From Dimes to Dollars

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!  

Last week, a friend directed me to this article from The Wall Street Journal he found incredibly inspiring.  It’s about Evelyn Stevens, a successful Wall Street businesswoman that bought a bicycle to keep in shape, and discovered she had a one in a million talent, and a passion that was growing rapidly.  Her tennis experience in the past has given her the natural instincts and endurance necessary to win high-profile races.  And she’s not stopping there.

Evelyn began entering tournaments regularly while still working in May of 2008, continuing to increase her training regimen and tournament entries steadily.  Last June, she finally did it: she quit her day job to pursue her passion and take on cycling full time.  How amazing is that?  She gave up a secure, high paying job on Wall Street to do what she loved.  According the the article, the top women cyclists only make around $30,000 annually, even less if you fall to the middle of the pack.  Experts told her she would need to improve her speed as much as 13% to become a top-tier cyclist.  But Evelyn isn’t worried about the money.  It’s clear from her response that she is enjoying life as she never has before.

So friends, be tough, ask yourself if you’re really doing something you have a genuine desire for.  If you’re not hungry for your current job, find out what it is that’s stifling your appetite, and take the next step toward your true passion and a happy, fulfilling life.

Read the full article HERE.

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

Last night, I saw an article from the co-founder of Flickr, Caterina Fake, entitled “Want to be an entrepreneur?  Drop out of college.”  As you can imagine, it was viewed as a bit controversial, and not all of the feedback was exactly kind.  But is it really such outrageous advice?  After all, it’s exactly what I and many other entrepreneurs, both of today and historically have decided to do without regret.  I believe many of strongest opinions were coming from people that may have misinterpreted the post, or formed a very strong bias based solely on the title before they even read the article.

I won’t talk at length about it, but here is the reply I gave to the critics of the article:

“I think some of the readers are grossly misinterpreting this article. In no way is Caterina saying college is a waste of time, or that you should avoid it entirely. Her entire point is that once you’ve discovered your passion, if you are ready, you should take the plunge. I say get the groundwork of a few classes in your field until you feel comfortable with it, then take a semester off to focus on entrepreneurship. By the end of that semester you’ll know whether or not you’re ready. You can always go back, your life will not be irreparable. I had plans for 6 years of college and dropped out after a year and a half because schoolwork was eating so badly into the time I needed for my projects. It took me a few years to realize it, but it was the best decision I ever made in my life. If I hadn’t been decisive, all I’d have to look forward to right now is another 3 years of school, tens of thousands of dollars in debt, and the task of finding a job in a tough economy only to work for someone else starting from the bottom. I have absolutely no debt and get up every morning loving life so much I can’t even express such a feeling.

I’m sure Caterina wakes up every day thinking the same thing. I’ve met a lot of entrepreneurs the last few years, and most have one thing in common: they want to share the message with everyone. Why? Because we want people to know there is an alternative if you’re not happy with your present life. Shit, it’s hard hearing about others or seeing my friends working for years at jobs they hate, or graduating from college but not advancing at their company after years of service. I genuinely feel bad for them. That’s why I started an entrepreneurship blog, why I meet with people and stress this possibility with those who are disheartened. Now, whether you’re a college graduate or not, if you’re working for someone else and you love what you do, by all means, keep your job. What’s important is that you’re following your passion. But if you’re not, just know that becoming an entrepreneur gives anyone an opportunity to do exactly what they love, something to live for.

Entrepreneurship may not appeal to everyone, but it’s my goal to show others that it is always a viable option. In our current age of incredible technology and invaluable tools, many of which are completely free, the rate of success is at an all time high. I wish you all the best whichever route you choose.

Benjamin M. Lopez 
Author, From Dimes To Dollars”

I’d love to hear which side you fall on; sound off in the comments below!