Archive for the 'Business' Category



Make A Difference

Sunday 11 November 2007 @ 11:47 am

maxwell-difference-maker-book Author John Maxwell’s new book is entitled, The Difference Maker.  The sub-title of the book is Making Your Attitude Your Greatest Asset.  If you’ve enjoyed John Maxwell’s books in the past, you’ll find this new book to be in the same voice.  John is the master of making points.  If you like an outline style, with multiple points one after the other, you’ll like this book.

The book contains 10 chapters, with the first four about attitude.  Chapters 5 through nine contain the big five attitude obstacles.  These include discouragement, change, problems, fear, and failure.  Chapter 10 is about how this book can help you make a difference in the lives of others.

What I like about this book is its small size.  It is easy to take with you in the car or on a plane.  The wisdom contained in this book is easy to follow with stories and examples along the way.  Since the book is small, It’s easy to make notes of the points in this book using a pocket highlighter.  The book will teach you to…

1.  Win over discouragement by getting the right perspective
2.  Embrace change by determining that without change improvement won’t come
3.  Overcome problems by defining, anticipating, evaluating, and embracing the problem as a potential opportunity
4.  Defeat fear by admitting to fear; realizing fears limiting power; and converting fear into desire.
5.  Move beyond failure by holding on to your sense of humor.

You can use this book as your personal coach.  Its small size lets you keep it in your desk drawer or in your car for quick reference.  Overall I enjoyed this book and recommend it highly.




Podcasts On The Run

Friday 8 September 2006 @ 8:55 am

I’m headed out to Palm Springs this weekend for The Summer Symposium hosted by the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Speakers Association. I’m looking forward to hearing some great speakers and hoping to improve my speaking and presentation skills. Since I’ll have a 2 hour drive I decided to download some podcasts to take along in the car.

I decided to look up some of my fellow bloggers podcasts and headed over to Rosa Say’s blog, Talking Story. I went down the list in her Ho’ohana Community and found the following…

The cranky middle manager show with Present Like a Pro

Kevin Eikenberry on the Advanced Selling Podcast

Dwayne Melancon With Lisa Haneberg on Focus & Change

Greg Balanko-Dickson & Phil Gerbyshak in How’s your Creative IQ?

Easton Ellsworth via the Podcasting Roundtable

Lisa Haneberg and her Virtual Fireside Podcasts

Rosa is hosting a learning symposium all month on her site and it will be great to hear some of the participants via their podcasts. Be sure to check out her month of learning series.

You can also check out the MBA On The Run podcasts here.

We also have put up a test video podcast here.

Have a great weekend!




Audio Book: The Wal-Mart Effect

Wednesday 26 July 2006 @ 6:08 am

Wal-Mart is the discount store down the street with smiling faces and great prices. Or is it really something different? The “low prices every day” policy is good for shoppers… or is it? When a new Wal-Mart comes into town what really happens to other businesses? A great way to find the answers to these questions is to pick up a copy of “The Wal-Mart Effect,” by Charles Fishman.

In this objective look at the worlds largest retailer you’ll discover fascinating things about the products on the shelves and the stories behind them. You’ll discover the rags to riches fame of a twelve year old girl and her dad with a unique product called makin bacon. You’ll find out how huge companies have been driven to bankruptcy with Wal-Mart’s always low prices.

A great way to experience this book is to download the audio version on your iPod or other portable audio player and listen while walking around a Wal-Mart store. This book is so eye opening that you will find it hard to pause the audio. From the strategic placement of products on end caps to the remarkable story of Chilean salmon, this book will keep your attention.

Your next visit to a Wal-Mart will be so different. You’ll discover the winners and losers in this multi national corporate battle to have their companies products included on Wal-Mart’s shelves. You’ll see that $99 lawn mower and $2.99 sprinkler that cost many Americans their jobs. You’ll suddenly notice the small quality differences in the national brand jeans selling for $13.95 and wonder what the next quality cut might be.

This is a fascinating and somewhat troubling adventure. You’ll never look at Sam Walton’s company the same again. If you are a business owner this is a must read, because this retailer from the little town of Bentonville Arkansas is changing the way the world does business.




MBA Thesis & Project

Tuesday 9 May 2006 @ 6:20 am

As I’ve been listening to different audio books and putting this program together, one thing has become clear. I need a thesis and a workable project to make this site complete. With a dozen or so audio books under my belt, I’ve come to love the format. I can listen while I’m walking, driving, or just working around the house.

The format does two important things for me.

1. It helps me complete the book. Unlike written books which take uninterrupted time, the audio book format lends itself to multitasking. I can be doing something else while I’m enjoying the material. This is especially helpful while doing something that is naturally boring or unpleasant. Listening while exercising or weight training has proved to be a win-win situation. The book comes alive and the focus on exercise disappears. So many written books lie unfinished because of a lack of uninterrupted time.

2. Immersion in the subject. Being able to listen to a subject while walking, driving, or just sitting is a huge plus for the audio book format. My walks through local business districts have proven to be an amazing experience. The insights that I’ve learned are incredible. Listening to Seth Godin, John Maxwell, or Malcom Gladwell while exploring a new business district has opened my eyes to subtle clues about business success. All of a sudden important stories appear in some businesses while others are truly unremarkable. It truly gives you an important perceptiveness of reality. One that would be very helpful for business owners.

One thing has become clear. I love old towns. The unique business districts with an eclectic mix of entrepreneurial adventures are fascinating. Ever since I was a kid I always dreamed of owning a small business. Having a shop with cool stuff and adventurous customers has always been in the back of my mind. To open a unique restaurant with delicious food and live music has been an unwritten goal for years. Reality has always prevented me from pursuing any of these dreams.

Reality says that most businesses struggle and fail. Walk through any old town and you’ll find that to be true. Yet in every town I’ve been in there are always the standouts. Restaurants with lines out into the street, eclectic antique shops full of curious customers, and the ubiquitous art gallery with the painting you just have to own. What makes some businesses stand out from the others? Why are some a roaring success and others empty? That is the question of my thesis.

Seth Godin has opened my eyes to storytelling. In this new millennium, advertising and normal marketing is not enough. There is always somebody willing to sell your product cheaper and get it to your customer faster. Enter Wal-Mart and the other big box retailers. Selling products for less money that most businesses can buy them wholesale. How can a small business compete? The answer is they can’t. They can’t compete if they are telling the same story. If they are just marketing and advertising the same thing as Wal-Mart, Wal-Mart wins every time… even if it’s just a few cents.

Small businesses must sell a different product and tell a different story. A story that Wal-Mart or other mass retailers could never tell. A story so compelling that people are drawn in from far away.

That is my thesis…

Old Town: Developing an Authentic Story in a Wal-Mart World

Some questions that will be answered.

  1. What kind of businesses thrive in an old town setting?
  2. Who are the customers that come to old town?
  3. What story must be told to bring customers in?

As I explore different Old Towns, these questions will be asked and the answers compiled. Is there a pattern for success? Is there a particular business model that works well in this environment? Is there a particular customer base/demographic that is drawn to old town businesses?

As I have walked through diverse old towns such as Temecula, Murrieta, and Fallbrook certain similarities are starting to emerge. Each town is completely unique but particular business models are coming to the forefront. Some stories are working better than others. There are incredible standouts with amazing tales being told.

Come along and join in the adventure.

Later this week we’ll talk about developing a workable project to accompany this thesis.

Designing and developing our own workable Old Town business.

We’ll buy the land, build the building and develop a story. All on paper… but the story will be real. The beams and stucco will exist only in a CAD drawing but the story will be authentic…

if only in our imaginations…




The Big Moo

Monday 17 April 2006 @ 12:01 pm

I downloaded the audio book “The Big Moo” the other day. The book is a compilation of marketing and business authors answering one simple question…

What does it really take to make your organization remarkable?

I decided to listen to this amazing and quick paced tome while walking thru the old town business district of Fallbrook, California. Fallbrook is an unique little town in Northern San Diego County with a history dating back into the 1800’s. The Old Town section is an eclectic mix of old and new with an amazing variety of different businesses. As I started walking it started raining so much of my journey was completed in my car.

As I started listening to Seth Godin read the compilations of the 33 authors in Big Moo, different points would come up and I would stop the iPod and make notes. This is an incredible little book and a remarkable little town… a great mix. As I walked the following ideas came up.

1. Remarkable doesn’t always mean right now.
Fallbrook is in transition. There is definitely a mix of old and new with distinct historical themes throughout. Much of the town was built in the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s. Each decade is apparent by the architecture and business names. Some of the remarkable businesses in town are old shops made new. Wonderful colors and fonts adorn the front of the shops with unique business plans. Here was a vacuum shop done up in a Victorian motif. The bright purple color made the business stand out from the crowd and the fonts and sayings drew customers in.

What I came away with is being remarkable doesn’t always mean “right now”. As this town was a great example of taking something old and ordinary and transforming it into something extra-ordinary. Remarkable here was Victorian, purple and bold.

2. The secret is bringing a great idea from another market or industry to your market or your industry.
My walk thru town was at lunchtime on a Friday. I was intrigued by the crowds at the center of town. There were hundreds of people out on a weekday. This was so different from my experience in Old Town Temecula just 10 miles away that was empty during the week. What was the draw? As I got closer I noticed a sign that said “Farmers Market,” 10-2 on Fridays.

This was great with a lively and fun atmosphere. Vendors had umbrellas setup on the sidewalks with a mix of fresh produce, art work, and unique clothing all for sale in a large patio setting. The restaurants in the area were doing a booming business. All of the businesses were flooded with people. I came away with the idea of Collaboration. Taking the great ideas and marketing plan of one type of business and meld it into a workable attraction for all local entrepreneurs. In this case there was incredible synergy on a weekday afternoon.

3. Sometimes you find remarkable innovations in the places you least expect
At one end of the main street thru Old Town Fallbrook was a small roadside cafe. From the outside it looked somewhat inviting with a rustic sign and a old western look. Inside it was a restaurant and history museum with memorabilia from decades of Fallbrook life tacked on the walls and ceilings of the place. The innovation of the place was the authenticity of the experience. It felt like you were transported back to the 1940’s with great service, wonderful food, and authentic memorabilia.

So many new businesses have a retro feel but you find that everything inside is a modern copy of an original item. Not so with the Wayside Cafe… all original just like it was in the post war era of this little boomtown.

4. What’s in the trash that needs to see the light of day, needs to be run by a customer or tried out on a playground?
As I entered town I found a small periodical called the “Fallbrook Sourcebook” on a bench that was a great resource for this whole community. It tells the story of the town and gives many insights to the businesses located there. This book needs to be prominently displayed for visitors as they enter town. This would really help since it tells an authentic and timely story of this wonderful town called Fallbrook.

Fallbrook is a town that prides its self in the Arts. Many art galleries line the street and the weekday business can be brisk. This is different that other old towns such as Temecula that have many antique stores which tend to be busy on the weekends. If you make down to San Diego in the future, be sure to put Fallbrook on your list of places to visit.

Be sure to pick up the Big Moo. This is a fascinating book and one that will give you many marketing insights into many types of businesses old and new.




Career Resources

Thursday 13 April 2006 @ 10:08 am

Welcome everyone! Some short notes today about various items. I would like to say “Thank You” to all of the blogs that have spread the word so far about MBA on the Run. Brad over at Achieve-It ran a post as well as Phil “Shak” Gerbyshak over at Make it Great. The Master of Curiosity, Dwayne Melancon and Brendon Connelly of Slacker Manager have been very supportive and have given me a lot of great feedback. Please be sure to bookmark these sites.

The website Personal MBA has launched a web chat feature entitled “Personal MBA Live” using online Campfire software. The cost for the service is $4.95/month. Looks like a great tool for online collaboration.

I received an advance copy of Career Intensity, a new book from David Lorenzo, the other day. This is an amazing work and a great resource for business people as well as entrepreneurs. In Career Intensity, Lorenzo advocates workplace warriors and management mavericks taking the reins of their careers and moving into value-creating positions as intrepreneurs and entrepreneurs.

To do this, Lorenzo says that individuals need to commit to what he terms a cycle of continuous improvement. “The cycle begins with the process of discovery and learning, continues on to applying what you’ve learned to your career, and then concludes with you marketing yourself to the world in a way that communicates your ability to generate value. The trick is not to do this once, but to do it in a perpetual cycle,” Lorenzo says.

I found that David has great insight into career building and entrepreneurship. He talks about the power of creative walks. He writes…

I am particularly inspired by long walks. I carry a pen and a pad of paper with me everywhere. As I walk, I write down the ideas that pop into my head. I don’t spend time trying to focus my thoughts. I let them flow naturally. It is amazing how many great ideas were born as I walked along the streets of New York City.

I concur with David about carrying a notebook. I carry a “Hipster PDA” with me on my MBA on the Run adventures and I find it helpful to jot notes as I listen to each audio book. You can order a pre-release of Career Intensity from David’s website. The book is due to be published in May.

As a visitor to this site you may find yourself interested in starting your own business. Fellow blogger Steve Pavlina has some great resources to help the new entrepreneur develop a successful business. Entitled “10 Stupid Mistakes Made by the Newly Self-Employed”, Steve outlines some of his experiences developing his personal productivity website.

Steve states…

It takes significant effort to build a successful business, but it’s also a tremendous growth experience.  I know many people who have quit their jobs to run their own businesses.  Many of them didn’t do as well as they’d hoped, but I don’t know any that regretted taking the plunge.  There’s simply no substitute for holding the reins of your own destiny.

Check out the great resources on Steve’s site.

And finally I ran across this great marketing message from Kim Klaver’s Blog

One day, there was a blind man sitting on the steps of a building
with a hat by his feet and a sign that read:

“I am blind, please help.”

A creative publicist was walking by and stopped to observe.
He saw that the blind man had only a few coins in his hat.
He dropped in more coins and, without asking for permission,
took the sign and rewrote it.

He returned the sign to the blind man and left.
That afternoon the publicist returned to the blind man and noticed
that his hat was full of bills and coins.

The blind man recognized his footsteps and asked
if it was he who had rewritten his sign
and wanted to know what he had written on it.

The publicist responded: “Nothing that was not true. I just wrote the
message a little differently.” He smiled and went on his way.

The new sign read: “Today is Spring and I cannot see it.”

Learning what to say changes everything.

Amen… 




Major Business Assets Online

Monday 10 April 2006 @ 3:29 pm

nullWelcome everyone to MBA on the Run. The concept of this site is to listen to business related audio books on an iPod or other MP3 player while walking or jogging through various business districts. The idea is to immerse the listener into the business concepts that are being presented in the program on a first hand basis. Major Business Assets on the Run

Sounds like a crazy idea doesn’t it.

The concept started last year when I realized that I needed to look into the degree completion process for my current job. I have two years of college and several technology certifications. After calling around and looking into different programs I realized that I would be looking at over $50,000 and 4 to 5 years of study to receive a masters degree in business.

When I was searching around I ran into a manifesto over at changethis.com entitled the Personal MBA, by Josh Kaufmann. His thesis is that you can get the equivilent education that a traditional MBA offers by reading 42 business related books. He setup a website at personalmba.com that offers a book list and online collaboration. After doing a little research this actually sounded like a workable solution. I figure that it will probably take two years to go through the books and about a $1000 in books and supplies. A far cry from the $50,000 of the traditional program. The program has become so popular that it was picked up by Business Week in an online article.

The bottom line: You get the education but not the piece of paper (degree) that may be critical. After looking at the list of books and the probable time commitment, I considered doing this. I asked myself the question… How will this fit into my personal goals and can it be somehow worked into my current schedule? When will I be able to read 42 books? I thought to myself… I’m already time strapped and a commitment this big may not fit.

Just then my e-mail popped up and there was a special offer from Audible.com for audio books.

The light went on…

Do this program with Audio books on my Ipod…

Another light went on…

Do this program while I’m already doing something else…

Another light went on… it was getting brighter..

Do this program while walking or exercising… something I’m already doing 30 minutes a day.

A crazy flashing light went on…

Walk or run in different business areas for greater continuity

Neon lights popped up…

Interview local business owners about the subject material when done listening

A bright white spot light came on…

Blog about the results. Create an online thesis…

An MBA on the Run!

That is what this site is all about.

Over the next two years I’ll cover many of the major business books and give you insight about the experience. With each book completion I’ll interview a local business owner about the subject. A real world analysis. I’ll post the results in an easy to use article format including the following.

  • Book description and weblink
  • Technical items (author, book length, etc)
  • Where I experienced the book (location, time, etc)
  • My feedback on the material
  • My feedback on the learning experience
  • Three major takeaway points
  • An interview with a related business person including podcast or written interview.
  • Your feedback on the book.

I hope to post two reviews per month with postings at least once a week.

The first four books that will be covered are…

Some of my adventures so far…

Stories in Old Town

On Writing Well

Back to the Future

All proceeds from book and technology sales as well as ad revenue over the next two years will go to help build a youth center and computer lab. Please consider helping out our future entrepreneurs and career seekers by buying books and equipment through links on this site.




Stories In Old Town

Saturday 1 April 2006 @ 4:51 am

Over the last two weeks I have been enjoying some new audio books as part of the MBA on the Run program. It has been interesting to listen on my Ipod to the best in the business talk about marketing, advertising, and financial concepts while walking through local business districts. Earlier this week I walked through Old Town Temecula at lunch while listening to Seth Godin’s new book, “All Marketers Are Liars”.
old town temecula
The concept of Seth’s book is that businesses need to tell compelling stories to be successful in the new millennium. No longer are facts and figures enough… businesses must tell authentic stories to their customers. This was profound. Almost all of the shops and businesses in Old Town are unique. Each one should be telling a unique story… but they were not. All I saw were facts and figures strewn out around the landscape.

Many signs said “antiques and collectibles” while others said candy and others said hamburgers. As I was walking I found myself hungry and thirsty. I wanted something different to eat. After all I was in old town and there was no fast food joints to compel me to come in. All I saw were “facts” such as hamburgers, sodas, Mexican food etc. No one was telling me a story. No one was compelling me to come in and have lunch.

If a sign had said “delicious” hamburgers or “hand rolled” tortillas or even “worlds best” pastrami I would have been in there in a minute. There was no story… no reason to even come in. I walked past a Mexican Restaurant that I know has the best Carne Asada in Riverside county.. the only sign outside was one stating it was a cantina. Why don’t they tell everyone driving by that they have “melt in your mouth” carne asada, “warm fresh” tortillas and a “signature” salsa?

I continued walking down the one mile Old Town Strip looking for anybody to compel me to come in. Someone to offer me something that I couldn’t get at McDonalds or Burger King. I reached the other end of town, crossed the street and headed back the other direction. Seth’s words were playing in my ears and I became increasingly aware why most of the businesses were empty on a weekday. This town didn’t have a compelling story… It really didn’t have much of a story at all. It was just different… and different wasn’t necessarily enough to get my business.

Seth’s book really came alive as I continued to walk. The marketing ideas of most of these businesses were as old as the adobe on the buildings. Just like Joe Friday… Just the facts ma’m. I continued to walk and I soon reached the other end of town. I had seen some interesting adjectives in front of business names such as “mad” or “sweet” but nothing as far as the food or drink.

As crazy as it may sound I ended up eating lunch at the new Starbuck’s at the end of town. Many people have told me a compelling story about Starbuck’s sandwiches and I just had to try one. This new Starbucks is in a historic building but their marketing is legendary. Starbucks had a huge crowd and I found it somewhat sad that nobody else in this unique business district was telling much of a story. At least for a visitor walking through town.




On Writing Well

Tuesday 21 March 2006 @ 7:16 am

The first audio book in my MBA on the Run series is a classic listen. This is a book that every student should have in their library. Entitled “On Writing Well“, author William Zinsser takes the subject of writing and breaks it down into four simple principles. They are Clarity, Simplicity, Brevity and Humanity. If you keep those four principles in mind, your writing will shine.

Zinsser states that “Clutter is the disease of American writing” and gives many examples of bloated and disorderly writing. Zinsser tells us that we have to examine every word that we put on the page, and try to find those that don’t serve any purpose. His quote, “Fighting clutter is like fighting weeds-the writer is always slightly behind.” is so true. Zinsser reminds us to drop the cliche’s, simplify our writing, and improve through revision.

While this is a great book in print, it really comes to life when read by the author. Mr. Zinsser adds a lot of personality and dry wit to make a compelling presentation. When I first started listening I was a little put off by his ideas. I thought the result would be 6th grade English. But the opposite was true. I found his four principles create sharp and concise prose that is easy to read and understand. This is a classic work that should be reviewed at least once a year.

As I completed the book many ideas came to mind. These concepts were new and exciting and I wanted to get a professional’s viewpoint. I decided to interview a fellow Toastmaster and professional writer Karen Robertson about her views on the subject of writing better.

Karen is a business owner, personal coach and the author of Raising Kids Right. She brings an interesting niche into the writing equation. She has been published in over 70 magazines and newspapers and has written a new step by step guide, “Do The Write Thing” about taking your ideas from creation to publication. We sat down for a few minutes and created a podcast about her book and some ideas to help you expand your writing horizons.

As a blogger I have employed many things to add traffic to this site. I’ve worked with search engine optimization, links, and word of mouth. Publishing an article in a magazine or other publication had never occured to me. Karen really got me thinking about the possibilities and her ideas that she shared should make the process much easier. Check out the 10 minute interview and you’ll be on your way to a successful publication in a magazine or newspaper you may not even know about.

Get Published Podcast

Karen’s business, Giant Step Success has a great website where you can buy her books and find out how she can help you reach your Big Hairy Audacious Goals and take a Giant Step to Success.




MBA On The Run

Saturday 4 March 2006 @ 8:54 am

I received an invitation in the mail the other day to attend a MBA presentation put on by the University of Redland’s School of Business. They just opened a new branch in Temecula so I called and got more information. The sticker shock was expected but the overall program will probably not work for me. With my education background and my focus on technology certificates instead of a degree, I would be looking at 4 to 5 years of work to complete the program. The price tag in the $50,000 dollar range will also be a little difficult to justify.

I work in the K12 education field and master degrees are very common and required for upper level management. A few of our senior cabinet members even have doctorates. Given my age and my goals I have some interesting choices. I can bite the bullet and spend the next 4-5 years of my life with little spare time and a singular focus or I can pursue something a little different.

In researching this topic I’ve found many other people in the same quandary. Most people are frustrated but I found an interesting little manifesto on changethis.com that may help. Entitled “The Personal MBA“, this program consists of reading 42 books on business and applying what you learn to increase your effectiveness at work.

The books cover a wide range of subjects and are written by many popular business authors. The manifesto was written by Josh Kaufman and he has put together a website with an online forum for comments and an ongoing discussion. Josh lists the pros and cons of the program on his site…

* Can a traditional MBA program help you? Yes. You’ll meet a lot of great people and get acquainted with a few professors and corporate HR recruiters who can help you land a new job. You will also sink very deep into debt. If you decide to enroll in a full-time program, the opportunity cost of lost wages and future investable savings is huge.
* Will a traditional MBA teach you anything you can’t learn by yourself? Probably not. Classroom discussion can be beneficial, but there’s nothing presented that you can’t learn by studying a good book on the subject.
* Is a traditional MBA worth the time and money? Sorry – there’s no universal answer. If you’re looking to go into advanced corporate accounting, finance, quantitative analysis, commercial real estate, consulting, venture capital, or investment banking, an MBA or MS in a business-related field may be expected or required. In those cases, caveat emptor: once you decide to attend, the only certainty is that your bank account will be significantly smaller.

If you decide not to go to business school, the Personal MBA is a low cost way to educate yourself about business. (Even business school graduates can benefit greatly from reading these books.)

The bottom line: You get the education but not the piece of paper (degree) that may be critical. After looking at the list of books and the probable time commitment, I considered doing this. I asked myself the question… How will this fit into my time schedule and can it be somehow worked into my 12 habits program? When will I be able to read 42 books? I thought to myself… I’m already time strapped and a commitment this big may not fit.

Just then my e-mail popped up and there was a special offer from Audible.com for audio books.

The light went on…

Do this program with Audio books on my Ipod…

Another light went on…

Do this program while I’m already doing something else…

Another light went on… it was getting brighter..

Do this program while walking or exercising… something I’m already doing 30 minutes a day.

A crazy flashing light went on…

Walk or run in different business areas for greater continuity

Neon lights popped up…

While out walking Interview business owners about the subject material

A bright white spot light came on…

Blog about the results. Create an online thesis…

An MBA on the Run!

null

I can do this!

So here is my plan and my 6th habit in my 12 Habits quest. Listen to two new audio books a month and create two new articles or posts about the subject. While putting together the material interview a real-world business owner about the subject.

My first Audio book will be “Purple Cow” by Seth Godin and I plan to listen to this while walking through Old-Town Temecula. The goal will be to assimilate the material and find a remarkable business that is truly a “Purple Cow”. A short interview with the business owner should make the material come alive.

I’ll need a few materials to make this happen. Technology is the key to success.

1. Ipod with a belt clip or Ipod armband so I can walk and run with it

2. Audio book from Itunes or Audible

3. Pocket voice recorder for doing the interviews

4. Naturally Speaking from Dragon software for speech to text translation

Other books should be easy to choose and many good ones have been listed on Rosa Say’s Love Affair with Books. A few good ones come to mind like Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazi and another of Seth’s books… All Marketers Are Liars
The exercise part of this plan is compatible with Five Factor Fitness and Core Performance Essentials routines.

Since this program will use Audio books the book selection will be somewhat different than the Personal MBA, since some of those titles are not available in Audio form. I will purchase some of the books that are good for reference in both audio and bound versions. Given the two books per month timetable a great education can be put together over the span of two years.

The synergy of this program combining exercise, learning, communication, and writing is very powerful and it ties in great with my ongoing 12 habits program.

The entire cost of the whole program… under $1000 including the Ipod, pocket recorder, Naturally Speaking software, and 50 audio books. This is much cheaper than any conventional MBA program that I have found.

The upside is a great wealth of blogging material, an online thesis, and online stories (and possible podcasts) of real business success. This may not be a conventional MBA with a sheet of paper but I think this might look pretty good to a prospective employer especially with comments and feedback from readers of this blog.

I picked up all of the materials this week and they work great. Naturally speaking is amazing and the little pocket recorder will record up to 8 hours of speech. The Ipod allows you to bookmark sections of the audio book for future reference.

The first step starts… today





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