The Brilliance Of "The Oatmeal"

For anyone that's been in the web design world long enough you've probably run across Matthew Inman's theoatmeal.com. The Oatmeal while being simple illustrated is a brilliant microcosm of fun things that many of us within this (and other) industries go through like, but not limited too:

• Ten Reasons To Avoid Talking On the Phone
• How To Use A Semicolon
• Why You Don't Like Design Changes To Your Design
  
• Why Printers Were Sent From Hell To Make Us Miserable
• And every web designers personal favorite: How A Web Design Goes To Hell
• Lastly, some awesome quizzes that he's ably tied to your F account if you want to post the results.

The method is simple really, take something that everyone's talking about and make fun of it:

Post addendum: And a classic to this day if you're a designer and have not read it. Thanks for the call back from David Kraftsow at Dontsave.com

Be Yourself In Life & In Business

As many of you know I hang on the 'gift of gab' as my platform for just about everything I do. I love what I do and I love being social with people even more. People energize me! It's taken me all my life to become just as astute a listening as it has speaking. This is the real key opening hearts and minds.

Here's a list of things I think are important when making new friends, both professional and personal:

1. Be honest. You spread lies and you'll forget where you dropped them.
2. Look, listen and learn. Eye contact, smiles, nodding and positively enriched communication is the only real way that someone knows that you're connected at that moment.
3. If you debate, know your point 100% OR simply exercise the point as a question within the discussion.
4. You don't have to like everyone and not everyone has to like you. With that said you must try to leave any conversation with the sense that you gave them adequate time and your respect.
5. If you're connecting with someone on a topic, drill deeper on how you arrived at that similarity. You'll find even more connections this way.
6. Laugh with, not at someone.
7. It's best to avoid confrontational conversation such as politics, religion and sometimes even sports. People's direct passions may come into conflict with your own sensibilities. Remember, if you're caught in a bad conversation, chances are you're the one that got you to that place.
8. You can always walk away. In life and business there's no reason to fall victim to anything.
9. Be who you are in "real life." If you're a funny person, be funny, articulate person be respectfully intelligent. The reason being is sometimes your clients become life-long friends and it's best to show them who you are right away.
10. When you go to an event see if you can remember a short but beneficial story to tell that would be topical. Then if pulled into a conversation you have a go-to topic that applies.
11. If you have constructed a self brand it's your job to maintain that personification.
12. Be kind, humble and try to enjoy the sometimes fleeting moments you have with new people. You can learn a great deal and sometimes those moments might lead to something great.

As I reread this post it seems that all of these points should be no-brainers. But having said that, these points are never truly mastered, they're more of groundwork for verbal communication. I write these posts sometimes simply to have them said to myself most it the time and I hope that of benefit to others. As always I'd love to hear your comments, questions and thoughts.

Me And The Future Of My Daughter's Dating Process

Few things truly terrify me anymore. I was loner in my youth with a small circle of tight-knit friends, but was plagued by bullies and self-imposed stress. And because of said past I will never be bullied again, not in life, not in work. If you know me you'll also know a few things to be true and if you don't here goes:

• I'm paranoid about everything, often to a fault
• I'm overly sensitive and passionate about the care, well being and success of family and friends
• And "my girls" - Shannon (my wife) and Sydney (my daughter) are at the center of my world
• I'm a work-a-holic with an energetic sense of whimsy to mentor and learn from those around me
• I'm hyper-critical of my own design process but am rarely 'married' to anything I do; a bit if a love/hate thing I guess
• When it comes to technology I constantly feel like I'm falling behind (the reality is I'm usually 6-12 months ahead)
• I'm scared of blank screens before I start designs
• And there's nothing I like more than to make people laugh

With all that narcissism out of the way let me take you to a period of my life that truly terrifies me: My daughter (who is three at the time of this post) dating. Currently, the only thing that makes the idea only mildly pallettable is this video clip from the movie Bad Boys II. N-Joy.

People In The Know: John Terry

Position Title:

Public Relations Manager with Channel Intelligence

Define your business role:

The position description probably has a bunch of HR jargon about “re-conceptualizing synergistic distributed relationships,” but it really boils down to external communications with the media, potential and existing customers, and the financial community.

What do you see as your responsibilities to your clients?

I’m focused on serving internal clients as opposed to our company’s paying customers. My clients are the product managers and sales reps who are out there selling our e-commerce solutions to manufacturers and retailers. The most important thing I can do to move Channel Intelligence forward is spread the word about how we help customers sell more stuff online. For the rest of this year and going into 2011, my primary focus is on telling the success stories of our existing customers.

You recently started a blog did you not? What have you learned blogging so far?

Who told you that? I thought everything I wrote was private!

What continually surprises me is there are a handful of people in the world who actually have an interest in what I write. I regularly hear from people who tell me they like my writing style … they like the way I tell a story. I squirm a little bit at saying that out loud, but it’s nice to hear those comments. A former co-worker commented on a recent post and said it was like sitting down to talk with an old friend. Dude -- that about made me cry. Of course I didn’t ACTUALLY cry, because I’m way too manly for that.

I guess what I’ve learned is that even when I think no one else will give a damn about what I’m writing – I’m probably wrong.

Talk to me about marketing and building a brand around a technology company?

First of all, I think you can remove the word “technology” from that question. I feel like sometimes we all get too carried away with the “gee-whiz” aspect of working for a technology company. The fact is that the basics haven’t changed in the past 20 years. You still need a good product that solves a problem for your customers. Then you build from there. Sure, we work with data instead of widgets on an assembly line. But just like a traditional manufacturing company, we need to deliver our product on time, on budget and with minimal defects. Then we need to communicate that story to the outside world.

It’s a little different for a B-to-B company, because we won’t get a lot of attention from mass media outlets. Our message is targeted at a niche audience, so we’re trying to reach and influence the industry publications and bloggers within that space.

If you had a chunk of cash to sink into a new technology what would it be?

A machine that would hook up to your home television and record TV shows when you aren’t there to watch them. I know, I know, you think I’m on crack because we’ve all had VCRs for years. No, sir. I’m talking about a TAPELESS machine that not only records shows, but allows you to pause and rewind the shows you’re watching in real-time. Trust me – this will revolutionize the way people consume television.

You’ve been involved in a VC .com startup. What has that experience taught you?

I’m fortunate because I’ve had a good VC experience at Channel Intelligence. Our CEO, Rob Wight, has always said that when it comes to investors, you should pick your parents wisely. Your investors need to share your vision, trust you, and give you the space you need to execute your plan. I’ve seen him do that, and it’s been a good lesson. I also learned that frugality is a good thing when you’re spending other people’s money. During the DotCom boom and bust, when start-ups were burning cash on $600 chairs, fancy offices and forgettable TV spots, we were operating lean and working on a business plan.

What are you most proud of in your career?

That I’ve had the opportunity to work with the man, the myth, and the legend … Mr. Justice Mitchell …at not one but TWO companies. And that once, in a land far away, I managed to expense a very expensive phone call you and I made from 37,000 feet to a colleague back in Orlando. A seatback phone, a platinum Visa card and a flying bar – what a dangerous combination.

Beyond that, I’m proud of the annual benefit concerts I organized in the late ‘90s to raise money for The Orlando Sentinel Holiday Fund. Back then it was called Sentinel Santa. I was covering the Orlando music scene at the time for Digital City Orlando, and every year my musician friends would come out and play a show to raise money for the kids. It was always a pretty big effort and required a lot of organization, but it was incredibly satisfying.

I still have a recording of Rob Thomas and Steve Burry singing a duet together at one of those things, and I’m willing to give Rob the master if he’ll come back and do another benefit.

If you weren’t here, you'd be doing?

If I had the chops, I would be a musician. But I suck.

For a long time I had the idea of doing a Web-based series of audio and video features on interesting everyday people.

I would love that! When do we start?

Then one day I heard “This American Life” on NPR and realized Ira Glass was already doing it. I’d still like to do something in that vein, particularly with old people, who have so many amazing stories and experiences to share.

And no joke – I would love to combine that kind of work with running a little farm or orchard. I dig the rural life. But it would be helpful if the rural area has a place with a nice microbrew selection, a great pizza joint, and somewhere I can get a good Cuban sandwich.

And by "little farm" and pizza you mean growing weed in your garage. I gotcha ;)

When do we get flying cars and food pellets?

I’m tired of waiting so I’ve decided to go retro: A burro and salt pork.

Create a new superpower for yourself:

I am SlickMan. I have a huge ‘50s-style pompadour that I dip in the ocean to soak up oil spills.

Bio and Social Media Links you wish people to connect to at:
Website Address: www.channelintelligence.com   
Blog Address: www.talkstoomuch.com
Twitter: JTspeaks
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JohnTerry
Linkedin Account: http://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmterry
Email Information: john@talkstoomuch.com

Thank you for your time and consideration.