Today the world has lost an incredible visionary who has changed our lives and shaped our culture. Our thoughts go out to everybody who’s life has been touched by Steve in one way or another. May you Rest in Peace, and thank you for everything you’ve done for the world.
Steve Jobs 1955-2011
October 5th, 2011 by Richard PodsadaThe Secret Ingredient That All Great Business Leaders Have
September 20th, 2011 by Richard Podsada
I have always looked up to and admired the business greats of our times. People like Ray Croc, Sam Walton, Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, Henry Ford, Phil Knight. People who started businesses which are not only enormously successful, they have shaped the world and even our culture.
Reading these stories, I was inspired by how they started their businesses in garages and built them into international empires. But underneath my fascination and enthusiasm, there was a much quieter voice speaking to me. A quiet, dark voice that said: “These people had special advantages you do not have. You will never do what they did.” And whether I spoke those words aloud or not, I secretly believed them. Read More…
Designers: How to Get an Apple Quality Monitor Without Spending $800+
August 12th, 2011 by Richard Podsada
Apple monitors are renown for their color quality, wide viewing angles, and beautiful design. They are indeed the holy grail of monitors, especially for designers and printers who need accurate color reproduction under a variety of lighting conditions.
But of course, many designers can’t afford to spend $800+ on a new monitor, as beautiful as it may be. So most head down to their local Future Shop or London Drugs to choose from the myriad of home-grade monitors made by major brands like Samsung, LG, Viewsonic and Acer.
Problems to Avoid When Registering Your Domain Name
August 4th, 2011 by Richard Podsada
As a web design company, we very often run into clients who have a domain name (e.g. yourcompany.com) registered but have no idea where it was registered or how to access it. This often happens when the domain was registered by an employee or previous owner that has left the company and didn’t pass on the details when they left. This can create a lot of headaches when you need to build a new website or change something about your email setup in the future. This article shows you some simple steps you can take to safeguard your domain registration and avoid problems down the road.
Your PowerPoint Presentations: Smashing Success or Train Wreck?
July 7th, 2011 by Richard PodsadaConsidered the companion of many speakers and the buddy of the board room, PowerPoint has taken the corporate world by storm.
And when done well, that storm has the potential to pack a real punch.
Unfortunately, think Sleepy Hollow meets Donald Trump. PowerPoint has become an office activity that more often than not leaves audiences sweating profusely, fighting off an overwhelming sense of doom.
And sometimes it just puts us to sleep.
Plenty has been written on PowerPoint and how to use it effectively. We’ve seen our share of good and bad PowerPoint presentations, so we’d like to share this video by Don McMillan that demonstrates some hilarious insight how NOT to use this tool.
…BEWARE, you may recognize yourself…
Smart Businesses Connect with People on the Go
June 20th, 2011 by Richard Podsada
If you’re an entrepreneur, you likely understand that to be successful and competitive in the marketplace, customer service needs to reach people “right here, right now.” People expect information in real time—with the click of a link or a touch on the screen. And they want it while they are waiting at their doctor’s office, walking down the street, or relaxing in their easy chair.
Dear Client: Why Your Logo Costs As Much As It Does
June 3rd, 2011 by Richard Podsada
There have been times when we quoted the price of a logo design and the client was shocked. If you’ve been in sales for a while, you’ve surely seen this before: Their eyes open, lips shut, and they become very timid and reserved for the remainder of the meeting.
What went wrong?
Well, first of all, the price we were quoting was well within reasonable industry norms. In fact it was a bargain for the amount of time, effort and skill that goes into the proper design of a logo and supporting files and documentation.
But the client didn’t have the same expectations or experience, and that is totally understandable. They don’t work in our industry, have likely never had a logo designed before, and did not expect it to cost as much as it does. After all, how long does it take to sketch a couple of ideas, right?
What I Wish Somebody Had Told Me Before I Started My Business
June 1st, 2011 by Richard Podsada
Dating all the way back to high school, I have been running a website design or graphic design business of some kind or another. I started off as a sole proprietor. I later registered as a corporation, and eventually merged that corporation into what is now nine10 Incorporated. During this long and winding road, I learned many lessons about business. Some of them took me a long time to learn, some I learned quickly, but most were taught at the school of hard knocks. Had there been someone to share insight with me, things might have been easier, right from the start.
Now, understanding both the struggles in starting a business and now being on the successful end, I have a desire to share what I learned along the way with those that are just starting out. My hope is, that by sharing what I have learned, I can minimize and reduce the business struggles that so often accompany new business startups. The following is a small collection of key insights I wish I had known from day one.
6 Tips for Successful Sales
May 31st, 2011 by Cris Seppola
Five years ago, if you would have told me that I’d be writing a blog post about sales, I would have laughed. Voraciously. I never saw myself as a salesperson; in fact, like many of us, I ran from salespeople!
I thought that selling was a big, scary thing. Something that I’ve learned, though, is that by paying attention to systems, understanding your client’s needs, and following through, you can feel less like a “salesperson” and more like a problem-solver. Here’s some things that I’ve picked up that might help you, too.
8 Simple Steps to Effective Email Marketing
May 30th, 2011 by Richard Podsada
When it comes to email marketing, the warning my buddy’s mom would shout out to us when we were kids sprinting out the door for the evening plays in my head. “Remember,” we’d hear her shout out just before the screen door muffled her voice, “just because you can doesn’t mean you should!”
The same wisdom applies to email marketing. There are a few simple rules everyone should keep in mind that will not only be appreciated by the recipients, but just makes for good customer service. And we all know that good customer service translates into sales.
