Far away in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.

– Louisa May Alcott

I hope you enjoy this in the way that I did.

What would you do if you knew you wouldn’t fail?

What would you do if you knew you could not fail? What kind of person would you be? What would a typical day look like? There’s a reason that star-gazing provokes the most powerful dreams. They’re right there for the taking, yet you can’t touch them. Their distance only feeds an ability to inspire. Dreams may seem out of reach, but that’s not the point of dreams. They’re there to be felt, not touched or dissected. What a star is made of is meaningless to a moonlit dreamer. The epic possibilities are what’s important. The payoff is not so much in the destination as it is in the journey. By following your dreams, you make their beauty a part of who you are. Your life begins to shine. You become a better person. By chasing that star, you’ve already captured its magic.

I recently departed my job at Citigroup in Dallas having spent one year as a Technology Management Associate and moved back to Miami as of Monday. I’m starting Invizio, an IT services, solutions and consulting company with my best friend Kyle. Our goal is to serve small business clients in the Miami area and to do it well. What sets us apart from the plethora of IT service providers out there is that we don’t sell clients a solution, hope it breaks and then bill them hourly when it does. Instead we provide proactive monitoring and management of their IT environment that runs the gamut from desktop support to information security for a predictable monthly fee. This approach absolves a small business owner of the headache that accompanies manging the people, processes and systems that characterize IT. Our services offer them cost predictability and allows them focus on their core competencies. They save money, we make money, and the world is a happy place.

Our decision has been to build this company from the ground up. No business loan, no big shot capital injections or anything of the like. Just me, my buddy, enough to stay afloat for 10 months, a growing social network and our 11 years of combined experience in the field. I felt it was very important, albeit vital for me to able to fully commit my time to my venture and it would’ve pained my heart to give it less than my full attention. Presently I’ve decided to go cold turkey with no full or part time job. I face the prospect of a dwindling bank account and a finite mound of personal savings to burn through until it necessitates finding a job to cover my bills (see also ‘When Does An Entrepreneur Take A Regular Job?’). In July when I take my finals for this trimester, I will be putting my dual MBA/MS degree at the University of Dallas on hold.

Though for some the decision to start a company at this time in my life may be viewed as risky, I see it in a different light. One great piece of advice I once received was to not only make it a point to know what could go wrong, but also to quantify it. On one hand I’m giving up professional experience in a corporate environment, a 2%-4% annual bump and a few extra dollars in the 401K. On the other an opportunity to pursue my dreams, meet lots of people and a learning experience that is unparalled even in the event of failure. The advice I’ve received from my managers, mentors and friends all echo the same message, ‘While you’re young, with no obligations, now is the time to give it a try.’

So to keep a long story short. We’ve been planning it for the better part of a year and now we’re working on getting everything up and running in the background. Our plan is to launch officially in July so Ill make sure to do an official post about our company when we’re all set to go. Thanks for the continued support and please keep reading. “A journey of a thousand miles, begins with a single step”. I hope you will come along for our journey.

Just over a month ago, my friend David Mullings (CEO of Realvibez) posted on his blog about the ‘Frustration of Not Being Able to Raise Capital’. He was having difficulty raising cash for the company and it clearly pained his better entrepreneurial wisdom to vocalize it so openly. I have always had a great level of respect and admiration for David, his tenacity and his venture. Empathizing as I read, I decided right then that I would lend what little help, if any, I could.

Before I even let him know that I would try to help out, I gave a mini-pitch on his behalf to my friend Wali who is connected in with the Florida Venture Forum. One thing led to another, and now David may be on the brink of securing capital. It all started with one post for help and one hand who unselfishly lent it. That is the nature of business karma.

Without my prompting David has decided to connect the dots on his blog, and now in a guest post on NetworkingEffectively.com. He urges others to share their stories, so here I am, sharing mine. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and never hesitate to offer. It comes back around, whether you know it or not.

*In case you’re wondering what I get out the deal, I think a Google search of Kevin V. Michael just gained a few points

Also had a blast watching this lecture given at MIT by Thomas Friedman (author of the World is Flat and New York Times Foreign Affairs Columnist). By the time the class is through I should be through another one of his acclaimed books “The Lexxus & the Olive Tree”

And for kicks I figure you should probably give this a watch as well. Almost made me think that all Americans should have 10 children and teach them calculus starting at age 5. Hope you enjoy it the way I did, because shift happens!

Also, if you have any other book recommendations on globalization feel free to share. I intend to continue discussion of globalization on the blog, so please contribute your thoughts on the issue.

Recently, I have come across two terms floating around the IT services industry, both attempting to communicate the same thing. The first is managed service provider (MSP), a term that has been coined and in usage for almost 5 years. The other technology-as-a-service, a more recent pondering put forward by Arnie Bellini of ConnectWise. Both terms are trying to encapsulate what it means to offer proactive support and management of a client’s IT environment at a fixed recurring cost.

So my challenge to you is: put yourself in the shoes of a business owner. If someone said to you “We are a managed service provider of IT”, and someone else said “We offer technology-as-a-service”, which would be more intuitive to you?

Now suppose that you are the service provider, and you were asked to summarize what your service does, which one would you use? Which one better communicates your message?

I think that as the service provider, you should go for what is more intuitive for your customers and damn the industry practitioners if they don’t like it. Michael Cooch from EveronIT almost ripped Arnie a new one but at the end of the day, even he could admit that you’re still doing business and in fewer words.

Office Space Virtualization

With the tremendous growth of Internet enabled collaboration and communication technologies, who needs an office! Why burn up your precious startup capital in a lease agreement if you can realistically survive without it. There is a growing number of companies that offer you virtual office space. Have a big meeting on the horizon? Need a professional environment in which to meet a client? No problem! For a fraction of monthly rental costs, these nifty services offer you a furnished office environment with an internet connection, phone, fax and sometimes even a receptionist to boot. Mail receipt and mail forwarding can also be added bonuses.

Virtual Receptionists

Think about it. If your company doesn’t see clients where you are located, but you want need someone to answer the phone to manage general inquiries, setup appointments and all that great jazz, then you should consider a virtual receptionist. These lovely ladies (they’re almost always women) not only answer the phone to say hello, but they can also provide callers with information about your company, your services, location and a whole lot more. In an age where there’s an automated voice response system for everything, a personal touch on a lean budget is still possible. It’s either that or you could always take all your calls on your cellphone. But if you’re going to take calls directly on your cell…

you may also consider..A Virtual Phone System

For the usual cost of a bag of peanuts, you can get a 1-800 number, a voice menu and your favorite elevator music. A Virtual PBX can create the impression that you are much bigger than you actually are.

and….get this…Virtual Interns

Sounds a little crazy, but if you have a position available in your company that someone could accomplish on a part time basis, there’s lots of college kids looking for some experience. Get some virtual interns!! Mentos did it last summer and even got some publicity out of it.

Wrap Up

So if you really get it, you understand that virtualizing is just a fancy way to say outsourcing. I believe that the future of services in the new economy is where everyone does what they do best. Why have an HR department if you’re not an HR company? Virtualize it!

Ultimately, clients will judge your company by any and all of the interactions they may have with your outsourcing partners. Remember to take extra steps to ensure that you aren’t sacrificing service quality and you’ll be well on you way to running a cash efficient operation with professional expertise.

Note that I have not recommended any particular services. Just like everyone else you should do your research and ensure that a virtual partner is a fit for your business and its needs.

When I started reading Randall Pinkett’s book Campus CEO a while back I was struck by the notion of social entrepreneurship. The definition provided for social entrepreneurship is “the process of using entrepreneurial and business skills to create innovative approaches to social problems”. In Randall’s case he talks about how his IT company BCT Partners has always focused in the areas of community development and human services. More recently my friend Pamela wrote a note about a team of MIT students who developed a method to turn plant waste into low-cost charcoal briquettes that could assist with Haiti’s cooking oil crisis. Both of these are remarkable examples of how you can combine business savvy and ingenuity to not only benefit yourself but the communities of the world as well.

Yet if you’re not in a business that offers a product or service that has such a direct impact, it may feel difficult to become a part of the action. So how do you make a difference?

Leverage Volunteer Involvement to Build Rapport & Meet Prospects

Many community based volunteer associations are not solely focused on having volunteers carry out a social agenda, but also provide a forum for volunteers to connect with each other. I currently volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters here in Dallas and the monthly volunteer social events organized for us ‘Bigs’ are great opportunities to meet new people, build rapport and perhaps make new business contacts.

Another example of this is my business partner Kyle. By deciding to volunteer with the Elevate Miami intiative he will encounter many small business owners in Miami that could one day become part of our customer base. My instructions to him are simple (although he needs none): Volunteer, Connect, Keep In Touch. By developing a cordial relationship with these people now while volunteering, we can leverage that relationship into potential future business.

Sponsor Outreach Events

I recently marveled at how my friends David & Robert Mullings over at Realvibez.com have managed to stay very socially entrepreneurial in their efforts. Although Realvibez is an entertainment company at heart, they have remained socially responsible through involvement in community based organizations and by sponsoring events such as the recently concluded Jamaica Youth Forum. What these guys do, not only benefits the common good, but is also good for business because it translates into increased visibility and recognition for their company.

Be A Good Corporate Citizen

Make it your company philosophy to be socially concerned. You may attempt this in a number of ways. You could make it a goal for your company as a whole to participate in a volunteer event (e.g. a 10K or AIDS Walk) on a regular basis. Sure it may take you away from what you would like to be focused on, but it’s good for the community and provides an opportunity for your employees to bond. It may even be as simple as giving a talk at a local high school about the benefits of hard work and a dedication to excellence. On the other hand you may even go as far to start a scholarship foundation or provide internship opportunities to qualified students. You’ve just got to pick something that you care about and go with. Just by being a black male in the area of technology and having worked in a few corporations, I realize how few of us there are around. I would one day like to offer some means, whether it be a scholarship, job opportunity or summer camp to inspire other young black males to pursue technology and science. Although the goal here would be to touch lives, there is an intrinsic component of self-promotion that goes along with it. Once again, good for others, good for business.

Those are my thoughts for now!! Please share yours.

What do you care about? What would you do to give back if you had a company?

When I think about it, resumes are indeed a pretty dull way to convey one’s accomplishments and potential. What Seth has proposed here is to forget about placing your efforts in crafting the resume sent from heaven, and instead focus on creating a personal brand. By developing a personal brand you will be able to communicate to others more effectively who you are as individual, and in keeping with the new tradition of social networking, rely on others to speak of your personal brand when you are not around.

The only problem? HR folks love the keyword searches and the resume systems. And given the volume of applicants they receive since job searching hit the web, I don’t blame them. So in the mean time try to let the resume speak for itself. Once you’ve landed the interview, make sure you have personal brand to back it up.

Kudos to Seth for challenging the notion of a resume being important. He may be on to something here. Hmmm….