Holiday Season…

First I need to say I follow the American Indian ways, and am a Shaman of the Apache Nation…

That said, the Christmas Holiday Seasons use to be a great season for me. I enjoy the music of the season, the decorations are fun to look at (although I despise putting them up myself), and for the most part the “front face” of many is one of happiness.

The back end is a bit different though. Most people are very unhappy with this season because of the cost of presents, the cost of adding weight at all the parties, the cost of “happiness”. Why have we put such a false face on the season? This is supposed to be a celebration of life!! What happened to the times of the home made gifts? What happened to the times of just spending more time with friends and family?

I like this season less and less each year. The decorations go up earlier each year, and get gaudery and more commerical in orientation. The music starts even earlier than before (I heard it near the end of October this year at a couple, not just one, malls!!), and people start talking about Christmas Shopping earlier on TV. What happened to the start of Christmas season, Christmas commercials, and Christmas decorations, being harolded by the passing of Santa Claus across the screen on the Macy’s Parade? There were MANY years where that was the green light for Christmas Season, Santa coming across your screen.

I think we should go back to the shorter Christmas season, take the commercial aspect out, and go back to the creation of life again!!

TWO days in a row!!

Well, for the second day in a row I had a great day.

I was able to meet with a VERY successful, affluent, well known business man today and had a strong learning day!! While I asked him for things, he asked me for things, which was a nice give and take. This was one of those meetings most of us don’t get to have all that often, and I have been lucky enough to work with this person at least 8 times now!! Very good day indeed!!

Now for both of us to work out our answers to our request of the other… Could be a long weekend for me. Could be a major change in my life, yet again…

Space Safety

Had a VERY interesting day today!

A few weeks ago I was invited to sit on a high level review of an investigation of the current Space Safety as requested by the Space Shuttle Children’s Fund. I was one of about 20 people, and the only person present that was not in the Space Industry. (I was asked to come based on my Computer Science background/PhD and for my VC/Finance background.)

The information presented was very interesting and the talks we had about improving the data presentation and recommendation for improvement on the Safety in Manned Space Flight, was well worth the day. The players present were some pretty strong players in the industry, and I am confident that the report will be heard by the powers in play at the time of release early next year!

I hope I get invited to the next such review of status, and I hope I get to do this in other areas as well!!

Dr. Pepper (he knows who he is, not the one from the songs. ), I’d love to do the same with your group!!

K9 Search and Rescue

Over the past 15 to 20 years I have been involved in Search and Rescue of missing people. For many years I watched K9 teams on the search and enjoyed watching the teams work. I always thought that was a better way to search, with the dogs able to find people better than people could find people.

So, 5 years ago, I searched for the right dog to be my partner and I found Kodi :

Kodi is a Belgian Malenois (I always spell that wrong, but you get the idea. ) and she is now almost 5 years old. She has made 9 live finds for missing people, 5 in disaster events (which is our specialty), and 4 in “wilderness” events. She and I have done hundreds of hours of training to get to that level.

Kodi is also a retired Marin County, California Reserve Deputy Sheriff. She has 5 felony arrest on her record. (The only reason she was retired is I moved out of the area, and they retired her. She’s not happy with my move though. She misses the work.)

This has probably been my most rewarding work I’ve done in life to date…

Multiple Income Streams…

Over the years I have looked out how the wealthy people get and stay wealthy, and I have to say, that each of them have several “streams” of income coming their way. They have:

1. Their “Day Job” (not that they do much there in many cases!!)
2. They have stocks, that they manage themselves most of the time!
3. Many have written a book, that provides income to them every time someone buys that book. Many write more than one!
4. Most buy, sell, and rent real estate.
5. Some have a SMALL savings account. (Most of their money is in the stocks and real estate.)
6. Many have a second job that is more a hobby than a job, but it brings them money.
7. Most speak at events, etc, and get paid to do so!

In all cases, they manage their money VERY closely, and keep close tabs on how they spend their money and where their money goes daily. They want to build the streams of income into a river, and then a lake!

What’s wrong with all those business plans??

Over the past 15 years I have looked at numerous business plans, of all sizes, many industries, and of various depth of project, while managing a $1B venture fund. The biggest problem I had with most of the plans I reviewed was the plan was not a living breathing document.

For a business plan to work, beyond funding, there needs to be a clear goal and a living strategy behind the plan. That plan should become the bible of the business going forward. But a bible of a new kind. It is a living breathing bible that grows and changes as the company grows and changes!

The only two companies I funded that failed, failed because they didn’t follow a plan, and would not listen to that. They both folded within two years.

When you write a plan, it should be a plan that you can live with, and one that you live!! As your company grows, so should the plan, and if your products shift, shift your plan!!