2 The Next Level

Archive for the ‘JB’ Category

I just want to thank both Dell and my good friend Social CRM Expert Brent Leary for allowing me to be recognized in their latest e-book on Trade Secrets.

The Dell Trade Secrets campaign facilitates the sharing of advice and insights among small business professionals. As Dell launched the Latitude E-Family of laptops— redesigned specifically to meet the needs of SMBs—we asked you to share your trade secrets for ensuring on-the-job reliability.

Although technology was recognized as a key component to business success, much of the advice focused on the importance of people and processes as well.

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I am a big fan of Seth Godin and was really exited when I heard of his new book “Poke the box“. I then went to see about ordering it online at Amazon.com and saw that I could get it as an audio book for free with a 30 day trial of audible.com. This was a no-brainer to me because I absolutely love audio books and already had a audible.com account. After going through the steps of ordering the book on the audible.com site and then downloading the Audible Manager software, I was listening to Seth Godin himself read the book.  I listened to half the book on my computer that day and then listened to the other half on my smartphone days later while traveling by plane to New York City.

I was so impressed by the book and the fact that he was giving it away, I decided to make a 2 The Next Level, 2 Minute Tip of the Day video.  Check out the video below and enjoy the FREE audio book from Seth Godin and Audible.com

All the best

JB

To Download the Audible Android or iPhone App Click here

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Join us for this exciting workshop as DeKalb Chamber member, Jeff Brathwaite of 2 The Next Level, teaches companies how to use blogs to extend your companies marketing efforts. Blogging is not as hard as you think.

Seating is limited to 45 participants.

Presentation topics include:

•What is Business Blogging
•Why Should My Business Have a Blog
•What are the 3 Keys to Blogging Success
•Creating Your Own Business Blog
•Marketing Your Business Blog

Cost: Chamber Members – $5.00
Non-Members – $15.00

*If they use the code of BBS610 they will get a 15% discount.  Discount ends tonight.*

Location: DeKalb Convention & Visitor’s Bureau – 1957 Lakeside Parkway, Suite 510, Tucker, GA 30084.

The Business Builder Series is sponsored by DeKalb Chamber members -

My Thanks to DeKalb Chamber Marketing & Communications Manager Janniece Leonard and all who attended this event.

Here are some of the testimonials.

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I recently had the displeasure of having to travel to New York City from Atlanta, Georgia, by Amtrak train.  I took the train to New York because it was the most economical way to book a trip at the last moment and I wasn’t required to be at my destination the same day. The trip takes about 18 hours one way. I have not taken a train to New York from Atlanta in about 10+ years. Things were bad then, but I was certain there would be vast improvements now due to fierce competition with plane travel.  Well, turns out… NOT!!!!

At first I was very impressed with the way I could book my ticket online via Amtrak’s website.  But I could not print out my own boarding pass and had to pick up a paper ticket from the ticket booth upon arrival at the train station.

OK, let’s talk train station. Atlanta surely has the smallest train station for a city of just over 5 million people.  The station is so starved of passenger traffic that the lone Red Cap baggage handler was trying to make extra money selling tickets to events taking place at the Masonic Lodge next door. The only true parking area in the building’s vicinity is across the street at the Barnes and Noble Bookstore. All kidding aside, the Amtrak train station in Atlanta is in need of a complete renovation.

OK, let’s talk security. I got there a little early and decided to check one of my bags. I then noticed that I was one of the few to check my bag because all the other passengers took their bags with them on the train. To my amazement I then took notice that even though we are living in a post-September 11 society, none of our bags were put through any kind of visible x-ray machine to check for illegal contraband. There was also no one there to check our tickets to make sure we were permitted to go down to the train platform. Many of the passengers’ friends and family members followed us down the stairs to the awaiting train. I wasn’t asked to by anyone to show my ticket until after I’d boarded the train, sitting in my first come, first served seat.

OK, let’s talk comfort and convenience. Nothing has really changed in the 10+ years I last rode the train. Mind you, I rode in coach class, so I was really not expecting anything. The biggest change that I noticed was the adjustable footrest that made a loud cranking noise every time you moved it.  One would think that Amtrak would have taken a lesson from plane travel’s SkyTV and equipped their train cars with televisions to play movies or maybe even taped TV shows. Heck, I was on a chartered bus trip to Washington, DC, some years ago and even that bus had TVs throughout the cabin for our entertainment on such a long trip.

OK, let’s talk about amenities. Amtrak had boasted on their website that they have T-Mobile Wifi Hotspots at most of their train stations (Atlanta not being one of those stations), but of course they never got around to putting it on their trains. Wifi on trains should have been a no-brainer for Amtrak since most trips usually take hours to get to one’s destination. Wifi on trains has taken off in Europe and it is growing by leaps and bounds on commuter trains like San Fransisco’s BART here in the USA.

Not only could Wifi be another revenue stream for Amtrak, but it would serve as a marketing perk and could be used as a key tool to help compete with the airlines. Soloprenuers with a penchant for train travel would jump at the chance to pay for the ability to get their work done while on such a long business trip. Amtrak would have to act fast on this endeavor because Delta Airlines is looking to have Wifi on almost all their planes by the end of this summer.

OK, let’s talk food. Thank goodness I had the presence of mind to take along food to eat on my journey up to New York.  Regrettably, I was not so fortunate on my trip back to Atlanta from New York City to pack enough food to last me the whole 17+ hours. Not only are the food items expensive but they are in limited supply–tending to run out before the trip is over.  When the last of my rations were gone, I tried to hunt and gather in the dining car first. No luck–they refused to sell me a cheeseburger meal because it was not on the dinner menu. I was then left with no choice but to eat from the snack car and made the mistake trying some microwaveable hot wings. I got so sick I had things coming out of both ends, if you know what I mean. My body will never–and I mean never–be the same.

OK, let’s talk Amtrak staff members. Finding my seat was fairly easy but keeping it was like passing an act of Congress. The Amtrak train conductors had a REALLY hard time keeping track of which person was in what seat. They constantly asked us where we were sitting and made many of us move unnecessarily when they could not figure it out. At one point, I was awakened around 2 a.m. and asked to move because a husband and wife wanted to sit together.

Heading back to Atlanta there was a 2-3 hour delay in Virginia, but no announcement as to why they had to stop the train.  Asking the staff was a joke because they were just as clueless and could only guess when we would be on our way again.

OK, let’s talk about the pictures and the people. Despite my preceding objections, the trip was really not all bad. I did enjoy the view of the picturesque American landscape rolling by my window. There is nothing like seeing the countryside from a train. The speed of the train allows you just enough of a glimpse to take in and imagine the quaintness of a small town.  I also enjoyed my fellow passengers.  I met some very interesting people both going and coming. Train travelers have a way of kicking back, relaxing and letting their hair down. This was true “social networking” at its best–without a computer or a smart phone.  Think about the train scene in the movie Trading Places–but without the gun or the gorilla. One older lady shared with me that she preferred to ride the rail because she has never been in a hurry to get anywhere that a plane could not satisfy her needs.

Amtrak really needs to take lessons from our neighbors across the pond in the United Kindom and France, as well as in Japan.  They definitely know how to take train travel to the next level. Yes, I survived my Amtrak train travel 1.0 experience, but I look forward to the day when trains here in the U.S. can give us a cheaper, faster and greener transportation choice in our 2.0 world.

All the best,

JB

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I have to give credit where credit is due but this post is a little more personal when it comes to the subject matter. You see I got a call from my sister at about 1 am on January 28, 2009, she was crying and screaming so loud I could hardly understand what she was trying to say to me. At first I thought the worst and feared someone had died or was injured severly.  I then told her to calm down and to please tell me what was wrong.  All she could say at first was that mom is okay.  After reasuring me that our mother was ok she then told me the devistating news that our childhood home in the Bronx went up in flames that night.

After speaking to my mom who reassured me that she was ok and on her way to the hospital, I then took to the Internet to find out any information on how this unfortunate incident could have happened.

I first tried to get the news from several websites of the local television station in New York. I then tried to get a local New York news radio station. Both proved to be very confusing and had no news about what happened to my mother”s house.

I then did a Twitter search on “Bronx Fire” and came up with the below results. All of which gave me more information on what happened to my mother’s house.

These search results not only gave me what I needed in more information but they also gave me up to date video coverage of what happened with the fire.

NYP and they were able to give me more detailed information on the damage of the fire.

As much as I am sad that my childhood home has gone up in flames, I am truely thankful and blessed that my mom was not seriously insured. I am also thankful to those who used Twitter that night and gave me the updates I needed to fill in all the blanks I was getting from traditional media.

The power of Twitter has become very real to me these past couple of days since the fire. I am now using Twitter to find out more on fire insurance and how to deal with public adjusters.

I will keep you all posted on my findings. Stay strong in this economy Solopreneurs.

All the best

JB

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