Making noise

Mar 23 2009 ∞

Parked Car

I work from home and this allows me some very nice creature comforts; I don’t have to go into an office every day, I can sleep and work on my own schedule and I don’t have to ask for the day off to celebrate my once a year Irish heritage.  This St. Patty’s day found me meeting a good friend at his house to take a trip up to Bailey’s to watch some basketball games and imbibe in a few adult beverages.  My girlfriend then made the ever so compassionate decision to pick my drunken butt up from the bar and drive me home later that night.

The whole way home we were figuring out how I could get my car from my friend’s house the next morning so I wouldn’t be stranded at the house all day… I’m embarrassed to say that thought made my chest tighten at the time.

Well, the next morning came around and apparently I had drank just a FEW too many Smithwick’s on St. Patty’s Day and I wasn’t able to make it out of bed when Katie left for work, so I had to make the tough decision!  I would pick it up after she got home from work.

And you know what?  The world didn’t end.

I didn’t miss a life changing moment (that I know of), I didn’t wish I had my car all day so I could get done all the things that I didn’t really need to do.  I didn’t mind walking to Royal Oak to spend some time and do some work at Leaf and Bean.  I enjoyed the slower pace and the chance to clear (the fogginess from) my head… and I had one of the more productive days in recent memory.  I strolled on over to Zumba and had some food before I walked back home at the end of the day.  When Katie arrived home from work, we went out and had dinner (the renovated Maria’s in Ferndale looks great, btw) before finally deciding to go pick up the car near the end of the night (WITH a $20 ticket, thank you City of Clawson).

All of this got me to thinking “how would I do without a car?”  And I think for me, right now, it draws 4 questions that I hope to find the answer to.

  1. What kind of an impact will my personal decision make on the environment?
  2. What kind of changes to my life, routines and habits will I make if I am going to walk, find public transit or bum a ride every time I need to go somewhere? 
  3. How much will my friends hate me when it’s all over?
  4. And maybe the best question; how will the City of Detroit step up to my challenge?  How well does the current system of bus, cab, walk and bike stack up to the life and routine of a young business professional?

April 1st to April 30th 2009 I plan to find out. 

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Feb 28 2009 ∞

It’s Time

I left my position as Sales Director for evolve group, inc on Wednesday.  

While those words feel very foreign to say, I know that it was time to move on.  I had an unbelievable run there, made some money (multiple years of over $1 million in revenue), made a lot of new connections, learned more than I previously felt I could pack into my little brain (and I mean little), made some friendships, and became somewhat of a Bubble Hockey freak.  Justin, you’ve got more skill and artistic talent in your pinky than I’ve got in my whole body and I really appreciate the friendship we’ve developed and all that I learned from you (however poorly, I officially now draw in perspective).

So the question now is “where to?”  I’m going to take some time to think about it, I really think that now is the time for me to put all of my experience to use and “bet on myself” as the old cliche goes.

Stay tuned while I fine tune some details for the announcement!

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Feb 11 2009 ∞

Charlie Wollberg, who holds the coveted title of “Chief Troublemaker” at Curve Detroit, a marketing strategy and creative design firm in Pontiac Michigan, says in his vlog that Michigan is on its way to a 3.1 billion dollar bailout!  

If every shopper bought $20 worth of michigan made groceries every week, that’s how much money we’d keep in state every year!  Not to mention less carbon emissions in shipping, less preservatives, less energy keeping it cold (coal energy) and fresher food on your table (did you know the average meal travels 1700 miles before it reaches your plate?).

Great video and I’ll certainly be taking some cues next time I go to the grocery store but, hey Charlie!  Where’s McClure’s Pickles?  They’re a favorite of the evolve crew.

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Feb 10 2009 ∞

Superbowl Advertising Dollars Down

The spending on advertising for the Superbowl is a microcosm of what’s going on in the world right now.  Companies are choosing to spend their money in areas where they see a slightly larger opportunity than trying to talk to Jim Football who’s sitting home on his couch watching tv.

-  Did you know that 75% of customers enter a store knowing what product they need to buy? 

-  Did you know that only 25% of those customers know which brand they are going to purchase? 

-  That leaves a GAPING 50% of shoppers who know they need a product but are undecided on which brand they will purchase until they get to the store.

Who would you guess wins that battle?  The product lined up on a shelf amongst a dozen others or the one that takes the care to provide a display that spells out the features and benefits and tries to connect with the customer?

There is market share to be won right now, the companies who spend money wisely will come out of the recession as the market leaders in their category.  The companies who spend money trying to connect with their customer at the last 3 steps of the sale will win… The only time the consumer, the money and the product are all in the same spot.

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Feb 09 2009 ∞

While at Cadieux Cafe, The Muggs were playing and visitdetroit.com came out to record a vlog highlighting Detroit’s best hang outs… Justin, his girlfriend, Johnna and I MIGHT make an appearance around the 1 minute and after mark (yeah, I had a speaking part… no big whoop).

Wheels of cheese, dirt and a feather… sounds like a torture device.

Thanks to Phillip Swantek of Swantek Productions for the video.

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Jan 28 2009 ∞

This was created by a 20 year old female for the AARPU at 50 years video contest and placed second.

Second?!?!  Second???  Are you kidding me?

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Jan 21 2009 ∞
If you think the GPS craze is going to die down soon, you either live in a ping pong ball or you are over the age of 90 because it’s a wonderful solution to many of life’s problems (such as how can I avoid speeding tickets?).  Click on the image above and see how the process of phones and personal computers becoming smaller and easier to use will benefit the navigation aspect of your everyday life and activities. The most useful has to the be the emergency feature that will call the cops and set off an alarm.  But the one that’ll get the MOST usage is no doubt the ability to find a clean toilet.  Now, if it could only flush the handle, turn on the sink and open the door on my way out.

If you think the GPS craze is going to die down soon, you either live in a ping pong ball or you are over the age of 90 because it’s a wonderful solution to many of life’s problems (such as how can I avoid speeding tickets?).  Click on the image above and see how the process of phones and personal computers becoming smaller and easier to use will benefit the navigation aspect of your everyday life and activities.

The most useful has to the be the emergency feature that will call the cops and set off an alarm.  But the one that’ll get the MOST usage is no doubt the ability to find a clean toilet. 

Now, if it could only flush the handle, turn on the sink and open the door on my way out.

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Sep 22 2008 ∞

dancing and / or talking children in commercials…

proof that for as long as their has been advertising, the quickest way to a person’s wallet has been through laughter.

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Sep 21 2008 ∞
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Sep 11 2008 ∞

The Fratellis were at St. Andrews Hall on Monday and evolve was out to represent.

I know their song is featured on an Ipod Commercial… and I firmly believe that once musicians go that route, they’ve chosen their place in music history…  And it’s certainly not next to the greats who played only for the love (um, and the girls).  But I gotta say, this was a great show… these guys rocked.  And is it fair to hate on a band for wanting to get paid?

Also… I’ve been to a lot of shows in a lot of different places.  And Detroit music fans are the best.

P.P.S. The drummer wore a Fratellis t-shirt. So. Yeah. Rock and Roll.
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