30 Days of Genius- Tim Ferriss

Ah, Tim Tim Talk Talk. We meet again!

Tim Ferriss's words are in bold. My personal comments are in italics. 

• "Work on projects that, even if they are viewed as a failure to the outside world, give you skills that carry over to your next project."
• Tim borrows from Scott Adams, creator of the Dilbert comic, when he discusses "systems thinking," or the pursuit of skills. If, in your current activities, you are not gaining any new skills that you can tangibly refer to in future endeavors, you are missing an opportunity to do so. Every assignment is an opportunity for education, and every endeavor, regardless of success in the market, should be a success in personal development.

• "What would this look like if it were easy?"
• An extension of Tim's constant critique of the self-prescribed 'busy-ness', it is important to bring things to their simplest level. Whatever you are trying to pursue- what would would make it easier? Want to write a book? Write 2 crappy pages a day. Want to start a podcast? Remove all editing. Want to have good customers? Set your rules and if anyone doesn't like them, you shouldn't care if they leave.
• "In negotiation, the one who cares the least, wins." 

• "The feeling that you are winning is a precursor to actually winning. Celebrate the small wins."
• Make things easy for yourself. Build confidence. If learning to code, you'll quit if you can't turn the page blue, and if you don't appreciate how awesome that small thing is. If starting a podcast, you need to celebrate the first 10 listeners. Go have a drink. You've earned it.
• Meditation and gratitude are two tools used to be appreciative of what you have today. Notice the beautiful clouds outside, and be grateful you can live beneath them. Notice how far you've come in your learning of "insert thing here." And be proud of yourself, no matter how little it seems to be.
• Comparison is the root of unhappiness. Don't compare to anyone except your past self. 

• "Creativity is an infinite resource. The more you spend, the more you have."
• A Chase Jarvis quote that I love. Work on your photography, you'll be more observant and a better podcaster. Work on your podcasting and you'll develop a taste for production to make better music. Creativity crosses disciplines.

• "Do things just for the hell of it- and make them as absurd as possible."
• Opportunities come from experimentation, and success comes from enjoyment. If you don't try something just for shits and gigs, you won't open doors for yourself. And if you don't have fun, you won't succeed. 

• "Wake up earlier."
• When asked for his advice to people who have two kids, a full time job, and 6 other things on their plate and just don't have the time to do whatever they dream of doing, Tim has simple advice: wake up earlier. We all have the same 24 hours to work with. How will you spend yours?
• Khaled Hosseini was working full time as a doctor and father of two children. He would wake up early every day, no matter how tired he was or what he needed to get done, and ensure that he had 45 minutes to write. And what came of it? Not much. Just the New York Times bestseller, "The Kite Runner," which sold over 7 million copies in the US alone.

• The importance of routine.
• A routine helps build habits, and habits lead to success. Knowing the 4 things you're going to do every morning immediately upon waking up ensures that you do them efficiently and effectively and, perhaps most important, consistently.

• "You can choose the record."
• Everyone, including the most successful, has someone (or a voice inside their head) constantly nagging at them. Everyone is influenced by sudden flashes of emotion. What is important to remember is that these are completely within our control. We can choose what we feel, how we act, and what we think. We can choose how our mind works, and what records play in it.

• "Once you have the constraint to do more with less, only then can you do more with more."
• Tim places constraints on himself like removing the word "pretty" from his vocabulary, or limiting his blog posts to 500 words, or dancing tango with one arm behind his back. Once you can do that well, you can fully appreciate the advantage of re-introducing additions.

• "You’re the average of the 5 people you associate with most."
• We are a different version of ourselves with everyone we meet. And who we truly build ourselves to be is a mosaic of the 5 versions of ourselves we spend the most time being. 

FUCK! Sorry, it felt wrong to do a Tim Ferriss writeup without cursing at least once. Long Island baby!

30 Days of Genius- Marie Forleo

Marie Forleo's words are in bold. My personal comments are in italics. 

• Live your life by intuition and what feels right, not necessarily what is logically right.
• Referencing the "genius" that Seth Godin talks about without naming it, Marie emphasizes how important trusting your intuition is. We all have gut feelings and those are much more powerful predictors of happiness than a logic dictated by the actions, lives,  and opinions of millions of people who you have never before met.

• "That little voice is going to tell you things all throughout your life. And it speaks quietly, but it always is right. And the more you listen to it, the louder it gets and the more you’re going to trust it. Just never betray that little voice." 
• It isn't rare to see someone- with traditional trademarks of success or without- bemoan their younger selves not chasing a dream. And that is often because that little voice inside their head- the one that knows them better than they would like to admit- was stifled in favor of excuses, the opinions of others, or fear. 

• "Everything is figure-out-able." 
• Marie makes it clear that every goal, ambition, experiment, or risk is attainable. There should be no excuses. If you live in want to do a startup but can't afford to while living in NYC- move out of NYC! If you want to spend more time on a hobby but are "too busy"- find activities that make you less happy, and cut those out. Everything can be figured out. 

• "We have to challenge ourselves. We can’t have it all. Can’t be comfortable and start this brave new idea and have it be easy and know its gonna work and know it’s gonna make a ton of money. Dude! Stop crying, go do it." 
• Marie seems to agree with Godin's effort to constantly remind himself "this might not work." Challenging ourselves is the only way to lead ourselves to accomplishments. And the first rule- just go do it!
• Like Stanford's Design School co-founder Bernard Roth says, "Live a life without reasons." Because reasons are often excuses. The only

• "Try it. Try it!"
• Just try it. 'It' being whatever you're worried about trying. Cause if you don't, you won't know what would happen if you did. 

• "I am a multi-passionate entrepreneur."
• Marie calls herself a multi-passionate entrepreneur. Chris Heivly (co-founder of MapQuest) calls it business-ADD. Regardless, it is possible, and often times interesting, to dip your toe in many pools. Marie is a hip-hop dancer, an educator, a writer, a life-coach, and a bartender all at the same time because those are her passions and she found the balance to pursue them all.
• When pursuing multiple passions, you have to realize that each will go slower than it would with your full attention. But starting small and growing slowly over time leads to improvements, specialization, and, eventually, success. 

• Create a Painted Picture, as written in the book Double Double: How to Double Your Revenue and Profit in 3 Years or Less. Author Cameron Herald says you can’t change the picture, Marie says the picture should always be updated.
• A Painted Picture is a very specific visualization of what your life will be like in 3 years. What will you be doing? Where will you be living? What will your job look like? The sort of visualization techniques and "Law of Attraction" as described in books like The Secret (Rhonda Byrne) help both Marie and Chase identify goals and chase after them. (Excuse the pun.)
• Herald writes that you need to stick to that goal and not waiver. Marie disagrees, arguing that the Painted Picture is a North Star, but taking a few extra turns on your way there is what makes life interesting and, often, what makes someone continue to develop themselves. 

• "Wouldn’t it be cool if..."
• These words are the basis of an experiment Marie runs with her teams. The concept of "play" is central to Marie's success and happiness, and this is just another game. Go crazy. Be creative. Think as wildly and unrealistically as possible. And then get figure out where you need to start to get there. 

• Create before you consume
• Marie, similar to Tim Ferriss and other voices of creativity and productivity, emphasizes the importance of minimizing consumption in favor of creation. Consuming wears down the mind- more inputs means more distraction, less ingenuity, and (especially in the case of consumption of social media) less self-confidence due to over-comparison. Create first thing in the morning, consume later in the day. 

30 Days of Genius- Seth Godin

Seth Godin's words are in bold. My personal comments are in italics. 

• What is actually hindering you from pursuing what you want? Fear of what? 
• What is it that holds you back from doing what you want? Is it fear of poverty? Failure? What others will think about you? Identifying and naming your fear will help you to look past it. Are you really in jeopardy of the crippling poverty you are imagining in your mind? What does failure even look like, how will that negatively affect your life? And how does the opinion of others have any effect on your life? Godin tells the story of Brene Brown, who keeps a list of the people whose opinions really matter in her wallet at all times. And if someone is not a parent, spouse, child, best friend, or true influencer/leader in the field why should she be in fear of their opinion? Why should you?
• "The man who invented the ship also invented the shipwreck." 

• Art and success is about creating change.
• If you are creating something but not introducing change, you're not an artist. You're a 'creative' with a lowercase 'c'. To be an artist, or a Creative (in Chase Jarvis' words), you must elicit a change in the world. Do something new. Influence someone. Be original to be successful.
• As Al Ries and Jack Trout write in The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing, you don't need to be right. You just need to be first. 

• "This might not work"
• Always remind yourself that what you're doing might not work. Because failure should not come as a surprise, but should be expected on the path to success. Seth did not become a great blogger after his 6th post- it took 6,000.

• Will they miss you if you’re gone?
• What are you doing to make sure that it is your value, and not your persistent marketing or mass cash expenditures, that is being sought. Whoever 'they' are, and whatever 'gone' means, if your product/service/ideas would not be missed, ask yourself if you're doing something of true value. If Seth stopped blogging, people would be disappointed. If Chase Jarvis stopped publishing Creative Live content, fans would be upset. If you stopped providing your service, would you be missed?

• Everyone should have an online blog for public journaling- it makes your brain work differently, your thoughts exist in the public domain. 
• Posting a thought or idea or belief online every day helps you think through content, and look back to see the changes in your opinions and thought processes. 
• An online presence is not about building something a lot of people follow, but something that provides value and is based in truth. 5 million Instagram followers who don't even realize they're following you is exponentially less valuable than 100 fans who look at your work whenever it becomes available. 

• Always ask- 'what are we doing this for?'
• At the very base of Godin's philosophy is a physics-first practice of digging deeper than the face of an action. If you're in a job- what are you doing this for? If you're examining a traditional system (like education)- what are you doing this for? If you're considering a career change- what are you doing this for? This question gets you to think deeper about the weaknesses in societal structures (like the bubble that is higher education) and about yourself (why do you do what you do in the way that you do it?)

• "The snooze button is an anathema to me."
• Seth has structured his work and his life in a way that makes him thrilled to wake up every morning. He doesn't dread a moment- and awakes with eager anticipation for his day.
• I'm going to print this out and put it next to my pillow. 

• Thoughts to leave the audience with: "We have created this platform where people are responsible for what they do. You could be more generous. You could lead people to place they want to go. You could weave a network that connects the disconnected. You could see people who are disrespected and treat them with respect. You can bring dignity to people who deserve it. All those things are available to you. It’s not someone else’s job to do those things, it's our job to do them. And we shouldn’t do them tomorrow. We should do them today."
• "Genius," Godin reminds us, is not a thing we need to aspire towards. It is innate within all of us. The word's Latin root defines it as the little voice inside all of us that tells us what to do. So we do not need to wait for something to come to us. We do not need to get all our little ducks in a row. We only need to act, and to act today. Big or small, if we change the world or change one life, we have the power to create change. And creating change, remember, is what success is all about.

30 Days of Genius- Mark Cuban

Mark Cuban's words are in bold. My personal comments are in italics. 

• What are you continuing to learn? What are you continuing to get good at?
• To grow as an individual creative, entrepreneur, barista- whomever- you must continue to develop yourself. Don't ever be stagnant, because the world- and the people- around you are dynamic.

• Our parents had one job. We have 5. Our kids will have 5 at the same time. 
• The old model of dad joining one company, working for 40 years, and retiring in Florida is clearly dead. Today's leader is not the company executive, it's the swiss army knife hustler. Diversify your knowledge, your skills, and your contacts and you'll be able to use each to improve others. 

• Great business has no off season. If you love what you do, you’re working all the time
• The NBA takes a break in the summer, but Lebron James does not. A great salesman goes home to relax at 6pm, but Joe Girard was always bird-dogging. If you want to be great at business, you're not resting because it gets dark or because it's nice outside. You're not taking breaks or vacations. Your break is the extra hour you spend researching your industry. Your relaxation comes in the midst of a sales call. There are no breaks- and no need for breaks- in greatness. 
• "Hard work beats talent if talent fails to work hard."

• Want to be successful? Reduce the stress of those around you.
• "Will they miss you if you're gone" is a rephrasing of Cuban's statement, as posed by Seth Godin in 30 DOG Episode 2. If you (or your product, or your company) are living in a stressful state, you're wrong if you think it's a good thing. Success is about removing stress for everyone around you. Your boss, your customer, and your peers need to value the freedom and peace you provide them, and they need to know that if you were gone, they wouldn't have it.

• The worst thing you can for your company do is raise money
• And this is coming from an investor! If you're raising money, it's an admission to failure. Your product is not good enough. You're not a good enough salesman to earn revenue. You couldn't convince others to come work for you for next to nothing. You couldn't live cheaply enough to support your dream. Once you raise money, it's no longer your party.

• If someone else knows more than you do about your business, how can you possibly think you’re going to win?
• Before entering any deal, business, or relationship, Cuban will learn everything about the industry and the people involved. And if he knows something you don't, you lose his trust. Whatever field you're committing to, you need to be the best. Whether you're selling electric cars or organic chocolate chip cookies, you need to be the hub of knowledge on the topic. And that can't be debated. 

Things I've learned running two startups in the past 12 months

1. If you have an idea that costs time or money, don't do it yet. Think simpler. There is always a simpler solution.
2. Stealth mode is bullshit. Socialize your ideas.
3. Smaller teams move faster.
4. Don't build yet- there is always a way to succeed without an expensive technical build. 
5. The best people cost money. Not always the most money- but never the least.
6. A business is made or sunk by a few key employees. No matter the job- you'll be relying on 20% of your people for 80% of your output. 
7. Take every meeting. The biggest customers for each startup have both come from odd meetings I had little desire to attend.
8. You never know who you'll run into at a cocktail party. And at worst, there are usually cheese platters.
9. Act, don't talk about acting. You'll learn more- and accomplish more- from 5 minutes in the field than 5 hours at the chalk board.
10. The most difficult thing is managing vision with action. One is nothing without the other, but vision relies more on action. So feel comfortable mending vision to action, but keep action directed towards vision.
11. Not everyone's a customer. Not everyone is as excited as you are. Some people suck. Go prove 'em wrong. 

Pivots

Ann Miura-Ko, named by Business Insider as "The Most Powerful Woman in Startups" once said that a pivot isn't a slight change in business model. Its an alteration so big and drastic, so against the months (or in this case) years of work that you've put into a company that it hurts your gut. You've gotta hate to pivot.

Well, here we are. Forced into this by a number of constraints, not the least of which is financial. But time, effort, and other commitments all play a factor as well. We're making another pivot.

Right now, we've spent the last many many months (and Jesus, many many thousands of dollars) working towards becoming the foundational layer of transportation of goods within a community. That was- and remains- an awesome and exciting idea that a passionate, devoted, and well funded team can do a lot of cool stuff with.

Due to a number of changed circumstances is my life, we are none of those things. Well, maybe still passionate. But not the other two. Certainly not the third. Whatever the opposite of the third is- we are that.

So design loves constraints, and these constraints are leading us to a new designs. Instead of going towards our old goal- one that requires a lot of technology, management, sales, resources, planning, money, and onwards...we're transforming into what we know works- a 'temp agency' for delivery drivers. When a restaurant that already has their own drivers is short staffed, we'll help them out and give them someone for the evening.

This will also free up a ton of time to pursue what I think is a really awesome idea- the Driver Benefits Program. We're going to make deals with small businesses in the area and sign them up to provide discounts specifically for delivery drivers. Drivers work out of their cars often, and need repairs, oil changes, and washes often. Businesses that partner with us will get targeted marketing directly towards the customers that would use them the most.

And so, we're pivoting. We'll see where it goes, and where we can take this. I'll keep you updated!

-A

Customers!

Ah, ups and downs and ups (I hope?)

A few days before Valentine's Day, I got an email from someone (we'll name him Willy) who had heard of Morph, but wasn't too sure what we actually did.

"I want to order a few desserts from Sugarland on Franklin to be delivered to Southern Village on Sunday / Valentines Day. Doesn't look like there is anyone they use for delivery. Do you know if there are any delivery free-lance services that will bring anything anywhere?"

Well...yeah. I guess I knew one. Morph! I promised Willy that I would deliver his wife cupcakes no matter what- with or without Sugarland's blessing, Willy's wife would have cupcakes on Valentine's Day. 

An hour after hanging up, I had biked over to Sugarland, pitch prepared. I sought out Katrina Ryan, founder and owner of the bakery, but instead found her loyal steward and husband- Doc. I told him what Morph does, and that I have at least 5 contacts who want to place an order for cupcakes. Sure, it was really only one guy code-named Willy, but the truth doesn't always sound so glamorous in sales.

Doc Ryan enthusiastically agreed to work with Morph. I thought it was the easiest sale I'd ever made. He had the same problems other small business owners do. He is often the one stuck making deliveries because he does not want to hire a driver for the store. Because his time is valuable, he charges $25 per delivery- a price that very few are comfortable paying. So the orders come infrequently, and are a hassle every time.

Doc and I agreed on $5 per delivery as a Valentine's Day special. It wasn't much, especially as tips rarely happen with cupcake delivery, but as I would be the one delivering orders, I didn't mind. The time of an employee is precious- at least $15 an hour. The time of a startup CEO is free. There's no hourly rate I expect, so I'd happily work for peanuts. That's more than I usually get, anyway!

Ecstatic, I leave the store ready to promote. I spend a few hours designing promotional fliers and posting them all across campus. Danny and I walked to every fraternity and sorority on campus, promoting $5 Valentine's Day Sugarland delivery. I Tweeted, Instagramed, Facebooked. I did everything I could to promote their delivery. I was stoked.

Saturday morning, the day before Valentines Day, I decided to order some cupcakes myself, to up that order total and treat my friends. I call, and the girl answering the phone says "of course we deliver!" I smiled. 

"Delivery will be $25. Is that okay?" I frowned. 

A bit of questioning revealed that my friend Doc didn't do a great job spreading the word to his employees. 

That was immensely frustrating. I had worked so hard to promote the deal, and they didn't even tell their own employees about it. I had no idea how many people might have called excited to get cupcakes, and hung up immediately once they heard a price 5X what they were expecting. I had to get it sorted out.

I went straight to Sugarland to talk to Doc. I told him that I would really appreciate if the girls operating the phones knew about the deal, so that our promotion can work well. I was patient, listened a lot, and made my points with minimal pressure and a ready smile. Finally- finally!- I think we were on the same page. $5 delivery. Everyone would be told. They promised.

Sunday went well. I had hoped for 10 deliveries, and we received 8 in total (including one that I placed, but we can't be picky). That's not bad, considering the handicap of no one actually knowing about our deal. The most important part of the day for me was the support that friends gave me. Half the orders were from friends who wanted to support me. Orders were placed as gifts from as far as New York, and it meant a lot.

The next day, I went back to Sugarland to discuss how the previous day went. They were very happy. We saved them a lot of time, provided them with extra orders, and did a good job. A few decisions remain to be finalized, as Katrina (the big boss) needs to sign off on our agreement. I am pretty optimistic that we'll be able to get something done, and bring our customer grand total to- can you believe it- three!