March 2017 – Solving Citizen

Rule your organization by defining your systems

There are many types of systems to dictate the way life is run. There are the judicial system, immune system, ecosystems, computer systems and many more.

While operating your business or start up it is important to start out by defining your business. What is your purpose, and why do you exist? The simplest way to go is to make a mission statement. No I know that sounds corny, but it is the simplest way to start measuring your business.

Again, it is important to define what it is you’re doing, and if you can’t define what you’re doing then you don’t know what you’re doing. Defining your Organization is the most important part of the business. It allows you to measure what you’re doing, and metrics allows you to control your business.

In addition to a project charter, you can use SIPOC diagrams, Process Flow diagrams, and Project Charters.

Process Flow Diagram

SIPOC Diagram

In a side note, I would like to thank you all for reading. I have been absent for the last month for vacation, illness and I have also been working on a big project I plan to roll out within the next 6 months or so. I wish I could tell you more but be patient because it’s going to be huge! Please keep sharing with your friends we we can continue this momentum and grow into a community that will make dedicated hard workers wealthy.
-Brandon

Putting tools in your cloud and getting ready for the Augmented Age

Jarvis_shield_interface It took people a while to understand what “the cloud” actually is. Some might still be trying to figure it out. I am, not because I’m unsure what it is, but because I’m trying to understand what it will become. We watch movies like Iron Man and we see Tony Sark work with holograms and talk to artificial intelligence. For now we see this as fantasy, but this concept is closer to reality then you might think.

Siri As the Augmented Age hits, there are tools you will need to have in place if you want to use augmented reality efficiently. The cloud is where you focus all these tools and build your foundation. But what cloud do you use? Apple, Gooogle, Amazon, and Microsoft already have cloud tools and services you can start building on. I personally am building a foundation with Google services, while my wife finds Amazon better suits her needs.

What are some of the tools you will use in the augmented age you might ask? Well think of Tony Stark and the things that he has. Probably the most efficient tool that he has is Jarvis. This tool is already available to us today! Apple has Siri, Google has the Google Home, and Amazon has the Echo. These devices are amazing but they are still in a primitive stage. All they can do is simple calculation, turn the lights on and off, read texts and stuff like that.

amazondash-jpg Amazon has an interesting tool called Dash-Buttons. They are a physical button you push to replenish supplies, however this is the type of tool that will transform once AR glasses hit the market. You will be able to stick them wherever you want like you can an emoji on Snapchat.

google glass AR glasses are the piece of the puzzle that are missing but they are almost here. Meta has been one of the front runners in developing this technology. The companies founder Merton Gribetz has even done a TED talk on the subject. The glasses are going to let you work like Tony Stark. You will finally be able to reduce the distractions of the internet and turn things around to let them enhance your life.

For the time being your smart phone is only a small window into the Augmented Age. For now all that is available are devices to put your mobile device over your face so you can see through the eyes of your phone. Keep a look out for the tools you need like the Microsoft Kinect, 360 cameras, or the Google Glasses and see how you can build them into your foundation. If you have your cloud ready by the time Augmented Reality gets here, you will have an advantage over everyone else trying to catch up.

-Brandon

Eliminating risk while Investing

Wall street and the 401k are things people usually think of when they think about investing. Boring. While there may be some things worth investing in like dividends or even index funds, there are a variety of things one can invest in to find success.

Warren Buffett is one of the richest men in the world, But even he understands that investing is more than just money. Increasing the value of your own human capital is the best way to start investing. Instead of binge watching the new Netflix series like so many of us are guilty of (yes, me too) you can delay that satisfaction and invest in learning skill that will pay off tenfold in the future.

You can spend money and time to get an education that few people have, or you can take a job with a lower wage that will give you a highly sought after skill. A wise person once said “There is a great place to go when you are broke….To Work!” It is important however to not spend more money than you make, and invest the money you have left in something you know about and understand.

If you’re like me and have other people who depend on you, it might be wise to invest in a little preparation. If you work far from home consider getting a get home bag if you’re in the city, or a go bag if you’re on the outskirts. It also wouldn’t be a bad idea to get some life insurance to eliminate the burden your family might have if something happened to you. Hopefully these are things you’ll never need, but when you need them, you NEED them.

The same thing applies with your property. Research the insurance policies on all property you own. Acquire any necessary capital, security, or arms to protect your investment. Also know when you’re going to get out before you ever get in on ANY investment. This will help you eliminate as much risk as possible.

If you own or are starting a business, know how to invest your time. Improve and control everything you do and pay attention to your return on investment. Calculate your Net Present Value your Internal Rate of Return and use a Payback Method to look at your cost benefit. Ultimately it may pay off more to invest in your own organization then to venture elsewhere.

The Consumer Price Index reveals that inflation hit 0.6% in the month of January. Inflation is a hidden tax on your dollars so it is important not to invest everything you have there. Whether you invest in money, stocks, gold, property or even your children, keep in mind that there is nothing more important to invest in than your most precious resource. Your time.

-Brandon

The thinning line between entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs

Everyone knows what an entrepreneur is, but lately there has been much conversation about the innovation of intrepreneurs. People like Bernie Sanders like to say that intrepreneurs are the backbone of America and while there may be some truth to this, it is both entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs working together who drive the economy. However the traditional role of the entrepreneur is changing and even merging with the intrapreneurs with the quickly approaching augmented age.

To get a clear understanding of what the difference between entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs is we need to first look at the difference between extrinsic and intrinsic people and their motivations. Extrinsic people (like entrepreneurs) are motivated by money, and the payoff they will receive for completing a task. Intrinsic people (like intrapreneurs) are more concerned with personal growth and being recognized for their efforts. traditionally you would have an intrinsic person manage continuous improvement or research and development projects while an extrinsic person would run an operation.

Being on the brink of the Augmented age is thinning the line between the entrepreneur and intrapreneur because of the abundance of new technology. Resources like social media marketing and setting up a storefront are easier and cheaper for the intrapreneur therefore eliminating risk traditionally only entrepreneurs would take on. Also new innovation is in abundance for a massive amount of entrepreneurs to capitalize on. The truth is that (because opposites attract) many couples are now capable of running a business from their home. All anyone needs to sell their creativity is create an online presence through social media marketing like Snapchat or Facebook, create an Etsy and BOOM, you have a business that can make money with little to no money invested.

Now couples may have an advantage by working as a team, but individuals are in a good position too. In the past many people have relied on a well formatted resume to get them a good job, but it doesn’t work like that anymore. If you want to land your ideal job, you have to build an online reputation in your field. I personally do this using WordPress and LinkedIn. It is necessary to build a network of references and publish articles to demonstrate your skills and abilities. Only then will you stand out among the sea of other candidates.

Snapchat is on the front of the augmented age giving creative intrapreneurs a place to grow and sell to an audience using a new social media format and new technology and slowly steeling customers from Facebook. Google is replacing Microsoft documents by offering their documents for free. This is an amazing resource for any entrepreneur who is looking to reduce their risk.

If you are looking to start up a business or just make yourself look professional there are many people out there who will help, myself included. This age is so fun to interact with that many people are giving value away, and if you look hard enough you might be able to find a passionate intrapreneur who will offer their services for free.

-Brandon

Defining the Truth

We hear many phrases today like “alternative facts” “bias media” or “false flag” and the more we hear that kind of noise the more it seems the truth is slipping from our grasp. The truth is tricky to define because it is literally different from person to person. So where do we look to define it? You compare it to a known standard.

History reveals that governments do a poor job of defining the truth for us. Laws are a great comfort zone for many people to define what is right and wrong, but just because something is legal doesn’t make it right. Oscar Schindler was somebody who frequently broke the law to do what we all know is right, but his society deemed wrong. That does not necessarily mean that laws are bad, there is a standard dictated by Natural Law. Natural Law was used by the founding fathers of the United States to shape the constitution. In fact Thomas Jefferson helped define the nonaggression principle.

The nonaggression principle or NAP was started by John Locke during the Age of Enlightenment. The NAP can essentially be defined as: don’t hurt people and don’t take their stuff. Even the United States constitution uses the NAP as a Standard to define the truth in their laws and morals.

Now let’s get the most value out of the truth and move from what we should do with it to what we can do with it. While running a business, there are many different universally excepted standards such as ISO or ASME.

Probably one of the most valuable tools you can use to analyze data and look at the facts is statistics. With statistics you use tools like Lean and Six Sigma. Six sigma was first used by Edward Deming. Collecting data and using facts to operate business quickly got him notice because it reshaped manufacturing. we moved from the industrial age to the information age.

Deming’s 14 points are used today in the most successful organizations around the world. The truth is a powerful tool that cannot be ignored when it is used properly. Whether you use it for politics or for business knowing the truth will separate you from your competitors and make you very successful in your ambitions. No matter what people think the truth is, we all know what the truth is we see it.

-Brandon

ISO