Posts tagged dimes2dollars
by Ben Lopez
Twitter finally launched it’s 1st-party iPhone application this Tuesday to skyrocket to the #1 spot for 4 straight days to this point.
I downloaded and tested it last night to find a very clean interface (no labels), a few borrowed touches from Twittelator (such as “pull to refresh”), and an added feature to save drafts, which is convenient on the go. It is of course a free app, and does support multiple accounts. However, I was surprised that there was absolutely no tweet confirmation, either visual or audio, and push alarms are not supported.
Have you tried the Twitter app yet? Post your thoughts on the program itself, and the supreme victory of Twitter’s stranglehold in the App Store.
by Ben Lopez
This ended-up being a lot more content than I had planned, so I’ve decided to break it up into 2 parts. Today I’ll be sharing the poll results and commentary from the respondents. Part 2 on Monday will be my personal response and analysis.
I’d like to sincerely thank all those who participated, we got a very solid response with 15 replies in total. As you can see from the pie chart above, the response was rather mixed. I appreciate that no one selected answer D!
QUESTION: What are your initial thoughts when someone tells you they run an internet business?
- Answer A (20%, 3 votes): I’m impressed. This business owner is logically taking advantage of new technologies and applying them to emerging practices. The potential for his internet business is equal to, if not greater than that of a traditional business model due to these new innovations.
- Answer B (20%, 3 votes): I do not take this person’s online business as seriously when compared to a traditional business model. They do not have the same day-to-day responsibilities to uphold, and have somewhat limited potential.
- Answer C (60%,9 votes): I believe a business man or woman has equal potential in either business model, and I do not think of them as significantly different.
- Answer D (0%, 0 votes): These answers are rubbish! Here’s one of my own!
Here are portions of several replies:
(A) Randy M.:
“Of course an online business is professional. Selling virtual goods is no different from selling physical goods. I would probably say that an online only business has somewhat more potential because it takes a smaller staff, less physical equipment, and there is more flexibility…I think internet is easier and can scale faster.”
(C) Tony “The Chef” Marciante, TV Personality and Entrepreneur:
“Like any business, it’s up to the “proprietor” to make it professional or not. I believe that in the future, affiliate programs, internet marketing and all the wonderful web 2.0 and 3.0 technologies/strategies will be THE way products are sold. What about MLM? Why isn’t that thought of as “professional” sometimes? It’s about the PEOPLE and the METHODS used to promote the products…Getting a commission for a sale is nothing new, why are internet/information marketers looked at any differently?”
(C)
“Of course it’s a professional thing to do. Frankly, it’s more alarming to see how late some of the big companies are at getting online operations set up alongside their normal businesses.”
“I’m part of the internet generation, and I saw the dotcom bubble expand and then burst. If you look at why it burst, some of your question is answered. Most online businesses are not businesses at all, and provide no function or value.
…it doesn’t necessarily mean those ventures are not profitable. I know a guy who just buys, sells and trades domains and makes hefty profit doing so. I suppose that’s some sort of hybrid between a traditional real estate business and brokerage. But in reality, he sits at home in his pajamas eating bowls of cereal.
So no, it’s not “professional” in the terms which I consider that word. Not by a long shot. Not even if you wear a suit sometimes. But it can be successful and even profitable.
I saw an article today that I thought was directly relevant: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/06/facebo… ” [Editor’s note: linked article details Facebook CEO’s juvenile antics]
“If you can get a business up and running on the internet, have a good clientele, and a user-friendly, popular business site, I would think that it’s equally successful.”
(C)
“My reaction would be based on the type of business rather than virtual vs. real shingle. I recently learned that a friend has set up an internet business with the eventual goal of a brick and mortar retail shop, perhaps not the usual progression. I do consider both businesses to be professional.”
(C) Barbara Sisko:
“People are learning more and more about how someone running a reputable internet business should conduct themselves; and as long as you adhere to that principal, I think you can safely call yourself “professional.”“
(C) Dave Veldkamp:
“It depends on how much you put into your business. Online selling, banking, trading etc are some really great businesses to have online. I would say yes it is professional.”
(B) Kevin Baker:
“When I think of an internet business, I think of someone in their boxer shorts processing orders as a middleman. I know there are some great internet only businesses, but generally speaking I can’t take it very serious, and don’t consider it professional. “
(C) Phil Ricci, Co-Founder & Director of Business Development for Symfny:
“…I have had success in both arenas. We have all been programed to believe certain things in our lives. Most people would never go into business for themselves, because they have been taught that having a good steady job is fundamental to being ‘successful’.
Professional by definition is a: participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor often engaged in by amateurs <a professional golfer> b : having a particular profession as a permanent career <a professional soldier> c :engaged in by persons receiving financial return <professional football>. In other words, you get paid for the work you do. I think that people get professional and acting professionally mixed up. There are many…who believe that if you do not have an office, wear a suit and tie, have meetings, mission statements and all that jazz, you are not to be taken seriously. There’s nothing wrong with that, but just not how I see the world. I think that most have lost the concept of ingenuity and have replaced it with this warped view of professionalism. I have personally watched more good ideas squashed in the corporate boardrooms of America than I care to discuss.”
-Check Back on Monday for Part 2!
I’d like to try this challenge as a regular weekly/bi-weekly feature from now on, but let’s see how it goes during this first round. You can submit your comments below via Disqus or Twitter/Facebook Connect, shoot me an e-mail (Lopez.M.Benjamin@gmail.com), or send an @Reply on Twitter (Dimes2Dollars).
Please be honest and stay within the requirements if you’d like to participate. Even if you attempt the task, but aren’t able to complete it, leave a comment and let it be known that you were one of the few willing to tackle it!
THE CHALLENGE: Name 3 job titles that require absolutely no social interaction.
Restrictions: Use of online resources is not allowed. 30-Minute time limit beginning immediately.
So I was thinking over this whole Tumblr Tuesday thing this week, and decided to make a change. I looked at how everyone else was approaching Tuesdays here on Tumblr, and the basic gist I got was that essentially Tuesday is the day that it is socially acceptable to outright ask for recommendations. So if I’m browsing for new blogs to follow on a Tuesday, I’m going to stumble across quite a few “recommend me, pls!!” blog entries. Before long, I imagine they’re all going to start sounding the same, and generally speaking, you’re not contributing anything with that kind of blog entry.
That’s when I decided I’d do a weekly recap to share something useful on Tumblr Tuesday. Will I still ask for recommendations at some point in the blog entry? Sure. What I won’t do is beat people over the head with the notion that they simply must recommend this blog.
This week’s highlights:
Dimes2Dollars took a poll asking the question “Do you consider running an internet business ‘professional’?” I did an update partway through the week and gathered responses from a few other sources as well. There was a high level of participation, thanks everyone! The results and a personal response will be posted this week.
A detailed review of Twittelator was published. Twittelator is a 3rd-party Twitter app for iPhone. I found it to be leaps and bounds better than the competition! Streamlining frequently used functions, as well as a mind-boggling range of advanced features made it one I recommended heartily.
Less than an hour after the news broke, I decided to do a little late-night reporting on Hugo Chavez and his highly unexpected decision regarding Twitter!
Easily my favourite entry for the week, we revisit a story that The Wall Street Journal published last year on an unlikely career switch. A Wall Street businesswoman leaves a high-paying job to become a cyclist. Talk about pursuing your passion!
Finally, just a few hours ago I was scouring and came across a great find by David Chouinard. I added some commentary of my own and ReBlogged his entry, Customer Service Is Not A Department.
Please consider a recommendation if you found any of the above to be Inspiring, or otherwise useful to an Entrepreneur or Startup.
What do you think of this new Tumblr Tuesday approach? Would you like to see the weekly reports tweaked differently? Let me know in the comments below, or submit a reply!
Hi everyone,
Well, it’s now been just under 3 weeks ago that this blog was started, and I see from the follower list, comments, and e-mails that the information here has been helpful so far, so I’m glad! Knowing that readers are taking away practical wisdom from Dimes To Dollars gives me the motivation to keep putting out articles on a regular basis. I’ve met some great folks here in my short time with Tumblr so far, and I’d like to meet even more. Thank you all for the comments, e-mails, and great blog entries on your own Tumblr pages. There’s clearly a great community here that I have felt from no other blogging service (and trust, me, I’ve tried them all over the years).
I’d like to take a brief moment to ask that you consider a recommendation if you have found great insight on this blog. While it is primarily targeted to entrepreneurs and startup businesses, I also will continue to share encouragement to keep you going, and practical advice on productivity that anyone can take to heart. And no matter what I’m discussing, I’m sure you’ve noticed that I try to keep readers updated on technology that is important to business, productivity, and generally how you can live your life better.
If you feel so inclined, please consider Dimes To Dollars for a recommendation in one of the following categories:
Entrepreneurs: http://www.tumblr.com/directory/recommend/entrepreneurs/fromdimestodollars
Startups: http://www.tumblr.com/directory/recommend/startups/fromdimestodollars
Inspiration: http://www.tumblr.com/directory/recommend/inspiration/fromdimestodollars
Tech: http://www.tumblr.com/directory/recommend/tech/fromdimestodollars
I give my thanks in advance, my friends. Stay strong as remember to always follow your passion!
Cheers,
Ben
What are your initial thoughts when someone tells you that they run an internet business? While the landscape is rapidly evolving, and making a living solely from online income has now eased into the mainstream, it’s hard to deny that the feelings still differ from those toward a traditional brick-and-mortar business for some people.
Which selection best describes your feelings on the subject? Why?
A.) I’m impressed. This business owner is logically taking advantage of new technologies and applying them to emerging practices. The potential for his internet business is equal to, if not greater than that of a traditional business model due to these new innovations.
B.) I do not take this person’s online business as seriously when compared to a traditional business model. They do not have the same day-to-day responsibilities to uphold, and have somewhat limited potential.
C.) I believe a business man or woman has equal potential in either business model, and I do not think of them as significantly different.
D.) These answers are rubbish! Here’s one of my own!
I don’t want to influence anyone, so I’ll refrain from comment until the discussion dies down enough to close the poll in a few days. The results, which are being gathered from 7 sources, will be shared in a future post. You can also e-mail me your response if you prefer (Lopez.M.Benjamin@gmail.com). Let your voice be heard!
