Gaia Community: Kelly's Blog

Great Fight!

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 08:40:09 -0000

We had our first EliteXC fight last Saturday night (Feb. 10th) on Showtime. It rocked. We also streamed the live undercard to our website at ProElite.com.

Check out some of the undercard ACTION (from a camera phone).

We'll have the fights up from the undercard shortly.

Pretty exciting. These athletes are amazing.

Kelly

This shot is of me and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. He's currenlty a UFC fighter, but he was there cheering at our fight!

Mixed Martial Arts Social Network

Sun, 04 Feb 2007 22:08:28 -0000

Hi All:

I recently took over as the President of ProElite.com. We launched a social networking tool last week that will help fans, fighters and organizations in mixed martial arts (MMA) grow the sport.

I'm incorporating much of what I learned helping Brian build eteamz and my time as an Ambassador here at Zaadz. I'd love to get your feedback.

Our live event fight company, EliteXC, will airing our first fight live on Showtime this Saturday, Feb. 10th at 10 pm. ProElite will be showing the 5 undercard fights live on the web for free at www.proelite.com.

This is an incredibly exciting sport and we are committed to growing it!

Take Command!

Kelly

Entrepreneur Newsletter

Tue, 16 Jan 2007 06:56:34 -0000

Attention all Entrepreneurs!!!!

I just started a newsletter for entrepreneurs that I will send out monthly. It has a lot of content and several sections I think you'll find interesting and hopefully very useful including:

1. Leadership Series
2. Technical Review
3. Legal Corner
4. Book Review
5. Useful Links
6. Readers' Q&A

Please REGISTER if you'd like to recieve it!

TAKE COMMAND!

Kelly Perdew

MLK Day -- Not a Day Off, A Day On!!!

Fri, 15 Dec 2006 15:25:37 -0000

On Monday, January 15th, 2007, hundreds of thousands of Americans will honor Martin Luther King, Jr.’s vision through a Day of Service that builds broad and diverse coalitions, breaks down barriers, and makes our communities the best they can be. On behalf of the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation, I encourage you to join me in making Dr. King’s dream come to life.

Throughout the nation, people will join their neighbors to work side by side – whether painting recreation centers, feeding the homeless, or sharing stories of the fight for civil rights. Large or small, every project makes a difference.

Dr. King recognized the power of momentum. The time is now for you to join a growing national effort that reaches across neighborhoods and divisions to unite Americans with a common goal: a day of celebrating by turning community concerns into volunteer actions. Here are four things you can do to get involved:

1. As an individual, participate in a volunteer service project. To find an opportunity in your community, visit www.mlkday.gov.

2. Use your voice and organizational resources to invite others to serve. Through his words and example, Dr. King challenged individuals to take action and lift up their neighbors and communities through service. Encourage your networks to volunteer on King Day and throughout the year.

3. Consider supporting a project in your community. Find a project that interests you and provide project materials or contribute a financial donation.

4. Recognize volunteers in your network. Honor the work they do throughout the year by presenting them with the President’s Volunteer Service Award. For more information on presenting the awards or becoming a Certifying Organization, visit www.presidentialserviceawards.gov.

Dr. King believed each individual possessed the power to lift himself or herself up no matter what his or her circumstances – rich or poor, black or white, man or woman. Teaching literacy skills, showing older adults how to use the Internet, helping people build the skills they need to acquire a job, and other acts of service help improve lives. And they make those citizens who perform the service feel happier and more motivated.

Join us on Dr. King’s birthday as we kick off a year of service and civic engagement in which every Americans can realize Dr. King’s message that, “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.”

TAKE COMMAND!

Kelly Perdew
President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation

My Report on New Orleans and the Gulf Coast of Mississippi

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 01:36:52 -0000

I'm on The President's Council for Service and Civic Participation. Our mission is to recognize outstanding volunteer service on the part of organizations and individuals. The Council and the Board of The Corporation for National & Community Service trecently completed a three-day tour of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.

I want to say that it was one of the most impactful three days I've ever spent anywhere. There are a lot of things going wrong and a lot of things going right. Although there were enough stories for 10 books, I want to highlight those items that I feel are most important here in my blog.

Overall Impression: I have never seen such breadth and depth of devastation. New Orleans was particularly unbelievable. We visited the 9th Ward and I personally don't believe it will recover any time in the next 10 years. Maybe longer. Additionally, the amount of reaction and clean-up is significantly behind that of Mississippi. I think there are a number of reasons for that, but I explore them in a separate blog entry. Here are a few photos that don't even come close to conveying the extent of the damage.

Mixed in with my awe at the complete devestation is an unbelievable pride in the American people that are volunteering everything they have to help fellow Americans in need. It is truly inspiring to see the volunteer effort in both New Orleans and Mississippi. Here are a few shots of the different organizations that we recognized on the trip and that are doing amazing things for people that were affected.

Young, old, rich, poor, you name it...they are there. People showed up to help in the recovery effort for three days and have been there for five months. Story after story after story of amazing compassion and outreach by hundreds of thousands of individuals (over 500,000 have contributed their TIME since Katrina) and they need more. A LOT MORE. On the Council's website, we list out the different organizations that you can volunteer with and they are listed by state. If any of you are interested in getting involved, here are just a few of the programs that we saw and officially recognized for their oustanding efforts and I would recommend:

1. Trinity Christian Community Americorps (New Orleans). Based in one of the poorest neighborhoods in New Orleans, TCC has focused on cleaning and repairing homes and working with a network of service entities to provide disadvantaged community members with relocation, home repair, volunteer recruitment and assimilating returning evacuees. Kevin Brown, program director, is particularly inspirational.

2. Tulane Americorps VISTA (New Orleans). Tulane's Center for Public Service is actually institutionalizing a "service-learning" component into their curriculum. The project aims to both increase the impact of service-learning on students' civic engagement and to build capacity in participating community agencies. GREAT PROGRAM!

3. Xavier (New Orleans). Xavier is also creating internal programs to bring in a service component as well as partnering with other universities to bring volunteers into New Orleans.

4. Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service (Mississippi). An amazing organization with great leadership and execution. The mission of the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service is to engage and support Mississippians of all ages and backgrounds in service to their communities.

5. National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) (National). To put it mildly, this organization ROCKS! The mission of AmeriCorps*NCCC is to strengthen communities and develop leaders through direct, team-based national and community service. In partnership with nonprofit organizations, state and local agencies, and faith-based and other community organizations, members complete service projects throughout the region they are assigned. Drawn from the successful models of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930s and the U.S. military, AmeriCorps*NCCC is built on the belief that civic responsibility is an inherent duty of all citizens and that national service programs work effectively with local communities to address pressing needs. If you want to serve your country but don't want to be in the military, DO THIS! All the same leadership skills that are developed in the military of which I write about in my book, TAKE COMMAND, are also developed in this program.

6. HandsOn Network (Mississippi). Their mission is to organize long-term rebuilding efforts. This group is awesome. Basically, all a volunteer needs to do is get there and HandsOn Network will figure how best to utilize them, give them food and a place to sleep. Truly inspiring group.

7. KaBoom (National). Get this, they build playgrounds in the Gulf Coast to help give the neighborhood a nice place for their kids and a place to meet. They've been amazingly successful and usually work in conjunction with other local volunteer organizations.

8. Habitat for Humanity (National). They are doing some fantastic work in New Orleans. New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity is mobilizing for an unprecedented rebuilding effort. In 2006, NOAHH plans on building hundreds of new homes in Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard Parishes.

I hope this blog entry gets you more interested in learning about what's going on with Katrina recovery because it is only just beginning!

TAKE COMMAND!

Kelly

Flexibility

Thu, 07 Sep 2006 06:47:20 -0000

The person with the most varied responses ultimately wins. This is true on the battlefield, in business and in life. I firmly believe this. There are all types of leaders and managers. How many managers have you had that can only address a problem one way? Some are shouters, some are planners and some are collaborators. But how many can be all three effectively in three different situations?

Any person who is inflexible - who can only operate in one manner - is not likely to survive very long. Problem-solving requires flexibility - and so does career planning. Very few jobs these days offer the security of knowing that you'll be there for 20 or 30 years. In fact, the average time with a company for 20- and 30-year-olds is a little more than three-and-a-half years. Everyone needs to reinvent themselves, and leaving their comfort zone, and constantly, constantly learning.

How do you attack problems? Are you constantly seeking out new skills so that you can be more effective? Or are you satisfied with all that you think you know?

A lot of people are surprised when I say "flexibility" is a key leadership principle I learned in the military. Hollywood frequently portrays military personnel as rigid and inflexible. That is unfortunate and, in fact, nothing could be further from the truth. When an infantry unit is told by the commander to take a hill, they aren't told how to take it. That is where the problem-solving comes in. The unit has to figure it out on its own. That problem-solving is something every ex-military person takes with them into the civilian workforce.

In June 2006, Korn/Ferry International - a premier global provider of executive, search outsourced recruiting and leadership development solutions - released the results of their study examining the performance of Fortune 500 companies led by CEOs with military background compared to those companies with CEOs without military experience. Companies led by CEOs with military experience have outperformed the S&P 500 Index over the past three-, five- and 10-year periods by as much as 20 percentage points. One of the six attributes listed as being the reason for their disproportionate success is the ability to solve problems in stressful conditions.

How do you handle co-workers that you can't get along with? Or how about when you don't get along with your boss? Do you blame it all on him or her? Or do you look at it as a challenge that you can overcome by being flexible? Try looking at those tough relationships the same way you look at a tough problem - they come in all shapes and sizes. How you handle them is up to you. One caveat in the regard, being flexible does not mean compromising your integrity. Always maintain your integrity.

In a May 2005, Fast Company article entitled "Change or Die," editor Alan Deutchman described a great example of flexibility and how that leadership characteristic really can influence success. When Steve Jobs led the turnaround at Apple, Jobs returned to the company after having been gone for a long time and he focused almost exclusively on Apple's flexibility and innovation. He recast Apple's image among employees and customers from a second rate player defeated in its quest for a share of the market to the home of a small but highly enviable elite -- the creative innovators who dared to "Think different." Apple has been an innovator and focused on flexible thinking ever since and their stock has soared.

It is never too late to recreate yourself. Take the best attributes and skills you've got, identify where you want to be and what it takes to get there, set up your plan and go for it. For instance, if you're currently in a very technical job, spend some time on marketing and sales skills. Understanding how marketing and sales perceives problems will help you deliver more effectively on the technical side. And, by developing your own sales and marketing skills you become infinitely more valuable to your company - or to a new company.

You can do the same thing in your position, no matter where you are. Don't be the employee that always has the same solution for every problem. Don't be the leader who approaches every employee the same way. Be fair, but be creative and understand that every employee and every problem is not identical.

TAKE COMMAND!

Kelly

Terrorist Attack Survival Kit - Interactive CD

Tue, 05 Sep 2006 18:51:40 -0000

I started a company with a classmate of mine from West Point called American Family Protection, Inc. (AFP). We repurposed information used by the US Government to train US military and officials across the world so that it can be made available to families throughout the US. We produced an interactive CD titled "The Terrorist Attack Survival Kit," which contains 3.5 hours of material extracted from a library of government-approved multi-media training modules. This kit is the definitive encyclopedia on how to recognize, prepare and react to terrorist attacks and it will become the first-aid kit for the 21^st century.

Drawn from the knowledge of over 30 specific military experts, this CD kit includes topics such as:

What are WMDs?
The differences between biological and chemical weaponry
Survival supplies check list
Preparation checklists for your family
Flight or Stay - When to run and when to stay
Guidance for first responders
How to spot early warning signs

All modules have been approved by the US Government. This CD will give average Americans access to invaluable information that could save their lives in the event of a terrorist attack.

TAKE COMMAND!

Kelly

STRENGTH

Wed, 16 Aug 2006 00:22:10 -0000

Hi all:

Nope, that's not me...

I just finished up a two week road trip where I was forturnate to meet in-person a fellow Zaadster (one I originally met here on Zaadz!) in Golden, CO. BTW - Do we have a name for that yet? Where we meet someone in "real" life that we orginally met here on Zaadz? How about Zmeet? Or Zighting? As in, "Hey I Zighted Shawn Phillips yesterday!"

Shawn Phillips is CEO and Founder of Phillips Performance Solutions, LLC., best known for pioneering the world's first performance fast food, Full Strength^TM.

A few observations:

1. Shawn. Shawn is an incredibly driven, passionate and compassionate individual. It was great to sit with him and his team and talk about their comprehensive plans to develop their business. He's got plans to LITERALLY lift everyone's health, strength and eventually the planet through his integrated strength training. I'm sold. And meeting him in person is a great way to get motivated to get STRONG. I'll be in the gym!

2. Shake. Over the years of competing in sports, working out, and being on the road I've tried all sorts of nutritional shakes and supplements. Shawn's shake is the best I've ever had. I've been taking Shawn's shakes for over a month now after workouts and in the afternoons when my energy ebbs and they are great. I highly recommend them.

3. Team. Shawn, in the typical nature of a strong leader, has surrounded himself with a great team. Tom Bottagaro and Rob McNamara are clearly passionate and creative about solving problems. The GET IT and they form a very formidable team!

Great work Shawn! I look forward to your progress.

Take Command!

Kelly

True Leadership

Thu, 03 Aug 2006 22:51:22 -0000

I had an amazing time last week when I was the keynote speaker for an Armored Cavalry Battalion (2-12 CAV, 4^th BCT, 1^st CAV DIV ) event at Fort Bliss in El Paso, TX.

I was honored to speak to the 1,000+ soldiers and their loved ones at a formal event, known in the military as a "dining out." The ceremonies for the event included a receiving line where the commander and special guests personally greet everyone and shake their hand, a detailed history and presentation on the unit, a smoking session where everyone lit up their cigars, and the drinking of the grog (a mixture of about 10 different types of alcohol in a big punch bowl).

I spoke to the group about leadership with an emphasis on Passion, Perseverance, and Planning. I emphasized that all of the great training at every level they were receiving now had direct applications for the civlian sector, if or when they decided to get out. However, the true highlight of the event was their commander's, Lieutenant Colonel Jim Nicholas, heartfelt remarks at the end of the evening.

LTC Nicholas, eloquently and not without a few tears, expressed his pride and gratefulness to all of the soldiers and their families for all that they do in service of this great country. He quoted Thomas Paine, "These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their county; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny like hell is not easily conquered yet we have this consolation with us, the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value."

The unit deploys to Iraq in December and they only just formed last October. Most of these soldeirs have never worked together before this. Yet, their determination, professionalism and the underlying leadership principles have prepared them to go to war.

I plan to stay in contact with 2-12 CAV and post updates on their progress here in my blog.

TAKE COMMAND!

Kelly

Supporting Our Troops

Tue, 01 Aug 2006 08:02:03 -0000

As most of you know I've got a strong connection to the military. I, and three of my four younger brothers (one still serving), have served in the military. I try to support our military through various activities and love it when individuals and organizations recognize and support our soldiers who are out there in harm's way.

Well a fellow Zaadster, Jeff McMahon (also the keyboardist and vocalist for Tim McGraw & The Dancehall Doctors) has done something amazing...

Check out SHIPPING OUT. SHIPPING OUT is quite simply an effort to remind our soldiers on active duty that they are remembered. We will share stories and photographs from both sides of the world reflecting thoughts and packages sent to our military, and we hope this will inspire others to take a moment and do the same.

AWESOME! Thank you Jeff.

Kelly

Podcast about Angel Venture Partners

Sun, 30 Jul 2006 17:32:16 -0000

Hello all:

You can listen to a podcast where Frank Peters interviewed me in my capacity as a Managing Director for Angel-Led Venture Partners.

Angel-Led Venture Partners co-invests with leading angel groups across the country (like the Tech Coast Angels, Boston Common Angels, New York Angels, The Band of Angels, and several more) in early stage ventures.

Check out Angel Venture Partners for more information.

I hope some of the informatoin in the interview is useful to you entrepreneurs out there!

Take Command!

Kelly

Military Experience & CEOs: Is there a Link?

Mon, 10 Jul 2006 21:26:06 -0000

Howdy all!

It is always nice to get some hard data to support your hypothesis! In this case, Korn/Ferry studied the impact of ex-military public company CEO leadership on stock price and supported my hypotheses in my book, TAKE COMMAND. That military training prepares one well for succeeding in business.

The PDF file can be downloaded from this link: http://www.kornferry.com/Library/ViewGallery.asp?CID=1623&LanguageID=1&RegionID=23

Kelly

***********************************************************************************************

CEOs with Military Experience Outperform S&P 500 Index

- Study from Korn/Ferry International Examines Link Between Military Experience and CEOs

- Los Angeles, June 16, 2006 - Companies led by CEOs with military experience have outperformed the S&P 500 Index over the past three, five and 10-year periods by as much as 20 percentage points, according to a study by Korn/Ferry International (NYSE:KFY), the premier global provider of executive search, outsourced recruiting and leadership development solutions.

Published by Korn/Ferry in cooperation with the Economist Intelligence Unit, "Military Experience & CEOs: Is There a Link?" also found that CEOs with military experience tend to last longer in the job. CEOs with military experience have an average tenure of 7.2 years, while CEOs without military experience have an average tenure of 4.6 years.

The study found that the 59 companies on the S&P 500 headed by CEOs with military experience provided an average annual shareholder return of 21.3% over the three-year period ending September 2005, versus 11.0% for the S&P 500 Index during the same time. For a five-year period, the ex-military CEOs provided a 9.5% return while the Index provided a -10.7% return, and for a ten-year period, the ex-military CEOs provided a 12.2% return versus a 9.4% return for the S&P 500 Index.

Featuring both a quantitative analysis of companies in the S&P 500 led by CEOs with backgrounds in the U.S. military, as well as qualitative in-depth interviews from four ex-military CEOs - Clayton Jones of Rockwell Collins; Michael Morris of American Electric Power; Michael Jordan of Electronic Data Systems; and Steven Loranger of ITT Industries - the study suggests that deft management of stressful situations during real-world military operations may well enhance performance in a corporate environment.

"There are clearly certain traits CEOs possess that drive their approaches to leadership, communication and, perhaps most importantly, the ability to translate company vision into tangible results," said Joe Griesedieck, vice chairman of Korn/Ferry International and head of the company's CEO Practice. "While we don't necessarily believe that one must obtain military experience to become a successful CEO later in life, it is evident that the leadership skills acquired during military training can absolutely enhance one's chances for success in corporate life."

Methodology - About the Study

The research was conducted using publicly available information on the CEOs of all Standard & Poor's 500 companies, including the publicly available biographies of all CEOs of S&P 500 companies, biographies available on the Hoover's business database and Who's Who in America. In addition, the authors contacted the individual companies to find out more details about military service, branches of service, combat experience and other information.

About Korn/Ferry International

Korn/Ferry International, with more than 70 offices in 40 countries, is the premier global provider of executive search, outsourced recruiting and leadership development solutions. Based in Los Angeles, the firm partners with clients worldwide to deliver unparalleled senior-level search, management assessment, coaching and development, and recruitment outsourcing services through its Futurestep subsidiary. For more information, visit the Korn/Ferry International Web site at http://www.kornferry.com/.

About the Economist Intelligence Unit

The Economist Intelligence Unit is the business information arm of The Economist Group, publisher of The Economist. Through a global network of over 500 analysts, the Economist Intelligence Unit continuously assesses and forecasts political, economic and business conditions in

Take Command!

Kelly

Presidential Appointment

Sat, 17 Jun 2006 00:13:54 -0000

Pretty exciting...

President Bush appointed me to The President's Council on Service and Civic Participation.

There are some very impressive members (the other people!) on the Council and here is the mission:

"In January of 2003, by Executive Order, President George W. Bush announced the formation of the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation. The Council was established to recognize the important contributions Americans of all ages are making within their communities through service and civic engagement. "

I'm excited about the Council and looking forward to working with them over the next two years.

Take Command!

Kelly

Loyalty

Tue, 30 May 2006 21:21:12 -0000

"I prefer a loyal staff officer to a brilliant one." -- General George S. Patton

I think that is a pretty amazing statement. He’d rather have a loyal staff officer than a brilliant one. What is it about loyalty that is so valued? Knowing that you can count on someone to do what they say? That they won’t leave you behind on the battlefield? Knowing that you don’t have to worry about someone planning against you? Knowing that they always have your back? Those sure are comforting thoughts and allow you to focus on the immediate problems instead of worrying about internal politics.

Do you think the same is true in business? Well, I can tell you that it is true for Donald Trump. When asked what characteristic he looks for the most in an employee, he answers “Loyalty” every time. And it shows in his organization. There are people (a lot) that have been working with him for 20-plus years. That a sign of a great leader.

The best leaders always inspire devout loyalty. Think about the great leaders you’ve seen. They always bring a great team with them wherever they go. In business that is especially true. When you see a company bring on a new CEO, you see that he or she quickly fills the most important staff positions with people they trust and that they know are loyal. I like to talk about loyalty in the business world as being “up, down and across an organization.” All of us have experienced an organization asking us to be loyal to it. They ask you to work overtime for a really big account. They ask you to give up uour vacation because the product has a looming deadline. But is the converse true?! Is your organization loyal to you? Do they protect your weekends? Do they protect your family time? When you get sick do they help you and your family? If you’re building an organization or looking for one to join, make sure it is one that creates an environment of loyalty up, down and across your people.

While interviewing Roger Staubach for my book, TAKE COMMAND, he told me a story about loyalty in the Navy. Roger said, “The Navy never leaves anybody behind. I recently spoke with an admiral who was the father of a Navy SEAL, one of 16 who got killed when they went after four of their men who had gotten trapped. Those 16 guys jumped on a Chinook and took off on an extremely dangerous mission, landing a big helicopter like that. Because those 16 guys knew they had to get out there and find their fellow SEALs. They lost their own lives trying. That’s the level of camaraderie and loyalty I found in the Navy.” He went on to say, “At the end of the day there’s such a strong understanding that your people will be there for you. I think that’s the one thing I’ve tried to bring into my business today: I want our customers to understand that we’re always going to be there for them.”

Wow. Think about that. If you could create the environment where all of your stakeholders – employees, customers, shareholders, local community – believed that you and your company were going to be that loyal to them, then I don’t think we’d have the problems we do with the Worldcoms and Enrons of the world.

When I think of loyalty on “The Apprentice,” (stop laughing, it did exist!) I think of Kevin Allen. Kevin and I developed a mutual respect for each other almost from the first task. Even when we changed to different teams, we held a high regard for one another. Maybe it was our common background of competing in team sports, maybe it was our southern roots, or maybe it was just based on how we were raised. Whatever it was, we quickly realized that we could rely on the other person to do what they said they would do. And that it was clear we shared a mutual respect. It developed into an unspoken loyalty that withstood some significant pressure.

Both Kevin and I made it to the final four and we were grilled during the “interviews” with some renown business icons – Dawn Hudson, President of Pepsi North America; Alan Jope, COO of Unilever; Ace Greenberg, Chairman of Bear Stearns; and Robert Kraft, Owner of The New England Patriots. After our interviews and in the board room, the four of us were pushed and prodded by Donald, George and Carolyn. Kevin and I were both asked point blank why one of us should be chosen over the other one. They specifically went after Kevin for what they perceived as a lack of direction on his part because he was pursuing his second graduate degree. They were concerned that he didn’t really know what he wanted to do. But there I was, right there, with both a JD and an MBA. Kevin could easily have deflected their attention to me by bringing up my degrees. But he didn’t. He remained loyal to our friendship and mutual respect. Throughout the season, Kevin and I never went after each other based on that loyalty.

How loyal are you? How loyal is the organization your building? Can you trust your employees? Your peers? Your boss? I hope so. If not, what are you doing? Loyalty is critical to success in today’s business world.

TAKE COMMAND!

The Job Zone Network

Sun, 28 May 2006 22:07:37 -0000

I recently accepted a board position with a new company called The Job Zone Network. The founders are two fellow military officers that are passionate about helping ex-military people find jobs. They currently run a company called Soar Consulting and have proven they can find and match the best talent in the military with target companies. They wanted to be able to get some economy of scale and leverage their network so they created the Job Zone Network. JZN will be a family of niche job boards that do more than just "post" jobs and resumes. They are going to build communities in every vertical industry -- the first two leverage their existing network -- The Military Job Zone is in beta and The Clearance Job Zone is coming soon.

Check 'em out.

Best,

Kelly

GI Factory special showing on Discovery Channel tonight

Sat, 27 May 2006 16:34:41 -0000

Hi all:

The Discovery Channel is going to play the "Best of GI Factory" tonight (Saturday, May 27th) at 8 pm local. I'm the host and it was a lot of fun to shoot.

Let me know what you think if you get a chance to TIVO or actually watch it.

I hope you're having a great Memorial Day Weekend!

Best,

Kelly

For Angels and Entrepreneurs -- Valuation and Exit Ratios

Tue, 23 May 2006 20:07:43 -0000

As many of you know, my two partners, Luis Villalobos and Frank Martinez, and I are busy raising $100M for our Venture Capital Fund called Angel-Led Venture Partners. We will co-invest this money alongside the leading angel groups in the country into early stage ventures. They are both very sophisticated and experienced investors and company builders. I want to share a few of the articles they've written that will hopefully help those of you who are looking to raise money succeed.

Here is the first one:

Exit Ratios and their Implications for

Venture Investment Valuations

By Luis Villalobos

Angel-Led Venture Partners, Managing Director
Tech Coast Angels, Founder & Board of Governors

Angel Capital Association, Founding Board Member

Negotiating the valuation for a venture-where the valuation is based on the percentage of the venture's equity that an investor receives for some amount of capital-may be the most important and the most misunderstood element in seed, startup, and early-stage investing. Important because valuation directly impacts both the percent of the venture that the entrepreneur gives to the investor and the investor's return on the investment, and because the process of negotiating valuation sets the tone for their entire relationship. Misunderstood because entrepreneurs and investors too often don't recognize, and hence don't take into account, the effect of dilution on the exit value of early round shares.

After doing more than fifty deals over the last twenty years as both an angel and an entrepreneur, I have seen repeatedly that when angels and entrepreneurs understand how valuation works and model what is likely to happen to the valuation of the investors' shares compared to the valuation of the venture as it grows, a better informed and more amicable negotiation ensues. Whereas when the two sides have uninformed views of what happens to investors' share valuation over time, the negotiations can become contentious, and even if an investment is made, the parties start off on a shaky foundation with each side believing the other is greedy or unreasonable.

Is this article for angels or entrepreneurs?

When people in my workshops ask me this question, I always answer "both." Effective investors and good entrepreneurs seek to align their interests. Their common goal is to work together to build an enterprise that produces value for the customers, profits for the venture, opportunity for employees, and financial returns for the entrepreneurs and investors. The discussions that precede the actual negotiation of valuation present an opening for angels to educate and coach, presuming that the angels fully understand valuations. However, at times angels take it for granted that they understand valuations and assume that entrepreneurs also understand when neither one does.

This article steps through the mechanics of valuation with a particular emphasis on the exit valuation for the investors compared to the exit valuation for the venture. We will examine the factors that contribute to the dilution of investor shares using Gadzoox Networks, a real life example, to show how exit ratios provide a more intuitive way to explain the effect of dilution on investor shares

Step 1: Understand that the starting ownership percentage of the investor will be diluted over time.

Angels typically invest in seed, start-up, or early-stage ventures with highly uncertain future earnings. A seed stage venture has a proven concept but little more; a start-up has a product or service under development; and an early-stage venture has a product or service in alpha or beta testing or pilot production and is generally pre-revenue, although some early-stage ventures may have revenue from initial customers.

To attract angel investors, a venture at any of these stages must have the potential to scale their revenue rapidly to $30 to $100 million in three to five years. It takes this sort of hockey stick growth to produce the 5X to 10X return that angels seek for the risk they take.

Angels tend to think of their return in terms of absolute dollars: If they invest $1M in a Series A round they want to see the potential of a $5 to $10 million payback within sixty months or they will invest their money in a different place. Entrepreneurs, on the other hand, tend to think in percentages; they think in terms of raising $1 million in return for some percentage (usually low and sometimes as low as 10 percent) of their company.

Most entrepreneurs accept the reasonableness of an angel having a shot at a 5X to 10X return, but most entrepreneurs also believe that the exit valuation of the enterprise will be the same as the investor's exit valuation. This is the point where negotiations can begin to break down. To keep their discussions on track, the angel needs to help the entrepreneur recognize that if the Series A shares start with 10 percent ownership at the time of investment, they will be worth considerably less than 10 percent of the exit valuation.

Step 2: Forecast the terminal value and the dilution the investors' shares will experience.

The valuation of the venture, immediately after the investment is made, has three components: (1) investor capital; (2) the existing or current value; and (3) the imputed future value of the enterprise, which is usually the dominant component. Component 1 is called the "money," components 2 and 3 together are known as the "pre-money," and the three combined are known as the "post-money."

The current value of the venture takes into account those things that are worth something at the moment and excludes any value the venture may create in the future. Current value consists of items like cash on hand, patents, raw materials, WIP inventory, computers or engineering equipment, and receivables. These items shape and influence the valuation of the venture, but the quality of the management team and the imputed future value of the enterprise, which are expected to have much greater value than the current value of the venture, drive the valuation.

The core step in the valuation process-forecasting the exit value and discounting by the target internal rate of return-is well documented and understood¹. The critical question is what percentage of the imputed future value of the enterprise will the angel's investment actually command at liquidity, and what is the expected absolute dollar value of that portion?

Step 3: Calculate and compare enterprise and investor exit ratios at various valuations to demonstrate dilution effect.

After the angel invests (in Series A in our example), the venture continues to issue additional shares (for subsequent financing, to attract additional senior executives, to expand the employee stock option pool, to compensate directors, consultants, leasing companies, etc). By the time a venture reaches an exit event, these ongoing share issuances have significantly diluted the angel's fractional ownership of the venture.

If the angel started with 30 percent ownership, at exit it may be down to five to ten percent. Exit ratios offer a useful way to understand and explain this effect. Although this example considers a Series A round, the same calculations may be made for any subsequent round.

NOTE: The Relative Exit Ratio is the same as the dilution factor that those investors experience.

The table below demonstrates this dilution effect using actual data from Gadzoox Networks.

Table 1: Investment Rounds in Gadzoox Networks

Round	Angel	VC	SP # 1	SP # 2	IPO
Date	Jan-96	Sep-96	May-97	Sep-98	Jul-99
$/share	0.74	1.80	4.78	7.65	74.81
Pre-money ($X million)	4.6	17.0	69.4	135.1	1,766.0
Money ($X million)	2.0	8.0	10.1	21.0	73.5
Post-money ($X million)	6.6	25.0	79.5	156.1	1,839.5
Angel Equity %	30%	19%	16%	13%	11%
Angel Exit Ratio	101
Venture Exit Ratio	279
Exit Ratio Venture to Angel	2.8

The columns represent the data from five funding rounds. In the first round angels invested $2 million and received shares at $.74 per share for 30 percent of the equity. Note how the angel percentage of ownership continues to shrink with subsequent rounds from 30 percent to 11 percent. At the close of the IPO the price per share was $74.81 making the exit ratio for the angels 101 ($74.81 ÷ $.74). At the close of the angel round the venture's valuation was $6.6 million; however, at the close of the IPO the venture's valuation was $1,839,500,000. Therefore, the exit ratio for the venture (keyed to the angel round) was 279 ($1.839 billion ÷ $6.6 million).The Relative Exit Ratio of 2.8 (279 ÷ 101) corresponds directly to a dilution factor of 2.8X, and the angels' ownership percent drops from 30 to 11 percent (30 ÷ 2.8).

The performance of Gadzoox Networks was exceptional both in the valuation of the venture, which grew nearly three-hundred fold, and in the valuation of the shares, which grew slightly more than a hundred fold. Yet even with this spectacular performance of the share price, the relative exit ratio (or dilution) for the angel round, was almost three to one. Even before the IPO, the angel percentage had dropped from 30 percent to 13 percent with a dilution factor already of 2.3 (30 ÷ 13).

While I cannot point to any robust study of dilution factors, experience shows that the range of relative exit ratios (or dilution) is around 3X to 6X from the angel round to the exit for an early stage investment. The relative exit ratio (or dilution) would be even higher for seed or start-up investments.

The key point is that when entrepreneurs calculate what investors will get at liquidity, they focus on the exit valuation of the venture. In the "10% of the company for $1 million" scenario, entrepreneurs are projecting that investors will receive 10% of the exit valuation of the venture when this is almost never the case. Instead, as in our 10% example, the investor can expect to receive 2% to 3% (10% ÷ by 3 to 6).

Step 4: Use the exit ratios to arrive at the entry valuation.

As experience and the Gadzoox Networks example illustrate, venture investors who are seeking a 5X to 10X return can reasonably expect their early stage investment to be diluted by a factor of 3X to 6X as the number of shares in the venture increases. Those that understand the dilution effect can educate the entrepreneurs and negotiate a valuation that is mutually agreeable. Investors who don't understand the dilution effect, but know from experience that they cannot realistically expect a 5X to 10X return if they use the venture's exit valuation, instinctively bargain for a higher return multiple (20X) or aggressively curtail the entrepreneur's projections (and hence reduce the projected venture's exit valuation). In either case, the relationship gets off on the wrong foot-if any investment is made at all--because the entrepreneur may view a 20X target return as excessive or may feel that the investor is unreasonably cutting down the revenue projections.

Step 5: Dilution is the currency and natural consequence of rapid and successful growth.

Frequently the entrepreneur, whose viewpoint is often colored by inexperience, insists that once the venture receives first round funding the expanding business will generate all the cash they need to grow. Angel investors know that most ventures lose money for the first couple of years, and even if a venture is immediately profitable, it is virtually impossible to grow revenues to $30 million to $100 million in three to five years without substantial infusions of cash.

To create a framework for this discussion, lay out a capital plan for the venture. Model the entrepreneur's vision, and then add what is likely to happen in real life. Use balance sheets and expense projections to model cash flow projections, and don't forget to include development costs, capital equipment and other items that are capitalized-capitalized expenses can result in a company that shows profits but consumes cash. Calculate the increase in distribution and marketing costs as sales and revenue climb. A venture that has almost zero cost of sales, no receivables, and no inventory will still need cash balances and reserves.

Even if the entrepreneur can make a convincing case that accelerated revenue and rapid turns on their accounts receivable will offset the need for cash, you still must account for how much equity will be issued to attract and reward key employees, to compensate directors, advisors, consultants, to pay for equipment from leasing companies, or to obtain credit lines from banks. Non-investment dilution will occur as it is in neither angels' nor entrepreneurs' best interest to short change on options and hire inferior executive or employees just to save on equity.

Table 2 separates the dilution that resulted from additional financing from non-funding dilution for Gadzoox Networks. The total funding dilution was almost twice the non-funding dilution.

Table 2: Funding and Non-funding Dilution for Gadzoox Networks.

Round	Angel	VC	SP # 1	SP # 2	IPO	TOTAL
Date	Jan-96	Sep-96	May-97	Sep-98	Jul-99
$/share	0.74	1.80	4.78	7.65	74.81
Non-money shares		0.5	0.6	1.0	3.2	5.4
Shares pre	6.2	9.4	14.5	17.7	23.6
Money shares	2.7	4.4	2.1	2.7	1.0	10.3
Shares post	8.9	13.9	16.6	20.4	24.6

Conclusion: A common understanding of valuation and exit ratios produces smoother negotiations and can be instrumental in building a constructive relationship between investors and entrepreneurs.

Investing isn't like heads-up hold-em poker where each player withholds information from the other and each tries to convince the other that they have a better hand than they actually do. Quite the opposite, in investing the objective is for both sides to share information as completely as possible, and then work together toward their shared goal of building a very successful company.

Strong angels know the finance and investment process and have extensive operating experience. As they create the environment for joint discussion, entrepreneurs have the opportunity to reciprocate by educating investors on their technology and markets. Both sides are able to go beyond the jargon and understand the business at a deeper level and become better able to recognize the value each brings. When a relationship starts this way, good things happen even when things hit a rough patch.

Not too long ago, one of TechCoast Angels' ventures was forced to do a down-round. The CEO and founder was so appreciative of the value he had received from TCA, that instead of a ‘washout' round, he set it up so that a 20 percent investment in the down-round protected the entire position from earlier rounds. Our shares weren't washed out; the company turned around and was sold. Those of us who invested in both rounds made a good return.

When the relationship between angel and entrepreneur is rooted in common understanding and mutual trust, the angel can offer useful advice, which the entrepreneur is tuned to accept. The angels and entrepreneurs are in alignment, and once the deal is funded they can work together to build a great venture and share in the rewards.

NOTES
¹A Method of Valuing High Risk, Long-Term Investments, The "Venture Capital Method"; Harvard Business School, HBS 9-288-006.

Luis Villalobos conducts workshops on valuation and related subjects. This material is protected by copyright and is extracted from a book that he will be publishing this fall and may not be copied or distributed without his express prior written permission. ACA and the Kauffman Foundation have invluded this article in the ACA newsletter with the author's permission. You can reach the author at www.angel-led.com.

Commencement Address at Plymouth State University

Mon, 22 May 2006 19:03:58 -0000

I was honored to give the commencement address at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire this last weekend. And I have to say...I was pretty nervous! Even after over the last of speaking to many groups ranging in size from eight sales executives at Cisco up to 15,000 at Bush's Inauguration, I think the chance to "shape young minds" got me excited!

Here is my commencement address (minus the the crowd reaction of course!):

*********

Thank you for that kind introduction. How ya' doing class of 2006?!!!!

With that type of reaction...You're all hired!

I'm extremely honored to be here. As many of you know, I won season 2 of "The Apprentice" and spent a full year working with Donald Trump in New York. Now I know what you're all thinking...the question you're all dying to ask...and I'd like to get it out in the open up front... "What's up with his hair?" Well, I did win the show and I never heard the words "You're fired!" for a reason... I don't answer that question!

Believe me, I've had an exciting two years since winning the show. I've been very, very fortunate to do some amazing things. But I can honestly say that all of the excitement, all of the hooplah, surrounding the Apprentice never matched my excitement level on my college graduation day. I vividly remember my and my parents' excitement, my sense of pride and accomplishment, my anxiety and all the questions I had about my future when I was sitting right where you are now - (and as a matter of fact, it was raining hard then too!). The fact that I can remember that far back -- 1989 - tells you how exciting it was for me!

I understand how important this day is to you and what it represents to you and your families and I really am honored to be here. I want to give you a 17 year head start on me and impart some of things I've learned that will hopefully help you succeed as you start on your next adventure...

About a month ago, I was going through customs at the US-Canadian border and the guard asked me three questions:

Where are you from?
What are you doing here?
Where are you going?

And you know what hit me right then? Those are great questions and they are particularly poignant for each of you. As you sit here today on one of the most exciting and celebrated days of your life, think about each of these questions and how you would answer them.

Question #1: Where are you from? There are a lot of ways to think about that question. What motivates you? How did you get to this graduation day? Who has inspired you and supported you? You all have some great accomplishments and surely have suffered through some painful failures and hopefully learned valuable lessons along the way. Of course there are challenges in life, but how do you cope with them? That's the question. If you struggle through them to the finish line no matter how hard it gets, then they'll help you in the future.

Napoleon Hill, author of the classic book, "Think and Grow Rich," which has sold over 60 million copies says, "...the majority of men meet with failure because of their lack of persistence in creating new plans to take the place of those which fail." Don't give up when it gets difficult. I've found that you learn more about yourself from the tough time than you do from the easy ones.

Roger Staubach feels the same way about the people in his organization. I interviewed Roger for my book, TAKE COMMAND. Roger Staubach is a 2-time super bowl champion quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys and founding CEO of the 1,300-person Staubach Company and he says that "success hides brilliance, adversity reveals it." Meaning that he learns more about the people in his company when things are going wrong than when everything is running smoothly. The best people rise to the top during the tough times. This is coming from a person that understands what it means to take the tough road. As a junior at the Naval Academy Roger won the Heisman trophy. The best quarterback Navy has ever had. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys, but declined saying he'd made a commitment to the Navy and planned to meet that commitment. He went on to finish his senior year at the Naval Academy and then completed four years of service in Vietnam. During one of his leaves in that last year in Vietnam, he visited the Dallas Cowboys training camp and decided he would play football and entered the league as a 25-year old rookie. He went on to lead the Cowboys to 2 super bowls. Think about and learn from your past and the challenges you've met and overcome. Think of all of your experiences growing up. Your family and friends. What lessons have you learned here at PSU that you can take with you? In those most challenging times are the lessons that will help you succeed in the future.

I know that all of you have faced challenges in your past and you've overcome them to be where you are today. I want you to know that you are going to face even more difficult times in the future. Whether you're going on to graduate school, starting a new job, starting your own company, taking over the family business, writing your first book, or still figuring out what's next...no matter your course in life, there are going to be obstacles in your way. How you overcome those obstacles will determine your success, not only in that endeavor but all the ones that follow.

I recently had the concept of perseverance really driven home. I have a military background. I went to West Point, served as a Military Intelligence Officer in the US Army, completed airborne and ranger training. 3 of my 4 younger brothers have served active duty in the Navy or the Army and my youngest brother was a scout platoon leader in Iraq for the first year of the war. I'm thankful to say that he came back home safely with his entire platoon and is now married and working as a trader just down the road in Boston. I attribute much of my success to the leadership principles I learned in the military. And one of the ways I try and give back is to support our troops. So, I asked the USO, a great organization that has supported our troops for over 65 years, if I could visit Walter Reed and Bethesda Hospitals in Washington, DC to meet some of our injured soldiers. They eagerly agreed and tried to describe what I should expect during my visit, but I was completely unprepared. The two days I spent with the soldiers who ranged in age anywhere from 18 to 35 impacted me significantly. These soldiers had all lost parts of themselves - literally. Arms, legs, pieces of their skull, vision, hearing. I was expecting them to be incredibly down with very low morale. However, they were as motivated and excited a group as I'd ever met. They were attacking their rehab with excitement and optimism. You could see measurable progress on a daily basis. Many of them, against all odds, weren't just walking again, but were actually running and doing things that seemed inconceivable only a few weeks before. They couldn't wait to get better and get back to their units. It was amazing and truly humbling to see their positive attitude even in the face of grueling hours they spent learning how to walk again or to use a prosthetic. It taught me a lesson about perseverance. There is always someone out there with more pain, problems or adversity in their life. They are able to overcome their obstacles. You can too.

So remember, when you're feeling beat or down or like you just can't go on...it's all in your head. You can persevere. You can succeed at whatever you set your mind to. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't. The skills and determination you've developed overcoming the challenges that you have faced in the past will help you with all of those you're sure to face in the future.

Question #2 -- What are you doing here? Seriously, what are you doing in that seat? At this incredible university? Answer - learning. It doesn't matter if you're the valedictorian, or you just barely made it by. Well, it can matter for some of those job interviews if they ask for your GPA, but, ultimately, it won't determine you're success in life! No matter where you fall in the class rank, you can't spend this much time in this type of an educational environment and not learn a lot of lessons. Academic lessons and life lessons. And now it is time to take those lessons out in the world and succeed at whatever you set your mind to. Do not let those lessons go to waste! Think about them and figure out how to use them. It might not be clear now how chemistry, creative writing, probably and statistics, or history are going to help you in the real world, but that is the beauty and the objective of a liberal education. It gives you the tools to problem-solve. The key is to be flexible. Always evaluate and understand what resources you have at your disposal, keep your ultimate objective in mind and stay open-minded.

Think about how you are going to be able to apply all that you've learned. You may not realize it right now, but every class, every lesson, can be used as you take on challenges that life offers. You never know when they are going to come into play. In my book Take Command, one of the key leadership and success principles I identify is Flexibility. The military gets a bum rap, mostly from Hollywood films, for being lock-step and not very creative. Well, I'm here to tell you that nothing could be farther from the truth. When the commander tells a unit to take a hill, he doesn't tell them how, the unit has to figure that out. Creative problem solving is the key. The successful units figure it out. The same is true in business and in life. As a company, you need to learn how to adapt to changing market conditions. As a leader, or a teammate, you need to understand how to deal with different personalities in different situations.

Speaking of different personalities...that reminds me of the Apprentice. Not every teammate or task is going to be as difficult as say, Omarosa... but each task on the show offered different challenges. One task in particular was a big challenge for the men's team. In Episode 6 our task was to create a women's fashion line, put on a runway show (don't worry, we hired professional models!) and sell as many outfits as we could to the buyers in the audience.

And of course, we ran into a little snag. Our designer was...not very efficient. We were not going to make a deadline where we had to have 6 outfits fully designed and all the materials put together. Our designer had only drawn 3 of the outfits and we had about an hour before we would be disqualified, so I finally grabbed the sketch pad and whipped out three different outfits. That's right, the West Pointer was sketching a woman's clothing line. Talk about flexibility! But believe me, I received a lot of very interesting fan mail around that episode! Well, we met the deadline and one of my skirt designs was a top-seller. We made it to the finish line, but the women's team clobbered us.

Are you flexible? Are you open-minded? Are you a problem-solver? Just because you're graduating today doesn't mean that you stop learning. PSU has given you the tools to continue learning. Companies hire problem-solvers. People that can figure out how to use all the resources at their disposal to get the job done are invaluable. In every situation, keep learning and be flexible to increase your likelihood of success.

Question #3: Where are you going? And I mean besides out to party tonight to celebrate! This is the most important question. I don't think it is critical that you know exactly what you want to do right now. What is important is that you find something you're passionate about. And when I say that "you're passionate about," I really mean YOU - personally. Not what you think other people might want. And not what your parents want (sorry Moms and Dads, you know what I'm saying here!). You need to figure out what lights your fire and go after it.

Last spring I was sitting at my desk in Trump Tower and my phone rang - it was Mr. Trump's assistant. She informed me that he wanted me to meet him downstairs in the lobby and that we were meeting a class of 5^th graders on a field trip. These 5^th graders had some outstanding questions. I mean some great questions. Now that I think about it...I bet they got coached a little on what to ask. One little guy raised his hand and asked, "Mr. Trump what would you do if you didn't have to work?" I smiled to myself when he asked because based on everything I'd seen I'm pretty sure Mr. Trump didn't have to work. Donald said to the boy, "since I was your age there were only two things I ever wanted to do...build buildings...and be a professional baseball player.

That really surprised me. Because I know something you don't... Here's a little story about Donald... Donald loves the Yankees (I know that's probably a bad word around here?). Anyway, he was at a home game and was going to throw out the first pitch. Derek Jeter met him by the dugout and walked him out to the mound. Derek stopped in the grassy area in front of the mound to give Donald the ball so he could throw the pitch closer to home plate. Donald, a little indignant, grabbed the ball and marched all the way up onto the mound. He took a position on the mound facing the catcher, turned back and kicked up his leg, wound his arm back, came through with a beautiful delivery and released the ball toward the catcher. Well...It bounced twice before reaching home plate.

Of course the crowd when crazy cheering and laughing and about 10 seconds later they all screamed at once, "YOU"RE FIRED!"

So now we know why Donald's in real estate!

Now back to the 5^th grader's question. In continuing his answer to the 5^th grader about what he'd do if he didn't have to work, Donald said, "I don't consider what I do to be work. I love it. I love building buildings and I love doing deals." And it is true. Donald doesn't smoke, doesn't drink, doesn't gamble, and he only sleeps about 4 hours a night. And he is incredibly passionate about what he does. That passion comes across to everyone who meets him and it is a big reason he is such a huge success.

So the point here is that as you figure out where you're going, don't be afraid to follow your heart. Go after your passion and be the best at whatever you choose. I've had four different careers and each time I decided that it wasn't for me and I continued searching until I found something I really loved. I challenge you to do the same.

Think about how you would answer those three questions:

Where are you from?
What are you doing here?
Where are you going?

In answering those questions and as you prepare for your next life adventure remember:

Persevere. Set your objective and don't ever give up.
Be flexible. Use all of the resources at your disposal to find solutions.
Pursue your passions.

As the German philosopher Georg Hegel, said "Nothing great in the world has been accomplished without passion."

So I challenge each of you to go forth and accomplish great things in the world!

Congratulations and good luck!

Enneagram -- Tried it...

Thu, 04 May 2006 04:12:05 -0000

Hmmm... Does this thing have any validity?

Enneagram Type Indicator Results

Your highest score will indicate you basic type, or it will be among the top 2-3 scores. You have answered all the questions -- terrific!

Type 1	Type 2	Type 3	Type 4	Type 5	Type 6	Type 7	Type 8	Type 9
5	3	5	1	5	5	4	7	1

The Nine Personality Types of the Enneagram:

Type 1: The Reformer. The rational, idealistic type.
Type 2: The Helper. The caring, nurturing type.
Type 3: The Motivator. The adaptable, success-oriented type.
Type 4: The Artist. The intuitive, reserved type.
Type 5: The Thinker. The perceptive, cerebral type.
Type 6: The Skeptic. The committed, security-oriented type.
Type 7: The Generalist. The enthusiastic, productive type.
Type 8: The Leader. The powerful, aggressive type.
Type 9: The Peacemaker. The easygoing, accommodating type.

www.9types.com

"THE MAN IN THE GLASS"

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 02:47:57 -0000

Love this one by Dale Wimbrow circa 1934...

When you get what you want in your struggle for self and the world makes you king for a day, Just go to the mirror and look at yourself and see what that man has to say

for it isn't your Father, Mother, or Wife whose judgment upon you must pass... The fellow's verdict that counts most in your life is the one starring back from the glass.

Some people might say your a straight shootin' chum and call you a wonderful guy but the man in the mirror says your only a bum if you can't look him straight in the eye

he's the fellow to please never mind all the rest for he's with you clear to the end and you've passed your most dangerous difficult test if the man in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years and get pats on your back as you pass but your final reward will be heart ache and tears if you've cheated the man in the glass....

So... Be passionate about what you're doing, be impeccable, and in all things maintain your integrity!

TAKE COMMAND!