A look back and ahead.

[GordonJ]

The Past to Remember, The Future to Behold.


This was our class motto. Cuyahoga Falls High School, Class of 1968.


I'll be spending the next few days casting glances backwards and into the future.


What an amazing, exciting time we live in. Every person reading this now has the power and reach of a large broadcast network, that just a few years ago was considered impossible...you are as powerful as a TV Network and any Media Giant.


Two words: Justin Bieber. A YouTube sensation one day, an international star the next. Jackie Evancho, what an amazing kid, hope you got to see her sing for the President at the Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. Another of the YouTube super stars.


Social Media.


WOW. A SIX BILLION dollar offer from Google to Groupon...TURNED DOWN...(some of you may recall my daughter was the runner-up in the Groupon contest, she went to Chicago, met the people at Groupon including the owner, whom she really thought was a “cool” executive)...


We live in an age where people can create products which will become billion dollar bonanzas in just a few years. That has to get your Entrepreneur heart pounding.


And, yet, we can be as small potatoes, fly low collect the dough, under the radar as we want to be too.


Chatteling today is 1000 times easier than it was a decade ago. Today it is almost impossible not to make money buying and selling stuff with Craigslist, eBay and Google. Anyone reading this can make 500 to 1000 bux any given day they desire with chattel.


There was a day when it was considered CRASS to sell anything other than computer parts, pieces or software on this network of computers now called The Internet (thanks Al Gore). I know, I crassly sold one of the first 'reports', How to Start a Cult for Fun and Profit, via bulk postings (before Spam was a dirty word) and that seems like only yesterday to me.


Today, the Internet, in fact, I say ALL media...is advertising driven. ADVERTISING and MARKETING is what it is all about these days (and even I find that sad).


So, I'll spend a few days looking back over the year, and a few posts looking toward the future.


It has been a roller coaster ride for me personally, I've gained great insights, have grown as a person and have learned a few new tricks too.


I hope you will share your stories, of success, triumph and failure too, with us and we can all look forward to one of the most challenging, opportunity filled years we've ever faced.


In the next few days, I want to look at the coming Municipal Bond Failure (some say CERTAIN) which could throw us back into the big recession and also to peer into the future and reveal some great opportunities for those with the vision and desire to make things happen for themselves.


Let's examine the “end of the Internet (computer) and the rise of the Smart Phone/Pad devices which are said to be future.


We'll talk of web sites, apps, gaps, advertising, networking, social media...and the future.


What do you consider to be the BIG news stories of 2010?


What do YOU think will be the next BIG thing, or do you see some more Doom and Gloom in our forecast?


This is the time of the year to reflect and think about where we have been and where we are going.


Your comments are appreciated, however, your political rants will not be welcome (and deleted), but feel free to express your ideas and join in the conversations regarding:


The Past to Remember...The Future to Behold.


Gordon Jay Alexander

[GordonJ]

Originally Posted by GordonJ

The Past to Remember, The Future to Behold.

2010.

It brought many lessons home for me. One is the HEALTH thing. I was blind for the first few months, then had cataract surgery...and ZOWIE, I could see again. I LOVE my eye guy.

The heart guy? I'm not so crazy about, hope to have him replaced soon.

January 2010 saw my mother pass away...although she was elderly, her end was aided and abetted by her "health care". NOT a fan.

In the last 2 years, I've met 3 doctors I LOVE...and about 15 I LOATHE. I'll rant on that soon.

In 2010, I worked with more people directly than I have in years.

Some I tried to work with for FREE. Knew better. Learned an old lesson over again. (Note to self, again, DON'T WORK WITH TIRE KICKERS, LOOKY LOOS AND FREEBIE SEEKERS).

Others paid various amounts of moolah and these guys are great. I do a little coaching, a lot of listening, some ass kicking when needed and some "caddying" most of the time.

A great caddy is a partner on the course, and he brings his own expertise of the course, the golfer, the game to the table. A caddy can make suggestions, but the golfer must "hit the ball"...

Which is why I'm now offering a Coaching/Life Caddy deal. Once the goal gets set and started, I'm more of a caddy, I can't force anyone to do anything, it is all on them. But, I make sure I can offer some good well thought out and researched advice.

From this activity, I've found a "system" which works well for me and for the "players" on the team.

I've been able to use my Square One Workshops, and evolve parts of them to help and assist people with "Time Management" problems and/or lack of focus or "quitting" too soon on a project.

I've found out that a solid goal in the beginning along with a step by step plan of action, along with adjustment, is one KEY to setting achieveable goals.

My old Navy buddy, Art Booth, who is attempting to become the OLDEST ROOKIE IN SPORTS by becoming an exempt player on the Champions Tour, has shown me AGE can be just a number...

if you work on your health, diet and exercise.

These are some quick peeks back at 2010, and I'll offer up some more detailed ideas, concepts and "learnings" from the past 12 months.

THEN, WE'LL take a look into 2011, where there are some exciting opportunities coming up...if you are prepared for them.

What did 2010 teach you?

Gordon Jay Alexander

[GordonJ]

Originally Posted by GordonJ

The Past to Remember, The Future to Behold.

I'll be bouncing back and forth between the past and the future.

Today, the future.

Washington DC. GRIDLOCK. Don't expect anything but more of the same old same old politics in DC. Since we don't allow political RANTS here, I'll focus on opportunity.

In two years, some people are going to make a ton of money...selling the tools to the political miners. Some "consultants" are going to make boat loads of moolah.

As will printers specializing in signs and buttons and bumper stickers.

The next presidential election is coming. Sooner than we think.

GOOGLE TV. Mixed reviews at this point, the Kevin Bacon ads are a part of the marketing mix, seems that many people think G TV needs a software update...I think it is part of the way they do biz...the old, FIRE, AIM, READY approach.

This time next year, G TV is going to be the HOT ticket item for the holidays...and the new world of search is going to explode.

MOBILE. It's here to stay and to replace in many ways the Internet, especially for local searches. Apps will be hot.

VIDEO rules. YouTube replaces almost all search engines.

Newspapers will continue to go out of business. More and more READERS will be available and as we go GREEN, fewer and fewer books will be published by traditional mainstream publishers (a threat made for years but one that is finally coming to a head).

GREEN is in. Green is good, let's thank god (Al Gore) for what he's dood. Invented the internet, eh?

But, if green and conservation is good for all of us, why does Al and et al keep driving those gas guzzling SUV's...a category specifically created to get around EPA mandates on gas mileage.

Inflation? HYPER inflation. Devaluation.

What about the coming MUNICIPAL bond failure?

Last month in Cuyahoga Falls, they closed their building department and asked the County to take over. Here is S FL, small police departments and fire departments are being folded into the County sheriff and county fire depts.

Cities are on the brink of bankruptcy. As are counties, states and where is the money coming from...more lotteries/casinos? Can't lose when you offer gambling, can you? How's Las Vegas doing as a city?

Of course, the natural disasters, and the man made ones will continue.

Mud slides, wild fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, oil spills, infrastructure failure will all be in the news in the coming year.

More created hysteria about 2012. Especially from those who will profit from it...

These are a few of the topics on the horizon of 2011.

It is a great time to take a position and let the train run you over...which in biz parlance means, put yourself on the track the money is going to be spent on.

This post gives you a few clues. More on the future and the past tomorrow.

Gordon Alexander