Tuesday, May 03, 2005

JotSpot

I had the privilige of meeting the JotSpot team recently. What a refreshing experience to see an early stage startup and the energy as the team embarks on the "Change the world" journey.

Well, I actually think this one will. The guys are motivated and the product continues to evolve at a rapid pace.

I can start using the blog app to exchange information within my company and the knowledgebase/forums are used by JotSpot themselves! What a way to jumpstart my support group! And, it is a viral app, right. You enable workgroups to get productive, small startups start using it and all of a sudden the corporation needs it!

This is one of a handful of tech companies that I will be watching over the next few years!

Friday, April 08, 2005

The AZ Desert in bloom

The AZ desert gives a fantastic view of desert wild flowers alongside mountains amidst huge expanses of the desert. The Lost Dutchman park has the Treasure Loop that is a great hike. Downtown Phoenix is way off in the distance (30+ miles away).

Back at KnowNow

I am back at Knownow and KnowNow has moved to much nicer digs. ING has found a perfect solution for KnowNow's engine and now it is time to turn it up a notch.

Wednesday, March 02, 2005

Vietnam Vets bring home Iraqi Vet

Here's a 19 year old going to war and then needing our help. I wonder when we start helping kids that are ordered to go fight. Yeah, they may not have known that they would get sucked into a war, or they may have wanted to fight for their country. Either way, how do we make sure the government (and hence us) takes care of them?

Tuesday, March 01, 2005

I get it, Adam!

Adam showed me blogs a LONG time ago (OK, maybe 3 years or so ago) and I blew it off. "Who the heck would want to know about someone rambling away about their sorry ass miserable life?!" is what I thought :-)

Now, I just saw the deal where I can restrict access to the blogs. That is what I always wanted. I want my information on the web so that my friends and family can get to it but not just anyone. I also want to put up pictures of my family and let my relatives around the world check them out.

Of course, if the blog is ' out there' then there must be a back door to get to it (other than the admins, etc.)

Adam - I just got it (yeah, you're right - I'm a late adopter).

Succes thru' adversity

I keep on reading stuff where it was never the smarts that made the successful person. It was always the tenacity. Insights into Excellence has that. So does, Harvay Mackay has another article that focuses on this.

I guess this picture says it all- NEVER give up!

This is the kinda stuff they need to beat into you when you show up in college. I can only thank Manny Aroz for saving my ass @ ASU! I guess I didn't give up then.

Friday, February 25, 2005

106 Miles

I was just checking out some notes on 106 Miles and get continually amazed. Silicon Valley constantly has folks that are looking for the next big startup that will change the world. The DNA of the place is like that. While out here in Phoenix, the folks are content with being with one company. The focus out here in Tech Oasis is on family and a good quality of life.

It is the make up of the folks that fuels the innovation out of Silicon Valley while the DNA in Phoenix is all about steady (and slower) progress towards a larger goal.

I remember a discussion with Steve Dossick when he mentioned that there were very few families in the Bay area with young kids. Actually, I think it was more focused on the startup scene rather than the Bay area. It makes sense that you thrive in the Silicon Valley when you don't have a family, or when one of you is at home. Mind you, I know some dual income families but I think they always had one spouse working in the HPs & Ciscos of the Bay Area while the other pursued the startup scene.

I sure wish such patterns were discussed in college to give graduates a wholistic view of the world. Maybe they already do?? After all, I wasn't exactly a stellar student in college :-)

How could I forget Karl?!

So, I forget Karl Stewart when I am rambling away on the wonderful KN folks. Awesome asset to any corporation!

Yeah, I know. I forgot a ton more.

Make Every Moment Count

I was remiss in not mentioning Dr. R. James Steffen and his web site. He wrote the teaser in the Pro Svcs journal that I mentioned a couple of days ago. Aligned thinking should be required reading for all professionals.

Wednesday, February 23, 2005

KnowNow was fun

Adam Rifkin, Ben, Tommy, Evans, Dan G., Dimok, Andrei, Sean, Pinger, Kent, James, Alicia, Mado, Kathie - wow, there were a ton of people that made KN a blast! Yeah, I know I missed a bunch - sorry.

Well, that came to an end 1/21.

It is OK

Have you ever felt that things are just coming together?

Feels like that now. AZ is the place for us

The latest Professional Services Journal has a great article on professional and personal missions and happiness. Mind you, the book requires a professional desktop publisher's touch.

I have to tell my friend Adam.

Thursday, February 10, 2005

Homemade masks may help curb spread; not protect against infection

I asked a fellow ToastMaster if  making masks at home  and donating them would be of value since they are  not N95 . More on that late...