Guy Kawasaki's New Book - 'Reality Check'

Hello Readers,

I just purchased Guy Kawasaki's latest book, Reality Check.

Guy has one of the best techniques for writing books about business! He not only makes them readable, he makes reading them fun and informative at the same time. This is something many business book authors fail to accomplish. Many authors are writing to an audience of other authors, and miss the point of the effort.

Unless your audience is made up exclusively of authors, you had better find another calling, because your book will not be read by anyone. Guy captures and narrates succinctly the start-up issues facing new companies. He provides a clear road-map to writing the 'business-plan', obtaining angel or venture capital financing, and most importantly exposes the things that will prevent you from succeeding at any of the above tasks.

He uses real-life examples of business foolishness, that really drives home his points completely. His writing style is brief, focused, and lively. Humor is a major component part of the book, and the 'dual-introductions' are hilarious, one 'final one' from "the fake Steve Jobs".

I met Guy Kawasaki at BlogWorld Expo 2008, after his lunchtime keynote with Steve Rubel. I mentioned that I had a copy of his earlier work, "The Macintosh Way". He paused and said, "oh, that's going back a few years!". Guy was so kind to hang out and answer questions after the keynote. He is accessible and puts his audience at ease. His knowledge of Silicon Valley is key to the depth and expanse of the information found in 'Reality Check'.

When I recently started following Guy's exploit's on www.Twitter.com and at www.alltop.com, I realized how multi-faceted he truly has become. He has a loyal following of former Apple Computer fans, who are now iPhone and Macbook users. Guy has stayed very current with Web 2.0 issues, and still pokes fun at the establishment, exhibiting an altruistic, helpful approach.

A recent photograph of Guy and Sir Richard Branson had Richard polishing Guy's shoes with his coat-jacket! Now that is truly customer service, and explains Richard Bransons considerable success with the Virgin Brand.

Please do go and find this book, buy it, read it and implement the steps Guy has defined. One day American business can return to the ethics, prosperity, and accomplishments that made it great.

I'm going to go and finish reading this book, and will post Part Two of my mini-review, in a few days. I purchased the book at a local Borders in California, and with my Borders discount the book was $25.00 + tax.

I would have been willing to pay twice that amount for the book, and plan on picking up a few more copies to send to ahem, companies that still don't 'get it'.

Please leave me a comment below, let's start a conversation and over on Twitter.com/nachase

Do You Ever Feel Like Quitting?

Hello Readers,

It has been a while since I last posted. Locked in a research phase to determine the direction of my on-line businesses in 2009.

The on-line business world is challenging, competitive, confusing, ever-changing and frustrating. On-line companies are experiencing this phenomenon today.

News of lay-offs, credit markets tightening, government at a loss to cure the short-term effects of this waterfall downward. In a recent post I asked the question, "How will you innovate?"

So how do you react to this negative information? Is everyone losing their job around you? Are you depressed, angry, confused, bitter, feeling alone and not sure how to proceed? Join the club! Many on-line marketers have enough experience to see these changes as an opportunity, not as a liability.

Practicing the 'long view', will help them survive a brief change in their on-line income and prepare for the certain 'economic turn-around' when it arrives. Housing prices are down for one good reason, the 'American Dream' caused many first time homeowners to get in over their heads. Being unsophisticated in financial matters, they trusted their 'professional' mortgage lenders to handle the why and hows.

"Just get me in that house" was all they could say. Now that the adjustable interest rates built into their loans increased, in many cases their monthly payments have 'doubled' without a supporting income to match the new payments.

USA's foreclosures are at a record high level. The resulting 'bad loans' have caused AIG Insurance and Lehman Brothers Stock Brokerages to fail, as they cannot borrow cash to run their companies day-to-day expenses. Further abuses have been reported as lavish business trips to exotic locales has undermined the company's reputations. Huge cash bonuses paid to departing executives, while the rank and file worker is 'left holding the bag' are inexcusable.

The recent arrivals of Automobile executives by private corporate jets to the automakers bailout hearings in Washington, DC demonstrate a poor choice on their part to the consumer.

So, what do you do? You get busy! You read every blog post that has anything to do with on-line marketing, selecting those experts who have a trusted history of profitability and many comments on their blogs. Some recommended authors are below.

I have met all listed below in person, except Seth Godin, but he is always traveling and speaking at Google and other companies, advising them on various marketing issues they are experiencing. I hope to cross paths with Seth one day, 'he gets it'.

Read the blogs, both current and past by thought-leaders like: John Chow, Shoemoney, Chris Brogan, Seth Godin, Zac Johnson, Jonathan Volk, and other thought-leaders in their class. Comment on their blogs each time they post a new blog. Subscribe to their RSS feed to get updates when a new post has been created. Google their names to see all of the trade shows and seminars they attend. Go there and meet them, and ask them for help.

Join Twitter.com, not just a 'texting service' for adults, but a solid way to connect with people like Sir Richard Branson and Shaquille O'Neal. In this way, by conversations with the experts, and reading their post's, you will gain nuggets of information that will help you craft your on-line focus.

Feedback from those that have 'been there, done that' will also save you valuable time and money. So get out there and read and comment. Put a link to your blog in your comments. These blogs are read by thousands of people, and may just increase visitors to your blog.

If you liked this post, please leave me a comment below.

Respectfully, Nicholas