Quote of the Day

"There is so much to live for and learn on the way that we will be committed to helping people be bold in their thoughts, creative in their words, and express themselves in the ways that bring the most passion to their lives. ~~Cafe Evoke's pledge to the community

Business Plan update..

Well, the week has finally come. My drafted plan is due on Thursday and even though the days leading up to this have been up and downs, I feel pretty confident in my first ever business plan. Just a few more edits and run throughs and I think it will be ready for my friend Dr. Cornwall to read through. Finding space in Bozeman has proven harder than I thought it would be. I found a great site at the other end of town than I had previously been looking. It was an old resturuant with about 2ish parking spaces, kitchen, and two levels. It is in an up and coming part of town right next to the campus of Montana State and across from some lavish boutigue stores. There is quite a bit of traffic through this area. Here is the problem...it is 5,000 square feet. I believe I only need 1800ish so this is way to big. I have had people say that I should look into this place because it has been on the market for 3 years and they would give me a good deal. I have also heard people say that we could build a nicer stage set up and also have room for our video room. And another point was made that we should do pizzas at night for the late night crowd...so many things to think about..... I just wanted to give you an update on what was going on. The logos are coming along great and they look amazing. I hope to share them with you soon. I am heading to Bozeman next week to get some things done and some more market research under my belt. I will let you all know how that goes.... --be bold

Carnival of the Capitalists

Grab your coffee and head to this week's carnival over at Coyoteblog.

Coffee Facts

I was looking through this page over at the SCAA site and found some very cool coffee facts. Definitions, glossaries, etc. They are fun to read through if you have a minute and especially if you are a coffee lover. I hope you find this interesting and helpful! --be bold

Quote of the Day

"It was a pleasant cafe, warm and clean and friendly, and I hung up my old water-proof on the coat rack to dry and put my worn and weathered felt hat on the rack above the bench and ordered a cafe au lait. The waiter brought it and I took out a notebook from the pocket of the coat and a pencil and started to write." --Ernest Hemingway

Your Thoughts, Please..and by all means over coffee!

So, I was thinking...MovableType, TypePad, or what? So many different web log services out there.. Which do I choose? Should I stay here at Blogspot or start using another services? What are the pros and cons? Is it worth even the mere 5-10 bucks a month? Let me know what you think.. --be bold

Financing

"While poor management is cited most frequently as the reason businesses fail, inadequate or ill-timed financing is a close second" I have been exploring over at The Small Business Association's site and I found this very nice secion talking about financing basics. I have been trying the past few days to figure out what sort of financing I will need to have. It looks now that I will be needing more money than I thought, image that, and this is great information helping navigate through the decisions between debt and equity financing. For those starting a new busuiness, I recommend heading over to the start up basics page and dig around and find all the answers to things that new business onwers don't know. Lets face it, we do not know everything as we go through this process and most of it will come from on the job training but our government has provided a very nice resource in the SBA. Hope this helps... --be bold

Quote of the Day

I have measured out my life with coffee spoons. - T.S. Eliot 'Macavity: The Mystery Cat"

On My Plate

Well, here it is Friday now and where has this week gone? I have spent much time in from of this screen in the past couple of weeks and have been excited at the progress I have made on getting things together for my first draft of Cafe Evoke's business plan. I was going over my financials last night with my father, a financial planner in Oklahoma City, and was brought back to reality, which is a good thing I assure you. We got some things cleared up on my financials however and it is making me more and more excited for opening day. Since I'm SO far ahead of the game (said with hints of sarcasism) my sister decided to fly in from the University of Oklahoma for the weekend. Entertain and budget will be the story of the weekend. I have learned some valuable things in teh past day though. If you are way to optimistic, you will end up under capitalized and fail. I am trying to be a bit conservative with my planning. If I riase $75,000 in capital and don't use it, no problem. Its better to have extra than get strangled without enough. I was told by a wise man, "Cash is the lifeblood of any small business" and I will admit, it is hard to look at your bottom line and see that there is only $50,000, ok, I admit, less, after year one.....I KNOW I can pull $200,000! (ha). --be bold

Quote of the Day

"We appriciate your addiction" ~~Bongo Java Roasting Company

Growth

The Entrepreneurial Mind wrote about small business and their growth. In this article, Dr. Cornwal maps out what he calls the 7 Challenges to Effective Growth. Here is what he says are stumbling blocks to growth if we do not watch them... 1. Beware of the Growth Myth. Focus on growing profits, not sales! 2. Vision Drift. Don't lose your way. 3. Cultural drift. Managing the culture of your business is your job! If you don't manage it, your culture will take on a life of its own. 4. Resource crises. Securing the fuel to support growth can be a constant strain...cash, staff, space, equipment, etc., etc. 5. Systems crises. The mundane and the complex all need development. From accounts payable to planning, all systems must be put in place are made ready for growth. 6. Muddled structure. Make sure your structure makes sense for your strategy and your culture. 7. Disjointed strategies. Your business and your strategy need to be consistent. All aspects of your business must be consistent and geared toward meeting customer needs and expectations. This are all things to be careful of and it is good to be able to know what is coming and be prepared for them. As I grow my business, it might not seem that I will face all of these things but every business faces them in their life cycle. It will be important to keep an eye out for each and every one of them. --be bold

How to Buy Coffee

This article over at tradingcharts.com gives some key advice on buying coffee on your next grocery run. It mentins organic and fairtrade as well.. Here is what they say about buying coffee: COFFEE Old coffee has little or no aroma, and it will have an unpleasant or bland taste. When buying from a specialty retailer, ask when the beans were roasted. Coffee is at its best within a few days of roasting. When buying bulk whole beans, ask how long the beans have been sitting in bins. Contrary to common advice, storing coffee in the refrigerator or freezer is not a great idea. It's best stored in an airtight container in a dark, cool place. This is great advice as we begin to enjoy the tastes and feelings of great coffee!! The article also mentions similiar lists for other foods. Go check it out for more information! --be bold

Quote of the Day

"As with art 'tis prepared, so one should drink it with art. " Arab Proverb

Your Feedback!

Click above and head over to the Talk Back forum. There are a few things posted and I am always interested in any advice and suggestions for Cafe Evoke. Thanks for reading and thanks for heading over to the forum and telling me what you think! You can also mail posts to your friends with the link on the sidebar!! -be bold..

Business Plan update..

Well, after two full and tiring days at the computer writing and conroling all of the informatoin I have collected over the past few months, I got 17 pages of my business plan drafted. The Marketing Plan, Business Concept, Growth Plan, and Market Analysis all when on teh board as "Drafted" and today I will be moving on to the Operating Plan and continued work on the Financial Plan. There are 9 days left until the rough draft is due but it looks like if I keep to my schedule, I should be done by Monday, 3 days early.... --be bold

Quote of the Day

""As soon as coffee is in your stomach, there is a general commotion. Ideas begin to move...similes arise, the paper is covered. Coffee is your ally and writing ceases to be a struggle. ~~HonorŽ de Balzac (1799-1859)"

"The Internet In A Cup"

Economist.com offers a story talking through the history of coffee through business. It shows the similarites of the 17th and 18th century coffeehouses to the internet, a place where people go to exhange information. The article opens with... "WHERE do you go when you want to know the latest business news, follow commodity prices, keep up with political gossip, find out what others think of a new book, or stay abreast of the latest scientific and technological developments? Today, the answer is obvious: you log on to the internet. Three centuries ago, the answer was just as easy: you went to a coffee-house. There, for the price of a cup of coffee, you could read the latest pamphlets, catch up on news and gossip, attend scientific lectures, strike business deals, or chat with like-minded people about literature or politics. The coffee-houses that sprang up across Europe, starting around 1650, functioned as information exchanges for writers, politicians, businessmen and scientists. Like today's websites, weblogs and discussion boards, coffee-houses were lively and often unreliable sources of information that typically specialised in a particular topic or political viewpoint. They were outlets for a stream of newsletters, pamphlets, advertising free-sheets and broadsides. Depending on the interests of their customers, some coffee-houses displayed commodity prices, share prices and shipping lists, whereas others provided foreign newsletters filled with coffee-house gossip from abroad." This is a good take on coffeehouses. It is an older article but a good one. Jump over there and see how coffeehouses acted as our first "internet." --be bold

The Small Business Blog posts the questions: Ego Makes Entrepreneurs? "Researcher Brian Wu says they aren't unusually risk tolerant. It's 'overconfidence in their ability' that allows them to take the leap." This is a pretty interesting article talking about Brian Wu's paper. Go check it all out and see what you think about his findings... --be bold

Quote of the Day

"Coffee: creative lighter fluid. --Floyd Maxwell (1957-)"

Carnival of the Capitalists

The Raw Prawn plays hosts to this weeks carnival. Grab your coffee and go have a look! --be bold

Business Plan update..

Well, I set up a timeline to have this business plan draft complete. I thought going into today that I was for sure behind and it would take up all nights for the next 10 days to finish up. I got alot done today, however, and constructed a fairly aggressive schedule....the crazy part.... ..if I can stick to it, I will have all but the executive summary completed by SATURDAY!!! Excitment and nerve is in the air! I will keep you updated... --be bold

Another new feature for A Thought Over Coffee

I am thinking about adding a new weekly feature to this site that will be written by my wonderful and fantastic wife Jenni. The post will be noting on her expirences with the dreaming and planning of Cafe Evoke and what her feelings are about the startup of the cafe....hardships, excitments, disappointments, etc. This will be a post about how she handles the stresses of dealing with a coffeeshop start-up owner and the time I have to spend getting things ready. If this sounds interesting, post a comment or head over to the Talk Back Forum (which can be found on the sidebar) and let us know!! --be bold

Quote of the Day

"Over second and third cups flow matters of high finance, high state, common gossip and low comedy. {Coffee} is a social binder, a warmer of tongues, a soberer of minds, a stimulant of wit, a foiler of sleep if you want it so. From roadside mugs to the classic demi-tasse, it is the perfect democrat. ~~Author Unknown

It's like being naked...

Well, here I am sitting Saturday night in teh midst of paper work, my computer, two cups of coffee, and stress. There is only a week and a half before this business plan is due and I am already feeling the strain of the deadline. I feel myself retreating to the comforts of thinking that since I'm in college, this really ins't a real world busines feeling and that once I was graduated and feeling the pressures of a business deadline, things would be different.. I should kick myself for thinking that though. This is just a glimps into the future of small business start-up and ownership. I have had some great help and feedback from poeple in Bozeman and my marketing attempts have already begun. All I have to do is figure how this business plan should be written and we will be on the road to success. For those of you who were wondering how this post ties in with it's fitful title, well, you remember the dreams of being in highschool and realizing you forgot to get dressed.... ok, you see how I feel now... --be bold

Quote of the Day

Ok, I think I am going to start a new section here called Quote of the Day. My goal is to post an interesting or funny quote each day (but maybe every other day or so). If you have something you think will fit here, send it my way and I will use it if it can make the list! Here is your Quote of the Day... " The morning cup of coffee has an exhilaration about it which the cheering influence of the afternoon or evening cup cannot be expected to reproduce" --Oliver Wendell Holmes, 1891 --be bold

"A Brew Attitude"

In this article over at Entrepreneur.com, April Y. Pennington writes about two people that opened a coffeehouse in Colorado: " The first Capri Coffee Break was opened in April 2000. Customers experience a nicely decorated interior, not unlike that of Starbucks; but the Larsons maintain that what sets them apart is the friendly atmosphere, where, like Cheers, "everybody knows your name." The Larsons have made friends with customers and even spent holidays with them. "We know customers' drinks before they get to the register," boasts John. "Repeat business is getting bigger and bigger." Hum, this sounds familiar! Go check out the article and see what they say about Starbucks... --be bold

The future of blogging

Dr. Cornwall over at The Entrepreneurial Mind writes about the future of blogging... "It is getting really competitive and really active in the industry that serves bloggers, and it appears that the blogging phenomenon is seen as having legs. Blogs have moved out from the fringes of news reporting into special interest blogs like this one. And while some aspects of blogging may be seen by some as a fad, corporations are now experimenting with how to use blogging effectively for internal and external communications. Blogging as soft marketing is now well entrenched." Blogging seems to be the new thing..the Facebook, Friendster, or MySpace of the journelism world. Who knows where this will take us. I started with the idea of having fun and trying to help others in the process of starting this business. I guess only time will tell.... --be bold

Logo and Web Site Design

Well, the intial meetings for the design of Cafe Evoke logos and also the website have come and gone and I'm very excited. here is what is going on.. My buddy Kevin Burr of Ocular Ink is setting up my logo and design for signage, etc and they are going to look great. Chip Hayner of Submerge Media will be getting the website up and running hopefully in the next few weeks. He has some great ideas and does very nice work. Check them out! I'm excited to get the logo and design stuff finished up and get them posted for all to see. Keep checking back and hit the forum to give me your feedback and ideas.. --be bold

Youth and Coffee

...after many attempts to get on the internet this morning, I finally found out that one of Nashville's finest drivers (for those of you not in Nashville, we do have the best of the best when it comes to driviers....or something) hit the Comcast tower and cut off the internet. Well, it is finally back up!! Along with my other TV guilty pleasures that my wife has gotten me into over the past 7 months including Law and Order SVU, CSI, and Without a Trace, the design shows on TLC and Discovery (whom, I shall note, will be helping Lance to 7 vitories in the tour this year), we watch The Today Show on NBC and today, they had a story this morning about how Coffee culture infects today's kids" Now, I must admit, I am glad to hear this. They reported that there are even some coffee shops that have student happy hour are packed with students before and after school. Great idea in my eyes. Very interesting story. You have to love that group in the morning.... --be bold

Trans Fair USA

Just something for you to look at and gain some important insight to the coffee business.

NEW talkback forum at A Thought Over Coffee!

Hey everyone. I have introduced a new talk back forum that you can access at the bottom of the sidebar to talk coffee, post questions, and throw out ideas. I hope we can begin a long lasting conversation!! Thanks again for all your help and interest in this dream.. --be bold

Cafe What??

It has come to my attention that branding is more than just slapping a logo on the cup and sign and letting it be, as a posted earlier today. More basic than that, however, is the ability to understand just what the name means. The signage and logo will be the first thing customers see and it will be important for them to not feel intimidated, uninformed, or confused. What does "Cafe Evoke" mean to you? It would be great to get your feedback as to what the name tells you and what you feel about it--intimidated, confused, excited, curious? Post your comments and let me know! All your help is greatly appriciated. --be bold

Branding

"Remember, when you are looking at branding, you aren't simply slapping a logo on a coffee mug, you are looking at a whole concept of your business and the environment where your business resides. The key is to make your brand memorable, relevant and consistent. Bruce Milletto, Bellissimo Coffee InfoGroup I read an article over at Specialty-Coffee.com that talks about the importance of branding your coffee buiness and more importantly, not just slapping a logo on a coffee cup and calling it a day. Customers will remember you by your branding for the most part. This goes back to what Dr. Cornwall told me about thinking like your customers (check out that post in the archive). They are not experts nor do many want to be. They will come in, have a cup of coffee over the newspaper and leave..doing this all over again the next moring. brand, brand brand....

Seattle 2005

The SCAA's annual conference and exhibit will be held in Seattle WA on April 15-18. This year's conference will be hosted by Starbucks Coffee. "The SCAA Annual Conference is the premier coffee event of the year. It attracts approximately 8,000 coffee professionals from more than 40 countries. Attendees include coffee producers, exporters and importers, roasters, manufacturers, brew masters, and consumer enthusiasts." This is something that I am trying to open my schedule for. These are great because the industry is there and represented by many people and it is a great way to network and learn about what the new trends are and new technologies that are dominating the industry. For more information, check out this article from the SCAA's website.

Carnival of the Capitalists

Yet another great addition of the Carnival for this week. Check it out over at Weekend Pundit.

...and the clock keeps ticking...

I am watching my clock tick away. Only THREE weeks left until the rough draft of my first ever business plan is due. I'm nervous and excited at teh same time. It feels good to have the encouragement of people reading what I have to say and for poeple being interested in this cafe in my dreams. I appriciate it. I have felt the hardships of long distance market research but I think it will all pay off. I have a trip planned for early March in which I hope to tie up loose ends. After some great advice from people reading this blog and also from my mentors, I think that a S-Corp or more along those lines is the best plan for starting this business. I will post at a later date what I decide for sure and why. Lastly for tonight, ther is a great book by Corby Kummer called The Joy of Coffee. It is a fantastic book about the process of coffee from growing, to cupping, to selling, to grinding, to storing, and whatever else you wanted to know. Check it out and post what you think about it!! ..be bold.

Structures to Ponder

Ok, here is where I am at this point. Should I open Evoke as a Sole Proprietorship, S-Corp, or Limited Liability Company...hum... Sole Proprietorship: Inexpensive to start and only taxed once at the personal level but I am liable for everything and funding is from myself or what I can borrow. S-Corp: Expensive to start and only taxed once but I cannot leave money in teh businesss, I will be liable for my actions only and limited to the assets of teh Corporation but I can raise money through shares to investors. LLC: Less expensive than S-Corp but more than Sole. Same liabilty as S-Corp and taxed the same the funding is teh same.....I'm not really sure the difference here so I will have to read up and find out... If you have any thoughts behind this, let me know. I'm leaning towards a Sole Proprietorship but I can be molded into a better decision with some good help...

Reality Is Knocking

Well, like I said in my earlier post, I have been riding this rollercoaster of emotion since I dove in head first into this pool of thought and planning. (sometimes the pool feels a bit shallow I shall admit). I was thinking about it today while driving home from the bike shop that I think that a better definition of what I am feeling is reality. It is the coming and going of the true fact that this cafe I have been wildly dreaming up could very well be opened in the next 10 months. I feel like a last minute shopper at Christmas trudging through all the stuff to find what I need and what I am looking for. The more and more I think about it, the more I know that if I can work hard for the next few months, we can be settleing down for a nice pull of "Joe" with friends at Cafe Evoke. Pain today is gain tomorrow I tell myself as I ride through the hills on the road bike and I will apply that motto to this hill of planning for Cafe Evoke. We are in the mountains now and it is time to go to work......

Bozeman ranked No. 1 small-business market among small U.S. cities

Erin Nicholes wrote an article for the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reporting that Bozmen ranked 1st in the small buainess market amount small US cities. "A common theme runs through ACBJ's rankings of large, medium and small-sized markets," the article said. "Places that are supposedly out of the mainstream -- Portland, Maine; Bend, Ore. and Bozeman, for example -- actually provide top-notch opportunities for budding entrepreneurs." Now, after spending the majority of my day online and on the phone trying to complete my research for Cafe Evoke, this is delightful news. I was starting to lose hope in my ability to read a good market. No one has websites, no one answers the phone, and no one has a map of the city!! I did begin to see opportunity in my idea and model after talking with several of the "coffee" shops in town. Which is a great excitement as I set here at the computer. I'm going to go ahead and agree with these rankings. There is only 3 weeks left before the first draft of my business plan is due. Its time to buckle down and complete the marketing plan and entry strategy and start work on the revenue and expense forecasting. In no time at all, I will be one of the reasons ACBJ ranked Bozeman as a great place to do business. (and while your at it, check out Bozeman to see what you are missing and what you will see when you visit us at Cafe Evoke this winter!)

Entrepreneurial Books to Read

In response to some questions I have had about what books I have been reading, here is a list that I have found very helpful. Some are from classes I have taken and others are just good management/business books. Here you go...... 1. Entrepreneurial Financial Management An applied Approach written by Jeffery R., Cornwall of Belmont University, David O. Vang and Jean M. Hartman of the University of St. Thomas 2. Growing Pains: Transitioning from an Entrepreneurship to a Professionally Managed Firm written by Eric G. Flamholtz and Yvonne Randle. (a Jossey-Bass book) 3. Entrepreneurship: Theory, Process, Practice, 6th ed. by Donald F. Kuratko and Richard M. Hodgetts 4. The Art of the Start written by Guy Kawaski (for more information, see link in previous post) 5. Beans: Four Principles for Running a Business in Good Times or Bad by Leslie A Yerkes and Charlies Decker. (another Jossey-Bass book) 6. The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley, PH.d and William D. Danko, PH.d These are a few I have been reading lately. I also spend alot of time reading entrepreneurial blogs online and books regarding coffee. Let me know if you want or need more information. I hope this helps some of you!

The Essence of Entrepreneurship

I sat down to glance through Guy Kawasaki's book The Art of the Start since, as it is probably obvious right now I have little time for more reading. (its a market reasearch kind of thing, along with other senior classes my good friends at Belmont University have planned out for me) Something in his preface caught my eye, however, and it prompted me to keep reading. Kawasaki says on page xi of his book that "...doing, not learning to do, is the essence of entrepreneurship." and it struck a chord in me to get off my butt and get this coffee shop and art gallery rolling. I stated in many of my classes of late that getting the piece of paper at the end of this long tunnel of "education" is important at this point but that this is just my license to begin learning. What is the use of all these books if there is no application. (On another side note and possibly a plug for my dear school and wonderfully fantastic Entrepreneurship program headed by my friend and teacher Dr. Cornwall of The Entrepreneurial Mind, Belmont University has provided prime business space for student run businesses so each can have a true application of the things we are supposed to "learn" in this time at school. It is open for every student at Belmont and has proven to be one of a few great things that Belmont has started to help students gain expirence.) If you have not had a chance to read this book and are starting a business or just interested in some humorous and insightful thoughts on start up planning, check out his book. I think I posted earlier on another of his quotes so I will leave you with this in mind.... "If your company never existed, would it matter to teh world?"

Sales Leads

An Inc.com web poll asked the question: "What has been your best source for sales leads?" 41% of the respondents said family and friends. This seems to be great information for entrepreneurs because family and friends acting as a sales force and referral source is a bootstrapping method that can really help either launch the company and grow or sustain market share in the future. The higher placement of friends and family on the entrepreneur's value chain CAN help them in the short and long term financial success of the business.

Carnival of the Capitalists

Great reading at this weeks Carnival. Check it all out over at Catallarchy

What Do You Want Out Of Your Businesses? (Financially)

This is the dreaded subject of many entrepreneurs. I have been thinking about this quite a bit in the past 3 weeks and the more and more I think about it, the more greedy I feel. I was also thinking about the reasons we feel this way about writing down what we want to make (yes, money wise) our of our business. The reason most of us are "going out on our own" is for the freedom of thought and ideas, but also for the money. Many of the people in the popular book The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J Stanley and William D Danko are entrepreneurs themselves and not part of the corporate giant. The thing that is amazing about these "millionaires" is that they do not live on future profit or salery but on what they make today. They buy things they can afford TODAY and not on what they think they can afford in a year or two. In short, they stay out of debt unless it is needed! Dave Ramsey of Total Money Makeover talks about "living on what you make today and not what you make tomorrow" I think this is great wisdom for all entrepreneurs and something that I will now be focusing on. It is hard to be honest with yourself and say that you really need to be making $50,000 or $100,000 or more a year to cover your lifestyle but you need to be so you know what to get out of your business. The thing that will make this number lower will be create a lifestyle of "needs" and not "wants" and be able to distingquish between them. This is still a hard process but one that will make your financial success a much more enjoyable effort. I want to become the guy with the "little hat and lots of cattle."!!

On A Personal Note

It is FINALLY a sunny day here in NashVAGAS... Seattle..I don't know how you do it! Everyone should be out on a rode ride or hitting the trails today. I know I would be. If you need me, I will be behind the counter of this local bike and ski shop.. Please come find me!

This is my mission..........

The first step, like I have written before, was to get my vision and mission statements down so I could make sure the rest of the planning fit into what Cafe Evoke would be about...... "Cafe Evoke will provide the highest quality coffee and service to the community of Bozeman, Montana in a creative and comfortable setting showcasing the finest work of local artists" This is my mission........

Advice from Mr. Sam Walton

..."our goal has always been in our business to be the very best, and along with that, we believe that in order to do that, you've got to make a good situation and put the interestests of your associates first. If we really do that consistently, they in turn will cause...our business to be successful..." The reason for our success is our people and the way that they're treated and the way they feel about their company." Let's try and seperate ourselves from the mindset that Sam Walton has created a corporate monster and focus on the cornerstone of his company: PEOPLE. Wether you are an Anti-Walmart bloggest or an avid Walmart shopper, I think we can all appriciate his ability to get people on board and take ownership of their company. Ultimatly that is what it comes down to. Can we get our employees to adopt the mission statement and vision we have set forth and carry on like it is their own business? If we take anything away from Walmart, it should be the fact that it was orginall built on one important thing...people...

So Many People, So Little Time (...or so it seems)

The Small Business Blog linked to an article over at Inc.com about networking. In the article, the writer says... "If you're stressed-out because you can't fit in any time for "networking," my advice to you is the following: Don't. That's right. Don't even try to squeeze in extra time. Instead, focus on meeting people more often during the things you already have to do. This way, you can relax and let that "networking time" come to you. This makes great sense. In our rush to overcome time we feel like we have to go outside our abilities to interact when we can do all of that within the boundries of what we are alreadying doing. Seems simple enough, make the contacts either through contacts you already have or get to know the ones that you interact with everyday. There might be something there. There is not enough time to meet everyone. They will come if you network through what you already do...

Yes, Even In Montana

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle printed an article about bloggers in Montana. I take interest in this town because it is where Cafe Evoke will open within the next year. The cool thing about hearing what Montana bloggers have to say is that they have somethign to say in teh first place. This blogging community is growing so rapidly and it is very intersesting to see how all the diverse thought comes together to form such a tight conversation across the world. "Journalists have to pay attention to them," said Dennis Swibold, an associate professor at the University of Montana School of Journalism. He said blogs are here to stay. And instead of resenting them for calling out an error in a story, journalists should embrace them for making the news better and more accurate. "The big thing is the amount of noise the blogosphere (or blogging community) can make," I agree totally. It willl be interesting to see where these blogs will take us... Blog on....

Fresh Coffee in Austin TX

Progress Coffee Originally uploaded by JasonDuncan. My buddy over at Progress Coffee in Austin TX is offering a great blend of coffee, art, and atmostphere. He has tons of stuff going on and the warehouse area in which we opened is taking flight. Check out his site and order some coffee. The Progess Blend is a great, mild, all day coffee worth the few bucks it costs in shipping. If you are in the Austin area, go to his site and find is address and get over there for lunch. He runs a different menu every week and it is all natural, organic food which is available at the farmers market. Very cool stuff. Check him out!

Thinking like Your Customers

We always talk about the importance of thinking like our customer think and find out what they want not what we want. Jennifer Rice over at Mantra Brand Communications blogged a story at her site about Lego and Google and how they are.. "...getting free product development by their customers. More connections, better conversations, stronger brands. Good stuff." This is great stuff over at Mantra. They talk about becoming like your customers which is very important for all entrepreneurs. That will be something I will work on everyday to make sure I am selling what they want and like and not what I want and like.....