The Blog - Where Business Collides with Human Nature

Michael Hartzell

Recent Posts by Michael Hartzell:

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Managers

With The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Managers  top of mind, make a commitment yourself and to others:

Topics: Business Success Leadership Personal Development

A Story About a Duck

This is a story I have told many times. It is a funny story about a duck, success and thinking fast. (with a moral to the story)

A Story About a Duck

Topics: Funny Personal Branding Inspiration

Online Business Model Checklists for Your Success

What is your business model online?  How successful will you be if each of the tasks you see on the business models below were on your personal to-do list?  Can you be an expert in each of them?  How long will it take to become proficient? The Internet is not simply a phone book and is much more complex than you may realize.

Below you will see a variety of business models which you may be using.  As you look at each type of business models, understand how these might match your needs. 

Topics: Online Marketing Business Success Inbound Marketing Business Planning

Website Pop-ups - Do they align with the inbound marketing ideology of not being obtrusive?

Before I share with you a great pop-up tool, let's talk about that party at your home.

When you have a party at your home... you greet people personally, with enthusiasm, and make special offers to ensure their comfort.

  • You provide service, take their coat, offer something to drink and celebrate their arrival.

In a sense, you "pop-up" into their face and it is accepted and appreciated. Your offers are helpful and the intent is obvious.

And then came the website page - where Internet marketers are about "getting" more.

Topics: Business Software Inbound Marketing

ThrowAwayEmail for “Fake” Disposable Email Addresses - It’s a Scary World

ThrowAwayMail.com

is a disposable email address service. When you visit ThrowAwayMail.com a new email address is generated for you. The generated email address can immediately receive email. Any email that is received will show up on the main page. No one other than you will see the emails that are received.

It is important to note that an email address expires after 48 hours. When an email address has expired, the email address and any received emails will be gone. A new email address will be generated upon visiting this website.

There are many reasons for using a disposable email. You may want to give someone an email address without revealing your identity. Or you may want to sign up for a website or web service but you are concerned that the website will send you spam in the future. Completing surveys, completing forms on a site you are unsure of, to put off an annoying sales person, or when a company email address won’t do… these are but a few examples.

Topics: Security Free Software Email Marketing Facebook

How to Name Yourself

Putting things in a nutshell for naming yourself. 

My name is ___

Things are so bad because…

I am awesome and this is how!

I am committed to doing good… and will conquer the bad!

Watch, cheer or join… just stay out of my way.

Watch the video below for an inspirational example:

Topics: Personal Branding

Guerrilla Marketing Checklist & PR to Start the Adventure of "Famous"

Here is a potential guerrilla marketing checklist to get you started in the adventure of becoming "famous".  Guerrilla marketing works 100% of the time if executed well.

To that end, if you are starting from scratch and are hoping to become "famous" but low on funds (and in a hurry), this outline might prove helpful.  It is based heavily on guerrilla marketing tactics with an inbound marketing mindset.

Topics: Guerrilla Marketing Ideas Marketing Plan Inbound Marketing

Outliers - the Story of Success & How Talent is Overrated

You’ve heard about the 10,000 hour rule (introduced by Malcolm Gladwell in Outliers - the Story of Success). K. Anders Ericsson discovered that elite music performers—more specifically classical violinists—all had one thing in common and it was at least 10,000 hours of practice before becoming a professional.

Topics: Guerrilla Marketing Business Success Recommended Books Personal Development

The "Representative from Amazon" Offers a Website that will Bring You Thousands of Dollars

This one of the offers you might get by phone today.  The FTC says that Phoenix-based telemarketers bilked consumers out of millions with fake promises of free grant money and internet business opportunities.

SCAM:

The caller says he represents Amazon and is offering you a website that will bring you thousands of dollars in commissions when people use it to link to Amazon.com and make purchases. The caller says you need to pay fees — ranging from several hundred to several thousand dollars — but that you’ll earn your money back, and more, in 'no time'.

Topics: Amazon Entrepreneurship SCAM

How to Study by Working Smarter - Not Harder [infographic]

Never stop learning. It is one of the essential needs of people as shared in 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. If you are not familiar, the four needs are: Live, Love, Learn, Leave a Legacy. 

To learn more and improve your skills, it is not a matter of working harder... it is about working smarter. It is tempting to cram, study on weekends and optimize caffeine. This is harmful and ineffective.

Here are a few bits of information you might find helpful when trying to conquer new topics:

  • The brain finds it difficult to process any new information after 90 minutes of studying. 30 minutes of block study is much more effective.
  • A short nap can often refresh and recharge the brain. The recommended time for a good nap is between 20 and 30 minutes.
  • Three in every five college students stay up to study all night at some point, but this practice is linked with lower grades.

If you are working a job where a constant learning curve keeps you working overtime, or in school preparing for your masters degree, consider the tips in the infographic below. 

Topics: Learning Study

Do this Entrepreneur Savvy Test BEFORE you start a business

Are you thinking that it would be great to work for yourself?  As an entrepreneur, do you feel that you may have more choices and the opportunity to "get rich"? How many times have you looked in the mirror and said: “It’s time to say goodbye to the boss”?

While you may have a great talent and/or the idea of the century, there is more to being successful as an entrepreneur. There is a mindset, some call it a personality, and I would call it Entrepreneurial Savvy.

Most entrepreneurs have good energy, are persistent and no doubt create resources where there seem to be none available. Creative problem solving is included in their arsenal along with the ability to make decisions. I often refer to them as being “M.A.D.” (M.A.D. = Making A Decision).  Many times you will see entrepreneurs who have a great ability to motivate, persuade and inspire others, which are all aspects of a good leader.

Topics: Start a Business Startup Leadership Business Planning Entrepreneurship Test Assessment

Test Your Intelligence Here & Why 'Smart' Holds You Back

If you are exceptionally brilliant, you probably realize it because unlike others who are working and studying harder, making more errors and sweating with unusual stress, you move forward with ease.

It is however, very easy to get a false sense of reality. It is possible that you are not so smart but instead associate with, work with or hang around less intelligent people. In this case, you could appear to be a genius (and they will tell you so). You will strut a little and believe their truth as your own. Since you are obviously so advanced, you won't work as hard to learn, more acquire more skills and takes risks (Which adds to experience and wisdom).

Joining a membership, club or attending networking events can trap you with a false sense of intelligence.

If you rely on your reputation for being the smartest person in the room (in regards to your industry or field), you can easily assume that all is well.

When someone walks into the room who runs circles around you and asks questions you don't have the answer to, you will sneak away for two minutes to Google the questions so that you can appear to be "in the know". It reminds you that maybe... you might not be quite as intelligent as you thought.

Anyone can be at risk of being removed from the top spot by not only the boss, but also by clients, customers, peers, mentees and those we hope to impress because of pride and social status.

It is sad to know that so many want answers to questions like the ones below simply because they want stay off the bottom - and 'beat' the person next to them.

  • How intelligent am I?
  • Is there a test? (Like in school)
  • How intelligent do others believe me to be?
  • How smart to do I have to be?
  • Should I consider myself "the expert"?
  • What do others believe?
  • Which is most important? Intelligence or wisdom?
  • Is my I.Q. ?
  • How do I improve my intelligence.
  • How can I prove to others that I have intelligence and wisdom.

Before you take the test, what about your brain function?

Improving brain function may be more important than studying. If you are having challenges, it may be related to mental health, and for good reason. Conditions such as Alzheimers, anxiety and Schizophrenia are just a few of the mental health disorders to consider.  There are some interesting factoids about improving brain function here. The infographics should give you an 'ah-ha' moment or two.

Get ready to test your intelligence - Here are quizzes and tests to take that will help you dig deeper into who you are, and your personality:

Topics: Test Intelligence Quiz Assessment