Oh so it’s like that now?

Posted: 7:17 pm
December 11, 2008
OwnWebNow
3 Comments

When your parents name you Vladimir you get to grow up with a sense of humor when it comes to name butchering. But this one is actually quite amusing 😉

PIC-0048

Bone Web Now. I like the sound of that!

Chrome out of Beta!

Posted: 4:18 pm
December 11, 2008
Google
Comments Off on Chrome out of Beta!

Ok, this is perhaps the most exciting download since RTM released an iPhone download. Google has let the Google Chrome web browser out of beta. Go get it!

I was a little quick to judge the Google Chrome when it initially came out but since Shockey Monkey development (for the SM offline use) has been tied to Google’s Gears and this is by far the fastest and most stable web browser I’ve ever had. So if you dismissed it like I did, this might be a good time to take a second look at it.  

Getting ugly, eh?

Posted: 6:58 am
December 11, 2008
IT Business
Comments Off on Getting ugly, eh?

Everywhere you look it seems its between despair and disaster. Between our service industry struggling as everyone tapers their euphoria for things that really aren’t making money or saving money you will see things get a lot uglier than they are now and a lot tougher than they are now if you aren’t doing the right thing. How do you know if you’re doing the right thing? You probably won’t like my answer to that question if it’s on your mind.

Off topic: Last week I got the pleasure of Schragging my buddy Dave, recommending that he get the highest yield credit card and max it out 😉 That was really only partially a joke but allow me to explain. Much of our economy works and trades on vapor. For example, financial institutions count “available money to lend” as those ridiculous credit card limits they offer. With the pullback that the financial industry is being forced into, you will shortly see those lofty limits shrink. And if you’ve run a sound business you likely have 0% APR for a very, very, very long time. Banks are just dying for people to start doing business so they can at least get commissions going. And in tough times, cash is always kind.

Point is, business is fantastic. If your business plan isn’t yielding the results you want because of the economy then you change your business plan. You don’t bang your head against the wall and do the same thing that is failing.

You get out there and ask some very simple questions:

What is it going to take to earn your business?

What would you be willing to pay for this?

And then you get to work.

It’s good to be back!

Posted: 10:27 am
December 8, 2008
Vladville
1 Comment

I’ve been out for the past two weeks and today is my first full day back at work. Feel great, got tons of ideas and full of drive to close up 2008 on a high note and make sure our prep for 2009 is to make it the greatest year ever!

I know some of you have been waiting to speak to me, waiting on some paperwork, waiting on callbacks. I have been pretty good about email while out but you are unlikely to get a call back today. Just wanted to let you know in case you’re stalking this blog to check if I’m alive 😉

UF played for the SEC championship this weekend and I had the seats in the opponents section 😉  If you’ve met me you can probably fill in the blanks, needless to say it might take a day or two until I have regained my voice.

V… published!

Posted: 2:57 am
December 6, 2008
Vladville
3 Comments

Ten pages, 3,779 words and no pictures later, the first Vladville “V…” newsletter has been sent to over 6,000 subscribers. Thank you for your attention and the feedback you choose to share with everyone. Please do me a favor and forward it around to your friends. I’ve committed to doing at least 12 of these over the next year as we sail down some troubled waters. Grab a paddle 😉

As for demographics, everyone is on it. I have CIOs, IT underlings, IT service providers, one man shops, vendors and even guys who didn’t want to admit they were vendors. I’m looking at you Bob!

If you are curious you can download the Word document here, but that will just get you my point of view. The real prize is the feedback that subscribers that provide feedback will get. Think of it as the quilt, I start the story and you get to complete it. I will publish the extended directors cut with the audience participation in approximately two weeks so start talking back! 🙂

What is the catch? Well, one of the sure-fire keys to failure is the inability to pay attention and see the big picture. I am fully aware that 90% of the people will not read what I had to say. I’m confident that 95% of those people will not provide any feedback. In a single cycle I will have at best 1/10th the audience. Those are the people I really want to talk to. Newsletter is designed to be long enough that most people who don’t actually run a business will in fact ignore it. The language is plain and pointy, so that the reactionary skimmers will not even bother to fill out the feedback.. and you know what, the catch is that this is not about them! Yes, that is the catch. Most people will look at this stuff and see it as being something that is either far over their head or lacking any actionable items or fill in the blank plans. This is perfect because it instantly eliminates people who don’t work, think and research the industry to be able to lead it! It doesn’t put up a monetary border where they could still get in if they put down a few bucks. It doesn’t treat business leaders like children by giving them homework and assignments. It simply asks people to think and speak their mind. Which, when you really think about it, is what separates winners from losers. People in this business fail because they can’t see the big picture, spend all their time in a fruitless pursuit of the perfect tool or process without ever making a decision because decisions void of direction, certainty and confidence is frightening. Just looking for the people that will be here 12 months from now.

Mercy Killing

Posted: 5:24 pm
December 2, 2008
IT Business
4 Comments

I am really starting to get sick at this “too big to fail” crap that I’ve been hearing as of late.

Nothing is too big to fail. And if something is likely to fail, what kind of a reasonable person would ever consider making an investment in it? From a particularly interesting article about the auto industry:

“The companies are resisting calls for bankruptcy, arguing that no one would buy a car from an automaker that may not survive the life of the vehicle.”

Bzzzt. No one should invest in a company that is unable to remain alive on it’s own.

That’s sort of the foundation for capitalism. When times are good, your ramp stuff up and collect the money. When times are bad, you downsize or move, you go for the areas of the market that are responsive to your message or build products for the markets that are unfulfilled. You don’t sit back and ask for a loan to help doing the same thing that you are doing right now – business as usual that does not generate revenues to meet your obligations.

You are never too big to fail. If you think you are then you should give your job to someone else.

V…

Posted: 4:21 pm
December 2, 2008
IT Business
1 Comment

Remember what I said the other day? You can read the actual introduction below or better yet sign up for the first one due out on Thursday:

vladvillenewsletter

I know many people out there are probably shaking their head in disbelief: why put forth the effort towards something that isn’t going to going to directly drive measurable revenue? The long and convoluted answer can be summarized under: there are several intangible qualities to business ownership and leadership that indirectly benefit both the business and its clients without exchanging money.

When you look and ask about what people find the most valuable in the business or in the IT community, the answer is always the personal interaction. The only problem is, 99% of the people aren’t going to talk to you. At least not honestly. In a remote case that you actually engage in an open conversation with someone out of the blue there are very good odds that A) You are a very attractive female and/or B) They are trying to sell you something. That 1% of C cases are actually going to change the way you think about your business.

Let’s see what happens when a newsletter isn’t built around a blatant slimy vendor whore ™. I’m damn proud to be one, don’t get me wrong, but for a change I’d like to hear what everyone else thinks.

mApple

Posted: 12:59 pm
December 1, 2008
Uncategorized
1 Comment

Simpsons rule!

With an announcement that will completely change the way you look at everything… And that announcement is:

You’re all losers! You think you are cool because you bought a $500 phone with a picture of fruit on it. Well guess what, they cost 8 bucks to make and I pee on every one.

I’ve made a fortune off you chumps and I’ve invested it all in Microsoft! Now my boyfriend Bill Gates and I kiss each other on a pile of your money!

What’s going on out there?

Posted: 10:21 am
December 1, 2008
Vladville
1 Comment

Just closed an IM window with one of my guys telling him to put up a little bit longer with the volume as things are going to die down very soon. Then I told him that things typically die down a week or two before Thanksgiving and the poor guy had been putting in extra hours (along with a LOT of others on the staff) this quarter.

So what gives?

Well, we’re doing good as a proxy of our partners. If we’re doing good, they are doing great because we only see a small subset of their sales and services. At the same time, we’re seeing a near record number of partners going out of business, asking to transfer services to another provider, record # of credit card transaction declines.

It’s quite simple:

Nothing happens just because, nothing will just come to you and land on your lap, nothing happens unless you really put in the effort.

The good news is, you’re likely competing against a bunch of lazy bastards that are feeling too sorry for themselves. The best news is, it’s Monday after Thanksgiving and you’ve got 5 business days to kick some serious ass.

I’m on a vacation…. but just watch what I do.

Buck Fama

Posted: 9:36 pm
November 29, 2008
Gaypile
3 Comments

Regular season is over. Let the hatin’ begin. Buck Fama!

bryantdennymodel

l_197f37d393af1287e132cdd1261766b2

sabanmoneybags

Got the tickets to the next Saturday’s SEC championship game between Florida and Alabama so I can hate live in person 🙂 So even if we get our ass kicked at least I’ll be in the good company of drunken losers. But that still gives me over 6 days of hatin’

Southeastern Conference, the tradition of hate…. 😉