pinot Noir that we liked even better than the ‘A to Z’ variety. We did buy a bottle of the ‘Night & Day‘ to bring back home with us. I didn’t pay much attention to the bag at the time. I noticed something after we got back to Denver. The bag wasn’t an ‘A to Z’ bag, nor was it a Rex Hill bag. It read ‘Willamette Valley Wineries‘. Continue reading →
10
Aug 09
Domain Name Best Practices
There are a lot of good reasons why it makes sense to register your own domain name, and I think that most business owners intuitively understand this from a marketing perspective. Once over the initial hurdle of “should I” market online, many fail to vet out two other very important aspects of domain name registration. This ultimately leads to trouble. I’ve learned a lot over the years mostly through stories of others’ misfortune. Two things stand out: 1. Manage the Domain yourself & 2. Pick a reputable domain registrar. Continue reading →
20
Jul 09
Pulse Check: Denver Bookbinding Company
In February 2009, The Denver Post started a series that checks in with six local small business owners to see how they are coping with the economic downturn. The first round of video interviews were conducted in February 2009. The second pulse check was completed in May 2009. It will be interesting to see how their perspectives change overtime.
The first business is the Denver Bookbinding Company. Gail Lindley is the current CEO, and is a third generation entrepreneur. The history of the family owned business is quite impressive, and I invite you to read it. The interviews follow.
18
Jul 09
Portland. Keeping It Weird…
My wife and I took a trip to Portland, OR earlier this month to visit our good friends. While we both heard a lot of positive things about the city, I don’t think either one of us was prepared to see just how vibrant the Portland community is. We were impressed to say the least.
We took the Amtrak train from Seattle, which was a pleasant and cost effective way to travel. From the restored Union Station, to Ankeny Square, Portland has historic landmarks. Historic does not equal weird however. You may wonder where this is going. I’ll continue.
Our first stop, it was still morning after all, was Voodoo Doughnuts! Portland’s most eclectic doughnut shop. Sure you can get the old fashio
ned glazed, but why would you do that when you can order something different like the ‘Old Dirty Bastard‘. Don’t let the name fool you. This was an exceptionally tasty doughnut. But doughnuts alone do not make a city unique. Across the street was a building that had the entire side wall painted black, with the slogan ‘Keep Portland Weird’. We laughed at the sign, and took pictures. 
We hadn’t even been in town for an hour. Just how weird would Portland get?
