Large or Small, Personal or Business, You Know Your a Success When...

Throughout history the people who made the most difference, changed the world, brought about innovation, social expansion and created everything we take for granted today were loved and hated. Consider Microsoft, undeniably the most influential company in history in terms of computers and software used by hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Chances are you are reading this Blog on a computer using Microsoft Windows or Microsoft Internet Explorer and sent email using Microsoft Outlook or Exchange today.

Do a quick search for the term 'Microsoft Sucks' and 42,200,000 (over 42 million) search results are displayed starting out with a website dedicated to 'Why Microsoft Sucks'. To date the Microsoft Office is the # 1 selling office productivity software in the world, Internet Explorer is used by 98% of all businesses and still there are more than 42 million results about 'Microsoft Sucks'. Can anyone name the company that created Open Office, the free 'imitation' of Microsoft Office that has been around since 1999? The company does not come to mind, they now offer Open Office in more than 80 languages worldwide but nobody knows who they are because it is just a cheap imitation of Microsoft Office who came first and dominated the market (Sun Micrososystems developed Open Office).

Next think about what Susan B. Anthony went through in her quest for Women's Suffrage (the 19th Amendment, right to vote) being arrested by the US Marshall Service, jailed numerous times, expelled from her Union, called a 'harlot', 'unpatriotic' and many worse things. She stood up for what she believed in, what was right and equal for all people and changed the world. In her time she was hated by most men and a significant portion of the female population for pointing out inequities in society and dedicating herself to changing them. Move on to one of the most well loved and most popular leaders in history with a 98% popularity rating in his country, Adolf Hitler.

As unlikely as it sounds, Hitler was extremely popular throughout Germany at the start of his power and throughout the initial war. Hitler utilized the emotions of the German people who felt they had been oppressed and taken advantage of after World War I using national pride, promise of change and most significantly propaganda to influence Germany to follow him. This technique has been used throughout history by scandalous people or companies to sway others to their views when they were unable to obtain influence or compete through legitimate means.

Ask yourself how is it that companies that have done so much to improve and influence our lives are so hated by so many or women like Susan B. Anthony that dedicated their lives to helping others obtain a fair vote in society could be so despised? Neither history or any of us remember the people who never made a difference or caused any 'waves'. The companies and people who take the initive, put themselves at risk, create change and influence life or business as we know it are the ones everyone loves, or loves to hate. When I officially started my business back in 1995 I made little difference, nobody knew who I was or heard of Builder Consulting and life was easy.

Move forward 15 years and hundreds of websites later to where Builder Consulting has been recognized as the Best Place to Work by the Business Journal twice, received 119 local and national 'Best Website' awards, created the industries first content managment system (BuilderAdmin.com), presented hundreds of educational classes worldwide and still conducts business without a single salesperson needed. Last week alone six 'hate emails' from the owner of a company that started up in the same city 8 years after Builder Consulting using a name that is eerily similar to ours. The week before an email was forwarded from someone in Tulsa stating they were told 'Robert Jackson is slimy' (really...I take showers daily) and last month a company in Texas became a customer after another website company told him 'watch out for Builder Consulting' prompting him to research our company and become a customer.

Success, we finally made it! Builder Consulting has changed the way the industry markets online, created the websites, software and solutions others are now trying to imitate and continues to be years ahead of the herd. Customers love us for the success and solutions and other companies hate that they cannot compete no matter how many bad things they say!

The people and companies that make the most difference are those we all know, love, like or love to hate (TMZ is one of the top rated shows). You or your business has made it, you know your a success when the same happens to you!

What similar experiances have you had, did you notice an increase in this type of desperate activity as the economy slowed?

BuilderConsulting.com - Building Better Websites & Technology Solutions since 1995

Business Tweets Become Personal

Exciting news was released by Twitter this week for our business tweets. Currently in beta testing for some users, business tweets will now contain the “contributors” of the tweets from the organization. For example, tweets from Ten Golden Rules would now contain who in the organization sent the tweet via the byline. This is a neat feature because it gives tweets a more personal touch from the business perspective. It is also helpful to understand who and how different members of the organization communicate. You may enjoy or dislike tweets from specific individuals of companies and you can now decipher the author more precisely.

This feature is being rolled out in phases. I feel every opportunity to make a Company feel more authentic is a positive thing. A great aspect of social media is that it has the potential to give the corporate face a more genuine and tangible relationship. By human nature we have a desire for a personal connection. Have you ever visited a restaurant and asked the server his or her opinion on an entrée? That real and truthful response [be it positive OR not] makes the situation feel that much more authentic. I really appreciate the honesty when the server recommends against something I have chosen. In the same with social media and business tweets, consumers appreciate that human connection.

Do you see this feature as beneficial or do you feel it isn’t very necessary?

Rich Horwath: Deep Dive - Blog Business Success Radio

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio

President of the Strategic Thinking Institute and author of the innovative and groundbreaking book Deep Dive: The Proven Method for Building Strategy, Focusing Your Resources, and Taking Smart Action, Rich Horwath, describes how a lack of strategic thinking can destroy a company or a professional career. Learn the three most critical elements of strategic thinking and how to turn them into simple and practical skills. Discover how to become a strategic thinking manager and how to avoid the mistakes made by managers who lack a strategic outlook.

Rich Horwath is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on Blog Talk Radio.

The show airs live on Tuesday, December 1, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

President of the Strategic Thinking Institute and author of the innovative and groundbreaking book Deep Dive: The Proven Method for Building Strategy, Focusing Your Resources, and Taking Smart Action, Rich Horwath, describes how a lack of strategic thinking can destroy a company or a professional career. You will learn:

* What strategic thinking means and why it's critical to business success

* How to add the skills of strategic thinking to your employees

* Why companies fall behind the competition and often go bankrupt

* Why strategic thinking organizations are leaders in any economy

Rich Horwath (photo left) is the author of the best-selling book on strategic thinking, Deep Dive: The Proven Method for Building Strategy, Focusing Your Resources, and Taking Smart Action, which has been described by the Director of Worldwide Operations for McDonalds as "...the most valuable book ever written on strategic thinking." He is a national television thought-leader on strategy, having appeared on NBC, WGN, FOX and the Chicago Tonight Show to discuss the strategic aspect of current issues.

He is the founder and president of the Strategic Thinking Institute, a former chief strategy officer, and professor of strategy at the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. He is the author of four books and more than fifty articles on strategic thinking and has been profiled in business publications around the world, including Investor's Business Daily. He was ranked the #1 speaker on strategy by the Society for Healthcare Strategy.

Rich Horwath blogs at Strategy Espresso.

My book review of Deep Dive: The Proven Method for Building Strategy, Focusing Your Resources, and Taking Smart Action by Rich Horwath.

Listen live on Tuesday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.

If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.

To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with President of the Strategic Thinking Institute and author of the innovative and groundbreaking book Deep Dive: The Proven Method for Building Strategy, Focusing Your Resources, and Taking Smart Action, Rich Horwath, as he describes how a lack of strategic thinking can destroy a company or a professional career. Learn the three most critical elements of strategic thinking and how to turn them into simple and practical skills. Discover how to become a strategic thinking manager and how to avoid the mistakes made by managers who lack a strategic outlook on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Deep Dive: The Proven Method for Building Strategy, Focusing Your Resources, and Taking Smart Action, Rich Horwath, management strategic thinking, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

America-style Agribusiness In Africa?

Are American companies boosting poor economies by swooping up farmland or is there some other hidden agenda going on?

Read more at "Land Rush in Africa" and weigh in with your comments.

Acekard 2i for DSi, DSL, IDSL, DS and IDS

The Acekard 2i is the same size as an original cart and you don?t have to flash your machine or use a passme in order to use it.

Never lost save data

Acekard 2i writes directly to the save file on your MicroSD card. No need to manually select save types nor battery. Save files are compatible with other flash carts. All you need to do is make sure the save file has the same prefix name and put it at the same directory of file. Then you can just run the software to use new save file.
Perfect compatibility

Acekard 2i inherit the best quality of acekard's products. You can just drag and drop software on MicroSD card to run.
*On first boot it takes some time to create save file. The loader time after save file is created is very fast.
Support Homebrew programs/games

The Acekard 2i is compatible with all homebrew because of the DLDI auto-patcher. You can just copy the homebrews to the MicroSD card and run it. You can use Moonshell, one of the most well known homebrew software on DS, for multi media. Watching movie, listening MP3, reading TXT novel on DS is so easy! Please
*Some homebrews need to be put at the root of MicroSD card for best compatibility.
Support SDHC MicroSD card

Acekard 2i support SDHC and offer unlimited space for you. You can copy all you favorite software, songs and movie to one MicroSD card.
Support any brand of MicroSD card

Acekard 2i can be meet with any brand of MicroSD card. Do not need to worry about the speed of MicroSD card.

Support Action Reply cheats. Build-in editor

Acekard 2i support Action Replay cheats in .dat, .xml and .cc format. You can select how to use AR cheats by using the build-in editor.

   1. Copy AR cheats in .dat or .xml format to /__ak2/cheats.  Copy .cc format file to the same directory of file.
   2. Press "Y" to popup the editor.
   3. Select "Cheat DB file".
   4. Select the cheat file.
   5. Select "Rebuild".
   6. If you have the cheat code of the software then a list window will be shown. You can use "X" and "Y" to enable or disnable them.
   7. Press "A" to save your changes and enter software for fun.

Built in "Trimming" Function

The Acekard 2i has a ?Trimming? Function built in. When you copy a file in the Micro SD , the Acekard 2i. will automatically trim any un-necessary data in a file.
Fully touch screen operation

The Acekard R.P.G. utilizes the idea of the iPhone which gives the customer a totally new control experience.
* You are able to use ?Button Control? as well.
Build-in file operation

You can use copy, paste and delete at the files in MicroSD card.

Can be used as a Passme to boot from slot-2 flash carts. Run GBA games by using expand cart

The Acekard 2 can be used as a passkey, so you can boot your slot2 flash carts with it.
AK2 also support 3in1 expansion cart. You can run gba games from MicroSD card directly.
*You need insert MicroSD card with OSMenu to use Passme function.
*Expansion cart sold separately.
*There is no Slot2 in DSi.
Support Multi-language

You can easily change the language within Acekard 2i. There are 8 languages in the firmware, Which are Simple Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, French, Italy, Spanish , Japanese and German. You can modify and replace these languages' text as you wish. They are all in /__ak2/language/.
Support Skin and Dynamic skin change

Acekard 2i use the same skin system of AK RPG. You can easily DIY Acekard 2i skin, and change it at anytime. All the pictures, buttons, text, even their coordinate can be customized. You also can add your own customer text and customer pictures. Same skin different style! You can find .And you can find skin editor at . You can just copy the folder of skins to "/__ak2/ui/" and enable it from "System Options" at start menu.

Perfect UI

AK 2 will start in the folder you last ran software from.
Every file and folder has an icon in front of the name. Softwares will display their icon directly.
Using the simple list view more files will be shown on screen.
You can config the scrolling speed and whether to show the hidden files.

Support soft-reset, Download play and WIFI playing

AK 2 support soft-reset whenever you running a software. You can return to AK 2 menu when you?re running software by just pressing L+R+A+B+Down. You do not need turn off DS to change softwares. You can disable this function in menu.

By Articles Directory

4 Tips for Finding the Perfect Internet Business for You

Have you considered the idea of having your own internet business, able to choose the hours you work, with your own business model, and be your own boss? Have you also decided not to take that step, because of worries and anxieties about the risks involved, the uncertainty, or even because of concerns which you may have regarding how to identify legitimate opportunities from the scams?

If so, then you are certainly not alone, and there is an increasing number of people who are now turning to internet technology to help create a better work life balance and distancing themselves from the increasing uncertainty of the workplace and job security. It seems that people now want to take charge of their own lives, their own careers and their own independent financial security.

Whilst it would certainly be misleading to suggest that there were no scams or untrustworthy internet business models and ideas available online, there are enough genuine, and proven ways of earning either a part time or full time income online to make it well worth a proper investigation if the idea appeals to you. If this sounds like you, then here are some basic pointers to ensure that whatever steps you take, and whatever decisions you make, you are more likely to emerge from the experience in a positive frame of mind.

Legitimacy. We've all seen those online business offers and adverts suggesting that the author made tens of thousands of dollars in the first week, is now a millionaire a few months on and generously giving all his money making secrets away for about fifty dollars a time.

The point to bear in mind is that if it sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly always is. Yes, the internet has spawned many millionaires, and yes, some people have made a fortune in a very short space of time. But when you consider the millions of people using the internet, this isn't surprising. In all honesty, you have as much chance of making a few million dollars overnight through an online business as you do winning a state lottery.

If you start to read an internet business proposal or scheme, and you realise that most of the description centres on the single individual case of the person who started it, offering no guarantees or assurances of your success, then it may well be best to move on. The best, and most promising online business schemes and ideas tend to focus more on what is involved, what you will need to do, how the financial model works, and present realistic, rather than fantastic targets and expectations.

Support. If you find a few business ideas which sound interesting, drop a direct line to the owner. Unless you're thinking of starting up your own completely independent, unique business yourself, without taking on board a basic model idea of franchise project already in place, then the chances are high that you'll need to communicate with this person quite frequently in the first few days, weeks or perhaps even months. So email the person, and see what happens.

Do they reply? How quick is the response? Is it written personally, or just an automatic reply? Is the message written in a way which sounds pleasant, helpful, and supportive and actually seeks to answer your question? This can reveal a lot about the validity of the business model and the likelihood of your success with it.

Suitability. Another thing that you need to bear in mind is the nature of the business itself, and any opportunity to adapt or extend it in ways which suit you and your personality. It's too easy to pick a web based or home based business opportunity based purely on its reliability, legitimacy or likely financial expectations. Since you could well be looking at the idea as being a long term career opportunity, you need to be honest with yourself about how you see this idea developing.

Are you an extrovert? You might prefer to look at online businesses which involve a great amount of service related work, communicating directly with consumers in various ways. Perhaps you are more of an introvert, and would prefer a business which sees you working in a much more private, solo fashion, focussing more on the product or service than on the communication with customers. Think about how you see yourself and the business in twelve months time. Is it possible to see yourself happy, progressing well and with a business which is both succeeding at the same time as providing you with fresh challenges and opportunities?

Research. One advantage of considering an online or internet business opportunity is that you will be in good company. There are thousands of people who have already taken the plunge, learnt from mistakes, discovered successes, and who are more than willing to share those with you. Sign up to forums and discussion boards where people can share these ideas and experiences, and don't be afraid to ask people for advice, and listen to their responses.