I just returned from a great vacation in Cancun, Mexico, where I was able to reenergize myself and capture these great sunrise and sunset pictures with my camera. So as the sun is getting ready to set on 2006, my wishes to you and your family are for a healthy, successful and prosperous new year.

Best Wishes,

Chad

Sunrise from right outside my hotel balcony

Sunset from my hotel

Milton Friedman, possibly the greatest economist of the 20th century, died on November 16, 2006, at the age of 94. With a list of remarkable accomplishments such as: winning the Nobel prize 30 years ago, writing several profound books, advisor to governments and presidents, his most important one is that of the popularization of the free-market principles – the separation between government and business.

He claimed that the Great Depression was not, as was once commonly presumed, a “market failure,” but a failure of government policy.

What I find most fascinating about this leader is his brilliant wisdom, provocative style, yet his basic common sense for the noble concepts he stood for:

“We do not influence the course of events by persuading people that we are right when we make what they regard as radical proposals. Rather, we exert influence by keeping options available when something has to be done at a time of crisis.”

I am a firm believer in the power of a mastermind group and its ability to improve your business. Read my December 2006 article “1 + 1 = 86 or the collective brainpower of a mastermind group” and find out how to create one and get the most out of your group.

I am always astonished to discover great innovation and genius wisdom. Upon my recent visit to Las Vegas where I got to deliver my Internet presentation, I also had the opportunity of visiting The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art where I got to see the photographs of the great Ansel Adams. It is absolutely amazing what he was able to accomplish with the early cameras of early 20th century.

With today’s advance technology and great minds, what are you doing in your organization to promote genius moments?

Moon and Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, California, 1960

Oak Tree, Snowstorm, Yosemite National Park, California, 1948

Aspens, Dawn, Autumn, Dolores River Canyon, Colorado, 1937

We get many inquiries over the web, via email, the phone and regular mail, from people interested in our products and services. Here are some of the more amateurish mistakes people make:

1. No contact information such as address and phone number in their email signature. See my email signature example here.

2. No contact information such as phone number or address on their web site. View our web site and notice the bottom of each page.

3. No easy to find “contact us” tab on their web site.

4. Request that we contact them, yet leave a phone number that does not exist or a bogus email.

5. They seem to have an established organization yet they are using emails that do not end with their company’s domain name. Example: Jim who works at an established company that has a web site with the URL of: www.MyCompany.com yet he sends his emails from Jim@Aol.com or Jim@Att.net rather than from his own domain such as Jim@MyCompany.com. Why advertise someone’s else company rather than yours?

If you are making these mistakes, you are not serious about your own business.

If this is not one of the ultimate hypocrisies, then I do not know what one is.

My wife turned in her Saab for a Lexus some time ago. We just got this printed Saab postcard soliciting their service yet claiming to save our trees.

If Saab was so concerned with our trees, wouldn’t you think they would have email or use the phone instead of sending this printed postcard?

Front of card

Back of card