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Business Planning and Business Common Sense
2007-11-17 00:46:00
When I started out in business, I spent a great deal of time researching every detail that might be pertinent to the deal I was interested in making. I still do the same today. People often comment on how quickly I operate, but the reason I can move quickly is that I?ve done the background work first, which no one usually sees. I prepare myself thoroughly, and then when it is time to move ahead, I am ready to sprint. -Donald TrumpIf you have only 5 minutes to solve a business problem related issue problem, you need at least the equivalent time to plan on how to solve the issue. Better yet, twice the amount of time solving it.There are only very few business owners who never plan -they are the exceptions rather than the rules, and they are indeed exceptional in their crafts. Gifted with business intuitions and guts, they succeed. However, if you do not belong to those exceptional business tycoons, common sense dictates that in any business endeavors, it is imperative to plan. In ...
More About: Business , Sense , Planning , Common , Common Sense

Rethinking Freelance Work and Small Business Management: Part 1
2007-11-16 13:43:00
I wish somebody taught me the peril of embarking on managing my own business. There was none. I started with sheer guts, coupled with my technical competencies, and management skills. I thought, those were enough ?I thought wrong. Hence, a couple of years later of operating, I had to close shop. After paying my employees, I was left virtually broke. What were my options?Going back to office work as an employee was on the top most lists, however being my own boss for quite some time, I hesitated. Going back to the corporate world is another big leap for me. I am no longer fitted to wade through office politics and corporate power plays, that is, what I thought then. I am done with that.The other feasible option is going on a freelance job as a management consultant. And so, I did. No corporate politics, no overheads, and no people to manage. I am my own boss. I dictate my pacing, and I still call the shots. I am earning a decent income, and it seems I am moving forward to...
More About: Business , Small Business , Management , Work , Freelance

Insurance: Money that you don?t see?
2007-11-12 03:16:00
It is a common misconception that insurance is an additional expense. Viewed this way, we shun Insurance Quotes that arrives at our doorstep. When in fact, if you have not availed of or enrolled in a Term Life insurance, this is actually a favor being done for you, not nuance you thought of.Insurance is actually an investment on your future and that of your immediate family. It is money that you don?t see after you have the insurance premiums paid, but it is there growing, maturing, and available when least expected.Furthermore, don?t you know that you can actually save money on insurance? How? By investing early or including the insurance premium payment in your employee benefit package. The next time you ask for a raise, include insurance on the package.
More About: Money

Success: A Reflection
2007-11-10 09:22:00
I have been reflecting lately on how I should define and measure success. It is quite hard to concretize what I feel and think about it. There a lot of books written on the subject and am so tempted to get one to ease myself on my pondering. However I was reminded by G.K. Chesterton when he said:There are books showing men how to succeed in everything; they are written by men who cannot even succeed in writing books. Pretty ironic, huh. Amusing perhaps, but it rings some truth in it.Should success be our ultimate goal in life? Rumi, a Sufi mystic poet and philosopher, gave me a tentative answer or another question rather?All day I think about it, then at night I say it. Where did I come from, and what am I supposed to be doing? I have no idea. My soul is form elsewhere, I?m sure of that, And I intend to end up there. Does sacrificing everything in pursuit of success worth it? Was it Jesus who asked:What profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?If ...
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BLOG TITLE CHANGE
2007-11-08 08:54:00
Dear Subscribers, Readers, and Visitors,I've just changed this blog's title from YUPPIES HAVEN CAFE to Young Urban Professionals NOOK. However, the URL Address is retained.FYI, I have a new domain you might want to check out that carries the title: YUPPIES CAFE. This new blog invites other yuppie bloggers to post their articles. If you are interested to contribute, just visit: www.yuppiescafe.com.Oh, lest I be misunderstood. I will continue this blog.Have a great day!Ronnie Ferez
More About: Change , Blog , Title , Chan

Career Change Options for Yuppies
2007-11-07 06:18:00
Did it occur to you one day that you are pursuing the wrong career? The pay you earn, perks you enjoy, and the people you work with are great, but somehow you feel that you are not moving on with a career purpose. Fulfillment and joy of working is lost or has waned considerably to the point of losing your effectiveness on the job and marring your credibility at work. The result: you perpetuate you existence in your organization. Have you considered a career change?Young urban professionals or yuppies end to be too mobile in their early years of working. An informal survey, among professional recruiters and HR practioners, reveals that the first 3 years of a yuppie?s career is seen to be unstable. Majority of younger yuppies that have just started working have a tendency to jump from one organization to the next, or test other field of professions until they settle down to one, at least 3x every two years. However, for those who stayed and progressed through their careers ten...
More About: Change , Career , Options , Chang , Chan

Good Decisions, Bad Decisions
2007-11-05 07:25:00
When was the last time you made a bad career or business decision? What were the consequences? Really bad huh. But the most important thing is what have you learned from it?On his first day at work, young newly MBA Graduate COO (Child Of the Owner ^_^) approached his Boss (his dad actually, the CEO and owner of the Company) and asked what is the key to succeed in their business. The Boss simply replied, ?By making good decisions, son. ? ?That?s quite easy,? the son remarked, and asked, ?But how do you make good decisions, dad?? The Boss promptly replied, ?By making bad decisions, son.?There is a ring of truth in there. It is said that a graduate degree in business or intelligence is not a guarantee to succeed in business or any career. While those are important, they are not entirely the key to success. What you need to have is foresight and hindsight. Foresight is the ability to predict what is likely to happen and be able to plan for it. While hindsight is the ability to ...
More About: Management , Good , Decisions

Always strive to excel, but only on weekends
2007-11-03 13:52:00
Richard Rorty wrote that witty line which serves a good title on this post. Alas, how true! Satirically true. Ironically, if there is something that we always do well, and enjoy doing consistently, are those activities we do on weekends. On the job, or in our career pursuits, it is a different story.Don?t you know that half the enjoyment of life comes from doing things well. How frustrating it is to have to settle for a half-done job!Most of us recognize there are some things we?ll never learn to do well, and it probably doesn?t make any difference whether we do or not. But our primary goals ?those which- we set to accomplish in our careers ?can be achieved with excellence.Sometimes you are put in a position of having to do a job because you are the only one available to do it. But if most of the time you don?t feel you can do well what you are doing, it is probably best if you reexamine yourself and your job, and switch over to doing those things - pursuing a career that is -...
More About: Excel , Always

A New Ballgame in Dating
2007-11-03 13:31:00
It was observed that more and more modern or yuppie women are non-committal when it comes to long-term relationship. Work or career has become predominantly the focus of their attentions, energy, and time; while commitment to a relationship takes a back seat. This was not the case almost two decades ago, where the men are the non-committal species. Why is this? Why the shift? I don?t have the answers but this sure deserves pondering.Women today stand on equal footing. Gone are the traditional or cultural typecast where they are always subject to the domain of men. Not to mention, the servitude impose on them on some remote cultures and society. They are on equal footing with us, meaning, they can match us in any way: career, tasks like soldiering, relationship, including fatherhood. Yeah! You heard it right. Single mothers are sometimes better at the role of fatherhood. Now, that?s another good topic to post, please remind me later.Given the scenario above, dating has an ent...
More About: Relationships , Dating , Dati

Links for 2007-10-30 [del.icio.us]
2007-10-31 06:00:00
A Faith Wavering Saturday I don't worry much about nuances of particular doctrines, but every so often catch myself wondering about the whole grand scheme of faith. Forward Looking: What does the future holds? Foresight is the spending of fifty years of adult life in comparative drudgery in order to be able to spend the remaining ten in a nursing home. -Lambert Jeffries.
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Unique Gift for Mom and Dad
2007-10-31 00:46:00
?A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.? -anonymousThey call me a ?homeboy,? but I didn?t mind. I love staying home more than staying in the office. Unfortunately, being a workaholic, I stay more often in the office than home. I work normally from 7am till 10 pm. I know that is too much. (Okey, that?s beside the point here. ) Hence, coming home from work is a much sought-after event in my day.What I want is a comfy and healthier living home environment. My place is still a far-off on that ideal. But may parent?s home is.Incidentally, mom and dad will be celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary. Whew! Yeah, 45 years of marriage. Now, what could be a unique gift that may have my personal touch in it and that will surely delight my old folks?My brother already thought of a personalized doormat and a park bench to be placed on the front porch of the house. Certainly, that was a great idea. With that, I am left with something to think abou...
More About: Relationships , Gift , Unique

Boredom and painkillers
2007-10-30 14:56:00
When boredom sets in, your senses go numb. you fail miserably in a lot of things for simply your mind is elsewhere.Boredom is similar with painkillers. They don't heal the wound, but rather block our neurons' ending so that they can't send signal of pain to the brain. So, we do not feel the razor sharp scrapping our nerves unlike when we are in pain. In the same manner, boredom inflicts us. When its pangs has totally subdued us; we become insensitive to our surroundings, the presence of others and their feelings, especially at work.What needs to be done? Simply break-out of it! Easier said, than done huh.Steve Winn insightfully wrote:We're terrified of boredom and simultaneously sunk up to our knees in it, a post-"Seinfeld" generation running as hard and frantically as we can to avoid a condition we increasingly regard as inevitable. "I heard you could die of boredom," goes a mordant line in a Neena Beeber play, "but I guess not." "Not so fast. As more and more people seem...
More About: Painkillers

Links for 2007-10-29 [del.icio.us]
2007-10-30 06:00:00
YUPPIES HAVEN CAFE: Boredom and painkillers Boredom is similar with painkillers. They don't heal the wound, but rather block our neurons' ending so that they can't send signal of pain to the brain. So, we do not feel the razor sharp scrapping our nerves unlike when we are in pain. In the same manne YUPPIES HAVEN CAFE: Politics and politicians Democracy substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few. Marketing Basics: Targeted Consumers If you're attacking your market from multiple positions and your competition isn't, you have all the advantage and it will show up in your increased success and income. -Jay Abraham Good Memories, Bad Memories Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose. ~From the television show The Wonder Years Computer Based Learning: A Better Alternative to Personal Development I am often been referred to as a guy who is a 'jack of all trades but a master of n...
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Politics and politicians
2007-10-27 17:22:00
Posted by Ronnie FerezI share the sentiments of George Bernard Shaw when he said: Democracy substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few.Though I am so much interested on political affairs, I still remain indifferent on how a democratic form of government is run by politicians. I have always viewed democracy as a government by the mob, of the mob and for the mob. I know there is no perfect form of government. The kind of government we have is always dictated by its leadership. Government models are ideals in papers and in principles, but in practice, they fail due to the powers that be; those that seat in highest places in government. As the presidential election looms in the US, speculations after speculations have driven the market indexes and prices to a crazy see-saw as usual. Why? Because, whoever takes the helm of the presidency will surely dictate where our economy is headed.Politic s is a necessary evil, I must admit. And so, in the ...
More About: Politicians

I need a vacation! Europe?
2007-10-25 07:33:00
I have always fancied Europe . The richness in history, poetry in every places, the romance in the air, and the thrill are all present in one place or in any city, be it in Paris, Venice or Rome. A perfect vacation other than bathing under the sun in a beautiful beach somewhere in the Caribbean is a tour in the famous places of Europe.How does it feel imagining the thrill of the audience, centuries back, watching gladiators fighting for their life inside the coliseum in Rome? Have you seen the movie: Gladiators by Russell Crowe? IMO that film depicted exactly what transpired inside that coliseum. Or how does it feel to personally admire the magnificent work of art by the legendary Michelangelo on the ceilings of the Sistine Chapel? Don?t you know that it took 4 years for Michelangelo to finish the work? And that afterwards, he developed a stiff neck that he had to endure for years. What a feat!I always imagined myself canoeing with my sweetheart trailing the canals of Venice. A...
More About: Vacation , Rope

Links for 2007-10-24 [del.icio.us]
2007-10-25 07:00:00
Change Management Basic Framework: Part 1 nitiating changes that matter is moving things from their present state of condition into an improved or better state within the shortest possible time. The objective is to get the most benefit from the positive impact of that change. Of course, that has
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LONG VACATION AT THE BEACH
2007-10-23 00:52:00
I simply love the beach and the sea, no quarrel on that. I have always dreamt of owning a beach house and a yacht and retire early on my 40?s. Ahh! That dream seems to be too far-fetched ?working in the urban jungle, and on call almost 24/7, is very frustrating. What I need is long vacation at the beach. No cellphone, no emails, no clients? call, white sand, margarita, beautiful ladies in skimpy bikinis, and most of all ?alone with my favorite books.However, with my busy schedule, preparing for a long vacation is simply too cumbersome, and sometimes messy. Calling booking agencies, tourist outfits, and getting an economical flight to your vacation destination is a lot for a busy yuppie like me. I just want to pack my bags and my diving gears and off I go. I wish, it was that just as easy.The good thing though, I stumbled upon HotelReservations.com. They offer vacation packages that match my interest, destinations and appetite for a hassle-free vacation. They can arrange a g...
More About: Reviews , Beach , Vacation , Long

Links for 2007-10-21 [del.icio.us]
2007-10-22 07:00:00
The Secrets of Developing Creative Thinking Skills : Part 2 "Few people think more than two or three times a year. I have made an international reputation for myself by thinking once or twice a week."-George Bernard Shaw The problem is knowing where to start. If you say to yourself as you look at your refle
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The Secrets of Developing Creative Thinking Skills : Part 2
2007-10-22 05:05:00
Written by Ronnie Ferez"Few people think more than two or three times a year. I have made an international reputation for myself by thinking once or twice a week."-George Bernard ShawThe problem is knowing where to start. If you say to yourself as you look at your reflection on the mirror, there I am, at least, I think I am alive and still good looking; you start with a rather shaky premise. Or if you try to go on from there to try to understand everything around you in terms of your own being, you will end up with a system of thought which may well be brilliant but will certainly be inadequate. The secrets of developing creative thinking skills starts with these practical, often neglected, habits:Reading. Read a good book that inspire, like an unabridged biography of one of history?s great leaders or popular personality. Better yet, self-help books like the popular Seven Habits by Highly Effective People written by Stephen Covey or a book on reflections on various topics by ...
More About: Creative , Secrets , Part , Skills , Thinking

Links for 2007-10-18 [del.icio.us]
2007-10-19 07:00:00
Path to Self Redemption Part 2: Courage When failures, mistakes, defeats and losses hit us sprawling on the ground, sometimes, it is better that we don?t hit back but instead, we roll with the punches. It pays to wait for the bell to ring in our favor so that we can go back in our corner, reg Promote Trusted Products in your Business A lot of start-up business over the internet suffered major drawbacks, if not losses because of simple business-common-sense mistakes ?wrong product endorsement. The net is plagued with products and services, pitching their sales to get into your pocket Reliable Banking Solution for Start-up Business How do businesses conduct their buying and selling on line? Well easy, and it?s common knowledge already, through credit card transaction facilities. The same is true with off-line retail services and stores. In order to serve their customers promptly a Change Management Tips as much as employees need to celebrate new beginnings, you will need to provide op...
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The Secrets of Developing Creative Thinking Skills : Part 1
2007-10-18 12:29:00
Written by Ronnie Ferez"All men by nature desire knowledge." -AristotleSometimes I sit down and think about the fact that our world is rather ridiculous. Depending on how I feel at the time, my reaction varies from laughing to crying. Have you ever thought how silly it is that millions of us should be on a little planet spinning in space? We don?t know where it?s heading (except for the fact that if we don?t do something about global warming, this plane might turn into a Waterworld, like what was depicted on the movie by Kevin Costner.); we don?t get along with each other (history is riddled with hatred and wars), most of us have never seen much of the rest of the planet; and the majority of us don?t really care about it (huh, going back on the global warming issue.) Just so long as we have food in our stomachs, a roof over our heads and money in our pockets, and the latest cellphone money can buy, the earth can go on spinning crazy on its axis for all we care. We are struck w...
More About: Creative , Secrets , Part , Skills , Thinking

Links for 2007-10-17 [del.icio.us]
2007-10-18 07:00:00
Blog with an Audience in Mind A couple of months ago, a paradigm shift on my blogging took place, I am no longer blogging for them either. Now the demand and responsibility is greater. Due to the unsolicited responses I received from other audience other than my staff, friends and re
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Yuppie Diet: Eating the Right Kind of Food
2007-10-18 04:28:00
Posted by Ronnie FerezMy mom used to tell me that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and I cannot simply leave for school unless I eat my breakfast. Now? Well, she will be mad if she?ll learn that I have been skipping breakfast ever since started working and fending for myself. ^^,I only eat two meals a day; one is a packed brunch at work between 10 to 11 am (breakfast and lunch in one) and another, heavy supper between 7 to 9 pm. In between, I drink lots of coffee and I bet my mom will be really furious about this dietary habit. I carefully choose the right kind of food I eat though, and take vitamin supplements regularly. I am in good shape in spite of this food rudiment, but I think, I could be better if I pay close attention with my diet and regular exercise. How about you? How your daily menu does? How do you stay fit?If you are trying to shed those extra pounds or you want to gain some, or want to stay fit, there is a better and proven way, and it?s free...
More About: Food , Diet , Health and Fitness , Eating

Blog with an Audience in Mind
2007-10-17 10:23:00
Written by Ronnie FerezMy First Blog Audience : MyselfI started blogging for myself. I never had the intention of publishing any of the articles and notes I have written for public consumption. What prompted me to publicize was the idea of sharing some of my motivational insights about work and life with my office staff (I shared this here.) My Second audience: People within my sphere of influenceThe radical shift from a private blog into a public one carries with it a huge responsibility. For one, I am no longer writing to express what I think and feel at the moment, having myself as my only audience. Two, I have to write in order to encourage, instruct or inspire my staff, friends and a few relatives as my added audience. Hence I started blogging with a different intent, more frequent and regularly, in a more formal tone, and post varied useful topics addressed to them. It was rigid, yet fulfilling in the long run especially reading their comments or reactions. I grew with ...
More About: Mind

Links for 2007-10-16 [del.icio.us]
2007-10-17 07:00:00
The Secrets of Developing Creative Thinking Skills: Part 1 "All men by nature desire knowledge." -Aristotle Sometimes I sit down and think about the fact that our world is rather ridiculous. Depending on how I feel at the time, my reaction varies from laughing to crying. Have you ever thought how silly it
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Links for 2007-10-14 [del.icio.us]
2007-10-15 07:00:00
A Wordless Sunday What can I say? It's is supposed to be a wordless Sunday. "Word of mouth" Ad through Blogging According to a recent global Nielsen Internet Survey: "Despite an ever-expanding array of advertising platforms and sources, consumers around the world still place their highest levels of trust in other consumers?" What does this implies? To m 3 Inexpensive Ways to Care for your Employees Human Resource is no longer viewed as an additional expense on the company?s budget but as an investment, hence the term ?Human Capital? was born. However, the relentless rise in essential consumer goods? prices and the pestering of higher inflati The Emerging Role of HRM in Organizations The Human Resource Management (HRM) profession and practices have undergone substantial change and redefinition over the years. It is interesting to note that many articles on HRM issues have been critical of the traditional HRM Function. Well, the observ Managing Union...
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Links for 2007-10-14 [Digg]
2007-10-15 07:00:00
A Wordless Sunday What can I say? It's a wordless Sunday. *sigh First post about blogging and blogging for money A highlight on my first attempt at "blogging for money." 3 Inexpensive Ways to Care for your Employees Human Resource is no longer viewed as an additional expense on the company’s budget but as an investment, hence the term ‘Human Capital’ was born. However, the relentless rise in essential consumer goods’ prices and the pestering of higher inflation rates affect both you as a businessman, first and foremost, and then your employees , although, empl Managing Unions Part 2: Effective Communication System One Labor Union President was heard to comment: The employees who are most difficult to organize into Labor Unions are those who are best informed. The reason is obvious. Allowing news about the company to simply spread through the grapevine is dangerous. The grapevine breeds on bitterness and dissatisfaction from both real and imagined ...
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A Wordless Sunday
2007-10-14 13:43:00
Staring at my computer on a wordless Sunday morning.Looking through my lenses on a lonely wordless Sunday.My wordless Sunday is almost over. Sigh.

Links for 2007-10-12 [Digg]
2007-10-13 07:00:00
Random Two Miscellaneous small thoughts on various topics. sting of foolish decisions scattered phrases and a broken poem on making foolish decisions.
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Links for 2007-10-11 [Digg]
2007-10-12 07:00:00
7 Steps to Master the Art of Listening Don’t you know that more often we waste so much time talking when we should have been listening, and that we tend to waste more time solving a problem even before we discover or realize what the real problem is? Why? Because we simply love to talk more than listen. "Word of mouth" Ad through Blogging According to a recent global Nielsen Internet Survey: "Despite an ever-expanding array of advertising platforms and sources, consumers around the world still place their highest levels of trust in other consumers…"What does this implies?
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