CouchCast With Sterling Okura Of BizLift.com

The Internet is about getting things done easier, better, faster, cheaper. Sterling Okura of BizLift.com will walk us through how any small business can capitalize on internet tools to do more business on less budget.

On the show, we talked about Sterling’s Mixed Martial Arts experience, his blog post 5 Cage-Fighting Tips for Self-Employed, some of his tips and hints for putting together a good online business, how his business (Bizlift) is setup, his appreciation for Open Source tools and technologies, and more.

Visit CouchCast.org for all of our shows. Come and be part of this sometimes wacky, sometimes funny, and sometimes techie podcast. Hosted by Robert Merrill, Matthew Reinbold and Thom Allen.

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CouchCast Podcast With Edublogger Kelly Dumont

It's been called the Digital Divide, the gap between those people with effective access to digital information technology... and those who don't. We're talking with Kelly Dumont, Curriculum technology teacher specialist at Jordan School District, in the Salt Lake City, Utah area. He's a self-proclaimed edublogger and podcaster. What's happening in education today that will help students prepare for an increasingly hyper-connected world that's ever flattening.



Visit CouchCast.org for all of our shows. Come and be part of this sometimes wacky, sometimes funny, and sometimes techie podcast. Hosted by Robert Merrill, Matthew Reinbold and Thom Allen.

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Bill Gates Last Week At Microsoft Ends An Era

There comes a time in any business, when the original founders either retire, move on, and in some cases are pushed out. Bill Gates is no exception. I don't think it matters who you are, running any business for as long as Bill Gates has run Microsoft, and the time for change is now.

Fortunately for everyone on the planet, Bill (can I call him Bill?) will make his final trip to the Microsoft campus as a full time employee this week. Sure he's the Chairman and will still be involved in corporate decisions, but he really is walking away.

I've had a long time love hate relationship with Microsoft. And at times with Bill. However, the software his company makes has allowed me to build my business and make a living, and that's something I'm thankful for. This isn't a sappy retrospective of Microsoft or Bill Gates, but it is a momentous occasion for everyone, for two reasons.

First I think Microsoft will become need to be a leaner meaner company. As stated in Steve Levey's Newsweek article:

Since Gates and his partner Paul Allen invented the PC software industry (they formed Microsoft to write the first program for the very first personal computer, the Altair), one can say that an era is truly ending. On the other hand, critics of Microsoft contend that Gates's departure is anticlimactic—because the company is past its prime. "The Gates era has already ended—this is the coda," says Mitch Kapor, founder of Lotus, the spreadsheet giant humbled by Microsoft in the 1980s. "Today, Google is the defining company in the industry."

I agree with this statement. Google, and companies like Google, are the future of global technology. Not being tied to one specific operating system or computer platform, Google is able to move with the demand of its customers and the market. But Microsoft can survive if it wants too.

I think in order for this new Microsoft to take shape, it needs to shed its old image, and old management style, and take queues from the faster, smarter start up community. With the vast amount of resources Microsoft has at its disposal, they could reduce overhead, split up into multiple companies, and, as bizarre as this may sound, focus more on non-os or platform specific software, and build products that everyone can use.

Many of you may think I'm living in fantasy land, and that may be, some of the time, but I truly think Microsoft can make changes and compete, but will they? I doubt it.

Second, the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation is exactly where I would expect Bill to spend the rest of his working life. The people of this planet will benefit from his success for the foreseeable future. I know this is where he can make the biggest impact. I would also hope he becomes an advocate for other wealthy individuals to follow his foot steps. I know some have, but there is so much to be done.

I wish Bill luck in his new, or rather different, life.

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This Is My Place

A few months ago I met Michael Calanan at a Photowalk Utah meet-up. I follow his Flickr account and find him to be an excellent photographer. Not too long ago he started a project called "This is their place". The basic premise is, he invites someone to give him background on their favorite place in the Salt Lake valley, he meets them at their place, and takes several portrait shots. I thought it would be fun to participate, and so I volunteered. Michael graciously said yes, and although it took us several weeks to get our schedules to meet up, we were finally able to complete the shoot.

Here is a link to Michael's site where he posts the results. He did a fantastic job. I hope Michael didn't care I was a motor mouth. I was standing there letting him take pictures, so I thought the least I could do was say something. I also had a hard time deciding what to do with my hands. I see in the pictures I have them in my pocket a lot. Now I wonder if it's something I do when I'm nervous.

I've never had my picture taken this way before. And while Michael is using this project to improve his skills (and he has plenty of skill), I appreciate the end result. A nice set of photos I can use anywhere. Thank you Michael for taking time to do this.

Learn more about Michael, his photography, and the "This is their place" project.

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Kudos To My Wife On A Triumphant Return

In May of 2006 my wife, Gina, entered her first triathlon. She worked really hard and successfully completed the event. The size and conditions at this triathlon weren't ideal for a first timer. But she finished and it was a life goal accomplished. She was hooked and was scheduled to compete in several more later in the year. However, just a few months later, my family was involved in an automobile accident and she sustained some serious injuries. One was a broken neck and the other was a torn up shoulder. All physical activity was put off until she could recover.

After two years of physical and mental recovery, Gina was ready to start training again. She signed up for the 4th Street Triathlon scheduled for April 26th 2008. She was very nervous, but had worked really hard to get back into the condition needed for a triathlon. I'm proud to announce she successfully completed the triathlon and did it faster than the last one she did.

I am so grateful that Gina was able to make a full recovery. Things could have been completely opposite of what they were. She is truly my hero, and an inspiration.

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