Thoughts on Bill Gates Leaving Microsoft
July 31, 2008
To be frank, I have not heard much positing or negative thought regarding Bill Gates leaving Microsoft as full time CEO. Me personally, I am happy that he has chosen to step down. Not because Microsoft is facing challenging times in our industry. But, because his new full time role at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will bring good to our world.
No matter what you think about Bill, he made a lot of positive contributions to the computing industry that people tend to overlook. For one, Microsoft standardized the OS. Without that, the industry would be a lot smaller. Software, hardware, and services would be disparate and usefulness and acceptance poor. He had a knack for getting software into the limelight and his success did not go unnoticed.
Success like Bill achieved can provoke envy and jealousy. I say, let the man be, he deserves it. He conquered the computing world and now its time to conquer a world that doesn’t have code and compliers. It has hunger, homelessness, and disease; it’s our world.
I have no doubt that the world will be better for Bill stepping down at Microsoft and stepping up at his foundation. But in the meantime, at least he knew the meaning of having fun at work!
Enjoy!
Describing InOneWeekend In 500 Words
July 24, 2008
Given a half-page, Laura Baverman covered the launch of LifeSpoke and InOneWeekend thoroughly. Laura touched on all the highlights and included snippets of the human interest side of the event. I appreciate her coverage, and I’m sure she experiences the frustration of having to condense nearly 72 hours of content into, say, 500 words. That’s a challenge.
Fortunately there is no word limit in the blogosphere, save for the attention span of you, the valued reader. Surely holding your attention span is no small feat. So here are some of the details of my InOneWeekend experience to add to Laura’s.
Laura captured the core of Roy Gilbert’s talk. “Have a large and compelling vision…understand risk and embrace failure…and think beyond the launch to build a team,” she wrote. For me, Roy responded to a question I asked about how research work done by Google engineers actually become products released to the market. Surprisingly, although it probably should not be, Google will release without a business plan at times in order to know exactly how the market will respond. I don’t know if it’s a chicken-egg thing, but that seems irrelevant now that Google can afford to back potentially bad ideas as they work to launch the next great one.
We did spend Friday evening narrowing down ideas. I laughed when I saw the watchmesleep idea that allowed others to peer in on the guy who overslept. Nice. And as Laura reported, Vanessa Indriolo’s idea of online scrapbooking received the majority of votes. Supplementing this idea were four other similar ideas that coalesced into the concept of LifeSpoke.
The dynamics on site could have split the group and made the rest of the weekend unproductive, as nearly, if not more than, 50 percent of the participants did not vote for the scrapbooking idea. Those who did not throw their hat into the scrapbooking ring split their votes between an application that keeps track of receipts and an application that ranks great deals that people find on the internet.
I know I felt quite a bit of frustration as I had a hard time getting behind the group’s idea. I told myself that the process mattered much more than the concept, and in the end that proved true. By Sunday I was convinced that any of the ideas could fly given the horsepower of our team, and we just needed to pick one. My guess, though, is that we lost a few people on Saturday because of the polarity in the vote, and that some folks simply could not buy into the fact that their participation continued to prove valuable. I have to hand it to those who stayed involved. We made the weekend great with our commitment to each other first.
The InOneWeekend group split into technical, management and operations, finance, sales and marketing, business strategy, and branding teams to work on their respective responsibilities Saturday and Sunday. Laura describes the LifeSpoke financial model as “hazy, predicting a $16 million company in three years,” but if you were in the rooms, on the teams, doing the research, and watching the give and take of heated deliberation, I don’t think you would have selected the word “hazy.” With a competitive strategy based on real-life market comparisons of our actual competition, LifeSpoke’s birth is grounded in what I would think most participants would describe as conservative reality.
Still, the odds of success are long, and no one is cashing in their options quite yet. Laura got it right that “the Flash Activescript technology didn’t yet work,” but in business terms that’s a hurdle that can be overcome. A tangible outcome of the weekend is, as Laura describes, that a number of entrepreneurs came together to experience what they could accomplish as a team. We now have the connections we need to begin to succeed where we may have floundered on our own, without the proper support, in past ventures. And now that we’ve been through the process, we’ll be able to save ourselves a whole lot of time when we face our own challenges in the future.
- Andy
LUCRUM Radio - Episode 4: Craig Jolley Part 1
July 24, 2008
Episode 4 of LUCRUM Radio is the first in a 2 part interview of Criag Jolley, Internet Marketing Manager for National City Mortgage. Craig has an extensive history in using the web as a way to advance the interests of businesses. Listen as we talk about how the web has evolved, the future of the internet, and telecommuting & the virtual office, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and more. Thanks to Craig for taking the time to talk with me.
Our Clients Need…..YOU!
July 23, 2008
We have positions for consultants, for contract roles, for contract to hire, and for perm positions. If you are an IT professional looking for a new opportunity, please send me an email (luzzel@lucruminc.com). If you feel that any of the below positions are what you have been looking for, I want to hear from you right away! If you possess different skills, please email me anyway – we get new positions every single day and I truly look forward to finding the right opportunity for you!
* Application Developer (downtown Cincinnati, OH). This is a 6 month contract-to-hire position with one of our clients. This person will be responsible for implementing the screen changes, business rules and database changes for Billing Center. They will work with the Business Analyst to understand the requirements and will implement and test their changes prior to the Business Analyst testing the code in Development. The candidate will be responsible for Customizations to the Billing Center Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) application. Develops XML transformations (XSLT). 2 to 4 years experience writing and interpreting XML (XSL, XSLT, XSD) is required.
* Windows Systems Administrator (Fairfield, OH). This is a 6 month contract-to-hire position with one of our clients. We are looking for someone with fundamental experience working with Active Directory. This person will have working knowledge of Infrastructure Server services (DHCP, DNS, Domain Controllers, WINS, etc.) and a working knowledge in hardware installation and maintenance (server, RAID, Blade Configuration, etc.)
* Cerner Lab Manager (Northern Kentucky). This is a 6 month contract-to-hire position with one of our clients. The ideal candidate will have a clinical background working in a lab in the healthcare industry and experience with Cerner Millennium.
* ETL Data Solutions Developer (downtown Cincinnati, OH). This is a contract-to-hire opportunity with one of our clients. We need an expert in system analysis, design, modeling, and in using an ETL tool (preferably SAS ETL). 5 or more years experience in the full software development lifecycle is required.
* Information Delivery Developer (downtown Cincinnati, OH). This is a contract-to-hire opportunity with one of our clients. This person will be responsible for bridging the gap between technical solutions and the business needs. They will work with the business to understand their information needs and design reports, applications, mock-ups, business requirements and data solutions to meet those needs. The Data Solutions are delivered as Reports, Data Summaries, and Data Marts. They will be responsible for the transformation and delivery of quality data for solutions. This will include the understanding of the business use of the information and the improvement of data quality in support of this need.
* Network Security Analyst (Fairfield, OH). This is a 6 month contract-to-hire opportunity with one of our clients. The Security Analyst will be responsible for ensuring the continuous operation of security enabled solutions and will provide Tier 3 support when required. Additional duties/services to include: security monitoring, firewall/IDS/IPS management, vulnerability management, incident response, computer security forensics, and vulnerability/penetration testing. This involves Configuration, management, and maintenance of Cisco ASA Firewall infrastructure.
If you have any interest or know of anyone with any interest, please email me at luzzel@lucruminc.com. Please attach a resume and let me know what position you are interested in by putting the title in the subject line. Thank you very much! I am looking forward to hearing from you!
On Sales…
July 23, 2008
I recently attended two sales calls where disparaging remarks were made (in gest) about the Sales profession. I took these in stride - laughed with the group - but walked way questioning why, sometimes, my chosen profession gets such a bad wrap. Sales is an integral part of business. Without sales - businesses would cease to exist. Have you ever stopped to think - what would happen if no one in your company sold the product or service your company produces or represents? What would happen to your job?
In reality - everything gets sold and bought. It’s part of free enterprise - of which our country is based.
Stop to think - a “salesperson” sold the ink to the company that manufactured the pen you are writing with. Someone sold the material to the furniture manufacturer for the chair you are sitting in. Someone sold you the Starbucks coffee you are drinking this morning, or the flour to the baker for the danish you are eating. Let’s face it - the selling and purchasing of goods is an essential part of life.
To many people the sales person is either some schmuck in a poor suit, using tactics and techniques to get you to buy something you don’t need or would rather not purchase…..or the person in the expensive suit, driving an expensive car, whose main “trick” is manipulation.
The fact - is that no one likes to be sold…..me included.
I do, however like to purchase items/services that make mine and my family’s lives easier, safer, healthier, and more enjoyable.
Sales is not, and should not be a craft of deception and manipulation. Instead it should be the ability to question, listen, consult and determine if your product or service will benefit the client. One of the most important traits of a good sales person is the ability to *listen*. It is also the job of the salesperson to educate and advise the client - this includes educating the client on the product/service the salesperson represents - and being honest with the client if his/her product/service is not a good fit.
While the remarks made were in no way directed towards me personally, (in fact they were directed at some of my competitors), they did make me pause.
Here’s hoping the next sales call in which you participate, your sales person listens, educates and advises you correctly - whether that involves his/her product/service or not. If he/she does her job correctly, it will solve a problem, reduce some pain, and make your job/life easier. When that happens - and at the risk of sounding too cliché’ - everybody wins.
A Blast from the Past
July 23, 2008
I recently had two separate occasions where my past caught up with me.
One such meeting was at a bar where a friend of mine was sitting at a table having drinks with a friend. I went over to say hello to him and the girl said, “Jacinta? Jacinta from Batesville?” (Batesville is where I went to high school). I said, “I went to Batesville High School, who are you?”. We proceeded to exchange information and I realized that she was one grade below me in school. Even though I didn’t recognize her or her name, no surprise since my memory is pretty much gone since having kids, we made a connection and exchanged contact numbers.
Since that encounter weeks ago, we met for lunch and have future plans to perhaps do business together and get together socially. She’s new in town and I love introducing new people to Cincinnati and all it has to offer. I have a wonderful network of friends and I can’t wait for them to meet her. I’ve also tuned her into LinkedIn, Twitter and LUCRUM’s blog. Before meeting me, she had no idea what these names meant. Now, she’s making connections and forming her own network of online friends.
The other blast from my past was surprisingly, right here at LUCRUM.
Rob Klutts is the newest addition to the LUCRUM team. Rob is a graphic designer who is here to help LUCRUM standardize our brand and the way the outside world sees us. He will also work on some internal projects and help our clients with any website projects they may have.
Rob sits right next to me and on Day Two of Rob’s first week, we started talking about stuff. Where we lived, our families, where we went to school yada yada yada.
Come to find out, HE went to Batesville High School too. He came to Batesville as a senior, I was a junior. He had moved away after middle school and came back to finish up his senior year. We started talking about all the people we knew, and I knew more of the upperclassman this time (when I met the girl from my story above I didn’t know any of the underclassmen, isn’t that how it goes anyhow? Plebes…). As he rattled off names, I came up with a few….and man….what a trip down memory lane that was!
It got me thinking of those days and what it was like back then…what “I” was like back then. Now, 17 years later (gulp!), I think back and shake my head and realize how different my world was compared to today. I cringed a little thinking of THE STUPID THINGS YOU DO AS A TEENAGER. Sheesh….thank God I’m “hopefully” older and wiser.
So even though these two connections had nothing to do with using any social media tool, I will truthfully tell you that I’m still making connections with the past using tools like LinkedIn, Plaxo and a new one I’m looking at, Zkout (pronounced “scout”). People ask me all the time, “What is LinkedIn?”. “How do I use it?”. And well, the only thing I can say is this, “Its a bridge that enables you to connect to others professionally and personally.” If you haven’t done so, try it. You’ll be amazed at the people you meet and maybe find out what your friends REALLY do all day.
What Happens When You Miss A Deadline?
July 21, 2008
At most companies you just move the deadline. At some, you might get some sort of reprimand. And at a select few, you may even get written up. Well, at LUCRUM we push you out of a plane! Josh, what the *(@#* did you do now?!
- Andy
Lucrum Radio - Episode 3: Debba Haupert
July 16, 2008
Debba Haupert is the founder of girlfriendology.com, a site dedicated to the inspiration, appreciation, and celebration of girlfriends. She uses technology to make a living, and clearly is having a great time doing it. Her site features blogs, contests, podcasts, video, newsletters, and events all centered around issues pertaining to women and their relationships with one another.
In this episode of Lucrum Radio, I spend some time asking Debba about what inspired her to start girlfriendology, what surprises she has encountered along the way, how she uses Twitter, LinkedIn, and other tools to connect with other people, and some of her favorite things about the web.
Debba was great fun to work with. I would like to thank her for her willingness to participate in the LUCRUM radio project, and for taking the time to share her remarkable story with the world.
Team Journey: Steps from people to real team results!
July 16, 2008
I sat down with LUCRUM’s Eric Duell a couple of years ago and talked about the value of teams. Eric is a principal consultant and specializes in executive alignment sessions - but is the guru of communications. The truth of our conversation has never left me. He tied together results of a team through proper leadership and stepped me through the teams ‘ascent’. This talk of ours was so powerful, that a couple years later, I chose to work at LUCRUM.
I don’t want to steal Eric’s thunder but there are dependencies that are really worth noting. I’ll just highlight them below:
Step 1: Show each person that they are part of the team and that they can contribute to the success and problems of the team. This expectation should be set from the beginning - this gives them the freedom to move to the next step.
Step 2: People need to feel that their contribution is part of the team’s success. Sure, the ownership is on that person to ensure that they are ‘engaged’ with the team, but it’s also on the leader - to make sure that the person has the right avenues to contribute. Ensure that contributions are appreciated…publically.
Step 3: Once these contributions are shown, this build trust within the team. This is a key point because without trust the team is guarded and people don’t share. A solid foundation of trust is necessary for any team that wants to be highly successful.
Step 4: Now that we have trust, the team can have honest and open conversations. Debates are not win/lose, rather they are healthy and passionate. This level of communication reveals the right data for the team to act upon.
Step 5: The leader now has the foundation to have a commitment by each member to the team. Here we are focusing on a common course of action, the holdouts, cowboys and dissenters are not present…for the team’s value is realized and we think of the team success first.
Step 6: Now that we are committed, we can be accountable. Too many times this foundation is shortcutted and we have tentative accountability; one foot here and one foot there. But, this team is now in a position to expect real accountability and forms the right partnerships to help each other.
Step 7: Once we are at this level of accountability, we are ready to do what the team was designed for; looking for the best solution with a focused team. Here is where the power is and this focus is how to concentrate the talents, passions, desires and energy of the highly successful team!
So, you see, this progression from person to maximum results is framed by real team development and leadership - but must progress through clearly defined stages. This is a strategy we strive for at LUCRUM. When you peel back all that extra baggage, we are left with real people who contribute within real teams to focus on real value for our clients with a real focus.
Imagine a team with a missing piece. What if we did not expect a team member to perform? What if we did not appreciate contributions? How would it be if the team could not have open conversations and the real data was hidden for fear of rejection. Could the team be committed if we could not talk openly? If people were not accountable and not held accountable, could we succeed? Any missing piece above would cause the team to focus on their own agendas and not on finding the best possible solution.
This model was truly one of the reasons that I chose LUCRUM to take my career to the next level. The commitment to teams is core to what we are all about.
~ Scott Felten
InOneWeekend - Some Perspective On Enterpreneurship
July 15, 2008
Geez, at one time I thought I might be an entrepreneur. I’m not. Well, at least not yet. And any thought of, “well, maybe I am,” had the door slammed on it as Saturday progressed. Three times before Saturday was over I said to myself, “I’m done. I’ll just sleep in tomorrow and enjoy my weekend.” Really. Three times. And I talked myself through it. “Self. The idea doesn’t matter. Engage in the process. Learn. Grow.” I stayed actively engaged. I’m glad I did.
Jeff Stamp guided our expectations on Friday evening with the admonishment, “Be comfortable being uncomfortable!” I thought that would be easy. My personal philosophy keeps me at the edge of uncomfortable. But I had never been in the same room, required to actively participate in such a focused task, with 99 other strong personalities with strong ideas. I found out how tempting it is to shut down when *I* wasn’t the central theme. THAT is humbling. In a good way. I found tons of room for personal growth.
Then there was dinner with the 20-something who’s goal it was to build a $1M real estate fortune, free and clear, before he turned 30. Sure, a lofty goal, if not for the fact that he was well on his way. The kid talked circles around the financials involved. And he NEVER exhibited any thought or consideration to the idea that he might not reach his goal.
I met another woman who ran a cookware business around an idea that she developed. Being fought by Intel over trademark infringement, she circled the right people around her and kept moving forward. She still has 8,000 sets of a 60,000 piece run of cookware stored in her home. No sign of stopping.
A natural healing business. A PR business. A dotcom. A VC. The list went on and on.
Then JB spoke on Saturday at lunch. 6 startups, I believe. The latest recently secured $15M in funding. No obstacle too much. In fact, the mindset seemed to be, “what obstacle?” When the rest of us could clearly see the obstacles.
It’s not that serial entrepreneurs don’t understand risk. They do. JB alluded to sleepless nights and working 12+ hour days. Why? “Because your competition is.” You could tell the weathering of time and pressure on the experienced business owners as they’ve pushed themselves to their limits over and over again. It’s almost as if that little “moderation” switch in their brains has been turned off. They still see the signs of risk, the signs just don’t affect them and don’t keep them from moving forward. With autistic-like tendency, they simply don’t know how to process risk, so instead they move in for the win. Where many of us might say to ourselves, “why not?”, the successful entrepreneur doesn’t even consider the question. A question of weather or not really never crosses their mind.
The idea, too. That doesn’t really matter, or so it seems. I struggled through Friday not wanting to pursue the idea InOneWeekend came up with. By Sunday I realized we would have been successful with ANY of the 3 ideas we narrowed down to. I don’t doubt that one bit. Heck, we could have sold ice to Eskimos. So it dawned on me that it’s the process that hooks the serial entrepreneur. The process repeats. The idea might be different, but the process is predictable.
Now all of this may be way off-base. I dunno. From the outside looking in, those are some of the observations I’ve made. And although I’m not an entrepreneur now, it doesn’t mean I won’t be at some point. I listened to countless stories of people hitting their strides and making these huge life changes in their 40s. Pheeewww. I still got time.
Now educate me. Take my liberal arts education and put me in my place. Tell me what’s going on inside your head and help me understand what this is going to take. And make all of us a little stronger.
- Andy
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