Economic impact - the world's impression of Obama

Put politics aside and think of this from a global economic impact of the impression of America across the world.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/05/world/05react.html?em&ex=1212724800&en=b9dba68019fd4af9&ei=5087%0A

Do you need more convincing about power of global economy? Billionaires?

There are more billionaires in Moscow than in NYC?

http://www.newsweek.com/id/137480

Finally, a new browser competition with some needed innovation

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/26/technology/26firefox.html?_r=1&bl&ex=1212033600&en=2a513ecfac5b8c73&ei=5087%0A&oref=slogin

Firefox is not new to most of us, but some big firms and small firms are ready for round two after MS Explorer beat Netscape.

When America is not the only economic superpower

I respect this guy when I see him on television on Sunday morning talk shows.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/135380

Fortune Magazine recognizes the faces of the future

Okay, I am getting old if at 37 I am no longer eligible to even be considered for a future list.

Yeah, I know illusions of grandeur..

But these people have a bright future

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/fortune/0804/gallery.F500_fresh_faces.fortune/index.html

Entrepreneurship up in a down economy

At the end of the day, jobs are created by entrepreneurs. More communities should help them.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/smallbusiness/2008-04-24-entrepreneurs_N.htm

North Carolina is home to many hot spots for business

I have to say I am particularly proud of this listing
http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/fsb/0803/gallery.best_places_to_launch.fsb/41.html

Silicon Valley started with $538?

Faith and hard work led to a technology revolution before angel and venture funding
http://www.ajc.com/business/content/business/stories/2008/03/24/hpgarage_0324.html?cxntnid=biz032508e

5 Best Business Blogs to help you be up to date

We all love to get the inside scoop, the skinny, the buzz even if we don't live in the same city as the action.

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/fortune/0803/gallery.bizblogs.fortune/index.html

The Tech Conference has forever changed

Everyone who has ever put on or been to a conference, the rules have just changed forever.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/11/technology/fost_conference.fortune/?postversion=2008031114

Advice on preparing to make the sale

Not everyone loves Mr. Obnoxious but he is fun to listen to in person.

Mr. Gitomer talks about preparing for a sales call.

http://www.gsabusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=56

Did you make some money today?

Just for fun- throw out everything you think you know

And then there is an octopus with six legs which is now called a ...?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080303/sc_afp/sciencebritainanimalhexapusoffbeat;_ylt=Avg0BG3U6OUZu2gG4tKXUdwDW7oF

Farewell but you have not heard the end of her

Monica Doss has stepped down as CEO of the most influential regional entrepreneur development organization anywhere. She has worked to help North Carolina companies for more than 20 years.

Coming from someone who has started two entrepreneur development organizations, I raise a glass to a friend and a mentor. CHEERS!

http://localtechwire.com/business/local_tech_wire/opinion/blogpost/2499420/

Does your community support entrepreneurs?

http://www.techjournalsouth.com/news/article.html?item_id=4861

While recruiting is crucial to attract the brains within the companies, it must be balanced with investing time and money into the local entrepreneur base.

This is a report from Kauffman Foundation.

When this kind of leader believes in you, wouldn't you run through a wall?

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3261422

We need to fight to prevent this from happening

http://wrallocaltechwire.com/business/local_tech_wire/news/story/2475416/

What are you waiting for?

See what happens when you match Quality of Place with the new economy?

http://sxsw.com/

New article on 7 tips for leaders to balance strengths and weaknesses

http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/104450/The-Seven-Saving-Graces-for-Managers?mod=oneclick

I have learned some of the lessons the hard way.

I would encourage you to take these to heart.

Lead - America needs your leadership today.

It may be harder than ever to be a leader, but if you leave it to someone else, you can't complain about the situation without your own solutions.

Two video interviews on finding angel investors

A sad frog who won't croak in his own pond...Sorry for the shameless plug

Two video interviews on finding angel investors
http://localtechwire.com/business/local_tech_wire/page/1478849/

Off the subject on a holiday day off but have you seen the trailers for Be Kind Rewind?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7C8nHAAs70

Could be some good stress relief.

Excellent article on the Challenges of Startups

Every entrepreneur should read this before starting down the winding, hilly road of starting a new company.

http://techjournalsouth.com/news/article.html?item_id=4806

Be Part of the Solution! Decisions are made by those who participate

Off the beaten path cities to consider

With the upcoming release of Richard Florida's new book called "Who's Your City?" I found this article on Underrated Cities to consider.

http://tinyurl.com/286gyq

Be Part of the Solution! Decisions are made by those who participate!

If "world is flat" did not scare you, read this

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/magazine/27world-t.html?scp=2&sq=china+economy&st=nyt

Get out your dictionary, but a good read with glass of Shiraz.

Sad State of American Economics - Panhandlers make more than Wal Mart workers

I heard this on NPR where panhandlers outside of the store were making more than the Wal Mart workers inside the store.

http://www.komotv.com/news/local/15157611.html

Add that to this story where 6,000 people are applying for 300 Wal Mart jobs in Cleveland area.

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2007/11/in-cleveland-60.html

Just another reason to support entrepreneurship.

Be Part of the Solution! Decisions are made by those who participate!

Ten traits of successful people

Okay, I am not sure I love the term filthy rich, but I don't see these traits as overly greedy, especially when the first trait is patience.


http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/104385/Ten-Traits-That-Make-You-Filthy-Rich

How to help your company overcome a potential American recession...sell more globally! Learn how

I wanted to alert you that CED's first annual Globalization conference for entrepreneurs is February 14th. The event is expected to sell out.
Please plan to make your reservations today and also share with your clients and colleagues. Look forward to seeing you there!

---

http://www.cednc.org/conferences/globalization/2008/agenda/index.html

Get ready for more Richard Florida, the new Canadian Clipper

I was a HUGE fan of the The Rise of the Creative Class as I understood how to take the theories into action. Or more accurately, I was already working on similar theories in Charlotte and Asheville through my work with FirstRound and the Blue Ridge Entrepreneurial Council.

I got to know Richard over a few cold beverages in Greensboro, Austin (at the annual South by Southwest festival) and in Memphis when he personally invited me to participate in the Memphis Manifesto.

The message was not about creating a cool city or a cool state.
Just like you can not give yourself a nickname, you can't proclaim you are a cool place.
Or Miami and New Orleans would be different places with their economies.

The ability of a place to innovate through technology and profit from innovation was 75% of the T equation. This helps attract and retain talent.
But everyone focused on the tolerance and/or amount of nightlife of the Territorial assets.

I currently get a Google News Feed on Richard and the Creative Class and he is making huge waves in the Canadian Press. Richard Florida has left CMU in Pittsburgh and has also left GMU in Virginia and is now at University of Toronto.

Well, after The Flight of the Creative Class flopped as a book, here comes the next book.
The book Who's Your City will be released soon in March.
It seems to be an anti- The World is Flat book according to many early reviews.

I like both books. Mr. Friedman is VERY, VERY smart and has the respect of big time organizations such as Red Hat.

I know there is truth to the importance of place. There are places that I aspire to live and places where I hope I don't end up.

Hold on as it will either be the cold Canadian air or be full full of hot air. You choose for yourself.
http://creativeclass.com/richard_florida/books/whos_your_city/index.php?tab=special_offer

Be Part of the Solution! Decisions are made by those who participate!

Does the Ford 500 (or Taurus) look like Homer Simpson?

Featured link of the article
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/apwire/920126ed4590bcfe547863fcf24ad48f.htm

Ford CEO and a VP say the Ford 500 , renamed the Taurus, looks like Homer Simpson.

From the article -AP and CNN.com
While speaking in Detroit this month, CEO Alan Mulally and Derrick Kuzak, head of global product development, took shots at the current Taurus, with Kuzak likening its looks to the portly, balding, doughnut-devouring Simpson.

Glad I did not buy Ford when the stock was at $8.

But I have to say I like the CEO and think he might be on the right track to cut some considerable fat at one of the original American brands.

Be Part of the Solution! Decisions are made by those who participate!

Featured link of the article.
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/apwire/920126ed4590bcfe547863fcf24ad48f.htm

For anyone who wants to be a true leader, here is another lesson from sports.

Featured link of the post
http://tinyurl.com/24qraw

Okay, I know some of you are not sports fans.

But Pete Carroll, head football coach of University of Southern California, gives you an insight into someone who shows the power of believing in your own code of honor, removing the sense of fear and realizing criticism means nothing if you have already been given up for dead.

Pete took USC from a school with a great past to a current college football dynasty.

Try to take the sports out of this article and look at the human side of believing in others even when those people don't look like you.

I heard about this article from LA Magazine during the college bowl season before the Rose Bowl.

Yes, it is a long article, but take my word for it, you will be a better person for reading it in full.

Be Part of the Solution! Decisions are made by those who participate!

Featured Link of the Post
http://tinyurl.com/24qraw

(*My first use of the TinyUrl.com service)

HMMM! Two BRAIN clients win Innovation Awards

Featured link of the post
http://triad.bizjournals.com/triad/stories/2008/01/07/daily23.html?jst=b_ln_hl
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/best-of-adventure-2008/gear/road-trip.html

And people said an angel network and an entrepreneur council would NEVER EVER work in western North Carolina.

My last event as the leader of the angel network was March of 2006 and these two companies presented.

Sylvan Sport is based in Cedar Mountain , NC and Sensory Analytics has an office in Morganton, part of the BREC/BRAIN territory

What is the lesson here? Don't listen to the naysayers!

Featured link of the post
http://triad.bizjournals.com/triad/stories/2008/01/07/daily23.html?jst=b_ln_hl
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/best-of-adventure-2008/gear/road-trip.html

Be part of the solution! Decisions are made by those who participate!

Starting a company is more than just being the sexy CEO

Featured link of the post
http://www.startupnation.com/articles/3848/1/Running-business-tasks-boomers.htm

As someone who has started two entrepreneurial councils and consulted on others, I thought this article was right on. Some entrepreneurs think being the founder/CEO is the greatest thing in the world, until they realize they are also the Chief Bottle Washer and many other unsexy titles.

Take a look at the article when you or someone you know is thinking about being an entrepreneur.

Featured link of the post
http://www.startupnation.com/articles/3848/1/Running-business-tasks-boomers.htm

Be part of the solution! Decisions are made by those who participate!

Lead by looking at your own actions first

Featured Link of the Post
http://news.yahoo.com/s/bw/20080104/bs_bw/nov2007ca20071115414954;_ylt=Altiy.uM_vOTWdD5UF5XUYWyBhIF

John Maxwell is a well known author and gives us the advice of leading by example.

Are you leading your employees by your actions or just by your words?

Be Part of the Solution! Decisions are made by those who participate!

Featured Link of the Post
http://news.yahoo.com/s/bw/20080104/bs_bw/nov2007ca20071115414954;_ylt=Altiy.uM_vOTWdD5UF5XUYWyBhIF