Watch each Friday, 10 am MDT or via unedited recording here until the edited version is posted a day or two later. Guests on the show meet with us in the afternoon at the SBCC Denver IDEA Cafe Startup Praxis, more info and optional RSVP at http://Meetup.com/Small-Biz-Chamber. To be a guest on the show call (303)861-1447
Friday, July 31, 2015
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Management Science
I remember the late 60s and early 70s when there was talk of "management science" sparked by Fredrick Taylor and his concept of the "one best way."
We've learned that is just not how humans do well.
So why is it that those involved in business startup seem to be thinking of the one best way to start a business? Understandable for the government to think that way with the Small Business Administration.
But why others? Seems like everyone from university programs on entrepreneurship to local chamber of commerce programs all talk about doing market research, writing a convincing business plan, finding investors, although almost no small business actually gets off the ground using those tools.
That's why I say I'm a recovering MBA, much of what I learned in graduate business school has had to be overcome to be helpful to people who want to start something new.
Want to talk with me about this? Post a comment here, watch The Startup Show Friday mornings, or when you are in Denver let's get together at the Denver IDEA Cafe Praxis. For more see http://www.SmallBizChamber.org
If you did formal market research and formal planning before your first sale, I'd very much like to talk with you. I've been talking with people who have started successful businesses for over 20 years, you'll be the first I've met that did it that SBA-way.
We've learned that is just not how humans do well.
So why is it that those involved in business startup seem to be thinking of the one best way to start a business? Understandable for the government to think that way with the Small Business Administration.
But why others? Seems like everyone from university programs on entrepreneurship to local chamber of commerce programs all talk about doing market research, writing a convincing business plan, finding investors, although almost no small business actually gets off the ground using those tools.
That's why I say I'm a recovering MBA, much of what I learned in graduate business school has had to be overcome to be helpful to people who want to start something new.
Want to talk with me about this? Post a comment here, watch The Startup Show Friday mornings, or when you are in Denver let's get together at the Denver IDEA Cafe Praxis. For more see http://www.SmallBizChamber.org
If you did formal market research and formal planning before your first sale, I'd very much like to talk with you. I've been talking with people who have started successful businesses for over 20 years, you'll be the first I've met that did it that SBA-way.
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Family
An Episcopal priest Bruce Youngquist became a good friend. He taught me many thing, maybe the most important had to do with today's gospel, the feeding of the 5,000.
An interesting commentary is on http://GiveUsThisDay.org
I responded with a comment on the author's website http://NotStrictlySpiritual.org
Is the feeding of the world every day any less of a miracle?
Friday, July 24, 2015
Friday, July 17, 2015
Today! The Startup Show
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| Me and old college friend Karl Rove. |
It's The Startup Show!
Mark your calendar and come back here at 10 a.m. this morning, or watch here anytime after that via recording.
This week I'll talk about the new WrenCollege.org for Adult Self-Directed Learning and the faculty we are recruiting for it.
I also share with you about the new learning group patterned after Ben Franklin's original group that I'm forming now, why it will probably be the last one that I personally organize and facilitate, and why I'm buying dinner for everyone who comes to our first meeting.
Here's today's show:
Thursday, July 16, 2015
The Startup Show
Right here on each Friday at 10 a.m. or any time after that via the recording. Mark your calendar for 10 a.m. each Friday, John Wren's The Startup Show on www.JohnWren.com
Grassroots Rules. : Colorado Caucus? Isn't it just a waste of time? Wo...
Grassroots Rules. : Colorado Caucus? Isn't it just a waste of time? Wo...: This editorial by a long time Colorado political reporter and editor does a great job putting the light of reason on the Colorado Caucus a...
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Friday, July 10, 2015
Freedom Fest #2
Was too tired to post anything yesterday, still am. Glad I'm headed home tomorrow.
Speaker after speaker, loads of info, coffee, very big crowd. Food a breaks goes quickly, feel guilty eating it anyway after hearing presentations on having a better diet yesterday.
Several mentions of problem with education, we've given monopoly to those offering certification. Shouldn't matter where we learned, just certify what we've learned. Seems to me this could be a case of being at the right place at the right time for WrenCollege.org
This conference makes me more of a believer in independent, self-directed learning. This many people showing up to get this little real, solid information.
Highlights: Hearing John Mackay, Whole Foods talk a couple of times, able to ask him the big question I've had since hearing President of Colorado Medical Society talk about the surprising way to cut health costs.
Also hearing Charles Murray a couple of times, and getting program with lots of movies that should be good, documentaries that just don't get much PR.
Connecting with PlantPure and finding they are open to killing two birds with one stone with their movie in Colorado. Could be just that one connection made the trip worthwhile.
Couple more speakers in a.m. before I head for airport in the morning. Should be back for Socrates Cafe at DU at 6:30 p.m. Join us? :-) http://Meetup.com/Colorado-Socrates-Cafe-Society.
Speaker after speaker, loads of info, coffee, very big crowd. Food a breaks goes quickly, feel guilty eating it anyway after hearing presentations on having a better diet yesterday.
Several mentions of problem with education, we've given monopoly to those offering certification. Shouldn't matter where we learned, just certify what we've learned. Seems to me this could be a case of being at the right place at the right time for WrenCollege.org
This conference makes me more of a believer in independent, self-directed learning. This many people showing up to get this little real, solid information.
Highlights: Hearing John Mackay, Whole Foods talk a couple of times, able to ask him the big question I've had since hearing President of Colorado Medical Society talk about the surprising way to cut health costs.
Also hearing Charles Murray a couple of times, and getting program with lots of movies that should be good, documentaries that just don't get much PR.
Connecting with PlantPure and finding they are open to killing two birds with one stone with their movie in Colorado. Could be just that one connection made the trip worthwhile.
Couple more speakers in a.m. before I head for airport in the morning. Should be back for Socrates Cafe at DU at 6:30 p.m. Join us? :-) http://Meetup.com/Colorado-Socrates-Cafe-Society.
Wednesday, July 08, 2015
Las Vegas for Freedom Fest
Allen West gave a powerful, powerful talk to conclude first day of Freedom Fest.
Much of the crowd is Libertarian, West's strong advocacy of the need for a strong national defense won't sit well with some of them, but it very much did with the gentleman I sat next to, after 20 year career in the military, worked for a government contractor and just retired from it after a similar time. He want to get involved, he likes Libertarians except for the utopian stance some take on nation defense. West spoke directly to his concern.
No mention today of Pope Francis in South America. Hasn't he been meeting with the World Meeting of Popular Movements? He was quoted in the paper last week as saying the "Evil Financial Empires" need to be brought to an end, a play on Ronald Reagan's use of Evil Empire to describe the enemies of the United States.
CEO of Overstock.com talked about his battle with the Federal bureaucracy and why he thinks peer-to-peer replacements for government centralized services will be growing. He likes Bitcoin, still seems like a giant con to me, and he likes a peer to peer stock exchange, of which I'm even more leery. He doesn't like pooled clearing done now, looks to me his peer-to-peer is much more risky and it really put me off when he refused to discuss the details, what he calls "the plumbing."
Martin Luther King reenacted by Jim Lucas was very moving. Immigrant from North Korea shared what life was like there, why she escaped and how she did it. Similar story from woman who escaped from China, a man who's family had escaped from Nazi German. Makes me very grateful for the freedom we do still have here.
Lots more tomorrow, popular New York Times columnist, CEO of Whole Foods, Donald Trump has announced he's dropping in sometime.
Interesting mix of economics, politics, and financial advice. I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow.
If you want more check out Twitter #FreedomFest or @TheFreedomFest where I'll be posting pictures tomorrow, battery died today.
Thursday, July 02, 2015
The Startup Show, today with Russell Dennis.
Live here Friday, July 3 at 10 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time or anytime after that via video recording, Russell Dennis! Russell is well-known in Denver and elsewhere because of his economic development work, work with veterans, and now his public speaking and consulting work with non-profits. He'll be with us today to share about some difficulties he has recovered from and then used new strength to start in a new direction. We hope you'll join us and please share this with your friends who might find it helpful. You'll be able to ask questions online about your situation if you want.
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