September 2014 - Page 2 of 2

Business

So You Wanna be a Pawn Star?

By Terence Gillespie September 8, 2014

Pawn Shops were the largest source of consumer credit until 1964 before the flood of institutional credit.

Pawnbrokers have been around since ancient times and even kicked out of the Temple by Jesus for getting greedy on half-shekel premiums. Whether or not they’ve recovered from the incident is your call. But, one thing is for sure: Pawn brokers are filling the huge credit vacuum left by banks who have trillions in reserves but not a penny to lend. Unlike banks, the money a pawnbroker lends is based on real goods — first yours, then theirs.

After a Tivo marathon of Pawn Stars I’d seen Rick, Corey and the Old Man go through their process 50 times or so. Then, the was the last straw. Why does Rick let customers see his expert appraisals?!

A guy comes into the shop hoping his cuckoo clock may be worth something, but, has no idea. Rick thinks it’s original and calls an expert. By the time the expert is done blabbing in front of the customer a deal is struck for $4,200. Whuh? That guy would have been thrilled to get $500 bucks. Rick paid $3700 more than he had to! What’s going on here? This is terrible business . . . unless. . . you have a TV show. Then, it’s marketing genius!

Of course, cheating or abusing customers is not only wrong, but, the quickest way to lose a legitimate business. But, when it comes to the business of pawn shops . . .

Appraisals are the Heart

Modern pawn shops offer lots of services. None of them work without the shops ability to appraise the value of the goods their services revolve around. The History channel describes the Old Man as “The Appraiser” for good reason.

The ability to glean the value of a wide range of items makes or breaks a pawn shop. The quality of the appraisal, and negotiated price, determine the maximum profit potential for each item. Jabbering everything you know about an item puts the customer on an equal footing with the business. In fact, it provides a free service to the customer outside the scope of the pawn business. Pawn customers need money or a loan. If they need an expert appraisal then either . . .

Charge for Appraisals

Or don’t provide them. If you have to bring in an expert then charge a flat fee plus whatever the expert charges you (And have an agreement with the expert that you get first dibs). If the item is not worth an appraisal fee then the customer won’t purchase one.

So, why does Rick give away the heart of his business to folks who just need a few bucks to pay the rent? He doesn’t. The Pawn Stars are savvy businessmen using . . .

Appraisals as Marketing

You gotta love these guys. They take a $3700 loss on an item while demonstrating their expertise to TV viewers across the country. In other words, the ‘loss’ they take in front of the TV cameras is the cheapest marketing you could buy. What other pawn shops get 1000 customers a day and are doubling their store space?

Rick is talking to the TV cameras to demonstrate his shop’s expertise. He’s giving up some of the profit on each item pawned in exchange for marketing his business all over the country. And it’s working, fabulously! While I’m questioning their appraisal process these guys are marketing them all the way to the bank!

In one episode, Corey and Chum Lee are cleaning up the storage room and discover a statue that’s off pawn and should have been put up for sale. The item was a statue that Rick estimated could be sold for $2000. The Old Man comes in and recognizes the statue as one of his ‘buys’ for which he paid $200. I guess the TV cameras weren’t on for that one and the Old Man didn’t blab what he knew the statue to be worth. That’s the pawn business. The customer was happy enough with $200 to make the trade or he wouldn’t have sold it.

These guys are no dummies. Rick, The Old Man, Big Hoss, and even Chum Lee (For video games) are expert appraisers in their own areas.

Gold & Silver, The Blood

If Appraisals are the heart of the pawn business then gold and silver are the blood.

Watch the show closely and you’ll hear the Pawn Stars answer the phone with the greeting “Gold & Silver?”. That’s because the name of the shop is Gold & Silver Pawnshop. The “Old Man” is often seen counting money at his desk surrounded by silver bars. And notice the amount of silverware, superbowl rings and jewelry in the display cases in the background.

Antique guns, helicopters, cuckoo clocks and pinball machines are great fun! But, make no mistake: Their purpose is to draw attention to a business providing credit or reselling the equity in real things. More often than not those real things are gold & silver.

Few pawn items have the benefit of an international exchange to set price. That takes much of the risk out of appraising the real value of an item made with precious metals. Sure, the price changes every second, but, so does the price of everything if there was a ticker tape to broadcast it.

From a business vetting standpoint the gold & silver aspects of the pawn business are something that should interest you, or you’d be happy to learn more about. Pawnbrokers require a second hand dealers license (same as precious metals license) or a pawnbrokers license to buy and sell gold and silver. In Florida, the scales used to weigh gold are regulated by the department of agriculture, which is ridiculous.

Inside Scoop

When selling jewelry or odd lots of gold or silver to a pawn shop bring a nickel with you. It should weigh exactly 5 grams. If it weighs less, or, the pawnbroker doesn’t weigh your item, at all, then find another shop. So much for the department of agriculture.

Sell or Pawn?

Judging by Pawn Stars you’d think the business was 98% sales and 2% pawn. It’s actually 40% sales and 60% pawn (According to one of the fun facts between commercials). One episode showed they had almost 4000 items in the back of the shop!

Anyone contemplating the pawn business should be good with managing thousands of inventory items. And police require reporting, on a daily basis, of everything that’s purchased. Another tracking hassle is that no item may be sold until it sits in the ‘buy room‘ for 30 days and checked for theft. 30 days can make or break the sale of an ipod should a new generation come out making the old one obsolete.

From the customers point of view it’s either sell your item for a fraction of its value or take out a loan based on a fraction of its value. The customer will talk up the value of their item and convince the broker he wants the item back. That’s to persuade the broker that he’ll be paying the interest and will pay back the principal of the loan.

From the brokers point of view he has to accept the risk of not being able to sell the item or the risk of the customer not making loan payments. Either way, he’ll be left with the item. It’s his job to make sure he can resell the item for a profit if the customer doesn’t pay back the loan.

In Florida, the maximum interest allowed is 25% per month. If you come back in two weeks you may negotiate an extension on your 30-day loan. If you don’t pick it up after 30 days, or whenever you extended the loan to, you have a 30-day grace period (At the same interest rate). If you don’t pick it up it becomes property of the pawn shop on day 61.

Inside Scoop

The pawn broker doesn’t want your motorcycle helmet or guitar. He’s got lot’s of them in the back. What he wants is for you to make the interest payment, pay back the loan and pick up your item. Of course, he’s loaned you an amount that he can still profit on if he sells your item. But, unless it’s an exceptional item, the interest payment is what he wants. Even better, if you get the item back you’ll have it for another pawn and interest generating loan, later.

If you have a good track record of paying the interest and getting your item back there will be room to negotiate a higher price on the next item you pawn.

Competition

The competition for pawn shops are:

Garage sales
Word of mouth
Newspaper
Ebay
Craigslist
Flyers at the market
Bargain trader
Loan from Friends & Family using the item as collateral

If you’ve got time, and no money, then a little sales work puts the money into your pocket. If not, then the pawnbroker does the work and you get less money.

Most items have less value to others than to us as personal possessions. Whether you discover the objective value, yourself, or hear the adjusted value from the pawnbroker (After building in his profit) there’s no sense in blaming the messenger. It’s unlikely you’ll hear the pawnbrokers true appraisal for a valuable item, even if he knows it. Pawn shops are not the Antiques Road Show you’d expect by watching the Pawn Stars.

There’s nothing wrong with needing a bridge loan, now and then. But, pawning will cost you 25% of the loan amount on a monthly basis. The loan amount does not equal the full value of the item because that would leave no room for the pawn broker to profit from the items sale if you default. But, you’ll be chipping away at the value of the item at an alarming rate. That’s the nature of the pawn business.

Some customers interviewed after their Pawn Stars deal say they’ll just sell on ebay. That’s the right thing to do if you’ve got the time. But, there is something to be said for a trip to the pawn shop, talking with real people and quick money to pay the rent.

Restoring Disasters

One of the unique aspects of the Pawn Stars are their restorations. They buy disasters and restore them to original, sometimes better, condition. Rick has a rolodex of restorers that perform these miracles.

In one episode Rick buys a 1992 Schweizer helicopter for $10K. The thing was in pieces after a crashed landing. Although his expert quotes a price of $100k for the restoration he says it would then sell for $150k. Eventually, Rick gets the Old Man to agree to the restoration which turns out to be a stunning achievement. The episode ends with the Old Man taking off from North Vegas with a smile on his face and the aviation expert saying they could probably get $160k for it.

Great TV.

These restorations are wonderful and have the most profit potential of any part of Rick’s business. However, there’s one aspect to take into consideration that’s not mentioned on the show. If you were looking to buy the helicopter in question would you prefer one that had been restored from a crash or had never crashed?

If you’d prefer the one that had never crashed then:

You’d want to pay less for the restored helicopter.
The restored helicopter. would have to be in better shape than the non-crashed version.

The resale prices on the show are overstated. What the experts say its worth and what it actually sells for are two different things. But, hey, it’s great TV, either way.

Creating the Market

In many cases, this is irrelevant because there’s no market, whatsoever, for the non-restored version. In one episode Rick restores a 1930’s gas pump into a thing of glory. There was no market, at all, for the non restored version other than Rick, himself. The restoration created the market.

Now THAT’S good business!

Pawn for Hard Times?

Vetting a business you’ll be running yourself is more than learning the facts. It’s making decisions about the opportunity cost of not running any other business during this period of your life. To assist my wife in the vetting process I created a business vetting mindmap as a way of describing how to Vett Any Business Idea in 10 Minutes. It’s free and may it assist in discovering Your Optimal Buisiness.

Pawn Broker Characteristics

Pawn brokers seem to:

Have a talent for appraising value. Part of that is knowing when to call in an expert.
Have a collectors’ mentality and eclectic interests.
Be willing and competent to deal with items for which they have no interest.
Understand value and money and the difference between them.
Be willing to buy, fix up and sell.
Be comfortable negotiating price and loan terms.
Be tactful and firm with customers who disagree.
Be comfortable in a cluttered environment.
Be able to manage inventory.
Be organized enough to adhere to all the regulations and compliance that surround the business.

You’ll want to already have many of these characteristics, not just be willing to acquire them because ‘pawning is big, right now’.

Price of Admission

Pawning is highly regulated. Varying by state, you’ll need to obtain or have a:

Banking and lending license.
Second hand dealers license (Or Precious metals license)
Pawnbrokers license
FFL if you’re buying/selling guns.
Large positive net worth.

You’ll be subject to extensive criminal background checks to obtain the licenses, above. And a large positive net worth is required to fund the beginning inventory of gold and silver. Pawn brokers give loans, they don’t get them.

Security

For this pure cash business security is a major concern complicated by customers needing close up access to gold and silver items. On one episode, Cory refers to the number of employees working at the shop and it was more than I expected. I’ll bet some of those folks are needed for extra security.

Related Possibilities

No need to be the owner. You could also be:

An employee.
A consultant appraiser in the area of your expertise.
A restorer.

Pawn Shop +

If pawn shops become the new hub for consumer credit then why not make it a fun gathering place? Rent Movies, Instruments, serve coffee, provide web access, whatever.

I hesitate to recommend Check Cashing, Payroll Loans and Car Title Loans because they have a reputation for taking advantage of people when they’re down. If you can provide these services, fairly, then they wouldn’t require any more infrastructure or regulatory hoops than you’ve already taken on for your pawn business.

Also, a pawn shop could have a coin shop, and vice versa. Pawn & Coin or Coins & Pawn is a natural combination.

Beauty’s in the Eye of the Gold

Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but, all you have time for is the gold. If you add coin shop services then deal in bullion only. If people bring in collectible coins give them a fair offer on the bullion content only. They’ll get the picture and you’ll bypass the hassles and risks of collectible coins.

Parting Facts & Words

Pawning is a multi billion dollar business with some 125,000 shops in US and several traded public companies.
The National Pawnbrokers Association says the average loan is $80 and that most customers are employed.
Customers tend to be primarily men, homeowners around 35 years of age that need quick money because they have no line of credit.
Not all pawn shops sell guns due to the additional burdens of the FFL license and paperwork required.

Pawn shops are getting busy partly due to the TV show and mostly because people need them to supply credit. Banks aren’t lending, credit cards are maxed out and millions are out of work for the foreseeable future.

If you’ve exhausted your options (See competition section above) and can save bank fees, eviction, payroll or getting the heat shut off then, by all means, at least pawn shop loans are based on real goods.

For those vetting the pawn business, however, more customers don’t necessarily mean more profit. If new pawn customers default on their loans it leaves behind a pile of stuff. If nobody wants, or can afford, that stuff then the pawn shop just becomes a huge repository of unsaleable junk.

That’s not the kind of bubble you’ll need to be a Pawn Star.

Health

Dvorak – Your Optimal Keyboard?

By Terence Gillespie September 5, 2014

The QWERTY keyboard most people use was designed for the typewriter in the 1870’s. It’s named after the key sequence on the upper left of the keyboard.

There were no ‘typists’ before the typewriter, so, QWERTY was designed for the typewriter. Many key combinations caused the machine to jam so were placed on the new keyboard to slow them down. This was a good thing because untangling the levers was time consuming. Ironically, you could get more typing done by typing slower! Typists were also taught to strike the key hard and release quickly; another jam avoiding technique.

Today, there are no mechanical limits on typing yet most are using a keyboard designed to slow them down. The widespread use of computer keyboards provides the means to escape from this mechanical prison to whoever wants to be free. In fact, most of the typing world is a few clicks and a decision away from keyboard freedom.

And what does keyboard freedom look like?

It looks like typing as fast as you can think. It looks like being comfortable writing as long as you want. It looks like being able to type for the rest of your life with no arm or hand pain.

The Dvorak Keyboard

You probably have a QWERTY keyboard in front of you. Here’s what the Dvorak keyboard looks like:

Dvorak studied hand shape, letter frequencies and combinations and arranged the keyboard to minimize hand movement and maximize the speed of typing the most common letters and combinations.

For instance, the most frequently used letters in the English language are “ETAON RISHD LFCMU GYPWB VKXJQ Z” (In that order). The first 12 of these letters are used 80% of the time. Notice how 10 of those 12 letters are on the ‘home’ row of the keyboard. You can type thousands of complete words without even moving your hands off the ‘home’ row of the Dvorak keyboard!

Notice how all vowels are on the left side of the ‘home’ row (except for ‘y’) with consonants on the right. Since English words are mostly a pattern of Consonant | Vowel | Consonant | Vowel most words are formed with the letters typed by alternating hands like beating a drum. The most common letter pairs in English are “TH HE AN RE ER IN ON AT ND ST ES EN OF TE ED OR TI HI AS TO”. Looking at the Dvorak layout notice that those letters are either right next to each other or easily typed with alternating hands.

The hardest row to reach is the bottom row. That’s where Dvorak placed the least commonly used English letters. Dvorak also factored in right-handedness and ‘inboard stroke flow‘ (Think of the way we roll-tap fingers on a table top from the little finger to the index finger).

Other Dvorak Layouts

Using the same Dvorak principles there are also Left and Right one-handed keyboards, a layout for C programmers and a keyboard for most latin script based languages.

Reviewing the Options

For English and languages based on Latin script you have the following keyboard options:

QWERTY -English or your language version.
COLEMAN – ‘Improved’ QWERTY meant to ease retraining of QWERTY typists.
Dvorak (English or your language version).
Map your Own Keyboard Layout. – An interesting alternative now possible using Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator, KbdEdit or Keyman Developer.

(Non-Latin script languages like Chinese, Arabic, Greek, Hebrew, Russian, etc. may have to Map their own keyboards if their default hasn’t been optimized).

My Take

QWERTY is not an option for me because it hurts my hands. The faster and longer I type the more it hurts. Coleman is a compromise meant to save on retraining QWERTY typists rather than optimize hand movement for language– No thanks. The idea of mapping my own keyboard layout is fascinating, but, I couldn’t improve on Dvorak and Dealey’s design; They were exhaustive and thorough in their quest to Optimize the keyboard for English.

Speed is One Thing

A fast typer can type as fast as they can think in words. Faster than that is useful for dictation and contests, I suppose. There are four non-speed benefits to optimizing keyboard layout:

Comfort
Long term injury avoidance
Increased daily stamina (And no soreness)
Increased lifetime stamina

Based on soreness near the end of my QWERTY days I’d be in trouble, today, if I hadn’t made the switch.

The Big Picture

Keyboard use is so widespread that almost every job requires it. The more keyboard use the more productivity gains to optimizing it for the user.

Writers, programmers, travel agents, secretaries, bloggers and publishers may get the biggest payoff. However, that list is growing as is the keyboards role in every day life.

Making the Switch

The Dvorak Keyboard is a button push away on on most computers. You change the setting in your preferences and “Voila” the keys are remapped. You don’t need to buy anything.

I switched to Dvorak five years ago because my hands hurt. As a piano player I was a very fast QWERTY typist and my hands ached and cramped at the end of long writing days. If I didn’t do something I would have been in trouble just when I needed to type more than ever.

Actually, Dvorak was not my first choice. Dragonfly was.

Dragonfly

Why type when you can talk?

They say it’s best to write like you talk. People complicate their written words and keep their spoken words simple. I also think more clearly when speaking than writing because of the person I’m talking with. Why not bypass writing, altogether, and go right to the spoken word to capture thoughts and let the computer do the work?

Dragonfly is great, but, it slowed the transition to Dvorak since there was less need to type. That’s not a complaint. I felt more comfortable making the switch to Dvorak because my dependency on the keyboard was less. I recommend that transition technique if you don’t mind learning both Dragonfly and Dvorak at the same time.

I stopped using Dragonfly because my aging Windows computer couldn’t run it and the Adobe Suite at the same time. Now that Microsoft has been banished from my life and a beautiful and powerful UNIX machine awaits Dragonfly will soon follow.

How Long Does It Take?

The websites and books on Dvorak say it only takes a few months. It took me six months. During the transition I was using Dragonfly to dictate most writing right onto the screen. Since I wasn’t typing as much there was less practice time on the ‘new’ Dvorak layout. Otherwise, it probably would have taken the normal two or three months.

Labels on the Keys?

I tried putting labels on the keys, but, found it confusing. When logging into the computer the default keyboard is QWERTY. It doesn’t switch to Dvorak until it boots up and reads your preferences. Therefore, you have to type your password using QWERTY. Having the Dvorak labels on the keys made password entry confusing. I took the labels off and printed out a reference diagram for Dvorak forcing myself to find the keys by looking at the diagram. You have to type without looking at the keys to gain any speed. Why not skip the crutch of looking at the keys right off the bat?

What about Phone Keyboards?

Many people wonder if I get confused when using the keyboards on phones since they are all QWERTY. No, not at all. In fact, I prefer that phones have QWERTY because I can visually find the QWERTY keys faster than Dvorak!

Dvorak is in my muscle memory and QWERTY is in my visual memory. That reads much more confusing than it feels. When typing I never look at the keys; I just feel where the letters are. Since the letters are in the Dvorak layout those are where I ‘feel’ the letters. Without the Dvorak labels my keyboard is still, visibly, QWERTY. When tying in my password in the morning to login I look at the keyboard.

What About Using Other Computers?

99% of the time you use your own computer. If you need to use another computer (And the owner lets you!) just temporarily change the keyboard setting. When you’re done switch it back.

I still hunt and peck in QWERTY faster than many can type. However, I have to take my hands off the keyboard and look at the keys. I was a touch QWERTY typist so memory of the keys is still there. What I’ve lost is the muscle memory of QWERTY. My muscle memory is now Dvorak.

It ‘feels’ similar to being bilingual. The idea of knowing two words for everything is only hard to imagine for someone who has not yet learned a second language.

Nobody Wants to Use My Computer!

People start typing on my computer and can’t figure out what’s ‘wrong’ with it. My wife won’t even do quick web searches, technical support frowns, friends shake their heads . . . everybody hates it.

And I love it!

Anything that keeps people off my computer is a good thing. It adds another layer of security for snoops in places where they don’t belong.

Going From Hard to Easy

You may think switching to Dvorak is going from something easy to something hard. That’s backwards: Going from QWERTY to Dvorak is going from something hard to something easy. Sure, the transition will take some effort and probably shouldn’t be done in the middle of a project. However, thereafter your life will be easier, not harder. That goes double if you’re a writer or depend on the keyboard for your work.

Good Reasons to Delay the Switch

After using Dvorak for five years I recommend considering it for Your Optimal Keyboard in English. It’s hard to imagine QWERTY being Optimal in this age of computers unless:

Your job requires using many different keyboards not under your control.
You must use a dumb terminal that’s not switchable.
You share your primary computer with someone not open to switching.
You’re in the middle of a pressing project and are waiting for things settle down before making the switch (Referring to a project here, not life).

Otherwise, save your hands and increase your productivity: Either switch to Dvorak or Roll Your Own . . . .

Rolling Your Own

The optimal keyboard layout is specific to the language. Dvorak was originally developed for English after exhaustive studies of language use. To reach the Dvorak level of Optimal in your language would require the same exhaustive studies. This work has already been done in Latin script languages. But, if you’re not satisfied then there’s never been an easier time to roll your own.

Computer now have the option of using any keyboard mapping you’d like. Marcus Brooks has some great tips if you’re interested in developing your own keyboard layout.

Admin

Using Contacts to Manage Objects & Vendors

By Terence Gillespie September 5, 2014

Contacts can be used for much more than storing phone numbers and addresses. I make a new contact for every object, thing or vendor that needs to be tracked or managed. Camera’s, phones, kitchen appliances, software, computers, A/C Units, subscriptions, vendors, utilities . . .you name it. Simply keeping a little information on each item in the notes section of a contact makes a huge difference when action involving the object is required.

Naturally, there’s a folder in the filing cabinet for most things and vendors. But, 99% of the time all I need to pay a bill, upgrade software, fix the A/C, renew a subscription, cancel a service, etc. is contained in the contact notes. And, since contacts are synced everywhere I can access them from anywhere enabling me to take action from wherever I happen to be.

When it comes time to sell, ask for help or turnover over the management of an item the contact has all the relevant details. A quick read brings anyone up to date.

Why the Notes Section?

I tried using other fields, but, it made it too complicated to share between people and applications. Now, the only standard contact fields I use are Name, Address, Phone #s, Email, Web address, Company and Title. Everything else is input in the free form notes section of the contact.

Most Objects Have Vendors

Surprisingly, almost every object or thing is associated with a vendor. Therefore, I found that all the fields needed to track vendors can be used to track almost any object, as well.

My Template or Roll Your Own

Through experience I’ve discovered there’s about 35 things I may need to know about an object to perform most tasks that involves it. In practice, only 10-15 of these are needed for any given item although I keep the rest in to help my eye locate fields, quickly.

When a new contact is created I cut/paste the 35 fields (See below) into the notes section and fill out the ones applicable to the item. Feel free to use my template, roll your own or even keep it free form. The idea is to keep everything you need to know about an item to perform work about it, at your fingertips.

Powerful Benefits

Synced Everywhere – Contacts (And Calendars) in most software are the most likely to be synced across the web, multiple computers and your phone. Data stored in one of these structures is usually available everywhere you are. You probably won’t need to purchase new software.
Enables Action – Most actions revolve around objects, things and vendors. Having the details at your fingertips for everything in your life eliminates the prime reason for not taking action: Having to find supporting materials.
Enables Delegation – I used to avoid asking for help to avoid having to list the 20 things people need to know to perform the action I needed help with. Having a contact with all the relevant data about every object in your life makes delegation a breeze. The contact is updated with every transaction. When you need help just forward it and ask for help. Ask the person to update the contact, as needed, and forward it back to you when they’re done.
Capture Process & Procedures – Voice mail access/shortcuts, directions to the mailbox, directions to a store, web menu navigation, who you last talked with and what happened, what are the usual procedures that happen around this object or vendor? Why be forced to rediscover this info every time you deal with the vendor? Why be forced to write down directions or access instructions every time you need help? Also, If you delegate a task involving the item then the person who help you has a place to capture process and procedures.
Enables Turnover – When it’s time to turn over the management of an object, thing or vendor you’ll be very glad to have all the relevant information and history in a simple contact you can attach to an e-mail.

Pointers to Physical Locations

Most items have a physical location or a folder in the filing cabinet associated with them. These locations don’t change often and rarely need to be accessed. However, if their location changes update the field in your contact. It will greatly assist in delegating and turning over the management of the item. It will also keep you from procrastinating should the folder be required to perform the next action.

Search Tags

I recommend putting search tags in each contact for two reasons:

They help find an object or vendor when you can’t remember its name. Just search by keyword to find the item.
They enable grouping items by keywords since most software will search and group by any text in the notes field of a contact.

For instance, every contact related to flying has the word ‘pilot’ in the notes of the contact. When focusing on that aspect of my life I can search for all contacts containing that keyword. Clever use of keywords enables some incredible uses. If you were to put keywords in each contact relating to Project, Role, Area of Focus, Entity, Responsibility etc., then you could spontaneously group all contacts:

Tied to a credit card that’s about to expire.
Whose address has to be changed if a business address is changed.
Related to my search for land in Wyoming.
Related to my role as a father.
Related to my rental house on Main street.

No need to go overboard; keep it simple. But, you can get a lot of bang out of the two seconds it takes to put a keyword in a contact.

Tracking Them Tracking You

More often than not you need to be more organized than the vendors you employ. When one of your search tags, above, shows a vendor who tracks you by a certain address you need to have that address in the contact you keep on them. You don’t need to put your full address, credit card, etc., just an abbreviation for it.

Also, the Journal History may help navigate the internal processes of a vendor, if needed. For instance, if you’re trying to obtain service it’s better to say, “I spoke to Bill Myers on 4/3/09 and he told me to call back, today, and ask for Nancy if the rebate was not received” than to say, “I forget when I called or who I spoke to, but, still haven’t received anything in the mail”.

Keep it Secure and Updated

Techniques that optimize action tend to consolidate data. Protecting access to your contacts is urgent if you use this method of tracking objects & vendors.

Make sure to keep the contact updated, regularly. Type in a few words in the Journal History section each time an action is performed.

Track Objects & Vendors, not Projects

I once tried to use contacts to manage projects. It didn’t work because it overloads the notes section of the contact. It’s best to use contacts to manage the objects that projects revolve around. Consider using a separate contact to track the following items:

Software, vendors, bank accounts, web ids, voice mail instructions, magazine subscriptions, websites, guns, air conditioner, appliances, phones, cell phone, light bulbs, batteries taken by alarms, web subscriptions, Organization affiliations, Camcorder, camera, certifications, car, cable, internet provider, Costco card, voice mail instructions, utilities, car insurance, rental house contacts/crucial info, copier/printer, etc..

My Template

Whenever a new object, thing or vendor enters your life create a new contact and Cut & Paste this little template into the notes section of the contact. Put the Name, address, phone and e-mail of the contact in the normal fields for the contact. Then, quickly scan the template fields and fill in whatever you think will be needed to track the item.

As payments, transactions, name changes occur take a few seconds to update the contact notes. Just a few words in the Journal History can be a lifesaver when coming back up to speed on an item.

As mentioned, the template, below, is what I use, personally. Feel free to create your own or use no template, at all. Whatever keeps the right data at your fingertips and equips you for action is the best solution.

——Paste template, below this line, into notes section of the contact——-

Search Tags: [Put text here to enable you to find this contact]

Shared Drive Location(s): [Path on computer to directory or files about this object]
Physical File Location(s): [Name of reference folder in filing cabinet, Any applicable physical storage area]

Type: [Object, vendor, website, service, utility, etc.]
Services: [brief description of what this object does]

Info this contact has on Us: [How does vendor track you, what have you told them?]
Account #: [What is this vendors acct# for you]
Userid: [login or otherwise]
Password:
Entity:[Is this account with you or with an entity?]
Name: [What name do they have, if any?]
Address:
phone:
e-mail: [E-mail used by vendor to contact you]
spoken password:
credit card on file:

Method of Payment: Text
Entity who Pays:
Bank Account:
Automated?:
Frequency:
Amt. Due:
Date Due:

Info Unique to this Contact:
Serial #:
SKU #:
Model #:
Where Purchased?:
Order #:

Vendor Provides Multiple Services?
Vendor Has More Than one Primary Product:
Who do we talk to at this company?

Procedure(s):
To Pay Vendor:
To Change Address:
To Add Services:
To Cancel Account:
To Use Product/Service:

Journal History: [Brief description of your last interaction/transaction]”

——Paste template, above this line, into notes section of the contact——

Example Contact

Note how many of the fields, below, are not even filled out for this piece of software. That’s because those fields aren’t needed to manage the item. The idea is to keep it as simple as possible. I rarely fill out every field. However, using the full template for each item enables my eye to locate fields, quickly.

Search Tags: Omnifocus, GTD, Task Manager, MAC

Shared Drive Location(s): \Applications\Omnifocus, \date\path\here
Physical File Location(s): None, downloaded from web

Type: vendor
Services: software task manager for MAC based on GTD system

Info this contact has on Us:
Account #: OS6465738
Userid: none created yet
Password:
Entity: LLC
Name: My Name
Address: My Address for credit card purchase
phone: My Phone for credit card purchase
e-mail: My e-mail
spoken password: none
credit card on file: LLC Credit Card # Here

Method of Payment: LLC Credit Card
Entity who Pays: LLC
Bank Account: LLC account
Automated?: N/A
Frequency: N/A
Amt. Due: $79 one time purchase
Date Due: N/A

Info Unique to this Contact:
Vendor Provides Multiple Services? Multiple Omni software packages
Vendor Has More Than one Primary Product: omni graffle, sketcher, outliner
Who do we talk to at this company? web purchase only

Licence key = xaoe-4536-axeu-2563-oex5

Procedure(s):N/A
To Pay Vendor:
To Change Address:
To Add Services: www.webaddress_here.com
To Cancel Account:
To Use Product/Service:

Journal History:
Downloaded 14 day trial on 5/1/2010
purchased on 5/14/10, order id=OS6465738, received license key above

input license key into product and activated successfully

Simple and Powerful

Having the relevant data on hand for every object, thing and vendor in my life has been amazingly empowering. I’ve been able to accomplish things while traveling, avoid the hassles of finding support materials before taking action, take simple actions in time to avoid penalties and even turnover intractable admin tasks, as a result.

Mastery

Practice Makes Permanent

By Terence Gillespie September 5, 2014

Practice makes permanent, not perfect. How and what you practice determines what is made permanent.

The saying should be, “Perfect practice makes perfect” though I prefer the word “Optimal”. Perfection is a neurotic goal whereas Optimal is possible within the limits of strengths, weaknesses, values, goals and purpose.

Fine, so how does one practice optimally? One of life’s ironies is that we’re least able to practice optimally when first starting to learn. And, what’s practiced first has a dramatic impact; good or bad.

The Perfect Swing

A golf swing is among the most complex and elegant feats the human body can perform. Having rarely picked up a club I read “Search for the Perfect Swing” before learning to play golf. The book taught me what a perfect golf swing looked like from many vantage points. The more I read the more I wanted to play. So, after reading the book I took a few lessons and, with the help of a pro, bridging the gap between mind and body was a joy!

Playing golf is now fun, not torture. A lot of this has to do with getting off to an Optimal start:

I was interested, but, detached from the urgency of having to “Get started right away”.
The book “spoke my language” covering the subject from many angles and vantage points.
The lessons were efficient because concepts and language were understood. The instructor was freed up to show how to physically swing the club rather than explain language, lingo or why he was leading me in certain directions.
I had no qualms about looking bad, seeking help or taking instruction from a pro.
Distinctions between what felt natural and what were optimal techniques were made from the start. The danger here is that what feels natural is mistaken for optimal instead of just easy. As I learned from playing the guitar what comes natural or “easy” is only one component of what is truly optimal technique.

While better golfers struggle to remove bad habits from their swing, without messing up the whole, I have the luxury of building on an optimal foundation. The few times I get to play are truly enjoyable.

Preparation vs. “Just Do It”

People say, “Don’t think about it, just do it!” as if offering brilliant insight. In fact, advising action without thought is terrible advice, especially, if you don’t know what you’re doing.

A three second delay before “Just speaking” saves a world of hurt. The same goes for thought before action. A little thought before “Just doing it” saves time and may save the effort of undoing, redoing or repairing what wasn’t done right the first time.

Let’s say you’re moving to a new house and loading all your possessions into a truck. While others are mapping out the space you just grab things and start loading them. No need to get “bogged down in the details”, you say, “Just cut to the chase and start loading!” You’re brilliant . . . .until you run out of space or start breaking things. Now you have to unload the truck, map out the space, reload the truck and repair/replace the broken items. Gee, I guess “Anything worth doing is worth doing twice”!

Imagine the same mistake in learning how to play golf. How hard (Or impossible) will it be to unlearn and remove bad habits from muscle and bone because you didn’t waste time learning the fundamentals and just jumped right in and got started!

Diligence vs. Insanity

If practice makes perfect then diligence leads only to perfection. But, diligence, alone, could just as well lead to insanity. If what you’re practicing is flawed, or mechanically wrong, diligence could halt, reverse or permanently degrade performance and make expertise impossible.

Diligence is an admirable quality after you’re clear on the fundamentals of what you’re being diligent about.

Optimal Feels Unnatural, at First

When learning a new skill there’s a tendency to mistake what feels natural with what’s optimal. What feels natural, at first, is usually just what’s easy. And what comes easy is rarely optimal in terms of long term technique. Learning to play the guitar is a good example.

When you pick up a guitar and hold it “Naturally” neither the left or right hands fall into the optimal positions. In fact, when shown how to place the hands, correctly, the first thing people say or think is “This hurts!” It not only feels unnatural, it hurts. Nobody would put their hands in the correct guitar positions “Naturally”. And yet, as painful as the optimal playing position is, at first, it’s the only way to avoid long term damage to your hands and master the instrument. Get it wrong at the beginning and you’ll pay, pay, pay every time you play.

Going by what we “Feel” is usually an excuse to do what’s easy. And what comes easy is only optimal after gaining expertise. What’s easy, at first, may be a disaster in the long term.

Self-Taught is No Badge of Honor

What’s so great about being Self-Taught? Tiger Woods is a natural born golfer and he isn’t self-taught. So, what’s the brag about?

Being self-taught is ok for things around the house or supporting skills incidental to your work. For important skills, however, it’s no badge of honor unless:

You don’t care enough about the activity to put effort or time into it.
You don’t want to spend money on training.
It’s not a long term interest for you.
It’s not important enough to make a fuss about.

There’s nothing wrong with any of this if the skill is trivial. For important skills, however, throw the badge of self-taught in the trash. All it takes, nowadays, is watching a DVD, reading a book or watching videos on the web to get started on the right foot.

The Benefits May be Indirect

Slowing down to prepare or practice the right habits into muscle and bone could pay huge dividends. Ironically, the dividends may go into different skill than the one you’re learning. That’s because doing one thing well has a lot in common with doing anything well. The optimal characteristics, behaviors, look, feel and approach to optimizing one thing parlays into everything you do.

In a previous article about expert marksmanship I ask:

“What profession or task would not benefit from the discipline and precision required to become a Rifleman?

What about adjusting your sights is not transferable to adjusting a miter saw?
What about establishing your NPOA is not transferable to target marketing?
What about zeroing a rifle is not transferable to Optimizing workflow?
What about the shooting by the numbers is not transferable to visualizing your goals?”

then suggest . . .

“For those who haven’t yet settled on a profession precision rifle training exercises a myriad of mental and physical ‘muscles’ that can be applied to future pursuits, yet unknown.”

A Modern Jumpstart

Having so much information at our fingertips is a big help when it comes to learning new skills. Before engaging in serious practice why not:

Do a web search to find experts who communicate well about their expertise.
Watch Youtube videos of experts.
Order and watch Training DVDs.
Checkout Lynda.com for a huge library of software training.
Find books written by experts who speak simply and teach well.

We often hear adults remark that “Kids today know so much more than I did at their age”. That’s probably true. But, they have to. There’s two billion more people on the planet than when I was a kid. When learning skills to contribute and compete it’s more important than ever to practice foundational skills correctly, from the start.

Personal Examples – Good and Bad

Here’s some personal examples of skills and activities I practiced well from the beginning and some that I didn’t.

Good

Golf – The book Search For The Perfect Swing: The Proven Scientific Approach To Fundamentaly Improving Your Game came along at the perfect time and seemed to have been written just for me. It saved me from frustrations that would have made me give up the game. Instead, I enjoy getting a little better each time I play. That’s all I care about with golf because it’s the people, outdoors and elegance of the game that I enjoy.
Flying – I found a natural born pilot passionate about the art and craft of flying. He was not shy about being hard on me, when needed. Also, unlike many flying students I stuck with the same instructor for most of the hours required to earn the general pilots license. That’s important because getting familiar with multiple teaching ‘styles’ is an obstacle to most flying students. Another part of optimizing flying practice from the start was the wealth of DVD training videos on every aspect of flying. Not spending money on them would have been very expensive.
Guitar – My parents found the best teachers right off the bat for me. I still marvel at the awkward habits ingrained into many guitar players who weren’t as lucky.
Piano – Already an accomplished guitar player, choosing a good piano teacher came naturally.
Handgun Shooting – Another example of the optimal grip feeling anything but natural, at first. Through books, DVDs, youtube videos and a friend who is a Federal law enforcement trainer the stance and grip that now feels natural was put into place with Optimal instruction.

Bad

Motorcycling – Early dirt bike riding was a good start because I crashed more often and learned from each one. However, street bike riding is a zero crash high risk scenario. I commuted by motorcycle for seven years, but, had no idea what I didn’t know until being clued in by a friend. Better late than never, I suppose. The book “Proficient Motorcycling” would have been perfect to read before any street bike riding.
Weight Lifting – Everybody thinks they know what they’re doing and almost nobody really does. My early weightlifting was fraught with bad form, working out too many days a week, too many repetitions and no idea how to recover other than eating lots of chicken and eggs and sleeping all day. Ridiculous and nothing but bumping into obstacles and moving backwards.
Rifle Shooting – My dad was great in getting us out into the woods to shoot and being safe about it. He also taught us good trigger technique. However, my brother and I were clueless when it came to holding the rifle, using a sling to stabilize, lining up the sights or learning about anything but our pellet guns and his .22LR. I’m not complaining because he probably taught us more than most dads. However, I wish there had been something like the Appleseed Project back then.

Elegance is Worth The Effort

As you progress into mastery the conscious mind no longer has to focus on fundamentals if they’re practiced well from the beginning. The mind is freed up to focus on overall performance. Sometimes it’s the elegant details and sometimes its the context of the performance. These could turn out to be the most beautiful or critical aspects of your performance. Both are worth the effort of optimizing from the start.

Creativity

Movies & Series for Writers

By Terence Gillespie September 4, 2014

Lips move in poetry only when they cannot not kiss. At least mine do.

Writing has limits. It’s an attempt to translate wonder into words to conjure thoughts of that wonder when read. Good writing gets to the point. Great writing invades the body and takes hold of the imagination to project an experience onto the mind-screen. Movies start at the other side of the equation and travel direct. They project through the eye and onto the mind-screen. If the ears are to hear only what the eyes miss then watching movies for writing is getting inspiration from a medium of more efficient delivery. They can leave all but the screenwriter, speechless. That’s why some of the screenwriting in these movies is a masterpiece of brevity and nuance of the spoken (Not written) language.

I’d rather write less about a life worth living than a million words about aspirations. But, other lives are inspirational, too, especially when captured by a good writer (And director). So, when you can’t get another word down but have time for a movie here’s a list for you. They’re not necessarily great works of art but they’re good for writers.

Games of Thrones
Sons of Anarchy
Downton Abbey
Barfly
Hearts of Darkness
Finding Forrester
Julia & Julia
A Beautiful Mind
Shine
Amadeus
Quills
Tucker
Wind
Sherlock Holmes
Ray
The Aviator
Searching for Bobby Fisher
The Muse
The Killing Fields
Pollack
The Player
Don’t Look Back
Thirty Two Short Films about Glenn Gould
My Favorite Year
Ishtar
The Big Fish
All The Presidents Men
Absence of Malice
The Shining
Purple Violets
World According To Garp
The Swimming Pool
The Hoax
The Prize Winner Of Defiance Ohio
Pandaemonium
Finding Neverland
Miss Potter
Adaptation
Shattered Glass
Funny Farm
The Hours
Mr. Hollands Opus
Deathtrap
The Big Picture
Henry & June
Shakespeare In Love
Wonder Boys
Sylvia
Stranger Than Fiction
Before Night Falls
Il Postino – Inspiration for “Tonight I know How Poets Feel”
Big Bad Love
Misery
Iris
Kafka
Barton Fink
Beloved
Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle
Deconstructing Harry
Phenomenon
Wilde
Nora
Tom & Viv
Gothic
Whole Wide World
Shadowlands
Adaptation
Ask The Dust
The Lost Weekend
Harry Met Sally – sw
Sleepless In Seattle – sw
Shawshank Redemption – sw
Goodfellas – sw
Casino – sw
The Verdict – sw
The Making of ‘Star Wars’
The Making of ‘The Shining’

More will be added as they get watched and vetted.

Business

20 Ways to Be Self-Deployed in the Next 10 Minutes

By Terence Gillespie September 4, 2014

Either make a list or work on someone else’s. Be deployed or get deployed.

It’s that simple. What’s hard to grasp is how small steps, decisions and work accumulate over time, multiply and lead to freedom. And, yes, I’m bypassing “Self-Employment” and going right to the heart of the matter. State conjured terms don’t lead to a purposeful life. The truth shall set us free and it begins with precise language.

People who’ve done it know that deploying yourself is a project that can’t be checked off as done. There’s always something needed to keep it going. Through it all . . . one thing matters most: The next thing. The next thing is never so critical than when it’s the first thing. So, say a prayer and align your being and talents with the Creator of all things . . . and then make a list and get to work. That’s what Self-Deployment is. The first 100 steps are the hardest. Here’s the first 20 to optimize your trajectory.

Bet they’re not what your think.

20 Ways to Self-Deploy

Find or create a place where you can think clearly. Bring a notebook, pen and ten bucks to get a cup of tea, snack or whatever else keeps you from concentrating. If you have a desk at home then . . . .
Clean up your desk – Until it doesn’t distract you anymore.
Make a list of everything you have to do until you can’t think of anything else. If you’re returning to this list from a previous session do this step again until your mind is clear.
Write down everything you can’t get off your mind. Anything you can’t stop thinking about is eligible. Keep writing even if it takes all the time you have available. If you’re returning to this list from a previous session do this step again until your mind is clear.
If you get stuck or overwhelmed go workout at the gym. That’s it, you’re done for the day. Don’t feel bad. This is the best thing you could possibly do to get unstuck for tomorrow or later.
If you already have an idea –Brainstorm. – It’s no good to move on to the next step if you can’t wait to write everything down about a new business idea. Who knows? It may just be the one! But, hold back that judgment for now.
Get organized – Build the Ark before the flood. If you’re scattered now it only gets worse. All this this purging and brainstorming tends to overwhelm personal organization. Start improving your system now. Ideas are the fuel of the freedom machine. Learn how to capture and organize them. GTD may be the optimal place to get started..
Learn How to Discover Your Life Purpose in About 20 Minutes. Purpose is key to everything even if you don’t know what yours are, yet. Nobody wants to climb to the top of a ladder only to find it’s resting against the wrong building.
Understand Your Optimal Equation– This is how the big picture fits together. Knowing your purpose is the best way to start. However, even when you do other variables of your life can still drag you down. The more self-knowledge you have about the complete range of your strengths, weaknesses, values, goals and purpose the better chance you have at optimizing the work you do in any environment. For now, move on to discovering you strengths.
Build on your strengths. Purchase and read StrengthsFinder 2.0 to discover your strengths. If you want to move forward without the benefit of the book then go ahead and attempt to list them all out. I recommend the book, however, because it’s hard to recognize our own strengths.
Learn How to Find Work in Any Economy– See if any of those jobs interest you. If they do, can you provide those services as a business instead of working a job? If so, then vett that business after you . . .
Learn How to Vett Any Business Idea in 20 Minutes or Less
Create a Bucket List. We all have one. The only difference between you and everyone else is that you’re going to write yours down. Want to climb the pyramids? Dive the Great Barrier Reef? Fly your own helicopter?
List every Life Goal you have. Unlike your bucket list, these are personal development milestones, levels of expertise, accredidations, states of being that provide inner satisfaction.
Create a Not To-Do List. – This is a great technique to free up the time needed to work yourself free. If you’re currently working a job then you need all the little snippets of time you can get your hands on.
Cut Back to The Essentials. Make a list of all expenses you could cut to make your life easier. Be brutal. By now you know that nothing matters more than freedom. Let go of all the crap costing money you could use to get free. Don’t make others free in exchange for things you don’t need. Get back to basics and Tools that multiply your productivity.
Take a Little Trip – Not even at step 20 and I’ll bet your exhausted. These ‘little’ steps pack a punch. Alright, forget about everything and take a little trip off your beaten path. Go feed the ducks at the pond or ice skate around them. Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream. Don’t come back until you stop giggling for no reason.
SELL what you can, DONATE what you will and TRASH the rest. Trash everything you don’t need. List what you could sell to free up space, clutter, maintenance and money. Look in your garage. Stuff you don’t use is expensive in more ways than one.
Outsource your weaknesses. Yeah, I know you can’t afford it. Be creative. Swap services with a buddy. Anybody from church need a place to stay for the summer? Offer a college student a part time job for room and board. Honey, can you do me a favor? etc., etc. . . .
Use your job to break free. Purchase and read The 4-Hour Workweek. This is a great tool if you’re trying to work yourself free of a job.

What, no business plan? Uhhhhm, those are for getting others to loan you money. By step 21 you’ll be on your way to creating money . . . but that’s a topic for another day. Work on one or two of these per day until they’re all done. On the way to completing the first 20 you’ll map out the first 100 or more. Those are the hardest, remember? If you lose your way repeat these rather haunting two sentences to yourself:

Either Make a list or work on someone else’s. Be deployed or get deployed.

Business

240 Jobs That Won’t Disappear in an Economic Crisis

By Terence Gillespie September 2, 2014

The real unemployment rate is 22%.¹ John Williams predicted a climb to 35% in light of the many negative converging factors of this artificial economic crisis we’re in.

A job lost in this economy is hard to replace. We may attempt to do what we love and hope the money will follow. However, less division of labor means less job choice. With one out of three workers unemployed it may come down to to doing what we must so that groceries will follow.

If you have a job hold onto it by:

Becoming an invaluable employee with a superior attitude.
Volunteering for extra work and showing great interest in what’s profitable for the business.
Helping your company cut costs and waste.
Contributing to your companies goal of bringing in revenue or new customers.
Being a source of income, not expense, to the company your work for.

If you lost a job, recently, can you work part-time for your previous employer or hire yourself out in the same field?

If not, it’s back to the drawing board of . . .

Matching Abilities to Market Opportunities

In good times we may have the luxury of matching our most fulfilling abilities with a market opportunity. With less opportunities we have to either create our own market in line with our purpose (Optimal, but not easy) or match one of our less fulfilling abilities to a remaining opportunity. Either way, it’s helpful to have a clear view of what opportunities still exist.

The purpose of this article is to keep a running list of jobs and opportunities that exist even when the economy goes south. Such a list is useful to both entrepreneurs and job seekers, alike. Obviously, the more self-knowledge you have about the complete range of your strengths, weaknesses, values, goals and purpose the better chance you have at optimizing the work you do in any environment. However, a comprehensive list of jobs, known to be available in hard times, makes it much easier to zero-in on a best fit. My hope for this list of Jobs is that it:

Puts a wide range of opportunities in front of you all at once.
Jars your mind into creating a clear picture of what always needs to get done
Points out an opportunity you might have missed or never thought of.
Causes you to think of something, not on the list, that you wouldn’t have thought of otherwise (Please e-mail me your suggestions).
Enables you to optimize a match between your abilities and market opportunities rather than taking the first thing that comes along.
Enables a jump to higher state, closer to your individual purpose, even during these hard times.

As a list maker I know the value of a complete list. Although overwhelming, at first, its true value is the specific insight they give. You’ll care about only two to five items on this list. But, you’ve got to sift through a mountain of dirt to get to a gem. And, your dirt is someone else’s gem. The goal is to do what needs to be done that nobody else can, or is willing, to do.

Range of Strengths

People have a range of strengths and talents and are very adaptable. Let’s say, for the sake of argument, that each person is capable of doing 100 different jobs for which they could get paid. Let’s also say that each of those 100 jobs were listed out and prioritized such that job 100 was least preferred and job one was most preferred. It would be a very fortunate person working only on jobs 1 through 5. In hard times, however, one may need to flexible and willing to do any of those 100 jobs depending on what opportunities exist.

Of all the things you can do, for which there are opportunities available, pick the ones you could do, with relative ease, better than 80% of the people. It may sound cold, but, if you can’t perform in the top 20% then you’re a general worker and more likely to be expendable as companies cut back.

Consider More Than One

The ideal work for you may be doing two or three of these jobs on a part-time basis and getting your own small business started as a long term project. There may not be full-time work for your top choice and businesses seek temporary help during hard times. Even if you can find steady work in your top choices it’s always wise to hedge risk through multiple sources if income.

The Ways of Hard Times

In hard times, people and businesses tend to:

Fix, not replace, existing equipment.
Expand sources of revenue for their business.
Cut the number of paid work hours in the week (Furlough days).
Ask employees to take pay cuts.
Focus on cutting costs to the bone.
Take better care of what they have.
Focus on essential needs rather than desires.
Seek entertainment or psychological relief from endless worries.
Seek temporary help rather than full-time employees.
Keep work in-house rather than outsource.

Dirty, Difficult, Dangerous (And in Demand)

There’s always work available for people willing to perform dirty, difficult or dangerous jobs. Since these terms are subjective only you can decide what they mean. Ideally, something others consider difficult is not difficult for you. Same goes for dirty or dangerous. To provide good samples I’ve included all the jobs from the Discovery Channel’s Dirty Jobs and denoted them with an asterisk.

Work is Everything You Must Do

Anything you must do to provide for the needs of your family is work. When performing this work you are employed whether you’re paid or not.

What we really need is to provide food, clothes, shelter and security for our families. We need the real things listed in Checklist for Hard Times. A job is an indirect means of providing these real things for our family. Anything you can do to provide them, directly, decreases your dependency on working for someone else.

Barter with your excess instead of spending new money you have to work for.
Cut overhead.
Swap services and expertise with trusted friends.
Store new money into real things instead of disintegrating fiat money.

All the simple things suggested in Your Optimal Bailout Plan and Depression Proof your money can be done whether you have a formal job or not. In fact, being formally unemployed may create a time and space to work on eliminating the need for a conventional job, altogether!

After all, who cares if your labeled ‘unemployed’ if you’re meeting all the needs of your family?!

Jobs For Hard Times

Anyone who has seen a balance sheet for a business knows there’s a small number of income sources and a large number of expenses. Each job, below, represents a possible source of income.

(Note: This is a running list. Please e-mail your ideas for additions and subtractions. I’ll post them here at YourOptimal so others may benefit.)

Accounting – Cut costs and avoid taxes
Accupuncturist
Agricultural Equip. Parts & Personnel
Airport Maintenance*
Alligator Farmer*
Alpaca Farmer*
Alternative Communications Systems
Animal Barber*
Appliance Repair
Auto Mechanic
Auto Parts & Personnel
Bakery
Bankruptcy Consultant
Bar – Tender, Keep, Supplier
Barge Demolition*
Barter Exchanges – Clearing Houses For Goods.
Bat Guano Collector*
Battery Recharging Services
Bee Exterminator*
Beekeeper
Bicycle Shop & Repair
Big Animal Vet*
Billboard Installer*
Bio-Diesel Recovery*
Blacksmith
Blogger or Freelance Writer in a Unique Niche
Bodywork – Car, Truck
Bologna Maker*
Bridge Painter*
Buoy Cleaner*
Bus Driver
Camel Rancher*
Candle Maker
Cardboard Packaging
Career Counselor
Carpenter – Temp shelters, House Repair, Security
Casino Food Recycler*
Catfish Noodler*
Cattle Rancher*
Cave Cleanup*
Cave Digger – Excavate Wine Caverns In Napa Valley*
Cell Tower Maintenance
Charcoal Maker*
Cheese Maker*
Chick Sexer*
Chicken Raising/Breeding
Child Daycare
Chimney Sweeper*
Chiropractor
City Hall Jobs
Coal Miner*
Coffee Shop – Barista, Proprietor
Communications Equipment Repair
Community Colleges – Career (Re)Training
Complementary alternative medicine
Computer Rental & Repair
Concrete Spreader*
Cook/Chef
Cooper – Barrel maker
Copywriters for Ad Copy
Cosmetologist – Basics That Boost Spirits
County Clerk Office
Crab Fisherman*
Crawfisher*
Custodian for Empty Buildings
Dairy Farmer*
Debt Advisor
Debt Collection
Demolition Worker*
Dentistry/Oral Surgery
Diaper Cleaner*
Direct Marketing
Disaster Cleanup*
Doctor
Doctor’s Offices
Drivers – Bus, Van, Truck, Dumptruck
Drugstores
Educational Services – Trade Schools, Retraining
Egg Farm*
Electrician (Power Generation & Distribution, Communication)
Electronic Waste Recycling*
Engine Repair / Mechanic / Machinist
Engineer (Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, Metallurgical/Materials)
Entertainment And Diversions – DVD Rental
Exterminator*
Farm Equipment Repairman
Fill-In Worker For No Shows
Firearms Instructor
Fish Gutter*
Fix Things
Food Recycler*
Foreclosure Services
Fruit
Fuel Tank Cleaner*
Garbage Collector*
Garbage Pit Technician – Convert Trash Into Electricity*
Gardener
Gasoline Service Stations
General Stores – Mom And Pop
Generators Ac & Dc (Supply, Repair, Maint, Installer)
Glass Maker*
Goat Farmer*
Golf Ball Diver*
Goose Down Plucker*
Gourd Maker*
Green Algae Grower*
Grocery Store
Groundskeeper for Large Estates
Guns And Ammo Supply
Gunsmith
Handyman (Carpenter, Plumber, Roofer, Mr. Fix it)
Harvest Field Workers
Harvest Hops*
Harvest Walnuts*
Healthcare Services (Admin, Therapy)
Heating Oil Tank Removal*
Herb Grower/Supplier (Medicinal)
High-Rise Window Washer*
Home Retrofitting For Senior Access
Home Security And Locksmithing
Homeschooling Teachers
Honey Harvester*
Hoof Cleaner*
Horse Breeder*
Hot Tar Roofer*
Hunter/Trapper
Hydroelectric Dam Maintenance*
Import / Export – Anything & Everything
Infrastructure Repair – Communications, Utilities, Roads
Installing Insulation
Internet Café
Junkyard Dealers
Language Translator
Lawn & Garden Parts & Personnel
Leatherwork / Tanner
Leech Trapper*
Liquor Stores
Locksmith
Maggot Farmer*
Marketers – Drum Up Business
Massage Therapist
Mattress Recycler*
Mechanic – Aircraft
Mechanic – Automobile
Mechanic – Keeping Stuff Running
Midwife
Mortician
Mosquito Control*
Mule Logger*
Museum Conservator
Mushroom Farmer*
Nurse
Nursery Worker
Off-grid Power Supply – Sell, Install, Repair, Consult
Oil Drilling*
Optometrists
Ostrich Farmer*
Oyster Harvester*
ParaLegal Services
Paramedics/EMT
Parent – Stay at Home, Homeschooling
Parts & Personnel for EVERYTHING
Pawn Shops
Pest Control*
Pet Groomer*
Pharmacist
Physical Therapy
Physician (General Practice, Surgeon, Ob-Gyn)
Physician Assistants
Pig Farmer*
Plumber
Plumbing Parts & Personnel
Potato Farmer*
Power Supplies – Fix, Repair, Maint
Precious Metal Dealer
Psychological Counseling
Recharge Batteries
Reindeer Farmer*
Reloading
Repair – Home, Car, Commercial, And Industrial Repair
Repair Shops
Repairs And Maintenance Of All Kinds
Repairing Utilities
Repossession Services
Roadkill Recovery*
Rock Quarry*
RV Maint & Repair
Salespeople
Salt Miner*
Salt Supplier
Schoolbus Driver
Scrap Metal Recycling*
Second Hand Stores
Security Consultant
Security Guard
Security Improvements – Building Barriers, Install Cameras
Seed Supplier
Senior Care Management
Septic Tank Technician*
Sewer Inspector*
Shark Catcher*
Sheep Castrator*
Shoe Repair
Shrimper*
Skull Cleaner*
Sludge Recycler*
Snow Plowing
Soldier – If you really must
Spray Insulation*
Steam Ship Cleaner*
Steel Mill Worker & Recovery*
Stonemason/Bricklayer
Storage Unit Cleanout
Storm Drain Metal Recovery*
Street Vendors – Meat, Corn, Fruit, Ice Cream, Tacos, Candy
Sunken Logs Recovery*
Survival Supplies Dealer
Swap Meets – Setup, Organizers
Tailoring/Alterations
Teacher/Tutor
Telephone Repair
Temporary Workers (Biggest Category And Opportunity Here)
Termite Controller*
Tire Recycler*
Tofu Maker*
Toilet Crusher And Recycler*
Towtruck Driver
Trade Schools
Truck Farming And Large Scale Vegetable Gardening
Turkey Farmer*
Unloading Railroad Cars
Utilities
Van Drivers
Vegetable Gardening
Vellum Maker – Turns Animal Hides In To Paper*
Veterinarian
Vice: Sex, Moonshine, Drugs, Gambling
Waste Water Sewage Plant*
Welder
Well Digger*
Wind Farm Technician*
Windshield Glass Repair
Wine Maker*
Wood Stoves
Worm Rancher*

*These were featured jobs on the the Discovery Channel show “Dirty Jobs“.

¹It’s 9/2/2014

Business

How to Vett a Business Idea in 10 minutes

By Terence Gillespie September 2, 2014

The primary indicator of a successful business is rarely discussed: The enduring passion of the owner for the purpose of the business.

Only the owners enduring passion for a business can pull it through every obstacle of the difficult journey of conducting a business. Without passion, the business is doomed from the start; regardless of whether the business idea is good or not.

I created this business vetting mindmap for my wife. She has lots of business ideas and I wanted to give her a way to vett any business in 10 minutes or less. To accomplish that I needed the tool to be visually exciting. The goal is to channel initial excitement into discovering whether excitement has the potential of turning into an enduring passion.

The Roots of Business Failure

There are many (Mostly owner-related) reasons a business can fail:

Inflexibility
Inability to work with people
Cheap when should be generous
Wasteful when should be frugal
Inability to delegate
Poor administration skills
Poor marketing & Sales skills
Poor financial skills
Not a large enough market for the product
Strong competition (Without the above handicaps)

We all have weaknesses in some of these areas. No one person has all the skills necessary to run every facet of a business. That’s one crucial reason why the owner must have an enduring passion for the purpose of the business: To be motivated to overcome or compensate for their own business weaknesses.

An Extension of Purpose

Discovering the right business for you is as hard and easy as living a purposeful life. Your Optimal Business is an extension of your own unique purpose. You could go through the yellow pages all day long and not find it because the discovery is an inside job.

By the way, your purpose doesn’t have to be grand; It just has to be yours.

Whether you love being behind your own bar and talking with the customers, writing a book about plants, flying an airplane or taking care of your family while working with your hands . . . it’s all up to you. Frankly, I don’t think any purpose is better than another in the grand scheme of things. They all fit together in a worldwide mosaic with everyone providing for each other’s needs.

It’s a matter of knowing yourself, knowing the people in your world and asking the question, What can I do to help?

Ideally, you want to live and run your business in a way that, even if you’re only mildly successful from the worlds point of view, you wouldn’t have it any other way.

Employ Yourself

Working for a “Company” is new thing from an historical perspective. Before the industrial revolution people just provided for themselves as best they could. Your “Job” was everything you did that day to provide for yourself and family.

As more “Companies” go out of business there are less “Jobs” in the modern sense. However, there is plenty of work to be done.

You might call this article the small business companion article to Jobs For Hard Times. See that article for an extensive list of business oppurtunities that will always exist in good times and in bad.

Download the Mindmap

The Business Vetting Checklist is meant to be viewed as a Mindmap. To do that you’ll need to download the MindManager Viewer. View the mindmap starting at the top right and go clockwise around to each question.

The mindmap download, below, has been formatted into PDF form: