It was early September 2010. At over 225 pounds and sporting a size 40 waist, I decided it was time to make a change. After all, at 46-years old, I wasn't getting any younger. In order to hold myself accountable to my desire to get fit and lose weight, I went public with my goals. I wrote about the changes I would be making extensively on this blog. My first entry was posted 9/14/10. By... Continue Reading

On September 1st, 2010, I weighed in at over 225 pounds. I didn't step on the scale often because it wasn't very good news. My energy levels were low. My blood pressure was high. And I was moody. I didn't want to feel that way anymore. I had lost weight in the past, but I wasn't sure I could do it again. After all, I DID balloon back to my previous weight AND put on... Continue Reading

Have you ever gotten your car stuck in a ditch? Your rear tires desperately try to find traction only to spin deeper and deeper into the mud. The more you step on the gas, the worse your situation becomes. And now you are spraying mud everywhere. It can even end up on other people and their vehicles. You can keep trying to get out of the ditch. Or you can realize that what you are... Continue Reading

Consumerism has a way of telling us what we want without really knowing who we are. It's safe to assume that most of us want to be healthy, have significant relationships and not carry any debt. But that doesn't mean we all want to have a six-pack, bed as many people as we can or be incredibly wealthy. You would think that those are the ultimate goals for life, according to Madison Avenue. It's just... Continue Reading

Apple has finally given the final word on their app store guidelines. Well, not final. They can still do whatever they want to do. But for many in the iOS development realm, it's nice to receive some clarification on what they are looking for, as well as to understand why there are so many hiccups in the approval process. As part of their public statement, Apple was quoted as saying "We have over 250,000 apps... Continue Reading

When people dream about ditching the J.O.B. and working for themselves, they tend to focus on the good things. They see themselves taking time off whenever they want. They imagine themselves commuting from the main bedroom to the spare bedroom. They love the fact that their future is in their own hands. Continue Reading

As toddlers, the first word from our mouths is typically not the word our parents hope to hear. In place of the much anticipated "mama" or "dada" often comes the word "no." Why is that? Probably because as parents we spend so much time instructing our little ones in what not to do! So why are we surprised when they regale us with a negative statement when they decide to begin using the English language? Continue Reading

Mobile marketing is a new trend that is often misunderstood by business owners. Do you own a business and wonder how you could use mobile marketing to your advantage? Check out the following ideas. Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor Alan Bechtold) This is a continuation of last week's article on getting inside the minds of your customers and prospects. Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor Alan Bechtold) To make compelling offers and to create sizzling copy that sells those offers effectively, you must enter the conversation already going on in your ideal prospects' minds. This is an edict that's been passed down through generations of successful direct marketing masters. It's never been proven wrong. Continue Reading

So you've hopped on the bandwagon and set up a Facebook and Twitter account for your business. Congratulations! You have officially arrived at the cocktail party that is the 21st century. But there remains plenty to do. You can't just hide in the corner nursing your drink. You have to get out there and establish a presence, and in order to do that you're going to need a plan. Here are five steps to... Continue Reading

Just in case this word isn't in your vocabulary: Budg-et [buhj-it] -- noun 1. an estimate, often itemized, of expected income and expense for a given period in the future. 2. a plan of operations based on such an estimate. 3. an itemized allotment of funds, time, etc., for a given period. 4. the total sum of money set aside or needed for a purpose. 5. a limited stock or supply of something. Continue Reading

What do users really want? It's a question that publishers ask themselves all the time. We look at the comments our articles receive. We review our stats. We check the popularity of keywords. We ask for ideas on Twitter. And we do all sorts of other things that try to second-guess what's going through our users' minds so that we can deliver content that interests them most. But maybe we're asking the wrong question. Continue Reading

You've heard of the "paralysis of analysis." It happens when you think too much. That's not something that many people have accused me of doing very often (the opposite does tends to crop up quite a bit though) but it is something that I know afflicts many entrepreneurs, especially new ones. Continue Reading