Nathanael Yellis

This is Steven Tomlinson's TEDxAustin talk:

Steven is entertaining because he's funny. But there is a subtle edge just under the surface: he earnestly wants you to change. And the change is uncomfortable, routine, and it forces us to confront the elephant in our heads. But this brand of inspiration is worth every tough encounter. In fact, the tough encounters make this inspiration worthwhile.

I wish more well-read sages from the 60s wrote books like this one. Back then people learned rhetoric in school and they read enough books to recognize their most influential authors. Muggeridge is at his best when talking about his four: Bacon, Kierkegaard, Weil, and Tolstoy. More than that, he's conversant with a host of thinkers with which he has quibbles. The point: he's well-read and well-reasoned. That is, until he takes up the important battles of the day. His day, the 60s. Not very reasonable for right now readers.

I like simple instructions, and this guy has them. From the HBR blog:
1. Know your audience.
2. Say one thing, and one thing only.

Yesterday, I decided to start using dedicated CRM (customer relationship management) software for my ongoing freelance work and related job search. CRM started with firms wanting to better manage marketing and sales efforts with multiple reps. I think it's going to fit with what I'm doing, we'll see.

In my last post I introduced the two questions my small business counseling generally covers:


1. Can you do this profitably? (Unit economics.)
2. How can you do this now? (Bootstrapping.)

This morning I helped counsel aspiring entrepreneurs through SCORE, a non-profit group that offers free advice to folks looking to startup businesses. During those conversations, I kept returning to two essential questions:

"Are you the judge that made them speak in rhyme?"

Mark 12: 41-44: