w3w3.com

Non-financial managers, making uninformed decisions...

Non-financial managers need to improve financial performance
1627_ 10/20/14 - Larry was talking with Michael Higgins, president of Financial Decision Maker, about some challenging business issues. Larry asked about Michael's background. He said, "The heart of my company’s mission is to raise the financial acumen and decision-making confidence/ competence of business owners, managers and employees at businesses - very large and very small. My work for the past 30 years has been in "high engagement = high retention" learning. Up until about 20 years ago, I was a 'financial phobic'. A catastrophic business failure due to lack of financial knowledge and skills changed my course. I am now a financial trainer and custom program developer who teaches non-financial managers that financial learning can be enjoyable and practical, besides being crucial for business and career success." Michael was introduced to w3w3.com by Bob Carrothers of Vistage and Mindful Finance is one of their businesses. His partner in MF is Ozzie Gontang, a long-time Vistage chair. He pointed out, "There is a nationwide study published in the Harvard Business Review that found 62% of decisions made by a company’s non-financial managers are uninformed, i.e., likely incorrect or guesswork. This means that 6 out of every 10 company decisions..." Listen for more...
RELATED LINKS: Financial Decision Maker || Mindful Finance || Vistage || News || KEYWORDS: Michael Higgins, Financial Decision Maker, Financial Acumen, Mindful Finance, Financial Trainer, Vistage, Ozzie Gontang, Company Decisions, bytes=8209870
LISTEN TO: Michael Higgins, Pres., Financial Decision Maker

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A phrase thrown around TechStars

Brad Feld and David Cohen: Do More Faster
1589_ 7/28/14 - 903_10/4/10- Larry sat down with Brad Feld, managing partner of Foundry Group to talk about an exciting announcement. Larry began the interview with, "You know there are a lot of powerful words out there, and three of them are Do, More, Faster, do you have any comments to make on them?" With a chuckle, Brad said, "Good setup! Do More Faster is the title of a book that David Cohen, the founder of TechStars, and Brad Feld have written." By strange coincidence, this is Monday, October 4th, the publication date! The origin of the book was a phrase thrown around TechStars, Do more faster. If you're not familiar with TechStars, it is a mentor driven accelerator, started in Boulder four years ago. It's a 90 day program, usually 10 companies, usually 25 to 30 entrepreneurs go through the program, full time, extremely immersive. They have about 50 mentors, experienced entrepreneurs that work with them along with those of us in the program. They get a small amount of seed financing at the front end of the program. About a year ago David and Brad sat down and talked about a way they could codify some of the things that they've learned. They settled pretty quickly on having the mentors and entrepreneurs involved in helping create the book. "We looked around and there aren't many books written by entrepreneurs, especially first time entrepreneurs about the experiences they've had creating companies. We then organized the chapters around usually one line phrases like 'do more faster' that have come out of the last four years of running TechStars that David and I sat down and put together with some other people. Then we had a bunch of people write first drafts about which we spent a lot of time on and then David and I organized the book and put some connective tissue between the essays. So very experiential, lots of details from the founders, from the entrepreneur’s perspective, from the mentor’s perspective, about specific things that all entrepreneurs could use, but especially first-time entrepreneurs or perspective entrepreneurs. We were on the verge of self publishing and we got introduced to some folks at Wiley and they took that book on. They were incredibly helpful."...There's more...
RELATED LINKS: Foundry Group || Brad's Blog || Venture Capital Channel || Amazon || Tech Stars || Mastering Change || Do More Faster Book Home || KEYWORDS: Brad Feld, Author, Do More Faster, David Cohen, Tech Stars, Do More Faster, Book, Entrepreneurs, Wiley, bytes: 7984590
LISTEN TO: Brad Feld, Author, Do More Faster

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Training for Security

The biggest problem for companies is between the keyboard and the chair
 1438_ 9/26/13 - Larry talked with Ray Hutchins, a serial entrepreneur, president of TiE Rockies and has several companies, including Denver Cyber Security, involved in web site development, SEO, and cyber security. Ray Hutchins said, "If you want to be a criminal, be a cyber criminal - because you won't get caught. And the guys running the business are asleep at the wheel, I'm sorry to say. They don't understand cyber security, they don't understand the process of defending their corporate crown jewels. They don't know how to manage their IT people to get the job done - It is a big problem for the country and for the world. So what to do? Coming from Def Con again, The biggest problem for any company is between the keyboard and the chair. It's your people and these people can be tricked very easily to let the 'enemy' into your network. A hacker can easily attack your network with a fishing attack, with a fake email from the CEO, CFO, CIO... it's going to come from one of the leaders in the company and it's going to go to company personnel. When that email comes in the employees are going to open it up to see what their leaders are saying. But, they're not going to be trained to check and see if it is indeed an authentic email. Once they open that email up and click on the link they've been directed to, BING, the hacker is in and started the journey inside your network." This is Part 2 of 2...
RELATED LINKS: Denver Cyber Security || TiE Rockies Network || Denver Web Services || Podcasting Directory || KEYWORDS: Cyber Security, Denver SEO, Ray Hutchins, Corporate Espionage, Hackers, Def Con 2013, Web Site, Internet, Def Con, > bytes=4860345
LISTEN TO: Ray Hutchins, Denver Cyber Security Part 2 of 2

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Supporting Business & Technology

Links that will make a difference
914_ 10/25/10- w3w3® Media Network is all about supporting business and technology in Colorado.  We specialize in creating valuable links and relationships to help you grow your company, build your team, get insights to various industries, keep you up-to-date, raise money, increase your income and profits, and so much more...Venture Capital; Tech Transfer; Communications Technology Professionals; Mergers and Acquisitions; It's the Law; Training Trends; Colorado Companies to Watch; Mastering Change; Looking for Money; In the News; and more...Just click on the topic of your interest and you'll find treasure trove of information...
Related Links: Venture Capital || Podcasting Directory || Tech Transfer || Community Reach || Mergers and Acquisitions || Social Entrepreneurship || Training Trends || Colorado Companies to Watch || Mastering Change Blog || Looking for Money || In the News || Keywords: Venture Capital, Tech Transfer, Communications Technology Professionals, Mergers and Acquisitions, It's the Law, Training Trends, Colorado Companies to Watch, Mastering Change, Looking for Money, In the News 10/25/10

Transformation of Dynamical Complex Systems

Enlightened Empowerment, a term Fitzgerald got from a favorite client

1370_ 4/12/13 - Laurie Fitzgerald, PhD and senior practitioner for The Consultancy, Inc. has been providing guidance for business leaders in their efforts to navigate the hyper competitive and increasingly turbulent market place. Larry asked, "Although you have a long list of American organizations, I've noticed that it's been almost a decade since you've worked with U.S. clients. Where have you been and what have you been up to in the interim?" Well, Fitzgerald's been out of the country. A number of years ago she published some articles on the Transformation of Dynamical Complex Systems, [that's organizations]. That captured the attention of business executives in Australia, India, South Africa and also in Europe. When Laurie was invited to join them in implementing and facilitating a change process within their organizations, she leaped at the opportunity. Laurie's background is in the social sciences. In particular sociology and psychology. That's her life's work, getting into the minds of people and the minds of organizations, and organizations do have minds. And helping them to change the way they think and the way that they see the world. Enlightened Empowerment? A term Fitzgerald got from one of her favorite clients, the Marel Company. they are a combined Dutch and Icelandic firm that is the world's largest producer of poultry, meat and fish processing equipment, their machines are located all over the world. In 1999, Laurie met Theo Hoen, CEO of that company. He had been working for a long time trying to bring about profound change in the company by the old outside-in approach. When we talked about inside-out transformation, he jumped on the bandwagon. He said," this is the way we're going to have to do it. What I want to do is to enlighten empowerment." Which means he wanted everyone in the company to be empowered to make decisions, to take action within the company. In order to do that he knew they needed to be enlightened. Their minds needed to be evolved to a higher level so they could see the organization as a whole. And that would be everyone, secretaries as well as managers and executives. Larry said, "You deal with organizations worldwide, and I hope you'll be doing more in the U.S. What do you think are the biggest business challenges today?" The biggest business challenge in Laurie's mind is the fact that organizations are built on the hierarchical model. In that model, as you rise through the hierarchy you are vested with power. The problem comes when a person who is not enlightened, who does not look at things as whole but only looks from their own perspective, is given power. And as Lord Acton, a famous British historian said, "Power corrupts!". That is true and in order to avoid that problem...
RELATED LINKS: Lessons from Jurassic Park || Economy Builders || Mastering Change || Blog || KEYWORDS: Enlightened Empowerment, Laurie Fitzgerald, The Consultancy, Guidance for Business Leaders, Global, Turbulent Market Place, Inside-Out Transformation, bytes=6744088
LISTEN TO: Laurie Fitzgerald, PhD, Senior Practitioner, The Consultancy, Inc.

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KidsTek - Cisco Training Academy in high schools

Come have dinner with Richard Liner,
Executive Director & CoFounder of KidsTek
1345_ 2/5/13 - KidsTek is 13 years old now, founded out of the Colorado Technology Assoc. They work with the highest needs schools in Colorado, right from kindergarten through high school, providing technology education in after school programs - and now in in-school programs in the high schools, leading to certifications for Cisco. As an example, in the middle school realm they're teaching primarily Internet research and Microsoft Office skills. So they're giving these kids the tools they need to use technology, not specific programming. Richard Liner, Executive Director and co-founder of KidsTek said, "We're not asking that they go into technology careers, if they want to do that, we do have those programs in high schools. We really want them to get familiar with the business tools that they need and don't have access to, as under-privileged kids, at home, and even in school. These kids don't have computers at home. They don't get enough time in school on them - so KidsTek provide the after school enrichment to get them up to speed for what they need for the workforce and for college." Over the years KidsTek has been expanding, doing more and new things. Rich explained, "In the high school arena we've hooked up with Cisco and we are a Cisco Training Academy, one of the few non-profits that is." The program starts with IT Essentials which leads to the A+ certification [the generalized PC maintenance and installation type people] right into networking skills for Cisco expertise that can earn them up to a CC&A certification, which is what all the employers that have big networks look for in their workforce. Larry asked, "There are also opportunities for businesses to be involved. But how do you support KidsTek?" Rich said, "Well obviously it's a non-profit. We have a combination of ways to get money, foundations that support us. The schools that we work with make a contribution towards what we are doing. We have corporate sponsors and we have events. We have two major events every year. Coming up on February 20th, our annual dinner and that can be accessed for registration through their web site. Then they do a golf tournament in June...
RELATED LINKS: KidsTek || Colorado Technology Association || Liner Group || Blog || KEYWORDS: Rich Liner, KidsTek, Colorado Technology Association, Cisco Training Academy, Schools, PC Maintenance and Installation, CC&A certification, Denver School System > bytes=5147483
LISTEN TO: Rich Liner, Executive director, KidsTek

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A Gift for You ... Go Here
from w3w3® & Larry Nelson

Achieving Your Personal and Professional Goals in 2013
12-10-2012 933_ Don't Let Another Year Go By - The Ultimate Win is Yours
- Larry Nelson has taught this material in seminars in over a dozen countries, from China to Canada, from Norway to Australia, from Germany to Japan as well as throughout the USA. He shares the results of his international research about the Characteristics of an Achiever and then goes on to help you lay out your "personalized blueprint" to personal and professional success. Larry is an internationally published author, has been a consultant to many Fortune 1000 companies and is best known for his train-the-trainer programs. ...listen now a complete step-by-step program including a downloadable manual and resource guide...this is an in-depth strategic planning and goal setting system for achievers.. The links below are valuable and extremely helpful to setting your course for the next year! And they're free. Contact Larry Nelson to Speak at Your Next Event
Related Links: Ultimate Win Resources || Training Trends ||
3-Filters Technology™ || Podcasting Directory || Your Goal || Keywords: Ultimate Win, Your Goal, Training Trends, 3-Filters TechnologyTM, Setting Goals, Larry Nelson; 12/10/12 Chnl: Entrepreneurs

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Leadership & Management Skills needed...

Pay attention to your own personal and leadership growth
1320_ 12/6/12 - We have quite a history with our guest today. We're talking with Robert White, founder of Extraordinary People, LLC. and author of the popular book, Living An Extraordinary Life, now in its fifth printing. Robert has also founded a number of companies, best known for the experiential training company LifeSpring, here in the U.S. and then internationally for ARC International which was the largest training company in Asia. Heavily involved with the Innovation Pavilion, we asked Robert what was going on there and why he was so involved. Robert explained, "As you know, the Innovation Pavilion is an incubator primarily for startups, or early stage companies, and I just love what they're doing out there. I love supporting innovation and job growth." It is a challenge for startups and they have a program called the Executives in Residence, which is an opportunity to give back and support these startups, and to do so without a fee on the front end. Recently the Innovation Pavilion hosted a leadership program that Robert normally does in-house with intact teams, corporations and non-profits. It was great fun, lots of learning and the feedback was excellent. Larry asked, "With all the entrepreneurs out there, and of course the economic challenges - why is executive coaching and team development so important for these entrepreneurs?" Robert replied, "Well most entrepreneurs are excited about a product. It's the latest, the greatest, they're passionate about it. Many of them have a technical or service background as opposed to a leadership and management background. So, the reason that companies fail, most often, is the people they choose. Are the people focused, are they aligned and is their commitment level equivalent? The absence or weakness in any one of those three, the people issues, can sabotage what otherwise might be a very successful company." They talked about how Robert has always been a 'giver' and involved with the community as well as offering some excellent advice for entrepreneurs. ..Listen for much more...
RELATED LINKS: Extraordinary People || TiE Rockies Colorado || Charter Members || Economy Builders || KEYWORDS: Robert White, Extraordinary Life, Personal Growth, Leadership Growth, Innovation Pavilion, Executives in Residence Program, ARC International, LifeSpring, Living An Extraordinary Life, bytes=6166050
LISTEN TO: Robert White, Extraordinary Life

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Stocking stuffer for the entrepreneur

Mastering Change
in the Midst of Chaos™
1307_ 11/16/12 -

FREE Shipping & Special Price $10.00

Here’s what you’ll learn in this 200 page book!
     - Apply the Principles of A-to-Z Planning to
        Build a Winning Team
     - Tap into Your Team’s Mental DNA to
        Increase Performance
     - Understand Your Sector’s
        History, Trends & Ground Swell

Regardless of the economy, application of these 3 initiatives will help you achieve your goals, meet your bottom-line metrics and accomplish incredible results. These 3 initiatives are Powerful, Proven and People-Oriented. Larry predicts there will be more significant changes in 2013 than in the last 10 years combined…across all sectors.

Order now…
It’s yours for $10.00 and we’ll pay the shipping in the US…
(limited supply) Access the Order Form on www.w3w3.com website

People want to be great.

Leadership is the ability to inspire and elevate performance in others
1294_ 10/11/12 - People want to be great. Effective leaders find a way to capture people’s desires to be their best, and they encourage and cultivate that desire. When a leader can operate in that capacity, they thrive…. as do the people they are leading. Larry sat down with Sue Kenfield, the president of See It Thrive™, a performance improvement consulting company and she is passionately dedicated to connecting people with their highest potential. She has been a professional in the area of human behavior for over twenty-five years. Listen to Sue and you will gain an increased awareness of the importance of being versatile, how it determines our success in work and life as well as learn some steps to improve versatility. A key to this interview is how Sue focuses on 'people being versatile'. She knows that mastering the multitude of behaviors present in effective leaders requires a commitment to ongoing development. With this mastery, leaders are able to be more versatile in responding to the various situations that usually arise. Larry asked a number of questions about versatility. "How would you describe versatility?" "What gets in the way of people being versatile?" "What is the ultimate value of improving our versatility in the workplace?" "What are some steps people can take to increase their versatility? Listen to Sue as she expands on these questions and get ready to take notes...
RELATED LINKS: See It Thrive Home || Training Trends || Economy Builders || Podcast Directory || KEYWORDS: Sue Kenfield, See It Thrive, Versatility, Leadership, Elevate Performance, Training, Potential, Individual Performance, Achieve Greater Success, bytes=4979046
LISTEN TO: Sue Kenfield, President, See It Thrive

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