Structuring Creativity: How to Really Get Things Done | Page19

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Between attempting to balance career and personal life, you may not have the luxury of waiting for the muses to find you in a hotbed of chaos. What you can do instead is set the stage by tidying up your creative habits. David Allen, productivity consultant and author of Getting Things Done and Ready for Anything, has plenty of advice on how to get organized on the job, but the same principles apply to creative work, too.

If you’ve been waiting around to find time for that big project you care about, or wondering how to figure out what your creative calling actually is, tune in. You’ll discover a new way of thinking about creativity and unearthing your own through the art and science of note-taking, time-keeping, and scheduling.

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15 Experts On What It Means to Be an Entrepreneur | Business News Daily

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Most people would agree that an entrepreneur is a person who has started his or her own business. But that basic definition barely scratches the surface. It does little to capture the true essence of what it means to be a risk-taker, innovator and individual willing to carve his or her own path in a world that doesn’t always take kindly to people who fail to follow the status quo.

Are you itching to venture out on your own, but you wonder if you have what it takes to choose the road less traveled? Check out what 15 company founders and business leaders told Business News Daily about what they think makes a truly successful entrepreneur.

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The Difference Between Marketing and Advertising | Small Biz Trends

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If you ask the person next to you about the difference between marketing and advertising, there’s a strong possibility you won’t get a clear answer. That’s because for many people, there’s only a subtle difference between marketing and advertising that’s often difficult to explain.

To be honest, advertising and marketing are closely related disciplines that have much in common. Yet they differ in many ways too. To see the differences and how each can benefit you as a small business owner, you must first understand the basics of both.

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Should You Start a Business with your Friend? | Getentrepreneurial

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Starting a business is an exciting, yet stressful, experience. Businesses are formed in many ways, some of which are joint ventures. These business partnerships can occur for a number of reasons, including a lack of skill sets, poor connections within the industry or not enough financial resources. Many times, the people who form a business partnerships already have a personal relationship, such as a friendship. Although this can be rewarding, it can also be challenging at times. Businesses built between friends are most successful when emotions do not get in the way, which is done by keeping business practices as impersonal as possible.

This article will explain some of those challenges and how to avoid many of them by planning ahead through successful business practices and reasoning. First and foremost, it is essential to make all decisions with the company’s best interests in mind. This can be done by establishing ground rules so that when a problem arises, common issues and negative outcomes can be avoided.

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VW: Prosecutors in Germany and France widen probes | BBC News

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Prosecutors in Germany and France have broadened their investigations into the emissions scandal at Volkswagen.

Authorities in Paris have opened a formal probe into “aggravated fraud” over the use of diesel engine devices that gave misleading emissions results.

And German prosecutors said the number of VW employees now under investigation has increased from six to 17.

VW, which said it is cooperating with all inquiries, had about 11 million cars fitted with the emissions devices.

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Warning: Why Businesses Need to Be Careful on Twitter | All Business

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Too many businesses make the mistake of ignoring Twitter. There are some people who look at it, but don’t understand it, and there are massive numbers of dormant accounts.

The point isn’t that everyone is on Twitter; the key is understanding what you can do with it and why you need to be there.

Twitter is still the most efficient network for reaching out to busy people who have gatekeepers on their phones and email, but you need to be careful on Twitter to make sure you are getting the most out of it and don’t end up “ghost banned,” also known as “shadow banned.” (More on that near the end of this post.)

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Tesla Takes on the Dealerships—and GM | Bloomberg Business

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“We need your help,” Tesla wrote in a Feb. 19 e-mail to its customers in Indiana. The state legislature was about to move forward with a bill that would have forced the electric-car maker to find a franchisee to operate its one showroom in the state, setting a precedent that would make it harder for Tesla to open others elsewhere. The company claimed the legislation reflected the interests and influence of one rival: General Motors. “Don’t let GM tell you that your only option is to buy a car from a traditional franchised dealer by shutting out Tesla,” the e-mail continued. Tesla asked recipients to contact their lawmakers.

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Millennials: 10 Things Old Farts Won’t Tell You About Entrepreneurship (Fifth in the series)

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Reagan and Gorb

5. You Can’t Win, If  You Can’t Walk

Bert was one of the most successful people I’ve ever known.  He was the co-owner of a construction company I worked for in my twenties.  His whole life would change when he had a chance meeting with the creator of TV Guide, Walter Annenberg, on a bike ride in Rancho Mirage. From that fateful meeting, he went on to become fast friends with Ronald Reagan and a behind the scenes power broker in the California Republican party.

But before that time he was a roughneck that made good.  He was always helping people regardless of their color, religion or political beliefs.  He used to take me along to deal negotiations.  On these long trips we would discuss and sometimes debate politics, unions or the general state of the nation.  He was older, rich and on his way to becoming wealthy and conservative.  I was young, broke and very liberal. There were things we didn’t see eye to eye about, but I never felt judged by him.  He always treated me with respect even if he thought my opinion was less than smart.

Continue reading “Millennials: 10 Things Old Farts Won’t Tell You About Entrepreneurship (Fifth in the series)” →

Forget Your Keys? Your Next Car May Be Unlocked With Your Smartphone | NBC News

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You might notice something missing if you buy the new 2017 Volvo S90. The car key.

Starting with the launch of the new sedan later this year, the Swedish automaker plans to abandon the car key, except as a special option.

And Volvo isn’t alone. Traditional metal car keys have almost vanished entirely. Ford, for example, offers standard keys on only two new truck models. And they could vanish entirely in the next few years. But Volvo and others may also abandon the smart, wireless keyfobs that have come to take the place of standard keys, as well.

“Mobility needs are evolving, and so are our customers’ expectation to access cars in an uncomplicated way,” said Henrik Green, vice president at Volvo.

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