Failure! Embrace it!

I stumbled across this video on a day that I needed it most. I heard all of these stories before but for the first time really understood what they each when through or what it means to have nothing! Sometimes the only direction to go is up! Embrace your failures….think about them… but plug along! What have you done today that is remarkable!

What economic downturn?

Just today I was talking with a few friends, colleagues and new connections about what they are doing to beat the economic downturn. I received some interesting responses and all of them were at least two degrees from normal. But then again what is normal.

I think you all will enjoy some of the responses:

• I am planning a 60 day trip throughout Eastern Europe and end in Africa
• I left my job and started a new company that is going to revolutionize sales
• I am eating 30 days of Ramon Noodles and going to write a book about it.
• I am going shopping every night since things will never be this cheap again.
• I am going to Law School!

Now, mind you, these were very strategic phone calls that I made but I was never expecting such responses! Pretty funny

What are you doing to to be different?

Custom Twitter Pages

I am fascinated by all of the businesses that are sprouting up that support the phenomenon known as twitter. There are small design firms popping up all over the place that are throwing together Twitter Templates. Pretty solid business if you are willing to pay. I did my own thanks to the efforts of CronCast.com

http://Croncast.com gets all the credit for this! Send me your links! Would love to see them!

File Dimensions: 2048 px by 1707 px
Branding Dimensions: 80 px by 587 px

Coordinates: X=20, Y=14

Horizontal position: 20 px from the left (give yourself some padding)

Vertical position: 14 px from the top (will line up your graphic with the top of the twitter logo. our eyes like symmetry)

File size and type according to Twitter: “Images must be smaller than 800k. GIF, JPG, PNG.”

Aesthetics
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Color palette: Pick colors that match that with default Twitter stylesheet colors. If they contrast too much follow the Change Background directions above and change the colors for Text, Name, Link, Sidebar fill and Sidebar border as needed.

Recommendation: Choose colors that work with the default and save yourself the headache of matching the CSS to your image. Follow Twitter’s lead.

Uploading your background
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Change Default Background: Login and click ‘Settings’ >> click ‘Design’ >> Select ‘Use my custom style below’ radio button >> Upload your image

The Nextforce Story Project

The Nextforce Story:
A Stage for Young Professionals to share their story with the world.

Welcome 2009! This year is going to be a great year for everyone. It is poised with understanding, bright futures and endless opportunities. The world is begging for creativity and innovation in so many areas that those who are willing to take the leap will reap the benefits and be a positive change for all.

To launch the new year, I am collecting stories of young professionals who are doing great things, doing what they love and figuring it out as they go. I want to create a stage for leaders of younger generations to tell the world about their projects, programs, businesses, vision and personal adventures towards making big things happen in their own life and the lives of others.

* We all know people who have amazing stories to tell…
* The college graduate who picked up moved to NYC to follow her dream and is piecing it together and is making a name for herself and is so close to the tipping point.
* The world traveler who is starting a grassroots foundation to get people to join a cause or start a conversation.
* The young entrepreneur who is doing everything in his power to turn his idea into a reality at all cost.
* The young professional who joined a company and is making great things happen and creating a lasting impact in the corporate culture, the business community and the world as a whole.
* The passionate person who wrote a book and is now figuring out how to make it available to the world.

………….the stories are endless.

Now, I need your help! I am looking for referrals and introductions to these great people who are making an impact on your life. I would like to hear their story first hand and build a stage to profile these great people, put their profile on my website, interview them and have their story digitally told; and then spread the word about their great adventures in hopes of helping them achieve their goals. As well as, inspiring and motivating others to take the leap towards great things.

Please email me directly at (coleman at thenextforce.com)
I will need their name, contact information and a bit of background behind what they are doing to make a difference. Only good can come from this project. Thank you in advance for your help. I look forward to receiving your ideas and recommendations. Feel free to share this project with everyone in your networks.

Take care,

Ryan Coleman

Guiding Rockstars

A very good friend of mine is a Pharma Rep out in California. The guy is a rockstar and loves his job almost to the point that he is obsessed with progress.  Today, I was talking with him about what companies are doing to attract, engage and retain rockstars. The main focus of our conversation was on what does a company have to do to get young professionals to go the extra mile?

His top three ideas:

1) Grant Rockstars Access to other Rockstars!

Meaning that competition drives a lot of the young professionals who are successful in Big Pharma putting other young rockstars around eachother causes the standard to be raised.

2) Give a finish-line have a plan in place just in case but let the rockstars figure out how to get to the finish line. Be available to answer the questions along the way.

3) Let them find their voice. Those who get it, do it because they love it. They can’t separate the different between personal and business and mesh it all together.
After Scott shared these three great points. He told me that he was spending Thanksgiving with one of the Doctors that he calls on.  Other reps would kill for access like this. I guess this is just all part of the day for this rockstar!