Socrates Cafe Online, each Tue, Fri, Sat, 1st. Sun, 6:30 pm Denver MDT (303)861-1447 Socrates Cafe Dialogue Groups: Watch1 Lead1 Start1. Meeting ID and password emailed to members 30 minutes before each meeting. For free membership write JohnScottWren@gmail.com.

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Thursday, The Startup Show-- ideA Action!




Join us tomorrow if you're in the metro Denver area for an IDEA Startup Workshop, more info and optional RSVP at http://www.Meetup.com/Small-Biz-Chamber

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

The Startup Show idEa Evaluation Wednesday

Once you've had an inspiration, developed, alternatives, how do you evaluate before taking action.

Often times you don't. That's why the Babson College motto is "Entrepreneurial Thought and Action." The true entrepreneur is inclined to get the idea, then go out and do it.

But there is value in taking a few minutes, any way, to reflect first. That's the topic of our show today:

SBA Councilors Are Standing By To Help You Now:


If you're in Denver, hope you can join us Friday afternoon. 2:30 p.m. IDEA Group Open Startup Discussion, bring a topic or just share about topics others raise. Then at 4 p.m. IDEA Startup Workshop, we share startup experience and brainstorm. Both are free, join us. If you'd like to start similar groups in cooperation with your local chamber or other group, call me any time (303)861-1447

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

The Startup Show Daily iDea Develop Alternatives

Each Tuesday quick update on one aspect of business creativity and what's happening with startup and small business. Today John Wren will talk about the first SPECIAL EDITION The Startup Show and what is planned for the future:


SPECIAL EDITION The Start Show

Today, Tueday, October 29, topic "How
to close sales over the Internet using Google+ Hangouts and the other powerful Internet tools that are now available." 

Join us right here at 10 a.m.Mountain to watch, link will be posted here when the show goes up. Or come back here anytime after the live broadcast, the link converts to connection to the recording.

Or watch live on Google+ Live Hangouts or YouTube Live Broadcasts.


Monday, October 28, 2013

The Startup Show Idea Inspiration Moday

Here's today's 5-minutes on the first step in the IDEA creativity
model. If you're not inspired, what do you do?

What have you experienced? After you watch this, hope you'll
post a comment here, or email me John@JohnWren.com

Here's today's show:


Sunday, October 27, 2013

Do you have friends who talk too much?

Do you know someone who talks too much, never really listens to you?

I know you and I wouldn't be that way, other people just like us to do the talking most of the time, that's why these people are so irritating when they won't listen to us, right?  :-)

Share this with a friend because it's so funny, written by one of the writers for the Simpsons.

Funny, but true and, I hope, helpful.

Below is the article, and here's an interview with the author (click here.)

Hope you're having a great weekend, more later...

John


It's True: You Talk Too Much
How to achieve the optimal 50-50 conversation flow
By ROB LAZEBNIK

I'm sorry to be the one to tell you, but you talk too much. I know you think you don't, but seriously, you do.

Take this simple test: After your next long conversation with someone, estimate what percentage of it you spent talking. Be honest. No, you're already underestimating. How do I know? Because it's more fun to talk than to listen. Talking is like drinking a great Cabernet. Listening is like doing squats.

Add another 20% to your total.

If you talked more than 70% of the time, you jabber too much. I know, because my son has Asperger's syndrome, and part of his education was learning conversational dynamics.

People with Asperger's tend to give monologues about their obsessions, which can be problematic socially. It's hard to get a date after you've just told a girl all the subway stops in North America.

Dr. Lynn Koegel, who is clinical director of Koegel Autism Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara, says that an optimal conversation flow has each person talking about 50% of the time. This is the Ali-Frazier of good give-and-take.

But, you say, what if your talking partner is just quiet and loves to listen? Stop it. She doesn't. Listening is like reading a corporate report. Talking is like eating a cinnamon bun.

So how do you achieve this 50-50 conversational ideal? Easy: ask questions. But don't think that one "How are you?" is going to turn you into Oprah. Actually listen to what the other person is saying, and find openings.

For instance: Your friend says, "I think that Henry the intern is probably a psychopath."

Now if you're inclined to say, "So's my mother! Yesterday, at the museum, she…" don't. You're talking too much. Instead, try, "Why do you think Henry's a psychopath, and if he's cute, would he be good for my niece?"

Now you're doing great. Your friend will love telling you about Henry. When she's done, if you really must, you can tell the anecdote about your mom. But if you're talking about someone whom your conversation partner doesn't know, especially a mother, keep it short—one minute tops, unless it's a truly fantastic story. And to qualify as such, at least five people need to have said to you in the past, "Wow, that's a fantastic story." Not "a great story" but "a fantastic story."

I can hear you complaining already: "One minute? But I need to include all the details." No you don't. Just get to the part when, on a crowded elevator, your mom turned to you and said, "I wish I could press the up button on your boobs." Your job is to quickly entertain and inform, and then to ask good questions.

Also, let your chattering breathe a little. One dastardly arrow in the big talker's quiver is to slow down in the middle of his sentence, then to blow through the period so that there's no opening for anyone to squeeze a word in. Secretly tape one of your own conversations, and if you realize you do this, stop it or never go out in public again...

So when reading this piece, did you recognize yourself? Did it perhaps make you think of someone else? If so, wouldn't it be great to send it to him? But you don't want to hurt his feelings, so how would you go about it?

Decent questions, right? Now I'll sit back and let you talk.

—Mr. LaZebnik is a writer on "The Simpsons."
A version of this article appeared October 4, 2013, on page C3 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: The Talk, Talk, Talk of the Town.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Grassroots Friday, The Startup Show

No video today.

Grassroots, that's our mission at the Small Business Chamber of Commerce, Inc. Towards that end, we are trying something new on Monday.

We are recruiting a panel of experts in Google+ Hangouts to talk about how they have used it in their marketing efforts on this first SPECIAL EDITION The Startup Show.

We'd love to have you with us if that is you!

Call me at (303)861-1447 and leave a complete message if you get the voice mail. We also want the people who are on Monday to have posted an intro of themself on our Facebook Page, see http://Facebook.com/Small.Business.Chamber

Video returns Monday, live by 5, it's Inspiration Monday.

Hope you have a great weekend. I'm headed for the University of Denver Alumni Weekend, I'll be posting photos and notes on my Facebook wall http://Facebook.com/John.S.Wren

Life is short, let's get started! It's later than you think!

John

Thursday, October 24, 2013

The Startup Show-- 5-minutes on ideA Action!

The Startup Show, today our focus is on ideA Action! Creativity means to bring something new into being, so the inspiration, developing alternatives, evaluating none of it means anything without Action!

One way to take action is to be part of a small group you check in with regularly. We are starting to form Go+ Groups on on Google+ Page. The first is a Go+ Group focused on Google+ Hangouts as a tool for starting and growing a business. Join us at https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/111554292876767753668/111554292876767753668/posts

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Evaluation Wednesday on The Startup Show

http://us.unleashingideas.org/

Above link for Global Entrepreneurship Week. I'll talk about it in a few minutes here on The Startup Show, today is idEa Evaluation Wednesday.

Our Small Business Chamber and our various meetings are part of this, you can see us listed.

Mentioned on today's show:  GEW, see above
Just Start, see http://Just-Start.com
My book on startup, click here. 

Here's today's edition of The Startup Show:

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

The Startup Show-- today's topic iDea Develop alternatives (see video of John Wren below live, then here below as link to YouTube).


Get the book Creative Confidence by the Kelley Brothers, you can see what I'm saying about it and the praise from others on Twitter #CreativeConfinence

If you're in Denver join us this Friday afternoon to discuss Creative Confidence and any other topic about startup you have on your mind at our Denver IDEA Group Open Startup Discussion Meeting, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Panera Bread, 13th & Grant, just a block from the Capitol. More info and opinional RSVP at http://Meetup.com/Small-Biz-Chamber

READ: HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW


“Most people are born creative. As children, we revel in imaginary play, ask outlandish questions, draw blobs and call them dinosaurs. But over time, because of socialization and formal education, a lot of us start to stifle those impulses. We learn to be warier of judgment, more cautious, more analytical. The world seems to divide into “creatives” and “noncreatives,” and too many people consciously or unconsciously resign themselves to the latter category.” —Tom & David Kelley
Tom and David Kelley expand on the concept of creative confidence in this issue of theHarvard Business Review magazine. Read “Reclaim Your Creative Confidence.” Available in German here.

WATCH: DAVID KELLEY AT TED

Is your school or workplace divided into “creatives” versus practical people? Yet surely, David Kelley suggests, creativity is not the domain of only a chosen few. Telling stories from his legendary design career and his own life, he offers ways to build the confidence to create.
Watch “How to Build Your Creative Confidence” here.

Monday, October 21, 2013

How do you get a good idea?

5-minutes about how to start a new career, a new project or campaign, or a new business, live by 5 p.m. each day Monday thru Friday. Post news about yourself and/or your business on http://Facebook.com/Small.Business.Chamber, hightlighted each day here.

Our topics for each day of the week will be:
Mondays: Idea Inspiration
Tuesdays: iDea Develop Alternatives
Wednesday: idEa Evaluate
Thursday: ideA Action!
Friday: Grassroots in Business and Politics

Here's today's show:

Lack education/opportunities?

See my comment on this news article about youth not in school, unemployed, what did Ben Franklin do? Works for all ages. Just do it, or call me and I'll help you. (303)861-1447 
http://bit.ly/Hag3Xe

Please share! Thanks. 

Sunday, October 20, 2013

PLEASE help me help the grassroots

Just posted this on http://Facebook.com/Small.Business.Chamber. Please go there and "Like" if you haven't already, "Share", then be sure to watch Inspiration Monday on The Startup Show right here and encourage your neighbors to do the same with as much social network and personal phone call power as you can.

Here, in celebration of Christopher Wren's birthday, is the message that was posted there I hope you'll "Like" and "Share":

Our vision: A healthy small group in every neighborhood. 

Why? To strengthen the grassroots, the voice of the common person in business and politics, in cooperation with everyone, especially with local chamber of commerce, community newspapers, and schools. 

To join just "Like" this Facebook Page, "Share" with your Facebook friends with your note about why you like what we are doing.

Then watch our weekly broadcast tomorrow or any Monday for our new feature "Inspiration Monday" about how we can each take action locally in our own neighborhood to help accomplish this world- wide vision.

What we are trying to make viral is what was first and best expressed over 2000 years ago: "Love God and love your neighbors, those who 1) live right next door, and 2) those who you are directly helping, as God has loved us. +

Friday, October 18, 2013

Grassroots Friday

I'm going to start focusing on grassroots politics each Friday. In my opinion, if you are starting a new business, getting involved one way or the other with the grassroots is one of the most powerful networking activities you can undertake. You do well by doing good.

This is educational, not political. I'm not going to take positions on issues or candidates, as is the policy of our Small Business Chamber of Commerce, Inc. http://www.SmallBizChamber.org 

A blog I started is broadening it's educational scope to include the major power tools for the common man who want to just use the political process as a way to connect with movers and shakers, and especially who is open to the day of one day serving in elected public office or helping other good people get elected. See http://www.COCaucus.org  

I'll be broadcasting soon, you can watch here or on YouTube Live Broadcasts or Google+ Live Hangouts. Your questions are always welcome. Post them here as a comment or call The Startup Line (303)861-1447.

Normally, I'd be embedding our broadcast here right now, you can see how that's worked for the last few days. Now, with no notice, Google has changed, broadcasts will only be able to be seen on our Google+ site (link below) or our YouTube Channel.

To see the show live momentarily or a recording once the broadcast has ended, go to https://plus.google.com/b/111554292876767753668/111554292876767753668/posts




Thursday, October 17, 2013

Too much stress? Learn to meditate.

This weekend in Denver Fr. Tony d'Souza S.J. from India is leading a retreat with a focus on awareness and meditation. Great opportunity. Here's a link for more info about it: http://www.broadbandliving.org/aware/Schedule.html

Fr. Tony was on The Startup Show as a guest last fall, here's what he shared then:
http://tradiov.com/denver/the-start-up-show-11512/

Today on The Startup Show I  talk about my experience and some of what Fr. Tony shared earlier this week at a lecture, some information that was new to me that you might find helpful. See broadcast live here at 5 p.m. Mountain, or come back and watch the recording anytime.


Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Wednesday Edition, The Startup Show. Creative Confidence Continued.

Join me on Twitter @JohnSWren where I've been followed by the authors of this great new book Creative Confidence @KelleyBrothers and others are chiming in as they receive the first copies of the book.

I'll talk about some of the highlights in my first read here today:

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

The Startup Show-- Creative Confidence

Hope you'll join us on Twitter with your tips for being more
creative. See previous post here (below) for 2nd Tweet in
what I hope becomes a burst of tips for being more creative.

I  talk about that and more on today's edition

PLEASE SHARE, YOUR FRIENDS WILL THANK YOU, SO
WILL I IF YOU'LL LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE. :-)
(303) 861-1447  John@JohnWren.com


Idea surfing.

I just got the Kelley brother's new book Creative Confidence. Right away, had the idea for this: Using Twitter to share my tips for being more creative, encourage others to post their's. My 2nd Tweet on this:

Tonight! In Denver! Tony d'Souza on Mediation.

Tonight (Tuesday, Oct 15) Tony will be giving a free talk, 7 to 9 p.m. at Denver Loyola Church. This is a great opportunity, don't miss it!

Here's a tape of my interview with him on The Startup Show when it was on TRadioV:
http://tradiov.com/denver/the-start-up-show-11512/


Monday, October 14, 2013

10-14-13 The Startup Show

Today we're live at 5 p.m., join us for 5 minutes to hear news about what's new, gathered from around the world and on our Facebook Page. :-) See it at https://www.facebook.com/Small.Business.Chamber I'll tell you about our plans for SPECIAL EDITION The Startup Show, and for SBCC Volunteer Ambassadors.

Friday, October 11, 2013

On today's The Startup Show, I'm going to share my thoughts about Socrates Cafe, our experience over the past 10+ years in Denver, why you might want to start one. I was inspired to call our first meeting after reading my now friend Chris Phillips' book Socrates Cafe,

Here are Chris' thoughts about what a Socrates Cafe is and how to start one. http://www.philosopher.org/Socrates_Cafe.html

Our experience has been a bit different, I share it with you on today's edition of: The Startup Show:


Thursday, October 10, 2013

The Startup Show today, Oct 10, on meditation.

The Startup Show, sponsored by the Small Business Chamber of Commerce Inc (www.SmallBizChamber.org) is my  5 minutes with you each day Monday thru Friday.

The 5 minute show is broadcast live by 5 over YouTube Live Broadcasts and Google+ Hangouts Live. You can always see a recording of the most recent show  posted here, and we are developing a YouTube Channel for our Small Business Chamber of Commerce Inc will have a library of past shows, we may convert my very early shows, John Wren's TV Journal,  from the early 90s from Ch 53 here in Denver and put them up on YouTube.

We are also going to start SPECIAL EDITION The Startup Show broadcasts, this is a work in progress, but we should be airing our first one soon. Rather than have one SME (Subject Matter Expert) we are going to take advantage of the power of the Internet and have panels with experts from around the country that will meet regularly on a 20 to 60 minute live broadcast.

If you have expertise in startup and small business and would be willing to serve on one of the panels, please let me know. Topics will include: getting unstuck, MOOCs and online learning, social media and digital marketing, advertising and public relations, on- and off-line meeting planning, direct marketing, sales and marketing, computers and software, and accounting/legal. If you have suggestions for other topics, please let me know.

Thanks for visiting JohnWren.com. If you'd like to get an email when we post an update, enter your email address to the right. While you are here now,  I hope you'll watch the short video of The Startup Show to the right, consider taking a minute to come back often, the new 5-minute edition of The Startup Show will be up by 5 p.m. each day Monday thru Friday.

Do you have news about yourself and/or your business you'd like me to mention on tomorrow's The Startup Show? Post the URL to your website or other Internet site along with a very short summary on the Small Business Chamber Facebook Page, where you can also post questions for other members to answer, go to http://Facebook.com/Small.Business.Chamber  We hope this becomes a 24/7 place startups and small businesses go, especially in those early hours of the morning when a nagging question prevents sleep.

If you have any feed back for me Id be delighted to hear from you via a comment below right here on JohnWren.com or via John@SmallBizChamber.org or (303)861-1447, I try and pick up right away each morning 9:30 to 11 a.m., or leave a confidential message, I'll call you back as soon as possible.

Take a look at my Tweet about Tony from earlier this week right below, and then more information about him and his Denver schedule below that.

This life is very short, let's get started! Thanks for your participation here as we get this resource for the common person starting in a new direction with their work started!

John
(303)861-1447 or John@SmallBizChamber.org 

My Tweet from earlier this week about Tony d'Souza, more about him below.

Tony D'Souza in Denver next two weeks!

Anthony J. D’Souza is a Jesuit priest, 66 years of age and currently works as Director of Premanjali, Family Counselling Training Institute, Mumbai, India.  Until last April, he was the Provincial of the Bombay Jesuits. He has also worked as the Director of the Retreat House, in Bandra, Mumbai and before that as the Pastor of Holy Family Church, 
He has completed his Masters and has a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the School of Professional Psychology, Wright State University, Dayton, OH.  As a part of his doctorate, he did his internship for a year in Denver Diocese at Denver Health (Denver General Hospital) in 1993-94.
He is also the founder of Premanjali, the first institute of its kind in the country to train professional psychologists and help families to develop healthy relationship at different levels.  In the States, he has been offering seminars and retreats on Regis University campus for staff and students as well as people who wish to deepen their spiritual life by deepening their union with God.  He has offered retreats and seminars in different parts of India as well as in Canada, England, Spain and the United States.  
He has conducted numerous seminars and retreats for laity, religious around the world. He will be in Denver the next couple of weeks, for his schedule see http://www.broadbandliving.org/aware/Schedule.html

It is unlikely that Fr Tony will be able to join us, but our topic will be meditation and centering prayer at our sharing group this Saturday, Loyola Family Center, 23rd & Vine, more info and RSVP at http://Meetup.com/Jesuit-Guide-Sharing-Groups  Free.

Wednesday, October 09, 2013

It will get better. And it had better!

Our 2nd daily broadcast of The Startup Show took place just now. Not at all what it will be when we get rolling, hopefully tomorrow. You can help us by finding new businesses that are opening, tweet a link to their URL using #NewBizStartToday. Doesn't have to start today, can have been open a little while, or could be about to open.

We'll be inviting people to do a SPECIAL EDITION of The Startup Show to tell us how their career started or how a project or campaign or new business started. We'll also have SPECIAL EDITION shows with Small Business Chamber SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) we are planning on doing our first on event management, and I'm hoping it helps me get the cats headed in one direction. :-)

Thanks for your support in this effort. There is a lot going on, I'll be telling you here opportunities to learn in an academic setting for hundreds, thousands of dollars, also some of our no-cost opportunities.

Thanks you for your support in our effort to make sure the entrepreneurial spirit of America does not die, that our grand kids have the same opportunity to start a business as did our fathers and mothers and our grand parents.

Tuesday, October 08, 2013

What's new?

Have you started something new? A new business, project, campaign, or new career? If you've overcome resistance and have started something new, share the victory with us, we'll share the highlights on The Startup Show (top right on this page), post your news at http://Facebook.com/Small.Business.Chamber

Monday, October 07, 2013

The Startup Show * 5 Minutes at 5 p.m.
Starting today, 5 days a week. Join us!
Post one sentence & a link about your biz
http://Facebook.com/Small.Business.Chamber