Blogmatic

You may have noticed the lack of Blogmatic posts last week. This is mainly the result of a long to do list for TheCodeFactory which has taken a considerable amount of time last week. On TheCodeFactory note, I have also started to post on TheCodeFactory Blog as well. With only so many hours in a day I will probably be reducing the number of posts to Blogamtic.

On a happier note, I did have the opportunity to attend two great events last week; Rick Segal’s VC Roundtable at the ClockTower and the second in Carleton Universities TIM Lecture series. Both were excellent events and worthy of a couple of blog posts. Will have a write up on the TIM event on TheCodeFactory Blog since it relates to Open Source software.

Tomorrow’s post will be my thoughts and lessons learned from the VC Roundtable.

cheers,

Ian Graham

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If you or anyone you know does website development please feel free to contact me. I want to have TheCodeFactory website up and running as soon as possible. I have a pretty good idea what I want and would be pleased to discuss over a coffee and there is a small budget for the project.

You can contact me at: ian <dot> graham3 <at> gmail.com to set up a time to talk.

Thank you,
Ian Graham

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I saw the first sign of spring yesterday. Roll up the rim is back at Tim Horton’s. You know when you see those orangy cups with the yellow arrow that spring is just around the corner. I won a coffee on my first try. woo hoo.

cheers,

Ian Graham

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There is a new ad for shreddies that I really like. Another one of those perspective things.

A team of senior management are huddled around the shreddies production line because of an apparent problem. Shreddies the traditional square (literally) shaped cereal are coming off the production line in a diamond shape. The line is halted and the managers querry the production workers, “how many of these diamond shape shreddies have been shipped to market.”

Cool ad, humour with a twist so to speak.

cheers and have a great weekend,

Ian Graham

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Today is Family Day in Ontario a new holiday for the province. Despite the concerns raised about the holiday on a number of fronts I think having a day to spend with the family in the middle of winter is probably a good thing.

cheers,

Ian Graham

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My youngest daughter brought this item to my attention. I am sure at one point or another everyone has struggled to open one of those “clam shell” packages. You know the ones with the heavy duty plastic enclosure that covers many products today.

Anyway, a national chain of hardware retailers have developed a tool that makes opening clam shell packaging much easier. The irony of it all is that the clam shell opening tool comes in a heavy duty clam shell packaging. Once you free the tool from the packaging I am sure it is very useful.

Cheers,
Ian Graham

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Wow! What an awesome weekend.

I had the opportunity to ski Norquay, Sunshine and Lake Louise all excellent spots. I liked Lake Louise best but they were all great. Banff is a very cool little town nestled in the Rocky Mountains with lots of great skiing within a 45 minute drive.

What really struck me was the number of Australians working in Banff and at the ski resorts. I think Australia has invaded and captured much of Banff and the ski resorts I visited. The Aussies are great people that love to party. When we were at Sunshine on Saturday it was Australia Day and the resort was overrun by a horde of wild partying Aussies.  There was this one guy we say walking around in his briefs and a ski jacket going up one of the lifts. When we asked him about his attire he explained that his buddies were going to pay him $20 to ski from the top of the hill to the bottom in his underwear, however, he was allowed to wear his jacket up the lift (an uncovered chair lift). Never saw him on the way down but at about -20C we figured by the time he got back down he would more likely resemble a smurf.

We had finger foods and beer on Thursday night at the Magpie and Stumps. Magpie and Stumps was named after a bar in the UK where criminals and their lawyers would hang out. The food was good and the live entertainment was an Aussie singer from Queensland who we had the opportunity to chat with. Then went back to the Fox Hotel which is where we stayed for the weekend. The Fox Hotel is a great value and they actually upgraded our rooms to suites.

Friday morning we hung out in the Fox Hotel grotu which was a hot tub (more like a pool) open to the outside and very cave like. In the afternoon we went to Norquay for an afternoon skiing. The conditions were reasonably good and the afternoon was enjoyable.

On Sunday we were off to Lake Louise. This is also known as the resort of ten peaks. There is tons of skiing for skiers of all abilities.

If you are thinking of going west to Ski Banff is a great spot.

Cheers,
Ian Graham

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I am off to Banff tomorrow for a weekend of skiing. Very excited, have a highliter and a few books for the plane trip:

the power of kindness, Piero Ferruci
My Start-up life, Ben Casnocha
The myths of innovation, Scott Berkun
Failing Forward, John C. Maxwell

More than half done “the power of kindness” and hope to be able to enjoy one or two of the others. Taking the red eye back Sunday night arriving in Ottawa Monday morning in time to attend democamp.

Cheers,
Ian Graham

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Congratulations you got to first base, now what?  … Next step is to get them a copy of your business plan, I would recommend without the financials.  Financials often contain elements of the “secret sauce” and give away your business model. Do you really want to give away your business model the second time you meet with someone?

Getting to second base will be a series of another five posts

Protecting yourself and your plan
Distributing your business plan
Business Plan Contents
Business Plan meeting prep
Presenting your business plan

The perspective in this series of posts is a little different than most presenting your business plan type articles which focus on the investor. The perspective of this series is from that of the entrepreneur and what you should do to be successful and at the same time protect yourself and your idea.

Cheers,
Ian Graham

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Cause I ain’t been nuttin but sad.

That’s right I will be downgrading to an older more familiar platform. My son gave me Windows XP upgrade package for xmas and I will be downgrading to XP. Thank you Bubba.

No more Vista ranting or whining in the New Year.  It is with some regret that I downgrade, because Vista has been an inspiration for so many blog posts.

Wishing everyone health, prosperity and happiness in the new year. Have a wonderful 2008.

Cheers,
Ian Graham

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