Even great companies reject your good ideas.

There will always be days where it feels like your company doesn't want you there. Or at least, doesn't want your opinions, thoughts, or insights.

Don't take it personally. Think of it like any important relationship.

When your teenager screams "You don't understand …

At work, you create a lot of documents. Why? Well that's the work. You have to put things down on paper, communicate it to others in your company and beyond.

You need a project plan for this upcoming project. Who can create it? Sarah can.

How long do you need …

Originally posted on Old shiftMode Jan 5, 2011

I dabble in home renovations and low end woodworking when I’m not stuck at a keyboard. The commonality being that I seem to enjoy building stuff, whether the raw materials be 1’s and 0’s or pine.

One of the …

Originally posted on Old shiftMode Oct 9, 2010

I noticed an undertone to the first day of talks at this week’s Business of Software. That was to be different, stand out, be unique. Create a different company. Towards the end of the day, when a speaker once again suggested …

Originally posted on Old shiftMode Feb 17, 2012

Feedback is an entirely different beast in the real world. By real world, I mean the world of being an entrepreneur, creating something from nothing. Not the safe confines of a workplace or school. There’s a quote I was reminded of …

Originally posted on Old shiftMode Dec 22, 2009

Note: While reposting this here after decades, how cool is it that the Guelph companies I referenced in the original post are all still alive and running here today, in Guelph!

A few weeks back, our mayor here in Guelph wrote on …

I have a work hack that will increase your engagement, performance, and overall well-being. It's about finding your work bestie, just not in the way your company wants you to.

According to Gallup, having a best friend at work is crucial. It increases engagement and improves business outcomes so significantly …

Originally posted on Old shiftMode Dec 6, 2012

In Winning the Story Wars, Jonah Sachs suggests that the broadcast model of marketing is coming to an end and we’re seeing a return of the oral tradition:

“the oral tradition that dominated human experience for all but the last few …

Originally posted on Old shiftMode Jan 6, 2011

I realized last night as I pitched this idea once again that I’ve been pitching it privately for years but never in public. This is completely made this up so I have no idea if it’s practical and could be …

Originally posted on Substack October 6, 2023

"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.", Winston Churchill

We hosted Startup Wakes as part of our Founders’ Club(FC) events at 349. I borrowed that term from Brad Feld.

In our case, I would wait until a …