Building Your Own FREE Website !

(image borrowed from : www.bubblews.com)
Reposted from : New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/06/technology/personaltech/building-your-own-web-site-free.html?nl=technology&emc=edit_ct_20130606&_r=0&pagewanted=print

June 5, 2013
Building Your Own Web Site, Free
By AZADEH ENSHA
Personal Web sites have been around a long time. Just ask anyone with an old Angelfire or GeoCities page. But now, Internet users have a dizzying array of free, feature-rich services to choose from — no coding skills required.

“These days, personal site builders have a lot more functions, and they’re a lot better because of it,” said Brian Blau, a research director at Gartner, the technology research firm. Still, Mr. Blau noted, the free model has drawbacks. “It has little to do with helping people. It has to do with making money. The free is always the hook. What they’ll sell later is shopping carts and all these other add-on services, because once you’re hooked in, you’re not as motivated to change.”

The market is teeming with businesses based on the free model, which helps companies increase their users and in turn helps them secure financing and advertisers.

Still, for Web users seeking to promote their work or business on a small budget, these ready-made sites are useful. Below is a roundup featuring some free platforms, broken down by category.

QUESTIONS WORTH ASKING Having a wealth of services to choose from is both good and bad. Simply because a company offers 300 fonts doesn’t mean you need anywhere near that. So before you get started, ask yourself three questions: What am I looking to get out of the site? What features must I have? And which ones can I live without? Figuring out these answers before settling on a service can help you avoid potential pitfalls down the line, like dealing with outdated plug-ins and overly sophisticated tools.

GENERAL-PURPOSE WEB SITES When it comes to creating personal sites, the former AOL-owned About.me is a great first option. Like most others, About.me offers social media buttons, a mobile application and a simple sign-up. The free version of the site is also ad-free, with the exception of a company promotion positioned on your home page.

But if one of your must-haves is themes, look elsewhere. About.me doesn’t have them, relying instead on existing About sites (showcased under directories) to help inspire other users. “A lot of parallel products were focused on themes and rigid formats, and we’re more focused on user control,” said Ryan Freitas, the site’s co-founder. “Users don’t need as much hand-holding when they’re given examples.”

Weebly is a better alternative if you want themes. The company offers over 100 of them, from corporate to entertainment. More important, Weebly continuously adds themes and removes old and outdated ones. With Weebly, too, a large majority of its services, including domain name transfers, are free.

“All of our growth has been through word of mouth,” David Rusenko, Weebly’s co-founder, said, noting that the site had an 80 percent Net Promoter Score, which measures how willing users are to recommend the service to others. “We spend an inordinate amount of time on the product, and, at the end of the day, this metric shows how users feel about it.”

If your top priority is social networking, consider Flavors.me. The site aggregates and posts photographs, blog posts, status and other updates from more than 30 services, including SoundCloud, Instagram and Tumblr. Like Flavors, DooID is big on social network integration. The site places your profiles on a single landing page, along with a vCard button on the Web version, so others can download and import your contact data.

If customer service support is high on your list, Wix is a great option. The company’s contact form offers support in nine languages. Additionally, Wix has a call center in San Francisco with over 70 agents to field questions from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time. On the user end, Wix has an HTML 5 drag-and-drop editing tool, integration with the image editor Aviary and hundreds of fully malleable templates. “We give you templates, but they’re a jumping-off point. You place what you want, where you want,” said Eric Mason, the spokesman for Wix. On the downside, such malleability often comes with more upkeep.

Breezi is less laid back than Wix, which means that you can’t, say, drop an image anywhere you like. But this more restrictive model also makes it less likely that you’ll run into broken links and screen resolution issues. Most impressive is the company’s relatively new design engine, which generates designs on the fly.

“The real problem is that a lot of these sites can’t help a user design. That’s why you have the designer act as the middleman, because the real issue is the know-how,” said Navid Safabakhsh, a founder of Breezi. “You can waste a lot of time using the wrong tools.”

Breezi lets you select your category from among hotel/spa, pet services, consulting and other options. Then you can choose and lock in colors, fonts and other features until you’re happy with what you see.

SHOPPING AND SMALL BUSINESS For business or brand promotion, Facebook Pages is a popular option, mainly because of the social network’s built-in billion-plus users that page owners can turn into “likes” and dollars. Users can also create promotional discounts for their customers.

If you’re in the market for a fleshed-out online store to sell big-ticket items, but don’t want to pay for an e-commerce solution like Shopify, try Etsy. The site lets users create a store to sell handmade goods and vintage items, like furniture and greeting cards. Store owners pay 20 cents per listing, and Etsy takes a 3.5 percent cut of the item’s selling price. For smaller shops, Big Cartel also provides a similar service, with a clean, customizable interface, a one-time monthly fee instead of individual transaction charges and the ability to sell a wider range of goods. But its free version lets you post only five products, and you won’t get the built-in traffic base that comes with a community marketplace like Etsy.

If you want to create a site for a single item, there’s Gumroad. The site is especially good for independent artists seeking to sell their documentary films, songs and books. Like Etsy, Gumroad takes a cut of your proceeds, though it also accommodates deposits in over 190 countries and has a simple checkout process that makes buying easy.

To advertise a bake sale or create a lost dog flier, try Smore. The service is an easy way to create and publish posters online, with the ability to embed videos and Twitter posts.

PORTFOLIO SITES For professional or résumé sites, look into Zerply. Like LinkedIn, your Zerply page can highlight your education, experience and biography, and users can endorse others. For professional writers, two good sites are Muck Rack and Contently. Both sites allow journalists to showcase their work, including published articles. User profiles also display how many times a highlighted article has been shared on social sites like Twitter.

For graphic design and art portfolios, Carbonmade is a good way to show off your illustration skills, though its free version allows a maximum of only five projects and 35 images.

And that’s a small reminder that, ultimately, there’s no such thing as a full free lunch.

The First Step: Opportunity Screening

The First Step:   Opportunity Screening

At the very start of an Entrepreneurs adventure, the first step is most often the attempt to answer the question: What venture am I going to start? 

Unless one inherits an existing business or has had a “eureka” moment that immediately decides what product or service to embark on, the start-up question on what to do is the initial, and perhaps one of the more difficult steps to overcome. 

And this is where “Opportunity Screening” comes in. As the term suggests, starting an entrepreneurial venture is looking at various opportunities that can come our way. How to screen these opportunities and deciding on which one to “start-up” is the first step in any entrepreneurial adventure.
During my studies at the Asian Institute of Management in Manila, my professor in Entrepreneurship gave a very interesting analogy on “opportunity screening”. He likened this to going fishing. Specifically, fishing along a shore line and Spear Fishing. 

Shore or Surf fishing is when you cast a line and hope that a fish bites the bait. 
Spear fishing is going under the water via free-diving, snorkeling or scuba diving, and targetting the fish with a spear-gun or sling. 

With the fish being the opportunity or venture, these two types of fishing illustrates how entrepreneurs screen opportunities. 

Either you Surf Fish – prepare your resources, send out feelers and inquiries, and wait for replies or expressions of interest from various business proposals. 

Or you can Spear Fish – you get out into the business ocean, armed with your resources and pick out a target that you like, and shoot for it. 

After a lengthy and heated discussion during this class where our professor asked which type of fishing or opportunity screening is better, it was agreed upon that both are good ways of opportunity screening, and what is best is using both, depending on the following: 
a) Personality, Abilities, Strengths & Weaknesses of the Entrepreneur.
b) Available resources.
c) Industry & Market / Competitor conditions.
d) Existing organisation of the entrepreneur.

Whatever style you may choose, it is also best to be guided with some basic questions. Below is a worksheet that can help new and experienced entrepreneurs in picking out those opportunities that are worth building. (Adapted / Modified from: www.pmtraining.com.tw/article/5phase/Phase0.../OpportunityScreen.doc)‎

Bacon & Potatoes Opportunity Screening Worksheet:
This Opportunity Screening worksheet is used to help determine if an idea is worth enough to develop.  The Entrepreneur can use this worksheet to evaluate a number of factors in determining if a new product development project should be undertaken and identify the important issues in making that decision.

Opportunity Overview:
General information about the proposed product or perceived opportunity.
1. What is the opportunity?
2. What is the market need to be served by this idea?
3. What is the market or markets to be served?
4. What product or package improvements are needed by the key market(s)?

Fit with Core Capabilities:
Defines how well this product leverages the entrepreneur's existing strengths and core capabilities and competencies.   
1. Does the opportunity represent a fit with the entrepreneur's  personal vision and mission in life? (If not, state what should change and why.)
2. Does the entrepreneur have the necessary management capability, capacity and competency to manifest this opportunity into a reality?  (If not, what skills, etc. would have to be learned or acquired?)
3. Does the entrepreneur have the wherewithal  to understand the technology?  Can it integrate the technology, manufacture the technology, etc.?  (Has it been done, done in this entrepreneur's existing organization, has it been done by others?  What changes are necessary to be able to handle the technology?)
4. Does the entrepreneur know how to manufacture this and handle the required operations?  (If not, what needs to be learned, acquired or changed and why?)
5. Does the entrepreneur have the necessary skills to market this opportunity?  (If not, what's different about this opportunity and how would the entrepreneur  need to change to accommodate the opportunity?)


Barriers to Entry:
Careful consideration is required here since barriers can be positive and negative.
Negative: The entrepreneur cannot muster the resources necessary to enter the market effectively
Positive:  The entrepreneur can enter the market because of certain core competencies and capabilities that are unique to the entrepreneur (for this market).

1. Is there potential for a specialty market or niche market for this opportunity?
2. What will be the likely competitive response?  From our traditional competitors?  From unlikely competitors?
3. Are there any threats to the market?  (Environmental, regulatory, economic, technology, etc.)
4. Is there any potential for product displacement already in place?  Will this product cannibalize any current product mix?  Proposed or future product mix?  Will it displace a competitor's product?

Value Added:
Will the proposed product be perceived by existing and prospective customers as adding value to their shareholders, their customers, their employees, themselves, etc.?

1. How are the market needs and requirements for the proposed product currently being met?  (List the entrepreneur's and the competition's current or expected products and the needs they meet for various market segments.)
2. How will the new opportunity shift existing paradigms or perceptions (if any)?
3. Will the proposed change be perceived as valuable?  (If there are multiple targeted market segments, list any commonalties and differences for each segment.)
4. Can the proposed change be marketed as desirable?  (Are there different levels of "desirable" for different market segments?)

Essential Advantage:
Evaluate whether the critical blend of available or acquirable raw materials and the entrepreneur's capabilities will result in a product that is unique enough to provide our entrepreneur with sustainable strategic advantage.

1. Is there a competitive opening in one or more targeted market segment?  What unique characteristics or capabilities does the entrepreneur possess that will increase success for chosen market segments?
2. Is there a reasonable basis for a competitive advantage for the entrepreneur?  (For example, can we build it cheaper, does our brand carry a margin, will we be first to market, etc.?)

Long Term Sustained Revenue:
Objective: Long term profitable relationships are developed and maintained at the client level; the revenue stream from the market as a whole will continue into the foreseeable future.

1. Is the market too large or too small for the entrepreneur's participation with this product?  Ask the question of separate market segments and the combined, total market.
2. Can the entrepreneur achieve significant or adequate market penetration?  What are the drivers and the inhibitors to making the penetration larger?
3. What is the expected growth rate for the market?  What is the expected market share of this for the entrepreneur?  Why?

Market Position:
1. How should the product be positioned to achieve optimum performance in terms of market share and profitability?  Identify this for each targeted market segment.
2. Will the product have a positive or negative impact on the historic markets of the entrepreneur's existing products or services?  Will this product change customers' perceptions or expectations?  Will this change be good, bad or both?  (Explain)
3. Will the product alter or confuse the position we hold in the customer's mind?

Profitability:

1. Can the entrepreneur be cost competitive?  (Evaluate this for all targeted market segments.)
2. Can the entrepreneur safely finance the new product?  What are the financial risks?
3. What are the expected profit-levels for the market or market segments?
4. What is the expected return on invested capital?
5. What is the downside exposure to financial loss?  (Identify some worst case scenarios here.  Expand the scenarios and include "what-ifs" and why these scenarios may occur.)
6. Can the entrepreneur afford the downside exposure?  Can the entrepreneur take the risk?  Consider the worst case scenarios as a spectrum and show where the boundaries are if negative events take place.  Use these to justify taking the risks or not undertaking the project.

------------------------------------------------------------ 

Do you have other ways to screen entrepreneurial opportunities? Any questions on venture screening  I can help you with? Do drop me a note / comment below. Or email me at adrl@me.com - ADRL

Image credit: http://assets.samyroad.com/uploads/2705/attachment/67845/big_spear-fishing-perfect-timing.jpg

innovation Excellence: ENTREPRENEURS DEFINE RISK DIFFERENTLY

Reposted from innovation Excellence - http://www.innovationexcellence.com/blog/2013/05/25/entrepreneurs-define-risk-differently/

Entrepreneurs Define Risk Differently

Posted on May 25, 2013 by Deborah Mills-Scofield

Most people think entrepreneurs are willing to take on more risk than the average person. I’ve often wondered if that’s really true. After almost three decades of working with large corporations and entrepreneurs, I’ve developed a theory.

Now, this theory hasn’t been vetted with controlled experiments and testing. It is based solely on experiential and intuitive data drawn from my life experiences. For instance, I have 12 years of working with entrepreneurs as an early-stage venture capitalist; 19 years working for a large corporation (Bell Labs & AT&T) and consulting to their multi-national, multi-billion dollar customers; 10 years of mentoring entrepreneurs; and created a carve-out start-up within AT&T.

Here’s my theory: most entrepreneurs aren’t more risk-o-philic than anyone else — they just define risk differently.

For some I’ve known, the risk of losing autonomy and control of one’s “destiny” was far riskier than losing “guaranteed” income and benefits. Working for someone else’s company, reporting to a boss, and living under rules they weren’t sure made sense were a lot riskier than creating their own business. The risk of not pursuing their passion, of not making a meaningful and significant impact on the world around them, feels much riskier than starting their own venture.

For them, risk isn’t as defined by losing tangibles (e.g., income, benefits, “stuff”) as it is by losing intangibles: fulfilling a passion that won’t let go, defining their own sense of purpose, sating their own curiosity, looking themselves in the mirror.

The difference here is between risking outputs and outcomes. Outputs (such as products, profits, etc) are necessary and good, but they have their most profound effect when driving significant, palpable outcomes — like reducing chronic pain, creating a prosthetic leg for an Olympic runner, or inventing an app that eliminates a time-consuming task. Most of the entrepreneurs I’ve worked with would gladly risk a few outputs for an outcome they believe in.

For many entrepreneurs, another critical risk worth taking is making themselves vulnerable in order achieve the outcomes they envision. As John Hagel has said, the risk of embarrassment, ridicule, skepticism, perhaps even humiliation is much less than the risk of not putting oneself out there to try.Anthony Tjan astutely summarized it this way: “The willingness to be vulnerable isn’t driven by the desire for exposure, but by the possibility of what that exposure might lead to — be it a meaningful role, the possibility to affect change, and, of course, greater financial gain.”

I’ve seen, heard, and felt so many entrepreneurs’ intense passion and purpose for the outcomes they want to create. It is what defines who they are and why they’re here. I know that risk-reward equation. While food, shelter, education, and health matter a lot, I need to see outcomes when I look my children, husband, friends and clients in the eye, not just outputs. If I don’t see a positive, wonderful impact on their lives and the lives they are responsible for and encounter, then my life was just a series of outputs — maybe even large ones — but not outcomes; and I will have failed tragically.

While this is a theory ripe for a more scientific validation, I’m pretty confident it will prove out, at least in some great part. The risk of not pursuing that passion, of not fulfilling that purpose, of having lived a life of stuff without also living a life of significance, is the greatest risk of all.

image credit: etftrends.com

An Apple Story.

An Apple Story.

I was working on my one year five month old MacBook Air one morning, two months ago, at home,  when I got up to get a glass of water. When I got back from the kitchen, the screen was blank. Thinking that  it just went to sleep, I pressed the spacebar to activate the screen. It was still blank. The power cable was working but the MacBook Air was dead.

For the next several hours and three days, I searched online for a fix for my laptop problem. I tried a number of things suggested in Apple Forums. No success. 

An inquiry with an Apple Service Centre - Powermax Computers here in downtown Lismore, NSW- told me that a diagnosis would cost Fifty Five Dollars. I let it go at that, wondering,  if somehow, one day, my Macbook Air would just suddenly spring to life. 

Finally, after a month or so, I tried to turn it on. Still dead.

I brought it to the service centre and after a day, they told me that the Logic Board needs replacement and the parts and labor would cost more than Six Hundred Dollars. I decided to just pick it up and pay the diagnosis fee since the cost of repair was beyond what I could afford at the moment. 

The service technician, Bryan, was very helpful and gave me some advice. He informed me that the logic board was usually covered by a two year warranty, but since I bought the laptop in the Philippines, the warranty could not be applied in Australia. He told me to try and give Apple a call, and see if they could make an exception and provide warranty for my unit. He said all I would lose is thirty minutes of my time. It seemed to be a pretty neat suggestion. 

When I got home, I looked up the Apple Support online and since they did not allow you to email a request, I was pondering whether  to give them a 1300 call, wondering how much a thirty minute call would cost me. 

In their support site, I noticed that you could ask them to give you a call and I thought, this is great. It would save me the cost of a  lengthy telephone call. I logged in, typed in the required serial number of my MacBook and pressed next. The site then asked me if I had  Apple's AppleCare Protection Plan, which I don't. This nearly prompted me to just pick up the phone and dial the number, costs and all. But.... just below the link where you say Yes or No to the question was another link that asks you if you want to request for an exemption to the AppleCare Plan, for the reason that your Apple product is fairly new. Obviously, I clicked on that link and was prompted to enter my phone number. Which I did. 

After 2 seconds (no exaggeration), my phone rang and a Call Centre agent (who I found out later was based in the Philippines) asked me about my problem. I explained my predicament and she told me that although I should not expect any possible exception to the warranty rule, she will get in touch with her supervisor and asked me to wait for a few minutes. 

So I waited. Around five to eight minutes, which I did not mind since they called me up and I was using Facebook while waiting. She got back on the line and told me that she will transfer me to her supervisor.

When the supervisor was patched through, he introduced himself and told me that he was also named Alan, spelled correctly with one "L" just like me. 

He then proceeded to tell me that unfortunately, the service centre gave me the wrong information and that even if they allow the servicing in Australia, the warranty for the logic board was actually for just one year, and not two as Powermax Computers told me. I thanked him for the clarification and for taking the time to discuss it with me. 

But the story does not end here.  He immediately told me that he did not feel good about leaving me hanging since their accredited centre gave me the wrong information and that I would be stuck with a broken Apple product. 

He informed me that although they cannot make it a policy to extend the warranty beyond what they have stipulated, he was willing to make an exception and provide my unit with the warranty to cover the logic board replacement. He even added that if the service centre found any other matter to repair and replace, that I should give him a call ( he gave me his direct extension number) and he will see what he can do. 

He there and then updated the record of my MacBook and asked me to just bring it back to the service centre and they will be able to fix it up since the record would reflect an active warranty cover. 

Two days later, I had my Macbook Air back, up and running. And it just cost me the diagnosis fee of  Fifty Five Dollars 

Customer Service. Apple style. 

Excellent. 

EASTER BIZ!

This morning, a knock on the door gave me a pleasant and insightful surprise. A neighbour, an 84 year old woman who lives by herself handed me an advanced Easter Sunday present - 4 pieces of a Milk Chocolate Hollow Bunny. One each for me and my wife, and for my two boys. 

As I look at the foil wrapped chocolate bunny, it got me to thinking about how the Easter holidays affect both big and small businesses all over the world. 

True, Easter may not be as big a commercial holiday as Christmas or Boxing Day. Or even occasions that guarantee an increase in gift purchases such as Mother's and Father's Day. But, entrepreneurs, both big and small, may still take advantage of the Easter holidays to spike up their sales and generate the much needed income during the first quarter of the year. 

Most countries, specially those that are dominantly Christian,  celebrate Holy Week (last week of Lent and the week before Easter) with a few days of no work and school. This gives businesses involved in the travel and tourism industry an opportunity to get more customers who take the time out for a short vacation. 

For those that peddle more basic products and services, there are a number of ways that they can take advantage of  Easter into bringing home the bacon:

• For those that publish a regular newsletter, make it an Easter themed one - whether it is full of bunnies and eggs, or for those that can include a bit of spiritual features, it can showcase an easter story or articles for reflection. 
• Use Easter themed shopping bags or wrapping paper announcing your Easter activities or sales promotions.
• Send Easter Greeting Cards to loyal customers.
• Re-position your products and services ( gift certificates) as possible Easter gifts your customers can give out to family and friends. 
• Provide Easter give-aways like Easter Eggs or Bunnies (stuffed toys, please do NOT use real rabbits or bunnies). If you decide to use a real rabbit for kids to pet and have their picture taken with, why not borrow or lease one from a local pet store ( in exchange for publicity) and make sure to take care of the pet properly. 
• Supply recipes for Easter traditions around the world –Tsoureki (Greek Easter bread), Kolache (Bulgarian bread) or Pisanki (Polish Easter Eggs) for instance. Thank you to http://www.wordconstructions.com.au/articles/business/easterbus.html for this suggestion and other ideas. 
• Hold workshops on how to decorate easter eggs or how to make chocolate bunnies. 
• Hold an Easter themed contest for kids. In my kid's school, they were all asked to decorate a plastic cup with whatever Easter idea they had in mind. My son used paper , adhesive tape and markers to create a Super Bunny complete with the Superman "S" Logo.  Use your product or packaging bag as a base material.
• For those with blogs or websites, have your webmaster throw in a couple of Easter images and articles.
• A more ambitious project would be to hold an Easter Egg Hunt complete with prizes.
• Of course, nothing beats a promotional sale during Easter Sunday itself. Make sure to promote it weeks before. 

Do you have any other Easter ideas you'd like to share with our readers? Do send them in by posting a comment below or email me at : adluzuriaga@gmail.com 

I'll make sure to  include them in the post or in future entries. 

Happy Easter everyone!

Entrepreneurs as Keynote Speakers

Entrepreneurs as Keynote Speakers. 
21-January-2013

I received an email recently about Evan Bailyn, bestselling author of Outsmarting Google,
http://www.amazon.com/Outsmarting-Google-Secrets-Business-Biz-Tech/dp/0789741032. The email sender wanted to share his  blog with me, http://evanbailyn.com/keynotespeakers/, and see if I might share a link to it with my own readers at Bacon & Potatoes.

In the email, Evan is described as “ a serial entrepreneur who launched one of the biggest kids' websites in the world.  It also noted that Evan also does a lot of keynote speaking, mainly about how small business owners can profit from search engine optimisation (SEO) and social media. “

I visited his blog and it is prominently described as a Keynote Speakers Blog. 

This got me to thinking that aside from sharing his links, I might delve into the aspect of Keynote Speaking, specially those done by entrepreneurs. 

In reading about this topic, I discovered that many people and organisations often interchange the use of the words “ speech”, “workshop”, “seminar”, “training”, as well as use the term “keynote speech” when what they needed or meant was an “instructional talk”, a “technical presentation” or something else. 

Keynote speeches are, as described by many, a “motivational speech”. 

This is  just partly correct.  Although keynote speakers do inspire or motivate, it is also important that they set a theme or “key note” of the gathering, whether it is a conference, a political convention or any other such gatherings. 

As described in Wikipedia, “ A keynote in literature, music, or public speaking establishes the principal underlying theme. In corporate or commercial settings, greater importance is attached to the delivery of a keynote speech or keynote address. The keynote will lay down the framework for the following programme of events or convention agenda; frequently the role of keynote speaker will also include the role of convention moderator. It will also flag up a larger idea — a literary story, an individual musical piece or event.”

So what does an entrepreneur get to contribute in such an objective. Or why would an entrepreneur be a possible or even ideal “keynote speaker” .

No doubt, an entrepreneur would be able to instruct or teach an audience on the finer points of running an enterprise. Entrepreneurs would also be excellent in conducting workshops and seminars on their respective fields and industries. 

But, so would managers and technical persons who are non-entrepreneurs. 

What entrepreneurs bring to the table of keynote speaking, is the culture of inspiring oneself and others in building their enterprise to the next level, or making that quantum leap that would establish their organisation into a leadership position. 

Famous entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs and Richard Branson are recognised not only for their business success but in their ability to motivate and inspire millions of entrepreneurs in pursuing their aspirations. 

Many successful entrepreneurs, like  Evan Bailyn, even launch a second career as a keynote speaker, specifically, in the field of Search Engine Strategies and Social Media. 

So how does an entrepreneur get to be a keynote speaker? 

First of all, you have to be good at a specific entrepreneurial skill. Whether it is in building a great company like Apple or Virgin, or in a particular skill like “search engine optimisation”. 

Second, you must have the ability to communicate your message effectively. 

GlobalChange.com  - http://www.globalchange.com/keynotespeakers.htm – gives good pointers on how you can emulate successful keynote speakers. 

Great Keynote Speakers - what are they like?

• Keynote speakers grab attention.
• Keynote speakers have provocative ideas which last.
• Keynote speakers give people hope and boost morale.
• Keynote speakers change the lives of those they meet.
• Keynote speakers communicate the most complex ideas in a single phrase.
• Keynote speakers take the wider view - setting the tone and perspective for everything that follows.
• Keynote speakers entertain as well as inform.
• Keynote speakers create a buzz, and boost conference morale.
• Keynote speakers are intensely interested in other people.
• Keynote speakers are warm and confident in what they are saying without being arrogant.
• Keynote speakers are flexible: your event's success is more important to them than their great ideas.
• Keynote speakers work closely with organisers to make the message fit well.
• Keynote speakers are good team workers.
• Keynote speakers pay the closest attention to detail to get it right.

If and when you have to sell yourself as a keynote speaker, you might want to learn how to tackle these recommended tests that prospective clients and organisers employ: 
These are  tests recommended by GlobalChange.com for organisations getting a keynote speaker. Knowing what they are looking for can help you prepare when you receive their call. 
 Audition them on the phone

• Do they listen?
• Do you like them?
• Do they really get what you are trying to do?
• Do their ideas really fit your keynote theme?
• Are they persuasive, getting your attention?
• Can they communicate powerfully in a direct and simple way?
• Do you think you can work with this person?
• Have you talked to others they have worked with?
• Has anyone actually heard them give a keynote speech at an event?
• Have you at least seen a keynote video?
• Have you looked at the slides from a sample keynote presentation?
• Do they give keynote speeches at a lot of events like yours?
• Do they speak well of other contributors or slag other people off?
• Are they rigid or accommodating?
• Do they have a sense of humour?
• Do they have an agent representing them, with a strong reputation, as a further badge of quality and guarantee of past success?
• Perhaps a well established company like Leigh Bureau?
• Have you searched the web using the speaker's name to see what others are saying about them?Remember your conference delegates may well do the same.
• Do they have a high profile on the web?
• Have you searched press files to see how often they are quoted?

If you can address these tests, then you have a pretty good shot at establishing a career as a keynote speaker. 

Please feel free to send me a message at – adluzuriaga@gmail.com - if you have any questions about entrepreneurship or keynote speaking.  

Entrepreneur Blogs - The Top 10

Why did Bacon & Potatoes get started? 

It could be because off all the things I have been doing these past 47 years, Writing and Entrepreneurship are two of the disciplines that I enjoy doing, and where I feel I can contribute something of value. 

It could also be because I believe, that in these two areas, Bacon & Potatoes enables me to be part of a bigger community – not only of bloggers, but specifically those who engage in the exciting world of Entrepreneurship. 

When I took up a Masters Degree Course in Entrepreneurship more than ten years ago, I had the benefit of working under a Guru system, where someone guided me in each learning module, which I then  applied to the  venture I was working on. Information on Entrepreneurship then was mostly obtained from costly printed materials (magazines and books) and the internet was still in the early stage of  gathering the massive knowledge database it has now. 

Nowadays, entrepreneurs, young and old, have the luxury of getting more information about  Entrepreneurship on the web than they can possible digest. 

So why did I join the fray? 

Why did I start an Entrepreneurship Blog ? 

I needed to write. I also needed to think about the entrepreneurship skills I have been practicing all these years and put them down in black & white. 

I needed to share what I know and in return, hopefully learn even more from thousands and thousands of vibrant entrepreneurs around the world.  

Writing an Entrepreneurship Blog gives me the excuse to read, study and analyse various entrepreneurial activities and the skills and creativity that makes it tick. 

Bacon & Potatoes gives me the opportunity to continuously learn about the evolving art and science known as Entrepreneurship.  And what better source to learn from than the best Entrepreneurship Blogs currently being followed by thousands of entrepreneurs and small business owners.  

From grasshopper.com ( http://grasshopper.com/blog/2012/01/10-must-read-blogs-for-entrepreneurs-2012-edition/ ), I found a top ten list of Must Read Entrepreneurship Blogs on the net today. 

Do follow them, and don't forget to follow Bacon & Potatoes too!

10 Blogs Entrepreneurs Need to Be Reading

#1.  The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur
Site:http://www.toiletpaperentrepreneur.com/blog
What it is:
Mike Michalowicz provides entrepreneurs and small businesses with tips on everything from starting a business to networking to marketing and health care.
Why you should read it:
Mike not only provides great tips but he provides great tips from REAL people.  All of the blogs on the Toilet  Paper Entrepreneur are essentially written by peers and those who have been there.  It is a great blog and certainly provides unique perspectives all on things entrepreneur.

#2.  Small Business Trends

Site:  http://smallbiztrends.com
What it is:
Written by a panel of small business owners, the site offers tips and advice on everything business related.  Need a recommendation on finance software?  They probably have it.  Want to know how small businesses can use social media and search?  They have that too.
Why you should read it:
Small business trends really covers EVERYTHING!  Aside from the main blog, they do radio interviews, have Webinar Wednesdays and write genuinely interesting articles.  They may have also featured Grasshopper a few times so we may be partial.


#3.  Young Entrepreneur

Site:  http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/blog
What it is:
Run by two brothers, Matthew and Adam Toren, Young Entrepreneur is exactly what it sounds like; a site dedicated to young entrepreneurs.
Why you should read it:
Between blog posts, forums, polls and interviews with other small business owners, the site offers fantastic content.  Find blog posts on starting a business, marketing a business, sales, creating a website, search and much more.  These guys are also responsible for Blogtrenepreur, another teriffic entrepreneurial blog.

#4.  Web Worker Daily

Site:  http://webworkerdaily.com
What it is:
Web Worker Daily is dedicated to providing tips and advice for those using the web for work…well, obviously.  This site offers advice for small businesses and anyone on the web really.  Interested in the latest app developed forbookkeeping?  They have it.  Want to be more efficient in your daily routine?  They certainly can help you there!
Why you should read it:
Web Worker Daily is definitely one of my favorite blogs when it comes to business and the web.  They speak to everyone, offer interesting and succinct posts and do a great job of keeping up with and informing others of the latest technologies.

#5.  Women Entrepreneur

Site:  http://www.womenentrepreneur.com
What it is:
Run by the same company that developed Entrepreneur Magazine and Entrepreneur.com, Women Entrepreneur is dedicated to helping women in business.  From articles outlining sales strategies to blogs dedicated to women over 55, the site has something for everyone.
Why you should read it:
Written for women by women, the site offers advice you can relate to and be confident in. Plus, I have to say my favorite part is the success stories section.

#6.  Peter Shankman

Site:  http://shankman.com
What it is:
Best known for HARO, Peter Shankman is a successful entrepreneur who provides great and often hilarious tips to other entrepreneurs, particularly in the area of social media and marketing.
Why you should read it:

#7.  Startup Nation

Site:  http://www.startupnation.com/blogs
What it is:
One of the top resources for entrepreneurs, Startup Nation offers everything you could need: tips and advice, forums, networking, podcasts, contests and more.  The great part is, the blog is written by entrepreneurs, so they certainly know what they are talking about when it comes to do’s and don’ts.
Why you should read it:
With over 5 years worth of content the site easily has over 2000 articles covering a wide range of topics useful to small businesses and entrepreneurs.  Running a business, marketing, business planning…they even have a category called ‘Life Planning‘!

#8.  Small Biz Technology

Site:  http://smallbiztechnology.com
What it is:
Small Biz Technology is exactly that; a site dedicated to providing small businesses with news, tips and analysis on the latest technology.  They cover software, the web, phone apps and a whole lot in between.
Why you should read it:
Not only is it interesting to see how companyies are using the latest technologies but SBT offers unbiased reviews of products and lets you know if/how they can benefit your company.

#9.  Duct Tape Marketing

Site:  http://www.ducttapemarketing.com
What it is:
Duct Tape Marketing is one of the best small business marketing blogs out there.  Written by John Jantsch, the blog provides tips on email marketing, blogging, social media, branding, search and so much more.  There is also anarticle section with some truly great articles from various authors.
Why you should read it:
Along with the blog, Duct Tape Marketing has articles, resources, podcasts, various products and workshops to help small businesses improve marketing. The posts are easy to read, right to the point and provide readers with some great insight into online marketing that they may not be aware of.

#10.  Entrepreneur.com

Site:  http://www.entrepreneur.com
What it is:
Entrepreneur.com is probably the premiere site when it comes to entrepreneur articles and advice.  Covering everything from starting a business to finance to sales and management, you will definitely find anything you need on this site.
Why you should read it:
The site can be overwhelming since there is so much info but the great thing is you can subscribe to a specific topic or blog through your RSS reader.  They also have a community section where you can connect and talk with other entrepreneurs.
While I didn’t add them to my top ten, I would also be sure to check out Zapposand Seth Godin’s Blog.  What other entrepreneur blogs are on the must read list?

Springwise.com's Top 10 business ideas & opportunities for 2013

Here's another beauty from   Springwise.com . You can read it directly at:    http://www.springwise.com/springwise/top-10-business-ideas-opportunities-2013/   and is copy / pasted below.  I particularly like the "Cardboard Bicycle  and the "Just in News in a coffee cup sleeve". Got your attention? Read on....

Alan de Luzuriaga

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Top 10 business ideas & opportunities for 2013

We’ve selected 10 new business ideas that will provide entrepreneurs with plenty of inspiration in 2013. Spotted from countries all around the world, these businesses offer a taste of what’s to come in the year ahead.

1st January 2013 in Springwise.

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We hope that you’ll find these concepts as inspiring as we do, and that they spark even more innovation in the year to come!

1. Brazilian fashion retailer displays Facebook ‘likes’ for items in its real-world stores

One of the problems brick-and-mortar retailers have with Facebook likes is that – by their very nature – they’re visible online, rather than in stores. In order to bring them into the real world, Brazilian fashion outletC&A installed displays on their coathangers to inform shoppers of the popularity of each item. This blurring of the boundaries between online and offline customer interaction is something that may set successful brands apart as the web integrates further into our daily lives.

Read more about Fashion Like »

2. Cardboard bicycle can be built for less than $15

Bicycles are probably the most eco-friendly form of urban transport around, but how can they be made even more green? That was the question Israeli entrepreneur Izhar Gafni asked himself before coming up with his working cardboard bike, a lightweight device costing between USD 9 and USD 12 to create. Despite its primary material being recycled cardboard, the bike can hold around 300 pounds. Gafni has proved that even when an idea works well, there is always room for improvement.

Read more about the Cardboard bike »

3. Battery-free lamp for developing nations is powered by gravity

Many of us may take electric lights for granted, but there is a considerable portion of the world — around 1.5 billion people — who live in poor, remote areas and have to rely on dangerous kerosene alternatives. Currently being funded through an Indiegogo campaign, the GravityLight hopes to change that by offering a cheap lamp that runs on an entirely renewable resource. The device is attached to a weight, which when lifted for a few seconds harnesses enough energy to power the light for 30 minutes. Operating without batteries, the GravityLight contains no deteriorating parts and means owners don’t have to spend money to keep it running. Hoping to make a big difference in developing countries, the idea has already raised over 500 percent of its initial funding target.

Read more about GravityLight »

4. In the UAE, coffee chain’s cup sleeve is printed with the hour’s top headline

Another innovation looking to integrate the web into the offline world this year was Y&R Dubai’s marketing campaign for the UAE-based Gulf News. Y&R adapted coffee cup sleeves that it prints for its client Tim Hortons to include headlines tweeted by the newspaper in the previous hour. The company recognized that drinking coffee and reading the newspaper go hand in hand and also included QR codes to enable customers to read the rest of the day’s news on their smartphone. According to figures released by Y&R traffic on the Gulf News website grew by 41 percent.

Read more about Y&R Dubai »

5. Digital wallet combines users’ credit cards and selects the best one

Many credit card companies offer a variety of deals on their products in order to entice customers, meaning that many end up with more than one account in order to make the most of different offers. Rather than making card holders keep track of which card would be best for each purchase, Wallaby enables them to upload all of their cards’ details, which are accessed via the single Wallaby Card. Depending on what is being bought, at what time and how expensive it is, the Wallaby Card selects the best account and charges it. Freeing up wallet space and allowing customers to easily take advantage of the best deals available to them, Wallaby is carving its own space in the growing world of smart credit cards.

Read more about Wallaby »

6. Cardboard packaging includes directions for turning it into something new

Packaging that is discarded once a product has reached its destination still causes environmental headaches for brands and Netherlands-based company Joolz set out to do something about it. Considering cardboard is a sturdy enough material to be turned into a bike, the company attached instructions to its baby stroller packaging to enable parents to create homely items such as chairs, lamps and birdhouses. In October, we also saw Australian brand DIY Living go down a similar route with its packaging, perhaps indicating that this kind of eco-thinking could yet solve the problem of waste in the manufacturing industries.

Read more about Joolz »

7. Airline lets passengers choose seat partners based on social media profiles

Indicating how much social media is becoming a major part of many businesses’ strategies, Dutch airline KLM this year rolled out its Meet and Seat program, enabling travelers to choose their seats based on the online profiles of those sharing their flight. Customers can make a match by offering their Facebook or LinkedIn data, depending on whether they’re looking for a potential personal or business relationship. The use of social media is surely set to grow ever more prominent in the future – and we could see this kind of model applied in many other industries in 2013.

Read more about Meet and Seat »

8. Trackers embedded in athlete’s apparel provide live in-game data for coaches

Another trend which has grown over the past 12 months is the idea of the quantified self – learning about ourselves through data analysis. We’ve seen many new products which help to catch information about sports, one of the most comprehensive being adidas’ miCoach, a suite of products to help sports professionals and trainers work out exactly how to improve performance. Using trackers placed onto players’ kits, the miCoach delivers metrics on speed, pace, heart rate and more in real-time. The system can also monitor entire teams at the same time, giving coaches the ability to make smart decisions during play. Given the emergence of products such as Babolat’s Play & Connect tennis racquet, it may not be long before devices like these become a necessity in professional sports.

Read more about miCoach »

9. App enables musician to control concert lighting and sound through crowd’s smartphones

While new technology has often been the bane of major record companies over the past decade, artists seem to have readily embraced it’s possibilities. One such musician is Dan Deacon, who teamed up with Wham City Apps to create a way to take over the smartphones of live audiences. Those attending a Dan Deacon show in support of his album America could download the app, which enabled their phone to respond to sonic prompts, changing the color of the screen or playing sounds in addition to those coming from the stage. The app allows for a greater deal of interactivity between the musician and the crowd, making for a more engaging experience.

Read more about Dan Deacon »

10. In Berlin, stand-alone hotel room comes with local guided experiences

Connecting each other in new and novel ways seems to have been a theme for businesses in the last 12 months, perhaps most appropriately in the hospitality industry. Operating out of Germany, Plus One Berlinnow offers tourists not only an apartment to stay in, but also a knowledgeable local resident who can show them around the city. Travelers can see profiles of each of the 28 locals on hand in order to choose which one they’d like to accompany them. The idea makes city exploration a more unique experience, as travelers increasingly look for more than generic package holidays.

Read more about Plus One Berlin »