Spring is around the corner, which often means family vacations, road trips with friends and traveling more for business.
A GPS navigation unit in your vehicle can help you get to where you’re going quickly, accurately and safely – but not everyone wants to spend $100 or more for a good GPS nav unit or $50 for GPS smartphone software.
Guess what – you don’t have to pay anything at all.
A downloadable app called Navfree GPS Live Canada is the first free professional GPS navigation software for iPhone and iPad.
While not flawless, you’d be surprised how good this no-cost app is.
Navfree Canada from Geolife Ltd. gives you 2D and 3D maps (for the entire country), voice-based turn-by-turn instructions (so you don’t need to look at the screen), points of interest (such as restaurants, hotels, gas stations and tourist sites) as well as live Google Search (to find many other nearby places you might be interested in).
Unless you do a Google search, which requires a wireless connection, no data is used up for this GPS app as the maps are stored on your device.
Navfree uses map data from OpenStreetMap.org — often referred to as the "Wikipedia of map software" — as more than a quarter-million people contributed to it over the years. Therefore, there’s no cost to use the product, it’s continuously updated and you, too, can add to the map, as well, right from within the app.
The interface is quite clean, too. Aside from typing the word "Ontario" where it says "State" (er, this is the Canadian version of the software, so why not "Province"?), Navfree found the five addresses I typed in – in Toronto, Mississauga, Richmond Hill and Barrie – without a hitch. At least you can change "Miles" to "Kilometres" in the map's settings screen.
By default, it’s a British woman's voice but you can change it to other male and female voices and languages, too, if you like (15 in total, including French, Spanish, German, Italian, Dutch, and more). Note: It doesn’t say street names, but will tell you when to turn, such as in "1.2 kilometres or in 200 metres," etc. While hearing the directions you can also use your fingertips on the map to scroll ahead, switch between day and night maps (low glare maps are safer night driving) and even access your music library right from within the map (music fades in and out when the voice directions are playing).
Routing was fast and – for the most part – accurate. In one instance, I was about to hop on Highway 400 North from Woodbridge to drive to Barrie, but it was suggesting to go on Highway 407 east to some point. Huh? So, as with any GPS unit, general knowledge of your area is always helpful. But this was one instance out of an otherwise flawless experience.
Of course if you take a wrong turn or need to go on streets not recommended by the app (perhaps because of an accident or construction), it’ll automatically reroute for you.
Another issue is if you cross the border, you’ll have to close the app and open up Navfree U.S. version as this map is only for Canada. At least it's free, too.
There’s also a Pedestrian mode for when you’re on foot – for instance, it’ll say you can walk in either direction of a one-way street.
Other features of Navfree include the ability to send your route to a friend via email, text message, Facebook or Twitter; you can set a "Home" location to quickly get back to your home; and access a Navfree Store to purchase the "Ad-Free" version of Navfree for $1.99 – though I never saw one advertisement in this free version.
Overall, Navfree is an excellent – and free – GPS solution for iPhone and iPad owners.
My name is Evan Carmichael and I believe that the fastest and most effective way to build a business is to model the strategies of people who have already done what you’re trying to do. I call it Modeling the Masters. My last post with almost 60 comments was 3 Success Tips from Robert Kiyosaki (Rich Dad Poor Dad).
Today we're going to look at how a high school dropout who was constantly in trouble with the law turned his life around and started to believe him himself. He would go on to become two-time former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion and multimillionaire entrepreneur. This is the story of boxing great George Foreman and the top 3 lessons that you can learn from his success.
Must Watch Video
"Learn to sell and you'll never starve."- George Foreman
George "Big George" Foreman (born January 10, 1949) is an Olympic gold medalist, two-time former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, and entrepreneur. A high school dropout, as a teenager, Foreman didn't know how to read or write. He took to the streets and got into trouble by picking pockets and mugging people. His sister told him "You'll never be anything."
After finding himself on the run from the police one night and digging himself in a pile of mud to avoid their dogs finding him, Foreman decided he had to change his life. He enrolled in a job skills training program for youth and began learning how to read and write. He later also learned how to box and entered into amateur competitions so he could send $50 home to his mother every month. After a year and a half of learning to box he entered into the Olympic Games and won the gold medal. He went on to win the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship twice.
After twice retiring from professional boxing, Foreman became an entrepreneur and toured the world selling George Foreman Grills. In 2002 alone, the company earned $922 million from selling the grills. Foreman would go on to earn 3 times more money from the grills than throughout his entire career as a boxer. He has also moved on to selling TV shows, clothing, books, and Indy Car racing teams.
Action Item #1: Learn How to Sell
If you want to be a successful entrepreneur you need to develop the ability to sell. Selling is not just convincing customers to buy your products or services. Selling is getting employees, media, investors, suppliers, and everyone else who is involved in your business to believe in what you're doing. It starts with a strong passion for what you're creating. If you love what you're doing and think you can really help people, it's easy to get excited about it and draw others in. If you don't really believe in what you're doing, why should others believe in you?
After Foreman came back to boxing and, at 44 years of age became the oldest person ever to become champion, he started getting calls to endorse companies and become their spokesman. When they saw that he could sell anything from food appliances to cleaning products the companies lined up to get him to represent them. From Doritos to Kentucky Fried Chicken to McDonald's, Foreman went to work selling their products - and people listened.
According to Foreman: "In time I learned the importance of selling... I love selling... If you learn to sell, it's worth more than a degree. It's worth more than the heavyweight championship of the world. It's even more important than having a million dollars in the bank. Learn to sell and you'll never starve."
Action Item #2: Get People to Like You
People like buying from people they like. The more you can get your customers to like you as a person, the more likely it is that they're going to buy from you. People also prefer buying from people rather than corporations. Make sure you show clients the history and the people behind your company. Talk about how and why you started the business and the impact that you're having. The more personal you can make it the more people are going to like you and the more they'll want to buy from you.
During his early boxing career, people hated George Foreman inside and outside of the ring. He stormed into the ring with rage and didn't have much finesse to his game. He was in it for the money at the start and he didn't care what other people thought of him. He even showed up to one fight against Muhammad Ali with an angry German Shepherd by his side to try to intimidate his opponent. But in order for him to be an effective salesperson he had to change his persona and get people to like him.
According to Foreman: "I'd get mad at the critics, other boxers. I wanted to destroy everybody with my fists. I figure I am going to make a lot of money. I didn't care about nothing else but making a lot of money. I didn't care if people liked me... I cut off all my hair and my mustache. I didn't want to be identified with the old guy... I learned to make people love me to get my message across... When I had a chance to box again, I saw boxing not as a sport the second time around, but as pure business which meant making meetings and trying to make myself attractive to Madison Avenue ."
Action Item #3: Keep Trying Until it Works
It's rare that entrepreneurs make it big off their first idea. And even if they do, the idea has changed many times from what they thought they were going to create. Failing is a part of business. The key is to get started. Too many people don't start because they're afraid of failing. You will know failure - keep going. Fail smarter the next time and eventually success will be yours.
Foreman isn't afraid of failing in business. He's done everything from specialty shoes made for diabetics to a health-food restaurant chain to a reality television series. He's willing to try almost anything if he thinks it might be a good opportunity and it's something he believes in. As long as the business is something he can feel proud of and won't damage his integrity, Foreman is willing to stretch his brand to almost anything. You never know until you try!
According to Foreman: "You've got to start out early in the morning and look at hundreds, literally hundreds of things. And it may take a year, it may take three or four years, but you're going to hit something so you have something to put on the table for your family... You know you put out a lot of buckshot, you're going to strike one."
True Story
With a criminal record and a reputation for being a troublemaker, few gave Foreman a chance. When he joined the U.S. Job Corps looking for a way to get off the streets, he caused so many problems that he was almost expelled from the program. His supervisor advised him to find a different outlet for his anger and suggested he take up boxing. When Foreman first started to box, he was so scared that he just closed his eyes and swung his massive fists to win the fights. It was only until he started going up against better boxers that he had to learn to fight with his eyes open.
More Quotes
"The greatest asset, even in this country, is not oil and gas. It's integrity. Everyone is searching for it, asking, ‘Who can I do business with that I can trust?'"
"You must preserve the quality of your name, your integrity. You don't want to lie about anything. And it's something that people will be happy about once they get to know you. Because people count on you."
"Make a decision you'll be able to sleep with, wake up the next day, look in the mirror and feel good about yourself."
What Do You Think?
How do you sell your products or services? How many times have you tried starting different businesses? What part of George Foreman's message impacted you the most? As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts if you leave a comment below!
If you're in the market for a new smartphone that goes above and beyond what you're exiting one can do, get your hands on the Samsung Galaxy Note ($199.99 on a 3-year plan), a 5.3-inch Android-powered device that folds in tablet-like functionality.
Yes, that's right, it's a hybrid product that acts like a smartphone on one hand -- you can make calls and send text messages, and it can still slip it into your pocket or purse – but its larger real estate means it's also ideal for consuming media, be it reading e-books, watching video and playing games.
For businesses, the Samsung Galaxy Note is also great for working on documents, web browsing and reading long email messages without having to continuously scroll down the page.
If you can get past its supersized body – it might look a little odd held up to your ear – you'll no doubt agree this two-in-one device borrows the best from both worlds.
In other words, don't knock it 'til you try it.
Before we get to other features, including an integrated stylus pen and support for Telus' fast LTE (Long Term Evolution) network in select cities, a few other words about the Galaxy Note's screen – which is, after all, the first thing you'll notice when you boot it up. The 5.3-inch screen (measured diagonally) isn't just big, it's beautiful. Called an "HD super AMOLED display," the detail on video, games, websites and other Android apps is simply stunning. This 1,280 x 800-resolution display also has excellent contrast (resulting in dark blacks), high brightness and wide 180-degree viewing angle -- in case you want to share the device with someone while watching a video or playing a game. The Samsung Galaxy Note is 9.65mm thin and weighs about 178 grams.
The large screen might also mean it's easier to type on the virtual keyboard than smaller phones, like the 3.5-inch iPhone. You can use the soft QWERTY keyboard to type vertically or horizontally or opt to use the Swype option, where you simply drag your finger from letter to letter and lift up to make space between words (those who use Swype swear by it). There's also a speech-to-text option but this Android feature doesn't work as quickly or accurately as Apple's Siri, found on the iPhone 4S.
If you prefer to use a stylus pen instead of your fingertip, there's one bundled in the back of the Galaxy Note. Called an "S-Pen," this small stylus lets you sketch or draw on the screen. A small button on the side of the pen can perform extra functions, too, such as snapping a screenshot of what you're looking at. For example, take a snapshot of a map, write something on the screen (such as "meet me here") and then email ot text the image to someone. The S-Pen also offers 256 levels of pressure sensitivity, so the screen knows how thin or thick you want the line to be.
You can expect powerful speeds, too, from the peppy processor (1.5GHz dual-core) and the fast LTE speeds for broadband-like downloads and uploads, media streaming and web browsing. In cities without LTE support (yet, that is), the Galaxy Note will revert back to HSPA+ speeds across Canada, which covers the majority of the country.
Finally, the Samsung Galaxy Note includes 16GB of integrated memory, but you can expand it up to 32GB via removable microSD cards. The back of the device sports an 8-megapixel camera with LED flash (capable of shooting HD video, too) while a 2-megapixel camera is at the front, ideal for video calling (though not tested for this review).
The battery was good as it lasted all day when using Wi-Fi for the most part, but it didn't fare as well when using 4G in Toronto as the device's "Low Battery" warning popped up at dinnertime.
Overall, however, the Samsung Galaxy Note is an extraordinary smartphone/tablet ("phablet"?), ideal for both consumers and businesses. It might sound like it's simply too big to use as a phone, but before you pass judgment visit your local carrier's store or other electronics retailer to try it out for yourself.
Last week in this space I wrote about a way to add 25GB of free storage to your iPhone or Windows Phone – via Microsoft's Windows Live SkyDrive cloud service.
In this blog post, I wanted to share another way you can expand the capacity of your limited smartphone or tablet – but this one doesn't require an Internet connection and you'll get 500GB of storage.
It's an external hard drive that is not only portable – therefore small and battery-powered – but it has the unique ability to wirelessly stream content to a nearby smartphone or tablet. And it doesn't matter if you're using an iPhone, BlackBerry, Android or Windows Mobile device.
Intrigued?
Called the Seagate GoFlex Satellite ($199.99), this small drive emits a Wi-Fi signal and can stream content to nearby devices – even serving up three different streams at the same time.
The work applications are obvious -- as you can fit many thousands of documents, spreadsheets and presentations on a half-terabyte drive -- but you can also use this when on a family road trip over spring break. Imagine you're in the car with a few kids in the backseat and they each have a different Wi-Fi device, such as a smartphone, tablet or media player like an iPod touch. As long as they join the GoFlex Satellite drive -- as if they were logging onto a Wi-Fi network -- they can launch the web browser or open up a free app to see and access the contents of the hard drive. This includes high-definition movies, TV shows, music, photos and other files.
Once you go over three simultaneous streams, it can begin to affect performance for everyone. Of course this gadget can be used at home or at the office, too.
The only other limitation is in the file formats supported. Because an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad can't play .AVI or .WMV files, for example, it won't be able to stream those videos from the GoFlex Satellite hard drive. .M4V or .MP4 video files will work just fine, however.
Slightly bigger than a deck of playing cards, this drive's 500GB capacity translates to more than 300 high-def movies. And consider most portable devices like smartphones and tablets usually max out at 64GB anyway.
While the GoFlex Satellite creates its own Wi-Fi hotspot, keep in mind you can't get online through this drive. It only creates a wireless connection between the drive and the device you're streaming to. But at least you don't need a wireless network to use the drive -- hence the road trip scenario.
Battery life tops five hours for playback and more than 25 hours on standby.
While there's some content preloaded on the device, such as some cartoons and Discovery Channel programming, you'll first want to connect the GoFlex Satellite drive to a PC or Mac via USB 3.0 connectivity (compatible with USB 2.0) and drag and drop content onto the drive. Optional interfaces include FireWire 800 and powered eSATA (sold separately).
Want one? Or at least want more info? Click here for additional specs and features of the Seagate GoFlex Satellite wireless hard drive.
My name is Evan Carmichael and I believe that the fastest and most effective way to build a business is to model the strategies of people who have already done what you’re trying to do. I call it Modeling the Masters. My last post with over 30 comments was 3 Success Tips from Herb Kelleher (Southwest Airlines).
Today we're going to look at how a Vietnam veteran failed with two separate businesses but was determined to become a successful entrepreneur and not have to work for someone else. He would eventually become one of the most successful business writers of all time. This is the story of Rich Dad Poor Dad creator Robert Kiyosaki and the top 3 lessons that you can learn from his success.
Must Watch Video
"The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire; the size of your dream; and how you handle disappointment along the way." - Robert Kiyosaki
Robert Kiyosaki (born April 8, 1947) is an American investor, businessman, self-help author, motivational speaker, and financial literacy activist best known for his "Rich Dad Poor Dad" book series. After serving in the Marine Corps as a helicopter gunship pilot during the Vietnam War, Kiyosaki returned home to work as a salesman for Xerox. Not wanting to work for someone else for the rest of his life, Kiyosaki had dreams of starting his own business.
After unsuccessful stints selling Velcro wallets and T-shirts for heavy metal rock bands, Kiyosaki began promoting the personal growth seminars of Marshall Thurber called "Money & You." When Thurber decided to retire, Kiyosaki took over the business and began traveling the world to educate people about financial strategies. To reach more people he decided to write his first book which he self-published, "Rich Dad Poor Dad."
Robert Kiyosaki has written over 15 books and has sold over 26 million copies. 3 of his books have been on the best sellers lists of The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and the New York Times simultaneously and he's a sought after speaker who continues to educate people on how to understand their money.
Action Item #1: Make Your Money Work Hard
One bit of advice that has served me well with my business is: Don't spend money until you're making it. Anybody can spend money. If I gave you a million dollars today for your business I'm sure you could come up with a million different ways to spend it. But not everyone can make money. Bootstrapping should be your mantra. Find ways to get your product or service out without spending money. Get even just a few orders and prove that people will buy what you're selling. Then spend money on expanding your marketing. Your money will be well invested because you know you have something that works. Until you start making some sales, hustle and put your sweat into drumming up some business.
Kiyosaki believes that people go to school to learn how to work hard for money while he tries to teach people how to have money work hard for them. He believes that for many people, success is working hard to land a secure job at a big company or government who will look after you until you retire. That model might have worked in the Industrial Age but now in the Information Age, people have to look after their own financial security because you can no longer rely on your employer to take care of you. One of the best ways of doing this, he believes, is to create your own business and become your own boss.
According to Kiyosaki: "The poor and middle class work for money. The rich have money work for them. The rich buy or create assets that work for them so they don't have to... An asset puts money in your pocket and a liability takes money from your pocket. The rich understand the difference and buy assets, not liabilities. "
Action Item #2: Mind Your Own Business
As entrepreneurs we have to wear many hats. You're everything from the CEO to the janitor when you start a business. If you want to grow your business properly and have confidence in your decision making, you need to understand your numbers. Yes, it may be boring and outside your core competencies at the beginning but when you can understand your balance sheet, income statement, and the numbers that run your business you'll be in a much better position to drive your company forward. It could be one of the best investments that you make into yourself and your business.
If you want to achieve financial freedom, Kiyosaki believes that there are 3 key lessons that you need to master: learn how to make money, learn how to manage it, and learn how to invest it. He encourages people to keep their day jobs until they are earning enough money on the side from their own business or investments to be able to quit. Kiyosaki also believes that money is a "base subject" and that it's never too late to start learning.
According to Kiyosaki: "Many people confuse their profession with their business. To become financially secure people need to mind their own business. Your business revolves around your asset column, as opposed to your income column. The rich focus on their asset columns while the poor and middle class focus on their income columns.”
Action Item #3: Work to Learn, Not for Money
If you haven't started your business yet, a great piece of advice is to get a job where you can learn the skills that you need to succeed as an entrepreneur. Want to set up your own auto shop? Go work for small auto shop. Learn the ins and outs of how the business runs. Ask the business owner to get involved in other projects in addition to what you were hired to do. Work extra hours and on the weekends to over deliver and really understand how the business works. You'll first figure out if that industry is for you or not and you'll also make many of your rookie mistakes while still getting paid by someone else.
Kiyosaki credits much of his success as an entrepreneur to his military education. He learned how to lead men into battle, make important decisions quickly, and be tough. He translated those skills into hiring excellent workers and leading them into business battles. He also credits working for Xerox for teaching him how to sell and how to accept and move forward from rejection.
According to Kiyosaki: "Many entrepreneurs fail to grow because they lack leadership skills. And rather than look in the mirror, they find it easier to blame others. Blame is short for be-lame, and you can’t be an effective leader if you’re lame... Work to learn. Don’t work for money… Look for jobs that can help you develop the skills of managing cash flow, systems and people rather than just pay you well."
True Story
There was once a friend of Kiyosaki’s whose 16 year old son desperately wanted a new car. His friends had all been given one by their parents, and now this son expected nothing less. But, it was not going to be that easy for the boy. His father had played Kiyosaki’s CASHFLOW board game and he wanted to teach his son a lesson in financial management. The father gave his son $3,000 but forbade him from using it to buy a car just yet. At the same time, he gave his son a subscription to the Wall Street Journal. The father told his son that only once he had earned an additional $6,000 from investments could he then use $3,000 to buy a car. The rest of the money would of course go into his college fund. “My friend said it was the best $3,000 he ever spent,” says Kiyosaki. “Not only had his son gained a new respect for the power of money, he also learned to spend money wisely instead of letting money burn holes in his pockets.”
More Quotes
"Don’t work for money; make it work for you."
"Remember, your mind is your greatest asset, so be careful what you put into it."
" If you want to go somewhere, it is best to find someone who has already been there."
What Do You Think?
Did you bootstrap your business? Do you understand the numbers that run your company? What part of Robert Kiyosaki's message impacted you the most? As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts if you leave a comment below!
OK, so this headline might imply you can add more flash memory to your beloved smartphone.
Instead, Microsoft's Windows Live SkyDrive -- which gives you up to 25GB of free storage per account -- now has an iOS app, so you can access your password-protected files from anywhere you've got an Internet connection.
Still, this "cloud" integration is a great way to expand the capacity of your device – including the ability to stream video to your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.
To get going, you first need to sign up for SkyDrive on a computer. All you need is a free Windows Live ID, such as your Hotmail e-mail address, Messenger or Xbox LIVE ID. If you like, you can start uploading documents and media on your PC by dragging and dropping the files onto the site.
Next, you'll download the free SkyDrive app from the Canadian iTunes App Store here. Once downloaded, and you've typed in your ID and password, you can begin accessing and managing your stored files while on the go -- plus you can also upload photos or videos from your iDevice to SkyDrive over Wi-Fi or 3G connectivity.
It's also possible to create (or delete) SkyDrive folders from within the app, share files with someone -- by emailing them a link to the public folder on your SkyDrive -- and you can open documents, view photos and play videos (in either .mp4 or .wmv formats).
The 4.4MB app and service works very well for the most part, though there are a few limitations.
For one, you can't search through all your content by keyword. For example, I uploaded thousands of Word files and PDFs to my SkyDrive, which are listed alphabetically, but what if I wanted to open a document called Zebra.doc? It could take minutes to flick through to the end.
Secondly, you cannot upload documents from your iPhone -- only photos and videos smaller than 100MB apiece, and only one at a time.
While the app works on iPad, it's not optimized for it, therefore you need to expand the app full screen by tapping the 2x button and as such, it doesn't look as good as it could.
Overall, however, the free SkyDrive works well on the iOS platform (it's also available for Windows Phone devices) and at 25GB per account, it offers more free storage than most other cloud storage solutions.
I had the distinct pleasure of chatting at a TELUS small business event in downtown Toronto last week, about some of the smartphone apps I use on a regular basis.
It wasn't tough to narrow my favourites down to a half-dozen downloads -- ones that focused on productivity and business -- but I also wanted to show some of the best free apps available (or close to it), as well as ones available for most smartphone platforms.
The following are a few recommendations to help you stay organized, productive and informed while on the go.
Dropbox
Create one central and secure place to hold all your "stuff" and access it all on multiple devices – this is the idea behind Dropbox (for BlackBerry, iOS and Android), the increasingly popular cloud solution to storing, accessing and sharing your digital life while on the go. Instead of emailing your info or media from one device to another, or physically copying it onto a disc or USB key, you can wirelessly upload or download your documents – and even stream music and movies right from Dropbox. Similarly, instead of clogging someone's inbox with a huge file, send them a link to access what they need. The basic (2GB) account is free, but you can upgrade to 50GB or 100GB for $9.99/month or $19.99/month, respectively.
Splashtop Remote Desktop
As the name suggests, the $0.99-cent Splashtop Remote -- for iOS, Android and BlackBerry PlayBook -- lets you log in to another computer wirelessly from your tablet to see and control the remote PC or Mac as if you were sitting in front of it. It's not the first solution to do this, mind you, but Splashtop does one better by letting you stream full-motion video and audio from your computer to the smartphone or tablets. Splashtop Remote also lets you access your desktop's Web browser to surf to sites with Flash -- something that's not as easy on the iPad, iPhone or iPod touch.
Evernote
Ideal for on-the-go entrepreneurs or small business associates, the free Evernote (available on all major platforms) is a handy app for typing notes, sketching ideas (think restaurant napkin), copying URLs, pasting photos and recording audio on, say, a million dollar idea you want to archive on your smartphone. All notes automatically sync to the web/desktop version of Evernote, so it’s easy to access your information anywhere. Evernote can even take a picture of book or magazine text and convert it to text; this is a great way to save receipts and business cards and make it searchable by keyword.
Siri
The real reason to pick up an iPhone 4S, Siri is a built-in "personal assistant" app that lets you talk to your smartphone and you'll hear a female voice answer your questions or confirm she can perform the tasks you ask of her. For example, you can dictate email and texts to colleagues, ask Siri to check your calendar for appointments, create reminders and notes on the fly, check stock prices and market information, and help you get directions or find locations – such as restaurants, gas stations, hotels or bank machines – while traveling in the U.S. (this feature isn't supported in Canada just yet).
iTranslate
Available for iOS, Android and BlackBerry, the free iTranslate can help you translate words and phrases from more than 50 languages, and is capable of speaking languages to you in multiple languages so you can hear what the pronunciations sounds like. If desired, send your translations to an email address, mobile phone, memo pad or Twitter and Facebook. An optional in-app purchase lets you speak into the smartphone for a direct translation or engage in real-time text conversations with others and your English words and seen in the other person's native tongue.
Find my phone
Finally, it's critical to set up your phone for remote tracking or wiping, in case it's lost or stolen. Free examples include Find My iPhone (for iOS), BlackBerry Protect and Find my Droid (Android). These apps work in a similar way: track the smartphone's whereabouts via its GPS radio, send a note to its (such as "If you find this, all me at XXX") or sound a loud alarm (in case it's lost in the couch cushions) or remotely see the smartphone on a map; it's not recommended to try and recover a stolen device on your own – instead contact the authorities with the information. If you have critical information on the device you can also remotely wipe the data clean, which is always a good idea as a precautionary measure.
My name is Evan Carmichael and I believe that the fastest and most effective way to build a business is to model the strategies of people who have already done what you’re trying to do. I call it Modeling the Masters. My last post with over 25 was 3 Success Tips from Anita Roddick (The Body Shop).
Today we're going to look at how a young lawyer who seemingly had it all bravely left his job to start his own business. He had to fight over 30 lawsuits and nearly went out of business but he stuck with it and created one of the most respected companies in America. This is the story of Southwest Airlines co-founder Herb Kelleher and the top 3 lessons that you can learn from his success.
Must Watch Video
"Your people come first, and if you treat them right, they'll treat the customers right." - Herb Kelleher
Herb Kelleher (born March 12, 1931) is the co-founder and former CEO of Southwest Airlines. After graduating from law school he did what every new lawyer dreamed of. He clerked for the Supreme Court Justice, joined a law firm, and became partner at a firm in his wife's home state of Texas. He should have been on top of the world but he was instead itching for a new career as an entrepreneur. One evening Kelleher was having drinks with a client, Rollin King, and that night the two used a cocktail napkin to hatch a new business, Southwest Airlines.
Using Kelleher's legal experience and King's business background, Southwest Airlines was set up to run only in Texas to avoid having to follow federal price regulations. Kelleher had found a legal loophole and his competition didn't appreciate it. Kelleher had to fight off over 30 lawsuits before Southwest Airlines was even able to get a plane in the air. But they prevailed and bootstrapped their way from a company with only 4 planes to being one of the most admired companies in America.
Southwest is consistently named one of the top five Most Admired Corporations in America by Fortune magazine, which also called Kelleher perhaps the best CEO in America. It has never experienced an in-flight fatality and continues to enjoy growing success. Southwest is also the only airline to have over 30 consecutive years of profit, despite the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, which threatened the rest of the industry. In 2001, Kelleher resigned as CEO and president of Southwest due to a personal battle with prostate cancer.
Action Item #1: Put Your People First
Any successful entrepreneur will tell you how important it is to have a good team running your business. Employees who are skilled at what they do and love their work will take you places you might only dream about right now. Treat them as people, give them opportunities, show them how they are adding value, and give them something to believe in and your business growth will explode.
Kelleher believed in the power of having employees who loved working for his company. He paid attention to their needs and made them feel important. He also made everyone have a share in the business' success. Southwest implemented the first profit-sharing plan in the airline industry in 1974. Employees owned 13 percent of the company’s common stock. All of Southwest’s employees, from the janitors to the pilots, receive stock options.
According to Kelleher: “I always felt that our people came first. Some of the business schools regarded that as a conundrum. They would say: Which comes first, your people, your customers, or your shareholders? And I would say, it's not a conundrum. Your people come first, and if you treat them right, they'll treat the customers right, and the customers will come back, and that'll make the shareholders happy... We’ve always tried to be sensitive to the needs of our people and recognize the things that are important to them in their personal lives... At Southwest Airlines, you can’t have a baby without being recognized – getting communication from the general office. You can't have a death in your family without hearing from us. If you're out with a serious illness, we're in touch with you once every two weeks to see how you're doing. We have people who have been retired for 10 years, and we keep in touch with them. We want them to know that we value them as individuals, not just as workers. So that's part of the esprit de corps... If you come here, you'll be happy.”
Action Item #2: Focus Everyone on Customer Service
Customer service is increasingly becoming one of the most important differentiating factors for companies. For a lot of businesses there really isn't all that much that is different in the products or services that they are offering compared to their competition. How do you stand out? Wow your customers with service. Make them love doing business with you so they come back and tell their friends. Have everyone on your team be as supportive as they can towards your customers and your marketing strategy will take care of itself.
At Southwest, people are encouraged to go the extra mile, and then some, to help their customers. There is the man who had a heart attack at the airport, who was then accompanied by a Southwest employee to the hospital. The employee stayed with the man all night and called his wife to update her on his status. Then, there is the passenger who left the airport only to find a flat tire on his car. Moments later, a Southwest employee was changing it for him, despite the fact that the man informed him he had never flown with Southwest.
According to Kelleher: "We have the best customer satisfaction record, based on Transportation Dept. statistics, of any airline in America, the fewest complaints filed per 100,000 passengers carried. So you’re not just getting low fares, you’re also getting wonderful customer service... We have a People Dept. That’s what it deals with, so don’t call it Human Resources – that sounds like something from a Stalin five-year plan. You know, how much coal you can mine. We say everybody is a leader, no matter what your job is. We want you to focus on customer service - and not just to the outside world - customer service to the inside world. If [employees] pollute our other people internally and they in turn savage the people who are doing the work outside, the whole company has just rotted."
Action Item #3: Hire the Right People
If you're going to have a company that puts its people first and grows through repeat customers and referrals you're going to have to do a fantastic job in hiring the right people. Know what type of personality you need in new hires and don't settle until you've found the best person for the job. Once you say you're going to settle for less than the best, that's what happens to your entire business.
In the hiring process at Southwest, many applicants are made to take personality tests. In one example, the vice president of Southwest’s People Department was having difficulty finding a new ramp agent. Frustrated, she went to Kelleher to ask for advice. She said she was embarrassed that she had already interviewed 34 candidates for the position. Kelleher told her to interview 134 people if that was what it would take to find the person with the right attitude for the job.
According to Kelleher: "We have a good many MBAs, but we look at them for attitude as well. We will hire someone with less experience, less education, and less expertise, than someone who has more of those things and has a rotten attitude because we can train people. We can teach people how to lead. We can teach people how to provide customer service. But we can’t change their DNA." One day, Kelleher received a letter from one of Southwest’s ramp agents in Oklahoma. It read, “Herb, I’m on to what you’re doing…You’re making work fun – and home work.”
True Story
In the beginning, Southwest had just four planes and 70 employees. All of the legal battles had left the company on the verge of closing down. It forced Kelleher to make a difficult decision: he had to either sell one of the planes or lay off some of his employees. He chose to sell the plane. In return, Kelleher asked his employees to cut gate turnaround times from 55 to just 15 minutes. They pulled it off and Kelleher had clearly set the culture for his business.
More Quotes
"I learned it by doing it, and I was scared to death."
"Sometimes you need a little courage too just to buck popular opinion."
"The important thing is to take the bricklayer and make him understand that he’s building a home, not just laying bricks."
What Do You Think?
What have you done to put your people first? How have you gone out of your way to help your customers? What part of Herb Kelleher's message impacted you the most? As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts if you leave a comment below!
If last week's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas is any indication, "ultrabooks" are poised to be the hottest laptop category this year.
An "ultrabook" is a new category of incredibly thin and lightweight laptops – "ultraportable," if you will -- that also benefit from a powerful processor.
In other words, there's no trade-off between size and performance as there was just a couple of years ago with small but underpowered netbooks.
A term coined by Intel, "ultrabooks" not only have a fast processor to handle demanding tasks – such as video editing and smooth multitasking – but they also enjoy long battery life, too (once the Achilles' heel of laptops).
At CES, Intel announced more than 75 ultrabooks were it he works for 2012, most of which will house a Core i5 processor, capable of sipping rather than gulping electricity. Most offer at least 8 hours on a single charge.
Ultrabooks also benefit from Intel Rapid Start, a proprietary technology that uses flash memory embedded in the Intel chipset to improve boot-up times considerably.
Some believe the increasingly popularity of tablets had a direct influence on the creation of ultrabooks, as consumers wanted something thinner and lighter to tote around, with a high-powered but low-voltage processor. It would also be remiss not to draw comparisons to Apple's successful line of MacBook Air computers – ultrabooks might be considered a Windows-based version, but many PC makers are adding their own unique spin to the form factor.
At CES, HP unveiled the gorgeous glass-covered Envy 14 Spectre ultrabook with multiple wireless radios under the hood (launching next month), while Lenovo debuted its IdeaPad Yoga, a flexible ultrabook that can swivel into a tablet 9due out later in the year).
I mentioned there were no trade-offs between size and performance but be aware there might be something you're giving up with ultrabooks – and it might be an important consideration for businesses. Most ultrabooks use SSD (flash) memory instead of a HDD (hard drive), which means less storage for all your programs and files. But with "cloud computing" becoming a big trend, it may mean less locally-stored files anyway.
Therefore, if you enjoy carrying around many thousands of documents, presentations or media (photos, videos, etc.) you might opt for a laptop with a hard drive instead.
Lightweight SSD-based computers also contribute to the fast boot-up times and zippy performance, not to mention the lack of rotating magnetic disks means it also helps extend battery life and makes the PC more durable, too.
Also be aware most ultrabooks do not have an optical drive, so you can't run software on a CD-ROM or burn a DVD – unless you opt for an external optical drive that plugs into the ultrabook's USB port. Personally, I haven't used my DVD burner in my laptop in nearly three years, so I wouldn't miss it.
As you might expect, prices for ultrabooks are higher than standard laptops –something budget-conscious businesses must keep in mind, especially if they're handing them to multiple employees -- but prices will inevitably come down over time.
You don't often see the words "free" and "Microsoft Office" in the same sentence – especially when it comes to iPad apps that let you access your Word, Excel and PowerPoint files on the go – but a new download called CloudOn does let you create, view, and edit Microsoft Office files directly on your tablet.
Before we get into the details, there are a couple of catches. You need a Dropbox account to store and access your files, but at least you can sign up for free. And if the name of the app didn't give it away, CloudOn requires an Internet connection to use, as all your files are stored online via Dropbox. Even though you can open an email attachment on your iPad though CloudOn, you still need an Internet connection to perform the task.
If you can get past these conditions, CloudOn can be a handy productivity tool.
I tested the app by first uploading a bunch of Microsoft Word and Excel files on my PC, and then launching the app on the iPad. You're first prompted to type in your Dropbox login information (including password) before you see your files. You can select to log you on automatically going forward or you can be prompted to enter the password each time.
Now you can tap on the file you'd like to open, such as abc.docx, and you'll see it full screen in landscape view. All of the Office options, tabs and pull-down menus at the top of the screen will be familiar to you. But once you launch the keyboard to edit the document, be aware it takes up a lot of the screen real estate -- too bad you can't view or edit files in portrait view. I tried to open a PDF document but it wasn't supported, nor can you access other types of files, such as music, photos or videos.
You can also create Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files on your iPad, which are then saved to your Dropbox account to be accessed later on (even on multiple devices, if desired). It's also possible to rename and delete documents from within Dropbox; spell check, track changes and insert comments; and view and edit animation and transition sequences in your PowerPoint presentations.
Despite its limitations, CloudOn is a completely free way to give you Microsoft Office to go on your iPad, whether you're on Wi-Fi or 3G. While not perfect, it's hard to argue with a free solution that lets you access, manage, edit and create Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents.
In some ways, cloud storage is safer than local storage. In other ways, it’s less safe.
Let's first cover what cloud computing is, its many benefits and its potential drawbacks.
Cloud computing refers to accessing, sharing or collaborating on files that are stored on the Internet (“the cloud”), instead of, or in addition to, your personal computer at home or at the office.
There are many advantages to cloud computing over local storage:
• You can access your photos or documents from virtually any Internet-connected computer, tablet or smartphone.
• Because these files are stored offsite -- available via a password-protected website in cyberspace -- they’re also protected from computer theft and local damage such as fire, flood, power surge or a nasty virus.
• With cloud computing, people can work together on projects in real-time, even though they’re in different geographic locations.
• Cloud computing can also reduce congestion in someone’s inbox. Rather than trying to email a number of photos or videos to family members or friends, you can simply store them in the cloud and send a link.
But cloud computing has a few shortcomings too:
• These services are online-only, so if you don’t have an Internet connection (or if it goes down), you could be without your data. Cloud computing requires a lot of faith in the fact that you’ll have an "always on" connection, anywhere and anytime -- even at 30,000 feet.
• Your information is still stored on computer servers -- just not yours -- so there’s always a risk of data theft, viruses or glitches. Plus, your computer or device might have links directly to your cloud service. For example, services such as Dropbox show up as just another folder that appears to be stored locally. Anyone who has your computer or device can simply click on the Dropbox folder or icon and access everything you’ve stored on Dropbox’s servers if you haven’t password-protected that folder.
• If you have password-protected access to your cloud service -- like you must in Google Docs, for example -- that doesn’t mean your data isn’t hackable. If a hacker gets inside your account, he could change your password and make it very difficult for you to get back in. It’s unlikely, but possible. Plus, how well do you trust the company you’re giving your data to? Do you know where your data is being physically stored? Has the company had any recent security breaches?
In short, cloud computing is safer in some ways and less safe in others. Do your homework before trusting your data to the cloud, and use common sense. Don’t trust the cloud with your only copy of priceless photos, and don’t store copies of highly confidential documents there, either. But for redundant copies of other files, enjoy what the cloud has to offer.
My name is Evan Carmichael and I believe that the fastest and most effective way to build a business is to model the strategies of people who have already done what you’re trying to do. I call it Modeling the Masters. My last post with over 50 comments was 60 Inspirational Quotes for 2012.
Today we're going to look at how a mother of two was forced to start a business when her husband left her to travel the Americas. Having no formal training, her survival instinct kicked in and she built one of the most trusted brands in the world. This is the story of the Body Shop's Anita Roddick and the top 3 lessons that you can learn from her success.
Must Watch Video
"Whatever you do, be different... If you're different, you will stand out." - Anita Roddick
Anita Roddick (born Anita Perella, 23 October 1942 – 10 September 2007) was a British businesswoman, human rights activist and environmental campaigner, best known as the founder of The Body Shop, a cosmetics company producing and retailing beauty products that shaped ethical consumerism. She was born into a hard-working immigrant family and her mother ran a successful cafe which kept the young Roddick occupied for most of her childhood. In addition to a strong work ethic, her mother also taught her the concept of recycling and how valuable it could be for businesses. After graduating school she took a trip around the world and eventually wound up in Johannesburg, South Africa where she disobeyed the laws of apartheid by attending a jazz club on ‘black night’ and was sent back to England. Upon arriving back home she met Gordon Roddick and felt she had an "instant bond" with him. The two married and opened up a restaurant and hotel together.
After three years of running the two businesses, Gordon decided that he wanted to fulfill his life-long dream of riding a horse from Buenos Aires, Argentina to New York City. They sold the restaurant business and Anita stayed home with their two children. While Gordon was away on his adventure she decided to create her own cosmetics store that would sell natural and environmentally conscious products. She started off selling 15 cosmetic products that she made in her garage and packaged in recycled bottles to reduce the cost. She soon opened a second location and by the time her husband had returned from his trip, people were already asking about franchising rights.
By 2004 the Body Shop had almost 2,000 stores and served over 77 million customers around the world. It was also considered one of the most trusted brands in the world. On March 17, 2006, L'Oréal bought the Body Shop for £652 million ($973 million). With the sale Roddick became more involved in charity work and began giving away her money to causes she believed in. When she died in 2007 she left her estate to charities.
Action Item #1: Get Past Survival
We all have big dreams for what we want ourselves and our companies to become but in order to make those dreams a reality you need to first get past the survival point with your business. You need to know that your company will be able to give you enough money to put food on the table and pay your bills. This is one of the most important first steps you need to accomplish as you start your business. Once you have enough money coming in you can focus on shooting for your bigger goals.
When Anita Roddick first started the Body Shop it wasn't because she wanted to create social and environmental change. With her husband gone she had to find a way to make money to support herself and her two children. The main reason behind opening the Body Shop was so that her family could survive. As an example, she couldn't afford more than 700 empty bottles so she took the unusual step of offering five sizes of every product. Even though she had very few products initially, when you entered her 370 square foot store it would give the illusion that she carried over 120 products.
According to Roddick: "Nobody was stupid enough to offer five sizes of one product; it simply didn’t make sense. We turned it around into a survivor’s option: customers pick up the size they want and come back every week for a refill. Recycling had nothing to do with being environmentally conscious at that point... My goal was livelihood... At the forefront of my mind at the time there was really only one thought – survival... I started the Body Shop in 1976 simply to create a livelihood for myself and my two daughters, while my husband, Gordon, was trekking across the Americas. I had no training or experience and my only business acumen was Gordon’s advice to take sales of £300 a week. Nobody talks of entrepreneurship as survival, but that's exactly what it is and what nurtures creative thinking."
Action Item #2: Use Your Business to Do Good
The most successful businesses seem to be the ones who don't just focus on making money but instead try to be a force for good in their industry. Entrepreneurs are also now leading the way to help others beyond their customers - they are using their companies to support the communities around them and give back - not just because they can but because it also makes good business sense.
Anita Roddick's social and ecological conscience initially stemmed from a lack of money. She had to recycle bottles because she couldn't afford to buy new ones. The store was painted green because she wanted to hide the damp stains on the walls. However, as the Body Shop grew to become a powerful player in the cosmetics business, Roddick began to use her newfound influence to try to have a positive impact on the world around her.
According to Roddick: "I hate the beauty business. It is a monster industry selling unattainable dreams. It lies. It cheats. It exploits women. I want to work for a company that contributes to and is part of the community. I want something not just to invest in. I want something to believe in... If I can’t do something for the public good, what the hell am I doing?”
Action Item #3: Learn by Doing
It's hard to learn how to be an entrepreneur from a book. You can read to get inspired or to get new ideas but nothing is really going to happen until you start to apply those ideas into your business. You can use books and courses to supplement your knowledge and give you guidance but you have to actually apply what you're learning if you really want to understand and retain the information.
Anita Roddick never learned about being an entrepreneur at school. Instead she learned from her mother who she saw worked tirelessly to make her cafe successful. While other cafes kept regular 9 to 5 hours, her mother opened at dawn for the local fishermen and didn't close until the last customer had left. Roddick had never read a book on economic theory in her life and while her naysayers believed this would be her downfall, Roddick saw it as one of her competitive advantages.
According to Roddick: "I often get asked to talk about entrepreneurship – even by hallowed institutions like Harvard and Stanford – but I’m not all convinced it is a subject you can teach. How do you teach obsession, because more often than not it’s obsessions that drives an entrepreneur’s vision? Why would you march to a different drumbeat if you are instinctively part of the crowd?... They will not teach you the most crucial thing of all: how to be an entrepreneur. They might also sap what entrepreneurial flair you have as they force you into the template called an MBA... If I had learned more about business ahead of time, I would have been shaped into believing that it was only about finances and quality management...by not knowing any of that, I had an amazing freedom... Potential entrepreneurs are outsiders. They are people who imagine things as they might be, not as they are, and have the drive to change the world around them. Those are skills that business schools do not teach."
True Story
Anita Roddick's first location was next to a funeral parlor, giving a whole new meaning to the Body Shop name. When she began franchising she had little experience and decided not to charge startup or royalty fees. However, before she would accept franchisees, they would have to interview with her. Roddick asked off the wall questions like "What is your favourite flower?" and "How would you like to die?" to get to know her candidates on a more personal level.
More Quotes
"Crazy people see and feel things that others don’t. But you have to believe that everything is possible. If you believe it, those around you will believe it too."
"To succeed you have to believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a reality."
"If you think you’re too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito."
What Do You Think?
How did you get past the survival stage with your company? Do you think entrepreneurship can be taught? What part of Anita Roddick's message impacted you the most? As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts if you leave a comment below!
Over the past year I've profiled 20 famous entrepreneurs here on TELUS Talks Business. For my last post of 2011 I was asked to do a year in review summary. I thought the best way to share all the knowledge from the successful entrepreneurs that I've profiled was to let them talk for themselves and reveal some of their top tips for entrepreneurs.
If you missed any of the posts you can click on the names of the entrepreneurs. I hope the quotes help inspire you to even greater success in 2012!
"The razor was looked upon as a joke by all my friends. A common greeting was, ‘Well, Gillette, how’s the razor?’ If I had been technically trained, I would have quit."
"There is no other article for individual use so universally known or widely distributed. In my travels, I have found it in the most northern town in Norway and in the heart of the Sahara Desert."
"The greatest feature of the business is the almost endless chain of blade consumption, each razor paying tribute to the company as long as the user lives."
"IKEA is not completely perfect. It irritates me to death to hear it said that IKEA is the best company in the world. We are going the right way to becoming it, for sure, but we are not there yet."
"Long-term success is never achieved on our own. The phrase ‘a self-made man’ is a myth – all along the way we need support."
"If someone had told me ‘Look, you’re going to start today and spend the next five years wasting your time trying to get this thing start’, I would have said I can’t do that. But you never think about what it’s going to take of you. Think: I’ve got it now."
"Whatever you do, don’t ever use a crutch, and don’t ever think of having an excuse for not having said, ‘Yeah, I did my best.’"
"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."
"Destiny is a name often given in retrospect to choices that had dramatic consequences."
"Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve. I was determined to try. I was determined to try because, frankly, my life was such a mess at this point, what – what was the worst that could happen? Everyone turn me down? Big deal."
"BET was a business opportunity waiting for someone to put it together."
"If there’s something I can do and I feel it should be done, I just want to do it. I just don’t want to leave it undone because I’ll sit back and say, why didn’t I do that? Why didn’t I start that business?"
"Anything that has to do with money, I want to be in that business."
"I intend to be the greatest golfer in the world, the finest film producer in Hollywood, the greatest pilot in the world, and the richest man in the world."
"I certainly would not ask somebody else to fly a plane if I were afraid to do it myself."
"The trouble with my life is that I do not think I am cut out to sit behind a desk."
"Failure is not to be feared. It is from failure that most growth comes; provided that one can recognize it, admit it, learn from it, rise about it, and try again."
"If you don't understand that you work for your mislabelled 'subordinates,' then you know nothing of leadership. You know only tyranny."
"Given the right circumstances, from no more than dreams, determination, and the liberty to try, quite ordinary people consistently do extraordinary things."
"Above all, we wish to avoid having a dissatisfied customer."
"We consider our customers a part of our organization, and we want them to feel free to make any criticism they see fit in regard to our merchandise or service.
"A customer is the most important person ever in this office – in person or by mail."
"You should pursue your passion. If you’re passionate about something and you work hard, then I think you will be successful."
"You have to really believe in what you’re doing, be passionate enough about it so that you will put in the hours and hard work that it takes to actually succeed there, and then you’ll be successful."
"I was raised with the notion that you can do pretty much do anything you want. I always kind of just went ahead and tried things."
"I’m extremely grateful that I discovered my passion. I love movies. I love to watch them, I love to make them."
"It’s hard work making movies…if you don’t really love it, then it ain’t worth it."
"I got the licensing rights because I figured they wouldn’t promote the film and if I got T-shirts and things out there with the name of the film on them it would help promote the movie."
"The most important decision is how to position your product."
"The psychiatrists say that everybody should have a hobby. The hobby I recommend is advertising."
"Raise your sights! Blaze new trails!! Compete with the immortals!!!"
What Do You Think?
What is your favourite inspirational quote? Do you have a favourite entrepreneur story? As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts if you leave a comment below!
Have a fantastic holiday break and see you in 2012!
As we continue to look back at the top biz tech trends in 2011, here we reexamine the growing role of video for your business -- for both B2C and B2B initiatives -- and how it relates to mobility, social media, telecommuting and SEO strategy, among other current trends. This post was originally published in the spring of 2011 here at Telus' Talking Business blog.
It could be argued video has become an incredibly important tool for your growing small-to-midsized business, whether it's providing streaming video for websites and social networks or using live video for real-time conferencing and collaboration between remote employees.
And as more of your customers rely on wireless devices like smartphones and tablets, video is no longer limited to computers, either.
"Video is indeed becoming more pervasive in the enterprise," says Phil Karcher, a researcher at Forrester Research. "Tools like online video platforms make it easy for marketers to embed video on their websites and syndicate content to their YouTube and Facebook pages."
However, there are a few challenges in keeping up with the Joneses -- from taxing network resources to privacy and security concerns. Is video really worth it for your business? Consider the following:
The value of video
Even though it takes some planning and careful execution, Forrester Research says your business can't afford not to embrace online video. Why, you ask? Video is 53 times more likely to appear on the first page of search results than text-related pages on the same topic.
Unlike television, radio and newspapers, online video also lives forever, is forever searchable and helps create a personal connection with the viewer, as it can generate discussion and debate between commenters. As opposed to other media, Internet video can also be viewed whenever, wherever -- whether the viewer uses a computer, a smartphone, a tablet, a portable media player or an Internet-connected television.
Video conference for productivity
Companies are also recognizing the added value of video conferencing, says John Bartlett, principal of NetForecast, a consulting firm that benchmarks, analyzes and helps improve performance of networked data, voice and video apps. "It's a better way to establish and enhance a relationship," says Bartlett. "Video enables the ability to read body language when communicating with a client and provides a more efficient way to collaborate with colleagues."
However, video conferencing presents a bigger issue for your network, says Karcher. "The major gating factor is the network's ability to handle two-way video, which is more sensitive than one-way streaming video," explains Karcher. "Desktop videoconferencing puts a lot of pressure on the network backbone, therefore companies that add more video to the network need to think about tools to manage bandwidth and assure reliable performance."
Choosing a network for your video needs
Depending on your company's needs, size and budget, you'll have to decide if a regular Ethernet connection can handle everything, or if you should invest in a dedicated enterprise-grade pipe to handle your business's video and other applications.
"Companies need to understand the impact on the network," explains Bartlett. "If Skype is acceptable to you, then your regular broadband connection might be fine. But an enterprise network, while more expensive, will give you more bandwidth and better-quality video".
Privacy and security concerns for video
Don't embrace video without a security strategy in place, cautions Bartlett. You'll need a secure firewall, and you must "consider tools or services for encrypting video calls so the man in the middle can't listen in," he says.
"You need to think of how it affects content management, compliance and security -- and you will need tools to search, secure, track and report on video too," adds Bartlett.
Readers, what's your take on this? Can you talk from experience and tell us how video has helped (or hindered) your business? Does it give you an edge over the competition? Any tips on reducing costs yet still maximizing video technology? Let us know what you think. If you like, follow me on Twitter: @marc_saltzman
We're looking back on 2011 and some of the most "liked," "tweeted" and commented tech-focused blog posts at Telus Talks Business.
One of my contributions that garnered a lot of traffic was on how to best protect your smartphone.
After all, today's mobile devices are like pocket computers, as they can perform many of the same tasks as your PC or Mac – including accessing email, browsing the web, playing media and getting work done – so protecting them and the potentially sensitive data that resides on it is critical.
Here are a few ideas to shielding your device – and thus, yourself -- from scams, viruses and identity theft with these following smartphone safety tips.
Back it up
The first line of defense is to back up your smartphone regularly in case it's lost, stolen or compromised. The easiest and least expensive way to do it is to connect the smartphone to a computer – via USB cable or wireless Bluetooth – and synchronize the data between the two devices. Should you need a new smartphone, all the info will be copied back onto the new device.
There are also many "cloud" services that can wirelessly back up your contacts and other information to a password-protected website.
Lock it out
Speaking of passwords, ensure you've set up a 4-digit PIN (personal identification number) to use your smartphone – and don't use 0000, 1111 or 1234 or any other numbers easy to guess. Sure, a PIN is a bit inconvenient, but you'll get used to it quickly and will be thankful if you can't find your mobile phone.
You could also draw a pattern to gain access to your smartphone, which is popular on many Android phones, or use facial recognition technology, though it's generally not as secure as a PIN or pattern. Some phones have a fingerprint scanner, too.
"Take it to the second and third level by using password protection on any applications that contain personal or confidential information," advises Chris Stier, managing director for NetQin Mobile, one of the world's leading mobile security providers with roughly 10 million registered users. For example, those who do mobile banking on their phone should create a password that's at least seven characters long and contains letters, numbers and symbols.
Software protection
"Threats like malware, hacking and spamming have always existed for traditional PCs, but a smartphone attack can be even more damaging," cautions Stier. "You likely have personal and business information stored on it, personal conversations and messages that can be recorded and your location can be also tracked."
As such, software to protect against malware (malicious software) is "critical" for a mobile device today, says Stier.
NetQin Mobile, for example, offers a free antivirus smartphone solution and a more robust "premium" option for $1 to $2 per month. The software works on Android, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and Symbian devices (not Apple's iOS platform).
Remote control
If your smartphone is lost or stolen, there are free mapping tools to remotely track the GPS-enabled device on a computer, smartphone or tablet. Note: if your phone was stolen it's recommended to give this info to authorities rather than you trying to retrieve it.
These same tools, such as Apple's Find My iPhone and BlackBerry Protect, can also remotely wipe the smartphone clean, making it ring loudly (if, say, left under the cushions) or display a message on the screen (such as "Please call me").
You need to set up these tracking apps ahead of time, so be sure to do that before it's too late. Here are some tips to setting this all up.
Check your statement
Finally, it's recommended to check your monthly statement carefully for suspicious calls and SMS (text messaging) charges.
"Comb through your bill closely because you might find charges made without your consent," says Stief. "If you find any, contact your carrier immediately to dispute the charges and they'll identify the company or service for you."
