I don’t have a problem with big per se. Especially when a company wants to grow, grow, grow and reach everyone, be everywhere, dominate the market. Well, ok, maybe I do have a problem with it. I hate that mom-and-pop bookstores have all but disappeared under the pressure of big-box chains. (We won’t mention the Borders trajectory.) This country was… Read more →
Year: 2011
I don’t believe God endorses spitting on 2nd graders
I was appalled at the news reports about a 2nd grade girl named Naama in Beit Shemesh, Israel, shaking and crying on her way to school each morning, afraid that the haredim or ultra-Orthodox who live in her town might taunt her. Do these people really believe God is shining down from above, applauding their zealotry, and saying, “That’s exactly… Read more →
Bravery
Whenever you put yourself out there, whether in a blog or in another form of writing, you risk inviting comments from the masses. It’s part of the deal; you share, others feel they know you enough to judge you. Never mind the cowardly fashion of lurking on blogs and Facebook pages, of hovering in the wings of someone’s life, of… Read more →
Is Business Based on Tricks or Simply Tricky?
“Having a mythical background is an excellent marketing trick.” – Vili Lehdonvirta, as quoted in Oct. 10, 2011, New Yorker article about crypto-currency. Every great entrepreneur, in time, wraps himself in a shroud of mystery. The stories he shares with the public about his background, his inspiration, his family and his focus are carefully chosen and leaked strategically. The private… Read more →
Making a Difference vs. Making Money
Why do they have to be separate? The thing is, if you’re setting out to make money and make money alone, you’re probably going to match Sisyphus’ uphill climb. You’ll make some and you’ll do it in time but likely without heart. If your purpose is to make a difference, then the money will come – especially if you match… Read more →
Another blog from Seth Godin’s seminar
“Revolutions destroy the perfect and enable the impossible. ‘It’s OK to fail’ is an artist’s notion, not a business notion. We must take the threads of ideas and the threads of interest and weave them into something new.” – Seth Godin, December 6-7, 2011 We drove to Union City, Michigan this weekend to meet our favorite children’s author, Patricia Polacco. Her… Read more →
My Superpower: Making something delicious out of nothing
Call me the leftover chef. I’m really good at looking at what is in the refrigerator and freezer and putting together a multiple-course dinner that is delicious, satisfying and nourishing. I did it last night, even. We were supposed to have Shabbat dinner at a friend’s house but her kids were sick, so I found a loaf of challah in… Read more →