This Blog has been Closed

Due to time constraints and the fact that I find it harder and harder to think of relevant subjects, this blog has now been closed.

Do you bring the candy?

I never leave the house without candy, and I will tell you why.
At school there were the popular kids, the unpopular kids and a few loners. It was easy to become popular, by bringing candy and giving it to the leader. That way you´d fast become popular as well - even if you had red hair or glasses. Glasses never stopped anyone from becoming influential. Being popular, by the way, is not the same as being good. Very often they were the ones who beat up on others, didn´t do their homework and who smoked. 

I see the same behaviour in grown-ups, in business and in politics. Alliances are made by way of sharing in the profit - candy. Presidents are elected by the shool kids who want lower taxes - candy - and are happy to compromise. The WEF in Davos is one big schoolyard. World leaders seeking business leaders to join for their causes. There has to be something in return, of course.

It doesn´t necessarily need to be a bad thing. If Bill Gates donates millions to polio vaccins and others join in to share a bit of the glory, it can do no harm.

I hated the schoolyard and remember being appalled at the behaviour of the popular kids and how good they were at making you feel small. Likewise I am appalled by politics. But if there is one thing I´ve learned about politics and human behaviour, it is that we don´t evolve beyond the schoolyard and that is one of the most useful things to know: I never forget to bring the candy.

What are your schoolyard experiences and what did you learn there?

What to Do with this Blog?

What to do with this blog. Now that my business is taking off and I spend most of the time doing actual paid work, the first things to be abandoned are my blog, my Linkedin and my Twitter.

At the same time I know that the social media have paid off and that I should continue. But in which direction? There are so many VA blogs around that are really good. I don´t think I can add a lot with my blog. LinkedIn I get completely bored with and I cannot think of anything useful to say on Twitter.

What I have been thinking of is something I've been wanting for a long time. Everyone has opinions, about politics, about people, about people's behaviour and general thoughts that ideally one would share with the rest of the world, but one generally doesn't.

This will give me something to Twitter about and who knows I might rebuild the will to blog.

Back to normal......................

Sometimes a quick-start is exactly what one needs. My first appointment this morning was scheduled for 08.00. Much earlier than I normally start. It got cancelled................but this gave me the opportunity to spend some time blogging. 

After a few weeks of doing very little, today is the day that everything gets back to normal. Back to blogging, back to twittering, back to LinkedIn. Back to work? No, I haven't stopped working. I even worked through Christmas. Not a lot, but still.

All this writing has paid off though. I signed on a big client who had not been referred to me, but found me via the internet. I'm so proud and happy that this has happened. It means that social media networking works.

A new client also means I have to take my own medicine and do more of this. So, back to work. My next appointment starts in 45 minutes and I still have some twittering to do.

Obligatory New Year's Post

Of course I want to write one, a year-end-year-beginning post. I see them everywhere and it's only to be expected that I would write one as well.

The past year has been one of major change. We changed country, climate, home, diet, lifestyle and work. Work involved a change of mindset, but only slightly. I read a lot about how people who go from employment  to self-employed need to change their mindset. From employee to business-owner. Some claim that only a paradigm shift makes a business successful.
I cannot get my head around that as yet. The motto of the last company I worked for was 'Enterprise First'. Clean, clear and basic. And that's what I felt like when working for this company. What I did was in the interest of the company, knowing full well that when I did well for the company, employees would also benefit.  
That's what I continue to do. I do well for my company and it will do well for me.

Hopefully 2011 will be a year of further change. I hope to expand my customer base and I hope to do this on the basis of the quality of the work I deliver.

I wish the readers of this blog the very best as well. May they prosper and be happy and healthy.

Holiday SingUp

Together with a few of my lovely colleagues we have made this video to wish everyone a Happy Holiday Season and a Prosperous 2011.

VAs for the Holidays

Glitter Graphics by missyemory

Take a Break from your busy schedule - some of my favourite music

Today's blog post is nothing more than a list of my very favourite music. My favourite ever ever ever must be Herman Brood's Saturday Night. But I like a lot of different music, Gene Pitney, Frank Sinatra, (old) BeeGees, Small Faces, TheThe and wonderful, wonderful Kenny Werner. I picked out a few of my favourites to share with you.

Herman Brood - Saturday Night

TheThe - Uncertain Smile - unfortunately no video, just the music

BeeGees - To Love Somebody

Rod Stewart & Stereophonics - Handbags + Gladrags

Gene Pitney + Marc Almond - Something's Gotten Hold of my Heart 

ABC - All of my Heart

Who can resist a bit of Abba

Rollng Stones - Midnight Rambler

Kenny Werner Trio

Miles Davis - Tutu

JJ Cale - Cocaine

George Michael - Freedom - because of Linda, Christy, Tatiana, Cindy and Naomi

Tom Jones - Sex Bomb

Blondie - Rapture

Chi Coltrane - Go like Elijah

Now, back to work!