I found myself getting off a plane in Colorado Springs, Colorado on a sunny Friday afternoon, but was rather behind schedule due to every single flight I had being delayed by a good hour at least. This being a trip to a private, invitation-only conference on trends in the e-Commerce industry, I was obviously aiming to make it on time and was literally running to get where I needed to go.
Not long after the delayed flight landed, I was lost in my massive hotel. You should have seen the intricate maze of hallways and walkways that made up the Crowne Plaza hotel! It had halls shooting off every which angle and I went to the wrong room twice before I finally made it to my own. The size was really rather deceiving from the outside since the hotel covered more ground square footage than it had in height. Don't get me wrong, just because it was a little difficult to navigate the halls doesn't mean it was not a very nice hotel. When you have plasma TV's in every room and a huge indoor pool that looks like it's outside, it can't be that bad a deal.
The town itself did not seem very interesting to me, quite honestly. Pike's Peak seemed the highlight of the town and probably would have been neat to check out given more time. I am sure there was perhaps a more active area or at least a more busy part of town nearby, but I never saw it. Just looking over the city from the plane, there appears no distinguishable landmarks (other than the previously mentioned mountain) or interesting downtown areas.
Despite the town not necessarily being the most interesting thing on the planet, I was fascinated by the event I was attending in many ways. Of course, the speakers had incredible things to say, both about our economy and success principles everyone can practice in their lives. Now trends in the economy and trends in the e-Commerce industry may sound a bit dull, but truthfully, there is so much going on today with business the main thing to see is the profit potential and the opportunity anyone can capitalize on. Great wealth has always been created in times both during and after recessionary and depression periods in the economy. Forecasters like Harry S. Dent have been saying that we will see the greatest shift of wealth the country has ever seen coming with the Internet and all the commercial traffic going on as we speak (http://www.hsdent.com/).
Can you imagine never having to trade hours for dollars for the rest of your life? Never having to set the alarm clock for 5:00 am to get to am shift at work? You would be free with both time and money to do the things you want to do, with the people you want to do things with, when you want to do it! No 40-40; 40 hours a week 40 years of your life. Actually now, it is more like the 40-50. We as a country can not rely on others to make a financial difference in our lives and the lives of the one's we care about. I know I need to take responsibility for my future and my future family's as well. I would much rather work hard for a few years of my life, than work average for 60 years of my life. So sue me.
I think it is incredible how many people do not understand that. I mean, do what you want- that's more than okay with me, but to look down on what I am doing and the positive choices I am making because I have allocated my time elsewhere and my priorities on other things is unacceptable to me. It is true, I have been spending less and less time hanging out and reading comics or just passing the time. Frankly, I am done passing the time and playing games because time is too valuable a thing to waste. There is too much at stake in what I want for my own future to let things pull me away from where I really want to go. I work hard now and read books that apply to what I need to learn and spend time with people who are living how I want to live, and I will play so much harder... later. Delayed gratification, ladies and gentlemen.
I'll be honest with you: I am just now practicing this. I had been treating my goals and efforts in business just like I had been many other areas in life. I had invested such minimal effort in education, relationships and many other important areas of my life, that I had become comfortable with simply getting by. I have realized not that there is too much at stake now, but there has always been and I am just waking up to it. I have seen the progress I have made, or lack thereof, and know now that my previous way of going about things will not cut it. The knowledge I have gained, the research I have done and the advice I have been given over that period of time has now clicked and is being put to use; much like a factory coming to life in times of war and producing more than it was able to before. I must remember this, and consistently do what I know I need to do for my future. For this has become a war; a war against myself every day, every decision and every thought a battle for my future.
Showing posts with label business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label business. Show all posts
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
Our Story Thus Far
I will begin by simply saying Portland, Oregon is astonishing. I love it, quite frankly. I flew in around 4pm today and the adventure never stopped from there! Actually it started before with many enjoyable conversations with many different people. A gentleman by the name of Ramon (his son wants to be a pilot and gets good grades) and Marcus (shoe-shiner in the Seattle airport) were a few among them.
You will be proud of the amount of pictures I took today... because I sure am! Those who follow this know I am not very adept at taking pictures. I'm just not usually that kind of guy. However, aside from the touristy look of it and catching myself walking around Portland with my mouth wide open more times than I can count, they turned out great. I'll post some when I get home.
I realized something again today though. People need to take more chances. We can't settle for what we're handed if it's not really what we want or if we're simply 'comfortable' with it. Get out there! Make mistakes and learn from them. Don't stay comfortable. Nothing great was ever accomplished by those who settled for something less than what was achieved with their best. I left an expo at the Memorial Colesium with some friends I had made on the way over there, when one informed me since he had been in Portland before, we should go to the food court in the mall down the street. It was one of the only places he had been to and known.
But I am in Portland. I have never been here before. Why would I simply walk a block when honestly everywhere I look across the river, there are huge buildings, tall pine covered hills with houses, and awesome architecture you just know is harboring a great hole-in-the-wall place to eat!? No Subway for me, thanks. I actually ate at a random fish taco stand which turned out to be delectable in every sense. The owner is a fisherman and catches fresh fish for it all the time, with varieties of tacos ranging from cod to Pacific Red Snapper (I had that).
I simply took the MAX transportation system down to Old Town and winged it, if you will. Best thing I have done here yet. Get kind of lost on purpose. I saw so much stuff I couldn't put all of it here. At night, in this big city square, they were showing Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade on a huge screen with hundreds of people watching! There was so much going on wherever I looked. It was similar to San Francisco in the sense of activity level, transportation, certain areas, and even the characters. It's beautiful here, and I will continue to update you as I progress. Good night and good luck.
You will be proud of the amount of pictures I took today... because I sure am! Those who follow this know I am not very adept at taking pictures. I'm just not usually that kind of guy. However, aside from the touristy look of it and catching myself walking around Portland with my mouth wide open more times than I can count, they turned out great. I'll post some when I get home.
I realized something again today though. People need to take more chances. We can't settle for what we're handed if it's not really what we want or if we're simply 'comfortable' with it. Get out there! Make mistakes and learn from them. Don't stay comfortable. Nothing great was ever accomplished by those who settled for something less than what was achieved with their best. I left an expo at the Memorial Colesium with some friends I had made on the way over there, when one informed me since he had been in Portland before, we should go to the food court in the mall down the street. It was one of the only places he had been to and known.
But I am in Portland. I have never been here before. Why would I simply walk a block when honestly everywhere I look across the river, there are huge buildings, tall pine covered hills with houses, and awesome architecture you just know is harboring a great hole-in-the-wall place to eat!? No Subway for me, thanks. I actually ate at a random fish taco stand which turned out to be delectable in every sense. The owner is a fisherman and catches fresh fish for it all the time, with varieties of tacos ranging from cod to Pacific Red Snapper (I had that).
I simply took the MAX transportation system down to Old Town and winged it, if you will. Best thing I have done here yet. Get kind of lost on purpose. I saw so much stuff I couldn't put all of it here. At night, in this big city square, they were showing Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade on a huge screen with hundreds of people watching! There was so much going on wherever I looked. It was similar to San Francisco in the sense of activity level, transportation, certain areas, and even the characters. It's beautiful here, and I will continue to update you as I progress. Good night and good luck.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Next Step
The beautiful city of Portland, Oregon. Or so I'm told! This will be my first trip to Portland and Oregon in general, but from what I hear, it is not only a sight pleasing to the eyes. I have heard tales of a famous doughnut shop that puts bacon on maple bars, and has parks and gardens rivaling those of the most famous. I know the music scene there is something to discuss with great fervor. You could say it sounds like a modern day promised land haha.
I will be there for business, but will take some down time and go explore as much as I can while I'm there. Most of the conducted business will take place from midday Saturday to Sunday evening intermittently. I will be flying in Friday and leaving Monday morning. When not at my headquarters (hotel room), I'll be out and about seeing what I can see. You know the drill, I share what I see as best I can, as well as what I learn and experience. Has anyone else been to Portland? Any input? What was your experience?
I will be there for business, but will take some down time and go explore as much as I can while I'm there. Most of the conducted business will take place from midday Saturday to Sunday evening intermittently. I will be flying in Friday and leaving Monday morning. When not at my headquarters (hotel room), I'll be out and about seeing what I can see. You know the drill, I share what I see as best I can, as well as what I learn and experience. Has anyone else been to Portland? Any input? What was your experience?
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Getting Down to Business
Alright ladies and gentlemen, I have been doing a lot of thinking and planning lately and have decided to completely rearrange my plans to match with my goals. What do I mean, you ask? Well, have a seat and I'll explain everything.
Obviously, I haven't written anything for a while this month. That is because I have been remarkably busy between finishing school, going to work and mostly because I have been building the e-Commerce business on the side. Quite frankly, it's been paying off. This brings me to the next point on the list: I am staying here next semester. London will have to wait for now. And it will, as far as I know it's not going anywhere. I gave it a lot of thought and sought counsel from many respected people in my life, and have come to the conclusion that this coming semester would not be the best to leave behind. Realistically, the e-Commerce industry is exploding right now and is going the economic phase we call critical mass. Once any technology or innovative process hits 10% market penetration (10% population is using it and finally everyone starts asking "Now how does this work?"), it goes through critical mass and forms an S-curve, where it goes up, explodes and then levels out.
Having this in mind, seeing how well my business is growing, and knowing that all the business I create from here til the end of summer when I would be leaving would mostly die down in my absence, I have come up with another plan to make things work best for me! By staying and working this business solid all the time I would be away, I'll be right on target to even be able to go to London for two weeks of pure vacation time by winter break! I would be able to quit my job by September, having replaced and exceeded my present monthly income. It's the practice of delayed gratification. I still can not wait to go to Europe. I can't wait to go anywhere really! The streets of Egypt, the mountains in Nepal, the adventure in Brazil, the canals of Italy. It's all going to be so good. SO good! You may say "possibly...", I will say "watch". Progress I make will be so enjoyable I will not be able to help from recording it, so stay tuned. I will quite possibly take a trip to San Diego soon, so keep reading!
Obviously, I haven't written anything for a while this month. That is because I have been remarkably busy between finishing school, going to work and mostly because I have been building the e-Commerce business on the side. Quite frankly, it's been paying off. This brings me to the next point on the list: I am staying here next semester. London will have to wait for now. And it will, as far as I know it's not going anywhere. I gave it a lot of thought and sought counsel from many respected people in my life, and have come to the conclusion that this coming semester would not be the best to leave behind. Realistically, the e-Commerce industry is exploding right now and is going the economic phase we call critical mass. Once any technology or innovative process hits 10% market penetration (10% population is using it and finally everyone starts asking "Now how does this work?"), it goes through critical mass and forms an S-curve, where it goes up, explodes and then levels out.
Having this in mind, seeing how well my business is growing, and knowing that all the business I create from here til the end of summer when I would be leaving would mostly die down in my absence, I have come up with another plan to make things work best for me! By staying and working this business solid all the time I would be away, I'll be right on target to even be able to go to London for two weeks of pure vacation time by winter break! I would be able to quit my job by September, having replaced and exceeded my present monthly income. It's the practice of delayed gratification. I still can not wait to go to Europe. I can't wait to go anywhere really! The streets of Egypt, the mountains in Nepal, the adventure in Brazil, the canals of Italy. It's all going to be so good. SO good! You may say "possibly...", I will say "watch". Progress I make will be so enjoyable I will not be able to help from recording it, so stay tuned. I will quite possibly take a trip to San Diego soon, so keep reading!
Monday, April 27, 2009
What Happened In Vegas Isn't Staying In Vegas
Vegas! I have so much to share with you, both in these words and through my actions. I know you're wondering, and the answer is yes, I did take some pictures. Just none worth any space anywhere because they're not really of anything good. Haha come to think of it, they're not really of anything at all. Now... where to begin?
First of all, the speakers there were incredible. A handful of the most successful entrepreneurs in the eCommerce industry were there to speak on business ownership and, more importantly, dream ownership. John Maxwell taught from his most recent book, Put Your Dream to the Test, and posed interesting questions to ask yourself when you are going towards your dream.
I realized at one point during the course of his speaking that I had something all wrong. I have been so focused on finally getting where I want to be I took my eyes off of what the important part really is: the journey to get there. It makes a huge, realistic difference when you stop thinking about the destination with your head in the clouds and get back to path at hand that you want to take you there. I think it would be a lot easier to trip on obstacles on the path with your head up in the clouds don't you? I realized that if you aren't happy with where you are now, you won't be happy with where you're going either. That is crucial. It's the major difference between a fantasy and a dream.
It wasn't quite the way I had it pictured when I made my first post after all. Just because you aren't where you want to be doesn't mean you have to be unhappy about that. Granted I have been happy with where I am and where I was, but I did not truly value it at the time. As long as you get a clear picture in your mind and add a burning desire for something more in your heart, be happy! Success is a process, so be happy knowing you're on your way, and place value on the good and bad times you have getting there. Make it a goal to be defined by how many times you get up, not how many times you fall down. Forget about the things you don't have, you're with people you love now! Celebrate that!
It's crazy out there right now, dear reader, and we need to stick together as best we can. America, and really the world in general needs to focus on love, not money. True recovery comes from the heart and soul, not wallets. I think we need to learn that.
Figure out what you really, really want out of life. What's going to add value to your life and the lives of others? You gotta make sure it's your dream. Not your parents, not your friends', but yours. Find the passion that compels you to reach your goals. Get a dream, make a quality, one-time decision to go get it, and enjoy the journey along the way!
First of all, the speakers there were incredible. A handful of the most successful entrepreneurs in the eCommerce industry were there to speak on business ownership and, more importantly, dream ownership. John Maxwell taught from his most recent book, Put Your Dream to the Test, and posed interesting questions to ask yourself when you are going towards your dream.
I realized at one point during the course of his speaking that I had something all wrong. I have been so focused on finally getting where I want to be I took my eyes off of what the important part really is: the journey to get there. It makes a huge, realistic difference when you stop thinking about the destination with your head in the clouds and get back to path at hand that you want to take you there. I think it would be a lot easier to trip on obstacles on the path with your head up in the clouds don't you? I realized that if you aren't happy with where you are now, you won't be happy with where you're going either. That is crucial. It's the major difference between a fantasy and a dream.
It wasn't quite the way I had it pictured when I made my first post after all. Just because you aren't where you want to be doesn't mean you have to be unhappy about that. Granted I have been happy with where I am and where I was, but I did not truly value it at the time. As long as you get a clear picture in your mind and add a burning desire for something more in your heart, be happy! Success is a process, so be happy knowing you're on your way, and place value on the good and bad times you have getting there. Make it a goal to be defined by how many times you get up, not how many times you fall down. Forget about the things you don't have, you're with people you love now! Celebrate that!
It's crazy out there right now, dear reader, and we need to stick together as best we can. America, and really the world in general needs to focus on love, not money. True recovery comes from the heart and soul, not wallets. I think we need to learn that.
Figure out what you really, really want out of life. What's going to add value to your life and the lives of others? You gotta make sure it's your dream. Not your parents, not your friends', but yours. Find the passion that compels you to reach your goals. Get a dream, make a quality, one-time decision to go get it, and enjoy the journey along the way!
Friday, April 24, 2009
Vegas, Baby!
Alright everyone, gather 'round, gather 'round. It's official: we'll be making a trip to Las Vegas, Nevada this weekend. I am more than ready for another trip, especially since it is also beneficial for business. I'm going to a private invitation-only business conference on trends in the eCommerce industry that is exploding right now, and I'm pretty excited to act on what I learn there. John Maxwell, famed author of myriad books, will be there speaking on leadership and success principles. He has spoken in front of Fortune 500 companies, political leaders, and I believe even the UN if I'm not mistaken! I have to take something away from that wouldn't you say?
I'll be staying on the strip, within walking distance of The Orleans Hotel and Casino where the conference is taking place. I will do my best to keep a log of the trip. Once again, I'm not to great with taking a lot of pictures, but I will do my best. You have my word.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
See What Floats
Hello and thank you for coming, ladies and gentlemen of the board.
Today I would like to start things off by saying I hope everyone is having a spectacular week and hopefully you are all in good health. On that note, I would like to bring your attention to an interesting discovery that has recently surfaced on problems with our drinking water. It appears that over 271 million pounds of pharmaceuticals and other chemicals have been legally contaminating our waterways over a long period of time under direct watch of the U.S. government.
Order, order! I know it is troubling news. Especially since that was only the small amount that was monitored as pollutants. You can find out more about it here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090420/ap_on_re_us/pharmawater_factories
Now, this was brought up to just inform readers of the health issues that could indeed be affecting the public without their knowledge. If anything, this is as good a time as any to switch buying habits from many of the normal bottled water to more pure forms. You're buying water anyway, so why not get the safest for your family? I know I am. Perfect Empowered Drinking Water, a brand growing rapidly in popularity (http://www.drinkperfectwater.com/) has been purified 15 times- the most times out of any other water in the world! It has been remineralized and microstructured with oxygen for pretty incredible results; results I can say are worth it from personal experience. You can get it from my site here: https://esolutionz.mychoices.biz/Retail/Products.aspx?PG=3
Just type "perfect water" into the search bar in the top right corner. Another very pure form of water is eSpring water which you can also get on my site above. For more information about this water, go here: http://espring.com/. The FDA approved it as the best source of water available! Just add it to the cart and start a free customer account to have shipped right to your door, no hassle. I'm taking a trip this weekend out of state, so tune in next time to here more about it!
Today I would like to start things off by saying I hope everyone is having a spectacular week and hopefully you are all in good health. On that note, I would like to bring your attention to an interesting discovery that has recently surfaced on problems with our drinking water. It appears that over 271 million pounds of pharmaceuticals and other chemicals have been legally contaminating our waterways over a long period of time under direct watch of the U.S. government.
Order, order! I know it is troubling news. Especially since that was only the small amount that was monitored as pollutants. You can find out more about it here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090420/ap_on_re_us/pharmawater_factories
Now, this was brought up to just inform readers of the health issues that could indeed be affecting the public without their knowledge. If anything, this is as good a time as any to switch buying habits from many of the normal bottled water to more pure forms. You're buying water anyway, so why not get the safest for your family? I know I am. Perfect Empowered Drinking Water, a brand growing rapidly in popularity (http://www.drinkperfectwater.com/) has been purified 15 times- the most times out of any other water in the world! It has been remineralized and microstructured with oxygen for pretty incredible results; results I can say are worth it from personal experience. You can get it from my site here: https://esolutionz.mychoices.biz/Retail/Products.aspx?PG=3
Just type "perfect water" into the search bar in the top right corner. Another very pure form of water is eSpring water which you can also get on my site above. For more information about this water, go here: http://espring.com/. The FDA approved it as the best source of water available! Just add it to the cart and start a free customer account to have shipped right to your door, no hassle. I'm taking a trip this weekend out of state, so tune in next time to here more about it!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Free Enterprise Day: Denver
Yes! That's right, everyone. I do indeed have another opportunity to get out of Redlands again this weekend and have a great time doing it. I will be flying to Denver, Colorado on Friday for a private business convention on e-commerce and e-trends. It's called Free Enterprise Day (F.E.D.) and will also be celebrating the way this country's economy was built upon the freedoms we, as Americans, have to do business and create opportunities for ourselves to succeed in the pursuit of happiness.
I will be pretty busy all weekend long, but having a fantastic time meeting with some of the most successful people in business today, being surrounded with other positive, like-minded people, and gaining more understanding on what's in store for our country and the economy. I'll do my best to share what I'll be experiencing as the days go by. I'll be returning Sunday night and preparing for a trip to San Francisco next Wednesday. Needless to say, I am going to enjoy this next week.
I will be pretty busy all weekend long, but having a fantastic time meeting with some of the most successful people in business today, being surrounded with other positive, like-minded people, and gaining more understanding on what's in store for our country and the economy. I'll do my best to share what I'll be experiencing as the days go by. I'll be returning Sunday night and preparing for a trip to San Francisco next Wednesday. Needless to say, I am going to enjoy this next week.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)