Thoughts On Business

Running a business is the most exhilarating and challenging experience of my life, rivaled only by my tours overseas. What I've learned in a very short time is that very few people actually know what they are doing, while most of us are just trying to figure it out. Here I hope to share my own insights and opinions, in the hopes that my experiences can be of some value.

USMC Birthday 2010

Published in Business on November 11, 2010

It was November 1999, I was standing in the recruiters office letting him know that my mind was made up. I was going to be a Marine. He was breaking the news to me that I had to wait until I graduated before they could do anything. I remember that feeling like it was yesterday. It was a short 13 months later, December 12th 2000, that the white government van pulled up in front of my mom’s house.

I walked out of my mom’s house with nothing more than the clothe on my back, toothbrush and ID. I remember standing in line getting ready to catch the shuttle to the airport, thinking “Well, it’s now or never Tony.”

That’s the day I became a recruit, the title I held proudly for three months. For three months they broke me down and built me back up. They instilled in me the values and principles that all Marines live by and that I, to this day, adhere to.

Surgery Update..

Published in Business on November 10, 2010

I had a follow-up with my Orthopedic Surgeon this morning. This was where he spent the time explaining what he saw when he was in my knee.

The coolest part of the session was seeing the pictures. The actual explanation, on the other hand, was not so cool.

Project Management – Soft Skills

Published in Business on November 4, 2010

As some of you might know, one of the things that rings true to my heart is project management. I am not really sure why, perhaps it is its relationship to control, leadership, responsibility. Who knows..? All values that I recently learned to be part of who I am..:)

Either way, let’s get to the heart of things…

As usual, I am spending the evening rummaging through different articles and blogs looking for interesting content and tonight I have found two I wanted to share.Well, I really wanted to share one specifically and then realized I had to probably explain the concept first.

So first, let’s talk about Soft Skills.

Surgery Day!!

Published in Business on November 4, 2010

Well, after 4 solid months I finally managed to get in and get my knee fixed. Yes, it took 4 stinking months.

Why 4 months you ask? Well, it was a combination of things.

I started by going to the doctor that performed the surgery last year – oh yeah, I had the same surgery last year. I couldn’t get scheduled with him, timing was off and since I spend a lot of time on the road it made things difficult. Either way, I went to one of his colleagues and the quality of service just wasn’t what I wanted. So then I had to start all over with another doctor, that was complicated by my travel again – see a trend?

A nice surprise…

Published in Business on October 28, 2010

So I, fortunately or unfortunately, spend an incredible amount of time on the road. One of the most challenging aspects of this is the time I spend away from my boys.

As they get older they are becoming more aware of when I am gone and often make life difficult for their mom immediately following a departure. Needless to say I had a wonderful surprise.

I was at lunch with a colleague when I get a picture of my youngest, from my youngest – Alex. I was so elated I responded in kind, with a picture of myself. We then proceeded to exchange pictures for the next 15 minutes.

This exchange, as small as it may seem, was by far the best part of the past three weeks. It is for these moments that I work and travel the way I do.

WordCamp Las Vegas!!

Published in Business on October 25, 2010

Well, WordCamp Las Vegas has come and gone. Dre (@dremeda) and I had the opportunity to attend this year. And I think you can say that we were both really excited we did. Definitely sounds like one that we’ll mark as a requirement in the out years.

A small shout out to 9Seeds (@9seeds) for a hell of a job putting the event together. Tremendous job gentlemen, tremendous job indeed.

That being said, I did want to share some insight I gained while at the conference. Well, that’s insight I gained before the cerveza’s started to kick in..:)

What a day!

Published in Business on October 10, 2010

Had a hell of a day today.

As I mentioned before my little cousin stayed with the family a few days this past week. Well, today I had the “privilege” of driving her down to San Diego to meet up with some friends. Interesting that when I dropped her off the car was made up of a three dudes… I couldn’t help but think to myself, wow, seriously a car full of dudes.. uh.. ok.. but I’ll save that for a different day; I could go off on a tangent on that topic alone.

We planned the meet up at the Fry’s off Aero Drive in San Diego ( just North of the Murf). They went off and did there thing and as I sat there contemplating the 1 1/2 hour drive home decided to cruise through Fry’s for a minute to stretch my legs. Imagine putting a fat kid in front of cake, I know, how the hell do you keep him from tasting the frosting. Well that’s the dilemma I found myself in. I couldn’t help but touch the pretty boxes and check all the prices. It’s a good thing that unlike the fat kid who can swallow the lack of funds on my cards kept me from purchasing.