If you’re like me, email is a serious part of your life.  Often times you open your gMail inbox to send an email.. but once you get in there, you immediately start reading and replying to your latest emails… and often times FORGET why you opened your email in the first place.

This happen to me several times when communicating with the people behind this website.

SO – I figured out how to compose and send an email without opening and seeing your gMail inbox… Here is how it’s done….

Simple How To: Send an email w/o opening gMail

You will need:

• To be logged into your gmail account in your browser of choice
• Know how to add a bookmark
• Know how to use your bookmarks

https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&shva=1

Step 2: When you want to send an email without opening your inbox… open that bookmark.

(I usually open it in a new window by holding apple (CMD) and clicking.. or with a mouse, click down on the mouse wheel to open a new window)

Done… and the best part is that since you’re logged into your Google account – it still drops down the names of people you’ve emailed and are in your contacts list.. AWESOME!

Hope this helps.. I know it makes my life a lot easier.

How to start your business…

1) Make your first sale & make sure you deliver 110% (always do this, but especially in the beginning)

—-OR—-

2)Put something on paper, build a prototype (if applicable), and practice pitching your business idea — Then either go after investment or see #1.

Be prepared…

There will always be stuggles, obstacles, roadblocks, difficulties, and challenges…

Remember that it’s all about attitude.

If you face a situation with a positive attitude.. the outcome will be positive

No matter what you do…

Read these 2 books..
http://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/0671723650
http://www.amazon.com/Think-Grow-Rich-Napoleon-Hill/dp/0449214923
That’s all from me… of course I would like to hear what you have to add……

It was a typical morning commute: I’m driving like an asshole (trying to wake up) which prompts someone to want to race.. bring it on.

This morning was extra interesting as the racing situation I faced made an awesome analogy to life, specifically the decisions of having children.

My opponent and I started out racing in a straight line, from light to light.  He was winning.. he had the right lane choices and was ahead.. until it came to the final stretch before the highway on ramp.

You see, my opponent had a small child in a car seat strapped to the back seat.. so when it came to the open road before the 25mph curved on-ramp, he was too scared to push to higher speeds and didn’t want the hard brake before clinching for a tight turn.

How does this have anything to do with life choices?

My theory is that once you’ve made certain commitments (ie. getting married, having kids) – your risk tolerance and nimbleness to life’s curve balls (the on-ramp) lowers dramatically.

The opponent was winning when everything was easy going (the straight line), but as soon as the life conditions changed, he was not ready and had to slow down.

I definitely want a wife and kids, but don’t think I’m ready for it, yet.

Needless to say, once I entered the on-ramp, he was no longer in my rear view mirror

I read some of your blog, you’re a good writer.  Sorry to hear about your bullying experiences.. for some reason that post reminded me of “Big Bang Theory”.

Anyway, in response to your post about 10 Annoying things people do, and other musings ::

10. I’m at the gun range, so if I pick up, all you’re going to hear is BANG, BANG BANG, BANG, BANG BANG BANG BANG, etc… you don’t want that.  Nor do I want to remove my ear protection and risk going deaf.

OR – maybe I’m @ a movie… can I text you then?

OR – maybe I called, you didn’t pick up.. then when you call back, I’m dealing with nature’s call.. shall I conference you into that?

9.  Not sure that’s the best assumption Nazi jaan… how do you know I received the text.. that my phone is on.. that I’m ALIVE?! — I think a simple “k” is a perfect response to provide confirmation… k?
Admittedly, there are instances that don’t require a “K” response (see image below).

8. 100% agree.  These people deserve near-death experiences.

7. I get annoyed at the person for not having seen the movie in question!

Here I am, ready to have an engaging conversation about a motion picture which tickled my emotions and you… wait a second… YOU HAVEN’T SEEN STAR WARS?!

6. I don’t like drama, but these people require a Krispy Kreme.  (100% agree).

5. LOL @ “what KiKi did that pissed you off” hahaha — I have a similar feeling about people who do this on line in the bank.. like dude, you’re in a bank, I’m trying to rob the place and you’re talking about how fire wood isn’t what it used to be… WHO CARES!?

4. Could, not, agree, MORE.. I hate guys who wear “wife beaters” (who came up with that name btw?) to the gym.. I know you have muscles bro, you’re here EVERY time that I come.. congrats.

3. LOL – it’s 50 times worse in the guys locker room dear, trust that.

2. Yeah, that is annoying.. you know what’s worse? :: Hearing about the twitter conversation someone had about the game and how if they ever meet @dbag1998 in real life they’re going to kill them.

1. Good call, that is annoying.. I’ll talk to you next time the Redskins make it to the playoffs, if we’re still alive that is.

BONUS: in the time it took me to write this, I’ve received 14 emails.. email = annoying.

Cheers,

-Arsham

The gist of this post is simple: A large percentage of the billions spent on Xmas gifts are on material goods that are built in China.  Instead of buying material goods, how about buying gift certificates for local business services?!

America’s economy is in the shitter while the Chinese are growing like a fertilized weed.  Some think: “What can I do about it?” — Here is their answer:

Christmas 2011 — Birth of a New Tradition

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods –merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor.

This year can be different. This year Americans can give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift-giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Yes there is!

It’s time to think outside the box, people.  Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper? Everyone — yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut.  How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber?

Gym membership?  It’s appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.

Who wouldn’t appreciate getting their car detailed?  Small, American-owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plunking down the Ben Franklins on a Chinese made flat-screen?  Perhaps that grateful gift  receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.

There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants — all offering gift certificates.  And, if your intended isn’t the fancy eatery sort, what about a half-dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint.  Remember, folks this isn’t about big National chains — this is about supporting your home town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.

How many people couldn’t use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?  Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom?  Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day.

My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.  OK, you were looking for something more personal.  Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves.  They make jewelry and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.

Plan your holiday outings at local, owner-operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip.  And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theater?  Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand foreign-made lights for the house?  When you buy a five dollar string of light, about fifty cents stays in the community.  If you have those
kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or delivery person and babysitter a nice BIG tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets and seeing our hard-earned wages go outside the country.  Christmas is now about caring about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn’t imagine.

THIS is the new American Christmas tradition. Enjoy family get-togethers, church services, caroling, as in past Christmases but put more emphasis on the REASON FOR THE SEASON and less on material gifts.

Merry Christmas!

What do you think?

You have a 3 gallon bucket and a 5 gallon bucket – neither have any measurement markers so all you know is that when either one of them is full, you have 3 and 5 gallons respectively.

There is a bomb (of course, why wouldn’t there be).

You can defuse the bomb if you put exactly 4 gallons worth of water weight on top of the bomb… any more or less will set it off.

Luckily the bomb is located next to a big water fountain – so you have unlimited water.

By moving water back and forth between the buckets, how can you get to 4 gallons, precisely?

The following is an example of a funny note that may or may not be real, but supposedly was sent out to employees of a company who apparently had a cussing issue.

Business language & what Human Resources has to say about it ::

Dear Employees:

It has been brought to management’s attention that some individuals throughout the company have been using foul language during the course of normal conversation with their co-workers.

Due to complaints received from some employees who may be easily offended, this type of language will no longer be tolerated.

We do, however, realize the critical importance of being able to accurately express your feelings when communicating with co-workers.

Therefore, a list of 18 New and Innovative ‘TRY SAYING’ phrases have been provided so that proper exchange of ideas and information can continue in an effective manner.

Number 1
TRY SAYING: I think you could use more training..
INSTEAD OF: You don’t know what the f___ you’re doing.

Number 2
TRY SAYING: She’s an aggressive go-getter.
INSTEAD OF: She’s a f___ing bit__.

Number 3
TRY SAYING: Perhaps I can work late.
INSTEAD OF: And when the f___ do you expect me to do this?

Number 4
TRY SAYING: I’m certain that isn’t feasible..
INSTEAD OF: No f___ing way.

Number 5
TRY SAYING: Really?
INSTEAD OF: You’ve got to be sh___ing me!

Number 6
TRY SAYING: Perhaps you should check with…
INSTEAD OF: Tell someone who gives a sh__.

Number 7
TRY SAYING: I wasn’t involved in the project.
INSTEAD OF: It’s not my f___ing problem.

Number 8
TRY SAYING: That’s interesting.
INSTEAD OF: What the f___?

Number 9
TRY SAYING: I’m not sure this can be implemented.
INSTEAD OF: This sh__ won’t work.

Number 10
TRY SAYING: I’ll try to schedule that.
INSTEAD OF: Why the f___ didn’t you tell me sooner?

Number 11
TRY SAYING: He’s not familiar with the issues…
INSTEAD OF: He’s got his head up his a__.

Number 12
TRY SAYING: Excuse me, sir?
INSTEAD OF: Eat sh__ and die.

Number 13
TRY SAYING: So you weren’t happy with it? 
INSTEAD OF: Kiss my a__.

Number 14
TRY SAYING: I’m a bit overloaded at the moment.
INSTEAD OF: F__ it, I’m on salary.

Number 15
TRY SAYING: I don’t think you understand.
INSTEAD OF: Shove it up your a__.

Number 16
TRY SAYING: I love a challenge.
INSTEAD OF: This f___ing job sucks.

Number 17
TRY SAYING: You want me to take care of that?
INSTEAD OF: Who the f___ died and made you boss?

Number 18
TRY SAYING: He’s somewhat insensitive.
INSTEAD OF: He’s a pr_ck.

HAHAHAHAH — My favorite is :: “It’s not my f___ing problem” == “I wasn’t involved in that project” — LOL!!

You have to admit, those are really funny… try using them in your office as a joke – It should bring about some laughs.

Do you another funny example? Share below!

There are 2 doors – If you walk though one of them, you stay alive and safe… whereas the other door is dangerous and you die.

Another rendition of this riddle suggests that there are two guards, a truth teller and a lie teller — and these guards are blocking 2 doors which lead to either heaven or hell… whatever your preference…

One door sucks & the other one rules… that’s all you need to know.

You have to walk through one of the doors.

You also have 1 question which you must ask to either one of the men.

What is the question that you ask to either of the men to be sure you know which door to choose in order to stay alive?

Comment below… Don’t cheat by scrolling down

If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard an idea for a business or website… I’d probably have somewhere around $5.75.

I’m not sure if that was a joke or the truth.. whatever…

Seriously though, there are a couple important philosophies to follow when starting a website or a business:

Quick note: Only read this if you want to be successful.

Whether you want to impact the world, or make money and be profitable.. or (especially) BOTH.

Really looking forward to some comments on this one.

#1 – Riches Are In The Niches

Make sure your website or business caters to a niche market.

Service or product, just make sure you’re serving a niche.

Why? – Easy: it’s easier to #winning (for the future: that was a Charlie Sheen joke).

Do you want to compete with GE, Microsoft, or Home Depot? No, you want to compete with a few companies that you can easily differentiate yourself from.. or better yet, you want to compete with… NO ONE (Blue Ocean Strategy)!

Long story short: It’s easy to gain (or create) market share and differentiate yourself in a niche.

#2 – Monetization

Have you thought about your monetization strategy?  You gotta love when someone pitches a business or website idea and you ask: “How are you going to make money?” … crickets chirp … “that’s just lovely.”

I participated in Startup Baltimore (where people with ideas and skills meet to bring an idea to life in one weekend’s time) – half the ideas hadn’t even thought of how to monetize their idea… that blew me away.

Don’t get me wrong, you don’t HAVE to make money — you can provide a service that betters the world (or community) and operate as a non profit company – that’s fine too.

The Most Important Part of Monetization

Actually, you don’t REALLY have to know EXACTLY what your monetization strategy is up front (I might get yelled at for saying that).

Monetization strategy is definitely very important… but two sound concepts (or focuses) always apply and if you do them both right, the money will always follow:

1. Traffic First: Retail, service, online, product… doesn’t matter.  All businesses or websites need to start with traffic & gain a following.  Without people digging what you have, you have nothing.  If you’re starting a website, get traffic to the site first, make that your only focus… then you can always monetize the traffic later!
   (Why do you think Facebook, Twitter, and these other websites are worth so much when they don’t make ANYTHING close to their valuation in revenue (let alone profit (yes, parentheses within parentheses within parentheses, you like it)) … it’s because of their potential (because they have TRAFFIC and a FOLLOWING))
2. And to get that traffic or follow… you need to always provide value.  Value makes the world go round.  No one likes the guy who takes but never gives (if you don’t know that guy, you’re him).  If you’re providing serious value, or have an awesome product, you will earn traffic & a following, and a loyal one at that!  Brand loyalty is hard to accurately value, but anyone in business or marketing will tell you it’s extremely important.  Add value, make the world a better place

SO that’s it, that’s all I have for starting a website or business and making money.  Just a quick disclaimer:

The ideas in this post are breifly explained and come form my experience.  I’m not the most successful person in the world (yet, #winning), but I think the ideas are pretty solid for anything getting started with a business or a website.

Please discuss and add your thoughts for the use of everyone reading.

Cheers, -Arsham

I’ll make it nice, short, and to the point:

The main idea is this:

Getting great deals, shopping during sales, or buying the generic version of something is all well and good…

BUT, there are certain things that you should spend your money (or splurge) on.

What are these things you ask? – Well, they could vary from person to person, but let’s get a little general and talk about criteria:

1. Something you spend a lot of time in, on, or doing
2. Something that directly effects your health (either body or mind)

Don’t have the money to buy the high-quality product … learn how to use credit wisely.

That being said, here are 3 examples of things you should spend your money on.

1. Shoes.

Think about it, you spend over 12 hours a day in shoes.

Maybe you switch shoes during the day, or wear different shoes on different days with different outfits… whatever, all your shoes should be top-notch.

Why? – Oh, just a couple reasons:

• Your feet are important – they support the rest of your body — bad shoes = feet problems which is
• Style, baby! – Shoes can make or break an outfit, and if you’ve heard the saying “first impression is the most important one”, you’re gonna want some nice shoes, k?

So get some nice shoes… and while you’re shopping, throw down on some…

2. Clothes

Again, you spend 2/3 of your day in clothes (unless you do porn or live in a nudist colony).

Similar to shoes, style is important, if you want to make a good impression.

Believe me, I do my best to detach and “not care” about what other people think of me… but when it comes to business or trying to find a mate (yeah, I just said that) – you gotta look good… am I right or what?

Plus, I find that when you dress nice, you feel better about yourself and want to perform better.

For instance, when I work in my pajamas (it’s happened several times), I’m definitely not as productive or sharp as when I’m dressed, well, sharp!

Dress good, feel good… trust me.

I’ll even go shopping with my mom from time to time (great way to spend time with your mom btw)… she has great taste and knows how to make me look good.

Cool, so you’re clothed 2/3 of the day, and the 1/3 you’re sleeping, on a…

3. Bed

This one might lends itself to criteria #2 (health) more so than #1 -

Have you ever heard about people “waking up on the wrong side of the bed” or having “neck pains” from sleeping wrong?

Yeah, you don’t want that.

Get a nice bed.

You spend a third of your time sleeping, might as well do it comfortably, right?

Plus, it’s bad for your back otherwise.

And don’t act like putting sheets on the bed is hard, because it’s not, ok?

Other Things To Spurge On

Following the 2 criteria above, you could argue to spend your money on several different things…

If you’re a body builder: buy organic foods and high class protein… not the cheap stuff.  Of course, you should always look at the nutrition facts.

If you’re an outside sales person, you probably drive a lot — get a nice, quality, reliable car.

If you’re a model: buy top-notch make up — you don’t want the cheap stuff ruining that pretty face.

Alright, you get the point… What do you spend your money on?