what I say

book: Instant Startup Guide, A Supplement to Entrepreneur Magazine

Description: What’s the Big Idea? Getting an idea for your business: It’s not as hard as you think.

MANY PEOPLE think it’s “oh so mysterious” to start a business. As the editorial director of Entrepreneur magazine, I often hear “I can’t do it” or “I have no idea what to do.” Nonsense!

Most people are overwhelmed by the belief they have to start from scratch. They think “What can I do that no one has ever done before?” In other words, they think they have to reinvent the wheel.

But unless you are a technological genius, trying to reinvent the wheel is a big waste of time. If you are another Bill Gates or Steve Jobs, then this is the way to go. But for most people starting a business, they simply need to answer the question: “How can I do something better?” or “How can I do it differently from the other guy doing it over there?”

Links: Download | Official Website

At your job, you are always looking for ways to perform better and more efficiently while you work. But did you know there are some people who may not be performing at their best because they are mildly dehydrated? For these people to avoid dehydration it can be as simple as knowing their proper hydration level and paying attention to their thirst.

The scientific evidence between cognitive performance and dehydration, although limited, is strong, and continues to grow. A recent survey conducted by GfK Roper on behalf of The Coca-Cola Company, indicated that employed Americans are informed about the merits of staying hydrated, yet many are not putting this knowledge into practice.

About three in four, or 73 percent of those surveyed, said that drinking sufficient fluids throughout the day to maintain proper hydration is essential to being able to concentrate during the day — as many as who said getting a good night’s sleep is essential. Yet surprisingly, 31 percent of those surveyed, especially those who work outdoors, also admitted to deliberately drinking less than they would like while at work to avoid having to take bathroom breaks, therefore overriding thirst signals.

“In a world where many people are consistently trying to juggle a hectic work schedule, people may sometimes override thirst signals and, thus, become mildly dehydrated, which can affect a person’s ability to perform at his or her best,” says Maxime Buyckx, M.D, director of nutrition and health sciences for The Coca-Cola Beverage Institute for Health and Wellness.

Dr. Buyckx notes that such common things as feeling fatigued, lack of focus or concentration, headaches, sleepiness and infrequent bathroom breaks could be signs of mild dehydration, but may be overlooked or attributed to other daily factors in a person’s life. It is unknown what percentage of people in the workplace in fact become dehydrated to this extent, but people who have a pronounced feeling of thirst are likely to be mildly dehydrated. “It’s easy to ignore these signs or attribute them to a busy working environment or personal life. But if people paid just a little bit more attention to these signals their bodies are giving them and made sure to maintain proper hydration, it may help them to be at their best during the day.”

“Your body is constantly losing water through simple acts such as breathing, perspiration and going to the bathroom,” adds Dr. Buyckx. “More is lost through daily activities, especially strenuous exercise or working in high temperatures. So it’s important that it be replaced.”

Many types of liquids help keep the body hydrated. The myth that caffeine causes dehydration is just that, a myth. According to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, all beverages, including those with caffeine, contribute to hydration needs. One example is the popular soda Diet Coke, which is made of 99 percent water.

By visiting www.MakeEveryDropCount.com, you can learn more about hydration and tips that will help you stay healthy. Consider these ideas:

* Determine your daily hydration needs. Consider factors like age, gender, weight, environmental conditions and activities. On the site there is a Hydration Calculator to help you determine how much you need to drink each day to feel and perform at your best.

* Choose beverages that you enjoy. Several studies show that adults consume about 45 to 50 percent more liquid when it’s flavored. Be sure to incorporate no- and low-calorie options to control calorie intake.

* Eat more fruits and vegetables. They tend to have a high water content, which makes them a great option for helping to meet individual hydration needs.

* Don’t exclusively rely on thirst. By the time you are thirsty, chances are mild dehydration has already set in. Hydrate throughout the day. Try keeping a water bottle or beverage in your vehicle, at your desk, in a cooler or wherever you will be reminded to drink. Take regularly scheduled beverage breaks; ideally at least one break per hour.

* If your job involves traveling, pay special attention to fluid intake on the airplane. High altitudes tend to have low humidity, which increases water loss through the skin and decreases the sensation of thirst.

Proper hydration can help you be at your best throughout the day. Make sure to select the right beverages for your dietary needs and lifestyle.

Magazine: Media Business Magazine November 2007

Description: BtoB Media Business, the magazine for business publishing executives. Because it's the only publication focused exclusively on business-to-business publishing, more than 5,000 industry leaders subscribe to Media Business for the latest trends and insightful analysis. BtoB Magazine, the magazine for marketing strategists, delivers timely editorial on all disciplines of business-to-business marketing. Published monthly by Crain Communications Inc, BtoB provides more than 45,000 subscribers with the information and analysis they need to develop a winning integrated marketing strategy for their companies.

Links: Download | Official Website

Not a designer? Don’t have a big marketing budget? Now you can design effective marketing materials yourself with this guide written by best-selling author and design expert Roger C. Parker.

This one-stop guide to marketing gives you the basics for creating effective messages and step-by-step instruction for using Publisher 2003 to design compelling, easy-to-read marketing materials that deliver your message successfully.

Even if you’re not a designer or you have no marketing experience, you’ll get expert advice and learn how to: • Develop a market empathy, think like your market, and solve their problems using their language • Format your message so it’s attractive and easy to read—by taking a crash course in graphic design • Save time and money by using Publisher to create several different types of effective marketing pieces—including postcards to promote your business and newsletters that keep you in touch with your customers • Use techniques for quickly harnessing powerful Publisher capabilities • Do it right from the start and avoid common pitfalls and design mistakes

Each chapter includes an interactive exercise as well as review questions with answers on the author’s companion Web site. Also on the Web site are downloadable worksheets and templates, more illustrations of the projects in the book, additional before-and-after project makeovers, and other resources.

Links: 2 Free Chapters Download | Official Website

Websites have become the go-to medium for casual information gathering. Google, Wikipedia, Technorati, and other massive information harvesters offer the world near infinite information at near-instant speeds. When people hear about a company, they type in the URL. Because of this, providing as much information about the business and its offerings is a critical ingredient in successful websites and marketing in general—when content is available, people will consume it…. read more 

I have decided to redesign/rebrand my design portfolio site - design2work.net. Here's a screenshot of the holding page….  

I began to ask myself that how can I extract certain parts of the existing objects, and combine them to create something that’s not only unique but also conveys the right message.

The distintive form or feature of a character is what separates it from being just good to great, and to be memorable. And it is my goal to bring this kind of uniqueness to these characters.