Sunday, July 31, 2011

POSTCROSSING AND STAMP COLLECTING

Do you collect stamps? Ayn Rand was an avid stamp collector. I had a stamp collection as a teenager and the stamp collecting was an enjoyable hobby for several years. I have joined the postcard crossing project called postcrossing, so I will receive postcards with international stamps on a regular basis.

#Postcrossing Postcard
#Postcrossing Postcard

If you want to support my blogging, you are welcome to purchase some EGO stamps from Zazzle and TeaParty.nu poscards from Cafepress.

If you want to send me "snail mail," please send it to my mailbox at Mail Boxes Etc.

EGO Mailbox 1564
EGO Mailbox 1564


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EGO IS BACK

I am back from my blog break and with the start of August I will publish a post per day according to the schedule formula I have applied to TeaParty.nu.

Preparing the @TeaPartyNu revolution! #teaFTW
Preparing the @TeaPartyNu revolution! #teaFTW

I want to thank my guest bloggers for great posts and you should know that you are always welcome to write posts whenever you have time...

Here are some pictures from my summer vacation:

Summer Postcard
Summer Postcard

Brooklyn East India Pale Ale Beer & Summer Party
Brooklyn East India Pale Ale Beer & Summer Party

West Coast
West Coast


Drinking "West Coast" IPA beer by Ocean Brewery at "3 Small Rooms" bar in Gothenburg. Photo by Palle Frid Svensson.


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Wednesday, July 6, 2011

SIGNS OF THE TIMES IN BRITAIN

"MIND ... THE GAP! ... MIND ... THE GAP! ... MIND ... THE GAP!" If this warning doesn't sound familiar to you, you have probably never been to London, or at least haven't traveled on the Underground. I have guest blogged from England before, and I happen to be here again, where the government has changed, but the fundamental aspects of the culture remain the same. One of the most evident warning signs about the state of this society is ... the omnipresent warning signs! You can barely walk a hundred yards without being confronted with a myriad of warnings about dangers like gaps, wet surfaces, slippery surfaces, deep water, fire hazards, etc., as well as threats of punishment in case you do something considered naughty, such as light a cigarette. Some of the warnings are as if their author meant them to be a caricature to be shown in a comedy show, like the constantly-repeated admonition to mind the gap in the subway stations.


Even my hotel room has its share of threatening and warning signs, including two copies of the yellow sticker warning me about wet surfaces in the bathroom, and three copies of the no smoking sign threatening me with a £150 fine. Also, the window is restricted by a cord from opening any further than a few inches. I wonder how many of these are required by the government and how many are the result of the hotel management's inclination to nanny over its guests. Whichever is the case, though, they are symptomatic of the kinds of ideas characterizing British culture today: There is danger lurking everywhere, and people are incapable of looking out for themselves and, like little children, are in need of constant supervision. These ideas are antithetical to freedom, and while Britain is still a semi-free country, it is bound to continue its descent into tyranny as long as it retains this culture.




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TEA PARTY NOW

Here is a short intermission from my blogging break! ;)


TeaParty.Nu - Welcome video

TeaParty.nu (nu is now in Swedish) had an online house-warming party on July 4, Independence Day.

I want to be able to have this site as a showcase on how to create a meeting place (online and IRL) for tea enthusiasts.

The trick is to use a popular topic like "tea party" and drive traffic to TeaParty.nu. It will be interesting to see how long time it takes for the site to hit the first page when you search on different keywords, e.g., "tea party movement", "tea party now", "tea party", "teaparty.nu", etc. The secret sauce is to have a regular blogging schedule and to develop and positive link exchange between tea enthusiasts.

The unique value proposition is illustrated with our logotype created by John Cox.
TeaParty.nu logotype
TeaParty.nu logotype

How long time do you think it will take to "Crush it"?


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Sunday, July 3, 2011

Why Entrepreneurs Need Friends


Entrepreneurs are an unusual breed. After all, who in their right mind would check email on a Sunday afternoon, or work longer than they had to each day? Who would live on savings while trying to grow a startup, straining family relations until funding comes through?


Needless to say, entrepreneurs are sometimes a lonely bunch. Sure, we have friends, but if you're like me, they're teachers and nurses and have respectable jobs that they don't enjoy talking about at dinner parties. Me? I could talk about my marketing firm and marketing in general until I'm the last one at the party.

I recently met some other female entrepreneurs. The feeling of belonging was new and refreshing. They understood what an accomplishment it was to reach 5 years with my company. Or to win a new client. Sometimes with my "regular" friends, I wonder if they really know what it is I do. With entrepreneur friends, you can talk about working out of your home office, traveling to The Bay for business and playing golf, all without feeling ill at ease.

Having a support group is an amazing thing in any situation, but especially for entrepreneurs. We can learn from one another and support each other through good and lean times.

Do you have entrepreneur friends, or are you the "black sheep" of your group? What does having entrepreneur friends mean to you?


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