Rose Matlock Consulting

Archive for the ‘Making Business Easier’ Category

Perhaps you are better at controlling your more seedy television viewing habits…no, not those!  Reality television. Yes, the soul sucking, script destroying, margin protecting mess that reality TV is, has become a known habit in the Matlock household.  Truth be told, it started with the wife but has now become a frequent habit for us both.  She’s watching the drama…but I am looking for lessons and business ideas.  Really Chris?  Lessons?  In reality TV?

Frankly, lessons and general principles are easier to learn in an exaggerated environment.  Often case studies in business school play up this fact by including over the top details that make it easier to learn a new concept or Read the rest of this entry »

     Two children visiting a petting zoo with their parents.  Both of them dutifully hold out their hands to receive snacks to feed the inquisitive goats, sheep, chickens and rabbits who roamed aimlessly around the pen.  What an idyllic scene, yes?  As the children entered the pen they each went their own direction.  The first little boy, followed closely by his mother, approached a goat and began to feed him single bites.  The goat eagerly took each one, softly nuzzling the young child.  Mother smiled and the boy was delighted.

     The second little boy strode valiantly towards a different goat.  He too offered up single bites and the goat took them.  However, for reasons that may never be clear, the goat grew impatient with the morseled approach and in his hasty move to grab the rest of the snack, bit the young boy drawing blood.  The young child screamed in shock more than agony.  The father rushed forward, pulling his son into his arms, quickly joined by mom, and they both reassured and soothed the boy, telling him he was safe now, the bad goat could not get to him anymore.  Read the rest of this entry »

Recently, I was reminded that sometimes the hardest part is the first step but that rewards in life only accumulate when you “put yourself out there”.

Here at RMC, we are launching a new service in 2010.  Do we have the skills for it?  Sure.  The experience needed to pull it off?  Yet, it is personally uncharted territory and while we have the talent needed, it will be a new application for it.  Over the last few months, I have been surprised and thankful time and again as I have mentioned some of these new goals and how others have offered their advice, support and encouragement.  I have come too realize, that a goal inside your head can quickly turn from joy to terror as you constantly ask yourself questions that have no answer.

Instead, share your ambitions; enroll others in your vision for the future.  A manager I once worked with said, “The bigger your vision, the more people that can come along”.  If that is true, then one could also say that the more people you bring along, the bigger your vision can become.  Dell computers may have started in a college dorm room but it certainly did not stay there.  Dave Hewlett and Bill Packard may have started in a garage but it certainly did not stay there.  A desire left unrevealed is one that will eventually suffocate.

As you look to 2010, ask yourself what dreams, ideas and aspirations you have that have gathered cobwebs in your mind.  Its time to dust them off and offer them the light of day.  Will they all hold up?  No.  Are they all meant to be the “big one”?  No.  However, it is from the ruins of our mistakes that the seeds of our success are sown.  Most importantly, the big goals require more than one person’s hard work but often the combined talent and drive of many.  How can someone else sign up to help create your dream if you haven’t shared it with them?

No longer just a Huey Lewis song, a new iPhone app and product is on the horizon.

Currently, there are roughly 20 different applications available for the Apple iPhone that allow business’ and individuals to take credit cards.  However, all of them require the laborious entry of card numbers, expirations, etc.  A new twist, courtesy of Twitter co-founder, Jack Dorsey, bundles the app with a new plug in, magnetic strip reader.

“Square is a little plastic magnetic card reader that hooks into the headphone jack of your iPhone or iPod Touch. When you swipe a credit card through the device, it converts the card information into an audio signal, which is then processed by Square’s software application on the device, according to GigaOm. Then, the card information is encrypted and transmitted to Square’s servers via a Wi-Fi or 3G connection for processing.” – Ian Paul of PC World

Developments such as these herald the continued arrival of “convergence”, the notion that what were once separate, purpose built machines will ultimately combine over time.  Cell phones have been a  shining example of this.  Apple’s iPhone (and other smart phones) allow phone calls, video, cameras, web browsing, calendars, games, social networking and much more. 

Though Square has not officially launched yet, interested parties can submit an inquiry at Square’s Website. 

NOTE: You can follow this blog’s author @chrismatlock on twitter.