A New Generation In Biz Blog : NickYaeger.com

Entrepreneurship Takes a Community

Posted by admin on February 14, 2011 · 1 Comment

Growth

Entrepreneurship Takes a Community

Growing things is fun. It’s a simple statement, loaded with truth. It’s the reason why the world works. But growing is also hard. In life and in business, it doesn’t matter.

So what get’s you through those difficult times and on to the fun stuff? Answer: An amazing network of people who support you, push you, dare to believe in your dreams and passions, give you the freedom to fail and are invested in your success and growth. A community.

Over the past three (plus) years, I’ve had the pleasure of working for and alongside of some amazing and truly brilliant people, both in Washington, D.C., and now here in Nashville. It’s the people in those communities; clients, mentors, colleagues and friends, that have pushed us to be more critical of ourselves, expand our thinking and continually redefine what it means to be an innovator in our space.

To that end, I’d like to highlight two groups that embrace the role of community builder, investing in people and ideas while furthering a dialogue that pushes the envelope in an insightful and exciting manner. Both organizations play an important role in supporting those in their community and are invested in the idea of building something bigger than themselves.

jumpstart foundry

In their words:

“Jumpstart Foundry seeks to aid the growth of fledgling tech-oriented businesses in the Southeast by focusing on three key areas: The Foundry, Fund and Future.

Started as a seed-stage microfund in 2010, the newest iteration of JSF orbits around a formal, mentor-driven 14-week business incubation program — titled “The Foundry” — with the goal of launching six successful companies, prime for funding, by the middle of August 2011. The application process for companies interested in participating in The Foundry in 2011 will began in mid-January and will run until March 18.”

If you’re in the Nashville area and are an entrepreneur, have an amazing idea but need that help to make following your dream a reality, or have always desired to be the kind of mentor to someone like those that helped you along in your life, register and get involved with Jumpstart today. Either as a mentor or as a Foundry applicant, join JSF’s team of dedicated community builders leading the charge to help get Nashville recognized as the start up hotbed that it is. **Also note that JSF recently announced a partnership with TechStars. Not bad company to keep…

Media Future Now

In their words:

“Founded in July 2007, Media Future Now is dedicated to the idea that media-centric businesses must be agile, innovative and future-focused. We meet monthly, in Washington, DC, and feature speakers who are working hard to forge progressive and beneficial change in the media and content sectors.”

Media Future Now doesn’t get the press they deserve, but since 2007 the group has continually fostered a productive dialogue within the DC community with some of the nation’s top thought leaders on matters that intersect at the crossroads of media, policy and technology. Live or work in DC? Do you love media, technology and how it is applied or being effected by policy? Then get involved, attend one of their brown bag lunches, suggest a topic. These guys are what building a community is all about. No strings attached, no fees, no marketing ploys. Just connecting with people that are invested in building a more intelligent dialogue and stronger community of media, technology and policy professionals.

Enjoy, engage and remember that you only get out what you are willing to invest in your community. No free rides on this train, but our journey is sure to be a lot of fun.

Filed under A New Generation in BizDev Blog, Homepage Text Header, Sidebars, Y BizDev · Tagged with Blog, DC, Entrepreneur, Events, Media, Nashville, Networking, Small Business, Strategy

Here’s to the New Year

Posted by admin on January 4, 2011 · 1 Comment

Here’s to the New Year

Whew, 2010 was a heck of a year. Like any good roller coaster ride, 2010 presented us with a lot of ups and a few pretty scary downs that always ended up making you feel better for the ware. There were some slow and tedious drudges up some pretty steep slopes, leaving us to experience the rush and excitement of some awesomely terrifying moments, in both our business and personal lives. Fortunately (and with some perspective now), I can say with confidence that they were all rewarding experiences that have lead to some of our best work yet, a new home city, new friends, the opportunity to reconnect with some wonderful people, new clients, recognizing areas where we can improve, and ultimately giving us the greatest gift of all – the realization that nothing is more important than love & family, courtesy of our new daughter Ella Carlyle.

I’ve never been one to make resolutions for the New Year, but I am most definitely a person who likes to step back, take stock of our situation and (being a consultant) adjusting our game plan with some positive goals to achieve moving forward. The term resolutions seems to be plagued by a foregone conclusion that it is a promise that is meant to be broken, eventually. That said, I’m keeping with my strict “no resolutions” policy, but rather re-evaluating all aspects of life and doing what any good entrepreneur should; periodically adjusting my strategic goals and my plan to achieve them.

Taking time this past week to reflect on this year gone by, both personally and professionally, I’m filled with hope and a positive energy. Maybe it’s this new paternal instinct I’m finding. Perhaps it’s the welcoming nature of Nashville and the fantastic business community we’ve been welcomed into here. For that matter, it could be the fact that we’re approaching the end of our 3rd year in business during the most hostile economic climate in the past 70 years. Whatever it is, I’m finding that across the board all of my clients, colleagues and fellow entrepreneurs are looking with great expectation at the year ahead. It may not be the kind of resurgence we are used to, in fact for all of our sakes I hope those days aren’t coming back for a while, but slow and steady growth that we can all build upon is welcome promise. To that end, here are a few of the strategic challenges that I will address in 2011… (2010 was my year of keeping promises and hitting my deadlines on time, check!)

Challenge 1 – Achieve a better work/life balance

Much has been written on the subject of work/life balance. I’m of the opinion that the term means different things to different people, in the sense that what I feel constitutes “work”, “life” and “balance” are all highly subjective and the lines are not always so clear. 2011 represents an opportunity in both my professional life and my personal life. I’m a new father to a beautiful daughter who could steal every minute of the rest of my life and I wouldn’t care a bit. But I am also a husband, a CEO, a colleague and driven businessman who’s identity has been forged through my professional experience and personal sacrifice, in the advancement of a dream I’ve had since before I can remember. In 2011, it is the conscious balance of these two identities that now must co-exist, and individually excel in order for their mutual growth and development.

Challenge 2 - Get smart with my contributions (at work and at home)

Let’s start out with defining “smart”: being more efficient, effective and committed to the tasks that will further my ability to achieve the growth I am seeking in my professional and personal lives. In practical terms, it means assessing our present client efforts and improving our thinking, adjusting our methodologies and strengthening our relationships. Committing resources and time to passion projects that will deliver bottom
line results to our growth in business or as a family. It means improving delegation while also rolling up my sleeves and getting things done. In a word, focus. 2011 is the year of understanding what will make us stronger and doing it. No waste, no idle, all focus.

Challenge 3 – Grow our firm (expand our interests, add staff, double revenue)

Since “growing your business” is in our tag line, I find it a bit humorous that I even need to express this as a challenge for the year ahead, it’s so obvious! If you aren’t growing, you’re shrinking and shrinking is so 2010. Now, growth is a broad term. As an entrepreneur, saying you want to grow your business is like saying you want to breathe. Congrats to us for wanting to breathe again. For our firm, growth in 2011 is a three part process, where part 1 is expanding our interests into other lines of business that are complementary to our current customer base. Doing so smartly and effectively means that I will need to delegate more responsibilities and grow our staff. That could mean contractors, employees, partnering with another firm or any number of options. Whatever path we choose to follow, we will do so with stated purpose of doubling revenues over last year. Growth is great, but it better be the right kind.

Challenge 4 – Indulge my passions (positively)

I’ve been an entrepreneur my whole life, even if only in spirit at times. By nature I am obsessive and passionate about my activities, as is any
individual who excels at anything in their life. You can’t be great at something if you aren’t obsessed with it. Superstars aren’t born, they’re created through devotion, sacrifice and a dogged determination to be the best at what they do. Want to be the best parent possible? A big league ball player? Top of your field at anything? Nobody that has achieved their true potential got there through halfhearted efforts, short cuts or being given their crown. Passion, persistence and determination are what get you there. No matter what the task, whether you like it or hate it. If you aren’t driven by some inner passion to succeed, the desire to achieve that potential inside of you, there is no way to get there. In my opinion, this is the key component of all successful entrepreneurs. Be it money, fame, a geek-ish obsession or whatever, those who achieve at a high level all indulge their own passions in a positive manner, aimed at achieving their goals. Moving forward in my efforts to shape and build our business, becoming more efficient and effective with my efforts at work and at home, and striving to achieve the kind of sustainable work/life balance that meets my personal and professional needs, I will endeavor to do them all through positively indulging my passions with the reckless abandon that has brought me such happiness and success in life.

So here’s to the new year. May it bring us all health, happiness and prosperity.

Filed under A New Generation in BizDev Blog, Homepage Text Header, Y BizDev · Tagged with Blog, Business Development, Entrepreneur, Family, Nashville, Nick Yaeger, Small Business, Strategy, Y BizDev

Daily Reading: 11/1/2010

Posted by admin on November 2, 2010 · 1 Comment

One bad mother pumpkin carved by Jordan Peterson. Well done sir!

Anyone else nursing a Reese’s hangover? We’re happy to be back this week with yet another round of the best reads on the web at the intersection of marketing, media, business, politics and the just plain interesting.

Be sure to come back tomorrow for one of our Special Sections – an in-depth look into the business of travel.

SIDE NOTE – today’s photo is a re-run from our friend Jordan Peterson. It was just too awesome to not run it twice!

Enjoy!

Today’s Reading List:

Marketing & Media

Ad Age – Suddenly, Everyone Wants to Be Groupon

Portfolio – Patch: The New “Evil” Empire?

(BLOG) FeverBee – The Basics Of Increasing Interactions In Any Online Community

(VIDEO) Forbes – JetBlue’s new viral video series

Wall Street Journal – Keeping the Party Going at Viacom

Ad Age – Coupon Clipping Stages a Comeback

Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal – Facebook: User IDs were sold to broker

Inc. – 7 Deadly Web Design Sins

(BLOG) Gigaom – Twitter: From Gawky Teen to Responsible Adult

(BLOG) Practical Ecommerce – Tips for an Effective Twitter Profile

Ad Age – You Are What You Watch, Market Data Suggest

Business Courier – Scripps Networks moving HQ to Tennessee

Daily Reading: 10/29/2010

Posted by admin on October 29, 2010 · Leave a Comment

One bad mother pumpkin carved by Jordan Peterson. Well done sir!

Happy Friday folks!

It also happens to be my birthday today, so what better gift to give to all of you than a new Ask Matt Labash article. The link can be found down under Interesting Reading and I highly recommend it.

Additionally, we kick off today’s List with an article on everybody’s favorite beer pitchman, Dos Equis’ Most Interesting Man in The World. As always, a number of marketing, media, and political reads.

Enjoy! I’m off to hit the links!

Today’s Reading List:

Marketing & Media

FastCompany – Dos Equis’ Most Interesting Man Meets Andrew WK, Throws Parties

TechCrunch – Yahoo starts embedding Groupon code in global distribution deal

AMEX OPEN Forum – 5 Ways to Create Viral Video That Sells

(BLOG) ReadWriteHack – Groupon’s Development Philosophy: Really Short Iterations

Ad Age – Serious GE Lightens Up for YouTube Campaign

SmartBlog on Social Media – Geolocation for businesses: How to handle your checked-in customers

BNET – The Secret Lies of Market Research

Wall Street Journal – Start-Up Lets B-to-Bs Get Their ‘Groupon’

AMEX OPEN Forum – 5 Ways Restaurants Can Use Twitter Effectively

Duct Tape Marketing – How to Create a Social Media Conversion System

(BLOG) Grow Smart Business – How Are Your Customers Using the Web?

Ad Age – To Hype ‘Conan’ on TV, Conan Takes to Web

Business

AMEX OPEN Forum: Guy Kawasaki – Real-World Business Plans

Inc. – How Michael Arrington Explained Selling TechCrunch

Harvard Business Review – The Big Test: How to Handle Performance Pressure

Forbes – Three More Big Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make When Starting Businesses

AMEX OPEN Forum – 10 Things You Should Do Right Now to Boost Holiday Sales

Inc. – In Barter Nation, Old Forms of Commerce Are New Again

Bloomberg Businessweek – Demystifying Venture Capital

Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal – Target starts holiday shopping season early

AMEX OPEN Forum – Compensable Hours: The ‘When’ and ‘How Much’ of Employee Compensation

Business Meets Politics

Bloomberg Businessweek – NASA: Lost in Space

Portfolio – The Small-Business Hopefuls

Wall Street Journal – I’m Thinking of a Number Between 48 and A Lot

The Daily Caller – Meet Meghan McCain’s alter-ego — McCain Boobette

Portfolio – Forced into Politics

Wall Street Journal – Ads Got Attention — Just Not Right Kind

Just Plain Interesting…

The Daily Caller – Ask Matt Labash Vol. XXXV: James Bond vs. Jack Bauer, TV’s Andy Levy breaks the law, and playing for Team Sparkly Bears

Tennessean – Nissan recalls 2.1 million vehicles

(VIDEO) The Weekly Standard – Iran Claims to Overhaul Grounded F-14s

FastCompany – NookColor Vs. iPad Vs. Dell Streak: Which of These Is Not a Tablet?

Portfolio – Happy Birthday to the Microwave

(BLOG) Tune In Music City – Garth Brooks concert to keep flood in the forefront

Ad Age – Good Thing Brett Favre Isn’t a Nike Endorser

Tennessean – ‘Live at The Bluebird Cafe’ kicks off on WPLN

Filed under A New Generation in BizDev Blog, Homepage Text Header · Tagged with Advertising, Best Practices, Blog, Cool Tools, Daily Reading, Entrepreneur, Events, Gen Y, Golf, Green, iPad, Mad Men, Marketing, Media, Politics, Read Up, Small Business, Social Media, Sports, Tablet, Technology, Y BizDev

Daily Reading: 10/28/2010

Posted by admin on October 28, 2010 · 2 Comments

Read Up!

We’re back on track today with a timely posting of our Daily Reading List.

We’ve got a number of automotive industry related reads, as well as a continuation of our to the family side of business. Of course, we’ve also included a healthy dose of marketing, media, business advice and political articles to keep you in-the-know and well rounded.

Enjoy!