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Archive for June 2011

Business Start-Ups & Talk For Success

June 29, 2011 Economy, Entrepreneurship No comments

Reading this article about Bill Clinton talking about business start ups and maximizing sales by helping the already made companies, setting them up with successors so that the companies will be even more successful. That alone makes me think about my opinion about the now economy — and I want to throw my thoughts out there to you.

Here’s the thing: the economy still sucks pretty bad. There are even more people out of jobs, more than yesterday and probably double that tomorrow. Retail sales come and go in spurts, companies cut back in spurts: things seem to get better with sales but companies know how it can get, even if it’s better, and they’re too stingy to hire anymore people even when things seem… okay. There’s really no promise if things will get better or worse.

So, what are these people supposed to do without jobs to support their families? There’s only so much help one can get before being fed by the government and it stay that way…because things aren’t getting better.

Instead of just sitting around, how about coming up with your own company? If you are a truly smart person, have dead-on experience on whatever you have worked at — or if you have been doing something hobby-ish for a while, why not try it for a check?

I feel like this is the time for start up companies to start happening.

This is the time for the unemployed to come together and start a new revolution: entrepreneur leadership fighting the economy and winning.

It needs to happen. Something needs to happen.

Large corporate companies are the higher evil — we all support them, because if it’s retail (like Wal-Mart), they’re cheap and people will continue shopping there. Corporate companies are selfish and self involved – and unfortunately, we need them to keep going and running this world/economy/etc.

So, while the large companies shut their doors and close their gates to hiring people, they are also taking over and smaller businesses are falling downward…and they end up closing their doors by going bankrupt.

This is the new revolution. The start up revolution. If you can’t get hired by a company, you can’t be helped with government assistance (or that time has run out) — what are you left to do? Only one thing, start up something of your own.

My point is: this is the time for inventors to invent, small business owners to take ownership of their companies and make something big out of themselves and individuals come up with business plans that are going to rock this world…..because one of these days, this is how money will be generated and the world will have to look upon businesses made and run by entrepreneurs.

The Downfall of MySpace and Blackberry

June 28, 2011 Economy, Products No comments

MySpace, a social networking product, and BlackBerry, a mobile product, are both set to lay off employees – and strangely, the announcement came about the same time. When you think about MySpace and BlackBerry do you think back about 5-10 years ago, set in the past, ancient world history in the speak of networking? Ditto.

So, what went wrong for these companies to have such a downfall the last couple of years?

Let’s take a look at MySpace. When I think about MySpace, I think 2005. That is when I got it. Early 2009 is when I deleted it. Solid MySpace college users migrated to Facebook when Facebook came out as [college users] only. So, with it being selective in users, it had some time to allow the migration to begin. First the college users went, then all that was left was musicians, companies, pre-teens and 20+ that just either didn’t want to delete their account or refused to buy into Facebook.

Let’s talk about BlackBerry. I had a BlackBerry Pearl for two years… and I’m so very glad I switched to an iPhone. For avid users, such as myself, I couldn’t handle the overall slowness of the phone. The web browser took forever and a day to load. My Twitter client would mess up and freeze every time I used it. Even then, I wanted to use Twitter for BlackBerry but every time I did, the phone would need to be turned off and restarted. So, by that time, all of the programs that I needed to use and didn’t work… the phone became amazingly useless.

MySpace never really changed much over the years. At one point they discovered the music side of things, lost their focus on users and that’s about the turning point of going downhill, along with the Facebook changes of users. When Facebook went public and anyone could join, they did and they brought everything they had at MySpace along with them. Why use MySpace when there was a new “man” in town?

BlackBerry stayed the same and never changed, even though they claim they did by adding a few minor updates here and there. iPhone was boosting with sales overtaking the BlackBerry users one by one. No matter how fast or competent they made their phones, someone else always did it better. They got lost, losing their main focus: on what mobile customers want TODAY.

A while ago, MySpace changed their logo. Why does a company change a logo? In hopes to change their company and turn it around from the exiting door. Why did things NOT change? Facebook has MySpace by the throat. Unless you have a blog or website, it seems like no one wants a customized page anymore. People read text, people use the LIKE button on Facebook until one is blue in the face from pushing it so much. People go mobile. If you are reading mobile version or app version, most things, they don’t allow you to see the colored background and shiny pretty things on the front page.

BlackBerry still has a limited user ability, including only a couple thousand apps in the app store. I wouldn’t know how well any of the apps work now, considering, I’ve been out of the BlackBerry playing game for a year. I have heard people say BlackBerry is for work, iPhone is for play. I have also seen where companies started getting iPhones for their employees instead of the expected BlackBerry just because the iPhone has been updated with the times.

Soon enough, it’s all going to come down to MySpace shutting down and Facebook will be running against Twitter. Two different levels of communication, but still head to head at the game. I have seen it said: Facebook is the place to connect with family and old friends, Twitter is the place for the now and the ‘I wish I had gone to school with them’. Twitter is continuous conversations and status updates in 140 characters, Facebook is status updates, LIKE pages, and connections with bands and so on.

If BlackBerry doesn’t find a way out of deep waters, iPhone and Google will continue to be the top two phones out there beating it out. iPhone has a safe security on their phone, 350,000+ of apps and a new cloud over-the-air updating system coming up shortly in an update this fall. Google has very limited apps, is an open phone so it will be open for viruses. The people at Apple will ALWAYS be ahead of the game, will always find some way to conveniently fix whatever they messed up (antennagate, for example) and their products will be of good use for many, many years. Google will continue to make phone after phone and update after update and will end up with water up to their necks in their lack choices of focusing on one design or a select few designs.

So, in conclusion, what do the users/customers want out the products that they can no longer get from MySpace or BlackBerry?

Social networking users want to always be connected, they want information right now whether it be news updates from family or news updates across the world. Mobile customers always want to be connected right now – as in speed. As similar as they are different, all four companies (Facebook vs. Twitter, iPhone vs. Google) have what people want right now.

The next question is, will there be a bigger guy to over take those in the next few years? Or, will they stay on top?

Two Year Remembrance of Billy Mays

June 28, 2011 Pitchmen, SulProd No comments

Two years ago today we lost a marvelous contributor to society, the top pitch sales guy in the industry, and an idol: Billy Mays.

Even two years later, I find myself longing to hear his voice on national TV once again… especially when I hear a crappy commercial pitched by some unknown and I think to myself, “This commercial wouldn’t suck if Billy Mays was in it.”

There’s this new poser on commercials who tries to sound like Billy by raising his voice. I am not naming names (well, actually… I can’t because I don’t know who it is), but when I mentioned this on Twitter, one person has already guessed the product they were pitching and they were correct. WARNING: Do not be a poser! There’s only one Billy Mays.

Now, think about this. I’m assuming all of you have heard about the Happy Hot Dog Man several times. It’s all over the news and becoming successful just off its popularity (word of mouth, being on TV) and for it’s clever choice of words and commercial. Have you ever stopped to think… what would Billy say or do if he were the one pitching it? I mean, could you imagine with Billy’s personality?! It would be incredibly funny. I would only assume that they would have to retake about 500 times. WHAT A WIENER. Bahahahahahahaah. But in all seriousness, I bet he’s looking down from Heaven and praising his team {SulProd} for making this product very successful.

Last year I was in my hometown and so I tried to celebrate the best I could. I was on Twitter a lot – talking about Billy with my faves. My mom and I made a cake with ‘we miss you Billy!’ and I went around taking photos with Billy’s famous sticker. A few of them with my favorite things like by a lake, waterfall, up near flowers, stuff like that.

This year we there won’t be a cake but here are three pictures from last year.

And here’s me with Billy’s sticker! <3

Two years also marks the anniversary date of how long I’ve known my Twitter friends that I MET because of Billy Mays. You guys – fans, friends and of the industry and Billy Mays – thank you for being a friend. I seriously love you guys and treasure our friendship.

I love that I love the direct response industry so much for the people, for the moments, for everything it is worth. The DR industry gives the American Dream a second chance, one that is so very rare when a person gets it right. It takes great people to make a product sell so well, it takes a company even greater to make it successful.

Because of Billy, Dan and I both have so much… and I know that EVERYONE knows this time and time again after my same stories, but, I do appreciate everything that has happened after being in Billy Mays’ industry’s life. (If that makes sense.)

November 2009 (the day when they were on the MJ Morning Show):

It was the best day ever (and we still believe that, two years later!) when we met Sully, Arwen, B3 and everyone else at the office. Our lives changed forever… and we’re forever grateful. I just wish that I saw them a lot more especially since we live near them now.

I know for a fact we will never forget the moment of stepping into their office for the first time. You could feel a very happy vibe from Billy’s spirit, that’s for sure.

Here is the entry that I wrote last year, if you want to refresh your memory of what I wrote or if you’re a new reader, go look at it! It’s picture happy with quotes, it’ll make you smile and tear up. Definitely a great Billy Mays tribute.

To end this entry, here’s one of my favorite Billy YouTube video:

Billy Mays Orders Food From McDonalds

And…

Pitchmen Clip – Billy Mays VS ShamWow!

So, readers – what is your favorite Billy Mays YouTube clip out there, commercial or  spot in Pitchmen? Leave a comment and let me know!

Let’s all celebrate 2 years of life, love and friendship in memory of BILLY MAYS. (Cue in the Pitchmen watching please!)

The Beginning of ‘Pitchmen’s Enthusiast’

June 27, 2011 Pitchmen One comment

Ever since Pitchmen came on, I had always wanted to do a blog solely dedicated to products, direct response and Pitchmen-isque kind of things (instead of just a few random entries on my personal blog). I just didn’t know what kind of name to describe the blog/website, but about two weeks ago? It came to me what I am to the industry and what the name should be.

Pitchmen Enthusiast.

Yes, being called Pitchmen’s “#1 fan” by many has influenced this by a lot. However, the Pitchmen show days are over and one day I may end up having to toss my crown aside for I’m a fan of a future non-existing show. BUT, not today! Today I am not going to toss my crown aside. Why? Both Pitchmen and Enthusiast have definitions to describe more than one.

Pitchmen could mean – anyone who pitches – or even the pitching world as a whole.

Enthusiast means being highly interested in a subject or interest.

I am highly interested in the direct response industry as a WHOLE, and while that, I want to give back to the industry by also using the name of my favorite show because it has had impact on my life (for the better).

This whole idea came to me a few weeks ago when Discovery decided to let everyone know they were shutting down their Pitchmen’s ‘like’ page on Facebook. Other than Shark Tank and following everyone individually around, there won’t be anything like Pitchmen for a very, very long time — if anything at all in the future. SOMEONE needs to be the middle (wo)man to deliver news to those who are interested! And also, I realized that I am happier when I follow closely of the news pouring out of this industry! I have my thoughts/opinions and I have a big want to blog about the products, companies and the like!

So, here’s to the beginning successes of this blog!!

Don’t be afraid to say hi on my blog entries and please follow this blog by RSS or Facebook! Also, PLEASE recommend links, articles, companies or products for me to add on here — especially if you have one.