V.L. Thompson's Blog, page 22

8th Stage Launches In Beta To Offer A LinkedIn For Musicians With Built-In Talent Development

Article from techcrunch.com by Darrell Etherington

Chicago-based startup 8th Stage is launching in beta form today, offering independent music artists a way to push forward and track their career online. The idea is to give artists more tools to help them deal with the changing nature of the music industry, which no longer takes big risks on unproven acts with expensive record contracts the way it has in the past.

What’s changed about the music industry? According to 8th Stage co-founder Paul Jorgensen, a lot. For one, record labels don’t have the big budgets to spend on discovering and developing talent based on the old methods of demo tapes and one-off auditions, and for another, it doesn’t really make good financial sense to use those methods when everyone has YouTube accounts, Twitter and Facebook and many often try to build followings on those channels independently.

What those channels lack, and what 8th Stage wants to provide, is some transparency and guidance around how you get from playing music on your own to becoming a musician professionally, or just to advancing your hobby to the next level.

“I realized the industry had changed so much, when I tried myself to make it as an artist and I literally had people at labels saying ‘Five or ten years ago we could take this demo and give you like a million or two and you and could just go and record,’” Jorgensen said, explaining what’s changed to make 8th Stage necessary. “But because they weren’t really generating the money anymore that they used to with record sales, they’d become these giant risk averse corporations.”

Read entire article on techcrunch.com

Is Making a Profit a Sin?

Article from mpchristianity.com by Brad Harmon

Have you seen these billboards with one line messages from God?  When we come home from visiting my wife’s parents we pass by a couple.  It’s a clever marketing campaign.  At first I chuckle, but then a sense of guilt begins to creep in.

Some of the messages are very convicting.  As a Christian entrepreneur, I don’t need a billboard that reads “I Said Prophets, Not Profits! – God” to bring about that same sense of guilt while trying to make a profit. I still have to fight the tendency to feel embarrassed when I slide my invoice across the table to my client.

It’s something that small business owners seem to dread regardless of their faith.  For Christians though, there is an added dimension.  The rise of mega-churches preaching their “prosperity gospel” while selling everything from Bibles to Starbucks coffee in their lobbies has some Christians wondering if we’ve gone too far.

Should we even be trying to make a profit?  Whatever happened to “blessed are the poor” they ask?  They point out that Christ taught us to pray that God would give us our daily bread.  How then, can we ask Him to make us wealthy?

Making a Profit – The Root of All Evil?

Well, let’s look at what the Bible has to say on the topic.  This is the first verse that comes to mind for most of us.

10For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 6:10, King James Version)

It’s such a great verse, but too many misquote it as “money is the root of all evil” leaving out the “love of”.  It doesn’t say that making money is evil, nor does it say wanting to make money is evil.  It’s loving money, or greed, that is the root of all evil.

Despite what Gordon Gekko says in the movie Wall Street, greed is not good.  In the movie, as in real life, those who chase after money are consumed by their greed and find they’ve “pierced themselves with many griefs” indeed.

How Secure is Your Vault? Storing Up Your Treasures

So it’s okay to desire to make a profit as long as I am not greedy?  Let’s hold off on answering that question and look at what else Christ had to say.

19Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6:19-21, King James Version)

Is it the storing up of wealth that Jesus is concerned about here?  Yes, but it’s our reliance upon this temporary wealth that He is warning us against.  There is no real security in wealth, nor may I add, any real happiness.

Wall street giants are hoping they’re golden parachutes won’t fail them after being shook from their silver-lined clouds by the thunderous clap of this recession.  The sad drama of Hollywood stars and professional athletes is displayed on tabloid covers one ruined relationship after another for the world to see.

 

Read entire article on mpchristianity.com

Ruling Over Wealth

Article from Morningstar Ministries written by Rick Joyner

For the last three weeks we have been addressing one of the more popular Scriptures of our time, Proverbs 13:22, “…the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.” This is a true promise that is corroborated by many other biblical prophecies. It will come to pass for those who are prepared for it, and should be part of our preparation for these times.

In Proverbs 8:18 wisdom personified says, ”Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness.” It is apparent from the Scriptures that the pursuit of wisdom, not wealth, is the path to true, enduring wealth. It is also clear that wealth received before wisdom is a curse, not a blessing.

A good example of this is from the reports on how winning the lottery changed the lives of those who won. It seems that most not only lose their winnings after a short period of time, but they end up in even worse poverty than before, becoming bitter, without friends, and without the jobs that they used to have. There may be some who are better off because of winning the lottery, but I am yet to hear a story of any single lottery winner whose life is better off just five years after their “great fortune.”

For these it seems that Proverbs 23:4-5 is especially appropriate: “Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, cease from your consideration of it. When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings, like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.” As Proverbs 28:22 confirms, “A man with an evil eye hastens after wealth, and does not know that want will come upon him.” The apostle Paul gives the most poignant exhortations concerning this in I Timothy 6:3-10:

If anyone advocates a different doctrine, and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness,he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions,and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.

But godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment.

For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.

And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.

But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.

For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang.

Yet, as Proverbs 8:18 that was previously quoted states, there is an enduring wealth that comes from the pursuit of wisdom. Proverbs 15:6 also declares, “Much wealth is in the house of the righteous.” It seems that we have a paradox here, but there is really no conflict in the teaching of Scripture concerning wealth. The key seems to be that those who pursue wealth are not likely to keep it long after they gain it and will also gather troubles with it. However, those who pursue wisdom and righteousness can be trusted with wealth and it will be a blessing to them.

Read entire article on Morningstar Ministries.

How to Reward Your Stellar Team

Article from the Harvard Business Review written by Amy Gallo

You’ve been told that getting the most from your team depends on rewarding and recognizing them collectively. But it’s tough to do that, especially when most management systems are so focused on individual performance, undermining the very teamwork you’re hoping to encourage. Luckily, you don’t have to overhaul your company’s evaluation process or pay structure. As a team manager, you can support the right behaviors with things that are in your control.

What Experts Say

A few decades ago, companies were struggling with how to measure and reward individual performance. But in their quest do so, many overreached, says Michael Mankins, a partner at Bain & Company and coauthor of Decide and Deliver: Five Steps to Breakthrough Performance in Your Organization. “The pendulum has swung too far, and now those measures are getting in the way of forming good teams,” he explains. At the same time, compensating people for collaboration can be tricky, says Deborah Ancona, a professor at MIT Sloan School of Management and coauthor of X-Teams: How to Build Teams That Lead, Innovate, and Succeed. “The boundaries are often blurry and people work on multiple teams at the same time, making it hard for the manager.” Still, both she and Mankins agree, it’s worth the effort to get it right. “Rewarding a team dramatically improves not only the team performance but also the individual’s experience,” says Mankins. Here’s how to do it effectively.

Set clear objectives

Team members have to understand and agree on what success looks like. “You need to have some way of assessing the group’s performance — a common set of objectives or aspirations,” says Mankins. He advises bringing everyone together to discuss goals and metrics. Have them answer the question: What would it take for us to give ourselves an A? “Having this sort of dialogue can be motivational and lays the groundwork for collaboration in an objective way,” he says.

Check in on progress

Once the team knows what it’s supposed to do and how the work will be evaluated, check in regularly. Pose questions that help the group assess its progress: How are we performing as a team? What obstacles can we remove? You can have this conversation in a meeting or do it anonymously. “Use a service like SurveyMonkey and ask team members to give themselves a collective grade. If everybody agrees that it has been a C week for the team, then you can discuss how to improve,” Mankins says. “If you give yourselves an A, it’s something worth celebrating.”

Use the full arsenal of rewards

Most managers don’t have the power to change how salaries or bonuses are handled at their organizations. If you do, be sure to tie a portion of the discretionary compensation to team or unit performance — the bigger the percentage the better. But if you don’t control the purse strings, don’t fret. There are lots of non-monetary rewards at your disposal. “Think beyond team dinners and social events. Those are just table stakes,” says Mankins. Ancona has studied hospitals where administrators put pictures of groups that have drastically lowered infection rates on prominent display to recognize them for a job well done. You can also give your team exposure to senior leaders. “Teams like to be seen as part of a project that contributes at a high level,” Ancona says.

Get to know your team

Of course rewards are only motivating if you give the team something it wants. This can be challenging because what makes one person feel appreciated may have no effect on another. Spend the time to get to know your team members and look for things they all value. If you’re at a loss, ask them for input.

Focus discussions on collective efforts

Ancona says that many companies include teamwork as a core competency in their leadership development models. As a manager, you can further encourage your people to collaborate by talking about them as a team, not as a set of individuals. Be sure to celebrate successes and discuss setbacks collectively. “The less you talk about individual contribution the better,” says Mankins. Instead, praise the behaviors that contribute to the team’s overall success such as chipping in on others’ projects and giving candid peer feedback.

Evaluate team performance

In addition to completing individual performance reviews, consider conducting a team review as well. Mankins says that companies like Apple and Google have made this part of their formal processes, but you can do it on your own too. Every six months or so, take a close look at the group’s progress, noting its accomplishments, where it has succeeded, and how it can further develop. Don’t mention individuals in this appraisal but focus on what the team has done — and can do — together.

Read entire article at Harvard Business Review.

Build a Career Worth Having

Article from the Harvard Business Review written by Nathaniel Koloc

We live in a time of chronic dissatisfaction in the workplace. Gallup’s 2013 State of the American Workplace study found that as many as 70% of working Americans were unfulfilled with their jobs, 18% to such an extent that they are actively undermining their co-workers. This is a marked increase in workplace dissatisfaction from 2010, when Conference Board found that 55% of Americans were dissatisfied with their jobs.

How can we explain this? Certainly factors like the sluggish economic recovery and stuck wagesplay a role, but I think the real answer is even more straightforward: It’s not clear how one designs a satisfying career in today’s professional culture, especially if lasting fulfillment (as opposed to salary maximization) is the goal.

At my company, ReWork, we connect talented professionals to meaningful work opportunities at companies that are making substantive social, environmental, and cultural progress. Based on our conversations with over 12,000 professionals and hundreds of hiring managers, we’ve gained insights into what’s lacking in the traditional approach to career planning, and how professionals can create careers with an ongoing sense of purpose. Here’s my advice:

1. See your career as a series of stepping stones, not a linear trajectory.

There’s an implicit view that careers are still linear. Sure, many people accept that the career ladder is broken, but most still attempt to somehow increase the “slope” of their career trajectory.

They wait until they are unhappy, look around for opportunities that seem better than their current job, apply for a few, cross their fingers, and take the best option that they can get. Then, they toil away until they are unhappy again, and the cycle repeats. Though this approach can increase your salary over time, studies show that, once you make more than $75,000, more money doesn’t correlate to happiness or emotional wellbeing.

Most people end up with a career path of somewhat arbitrary events that, at best, is a gradually improving wandering path, and, at worst, is just a series of unfulfilling jobs

The solution to this dismal cycle? Let go of the idea that careers are linear. These days, they are much more like a field of stepping stones that extends in all directions. Each stone is a job or project that is available to you, and you can move in any direction that you like. The trick is simply to move to stones that take you closer and closer to what is meaningful to you. There is no single path — but rather, an infinite number of options that will lead to the sweet spot of fulfillment.

2. Seek legacy, mastery, and freedom — in that order.

Research from authors such as Daniel Pink (Drive), Cal Newport (So Good They Can’t Ignore You), Ben Casnocha and Reid Hoffman (Startup of You), and Tony Hsieh (Delivering Happiness) shows that there are three primary attributes of fulfilling work:

Legacy. A higher purpose, a mission, a cause. This means knowing that in some way — large or small — the world will be a better place after you’ve done your work.




Mastery. This refers to the art of getting better and better at skills and talents that you enjoy using, to the extent that they become intertwined with your identity. Picture a Jedi, or a Samurai, or a master blacksmith.




Freedom. The ability to choose who you work with, what projects you work on, where and when you work each day, and getting paid enough to responsibly support the lifestyle that you want.

The order is important. People are fulfilled most quickly when they first prioritize the impact that they want to have (legacy), then understand which skills and talents they need to have that impact (mastery), and finally “exchange” those skills for higher pay and flexibility (freedom) as they develop and advance.

People don’t typically have just one purpose. The things you’re passionate about — women’s health, early childhood education, organic food, or renewable energy — are likely to evolve over time. And it’s important to develop a high degree of freedom so that you’re able to hunt down your purpose again when it floats onto the next thing. This means being able to do things like volunteer on the side, go months at a time without getting a paycheck, or invest in unusual professional development opportunities.

Read entire article on the Harvard Business Review.

What the Bible Says About Money (Shocking)

Guest Post by Newsmax on SmarterLifestyles.com

 

Most people know Sean Hyman from his regular appearances on Fox Business, CNBC, and Bloomberg Television, but what they don’t know is that Sean is a former pastor, and that his secret to investing is woven within the Bible.

Perhaps that can explain why, despite his uncanny ability to predict precise moves in the stock market, Sean is often laughed at for his unique stance on investing.

For example . . . a few months ago Sean appeared on Bloomberg Television. At that time, Best Buy (BBY) was dropping to all-time lows of $16 a share. Sean predicted the stock could go down to $11 a share, and would then quickly rebound to $25 per share, and after that would rally to $40 per share over the next year.

Another commentator on the show actually mocked Sean for his stance, saying “$40 on Best Buy? If that’s the case Apple (AAPL) is going to $1,500. That’s the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard!” (Editor’s Note: At the time, Apple was trading at $650 per share).

Within a few weeks, Sean would receive the last laugh.

Best Buy dropped down to $11.20 a share and has since rebounded to $30 a share, continuing its path to $40 . . . exactly as Sean predicted. (Ironically, Apple has dropped down to about $400 per share).

During a recent private dinner with Sean, once he’d blessed the food, I wasted no time asking him what his secret is for investing so successfully.

I expected Sean to say that it was his years of experience at Charles Schwab or perhaps one of the complicated algorithms he uses for timing the stock market.

So when Sean responded that his secret to investing was the Bible, I was thoroughly shocked.

Yes, I knew Sean was a Christian (anyone who spends more than 1 minute with him will pick that up!). However, people usually keep their faith separate from things like . . . investing.

But not Sean.

For Sean, the Bible is his FOUNDATION for investing.

He explained to me how there is actually a “Biblical Money Code” woven into Scripture.

Sean says it is this Biblical Money Code that took him from making a mere $15,000 a year to now giving away up to $50,000 a year. Sean also credits this code with helping him turn his father’s $40,000 retirement account into $396,000.

Certain investment titans, Sean says, such as Warren Buffett and John Templeton, have already used this code to amass billions.

What Sean had to say impressed me so much that I asked him to put a presentation together that reveals how anyone could use this “Biblical Money Code.” (Click here to watch it now)

I’ve personally watched this presentation several times and it is already spreading virally.

During the video, Sean uses the teachings of King Solomon, Jesus of Nazareth, and the Apostle Paul to show how anyone can get out of debt . . . make sound investments . . . and morally build substantial wealth.

Sean even reveals a “debilitating ‘financial sin’ that blinds many . . . and could be costing you up to 41% of your life savings at this very moment.” What’s so deceiving about this sin is how innocent and safe it appears at first.

And at the end, he finishes up with his “12-12-12 plan for investing.” This is a simple step-by-step plan to go from being a saver, to an investor, to a philanthropist.

Learn More

Remembering Names

Article from written by Chester Santos.

You are at a professional networking event and have just been introduced to a guy named John, who would be a great contact for you and your business. How do you maximize this networking opportunity? In the famous book How to Win Friends & Influence People, Dale Carnegie wrote: “A person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language,” and also that, “Everyone’s favorite subject is themselves.” Remembering a person’s name and other information about him will help you to build a better personal and business relationship with him. This article outlines steps to help you make that happen.

Repeat the name

The first step to improving your ability to remember the names of people you meet is to immediately repeat the name of the person when you first meet them. Since you’ve just been introduced to John, immediately say something along the lines of, “It’s very nice to meet you, John,” or “It’s a pleasure to meet you, John.” This simple step will help prevent the name from going in one ear and out the other.

Ask a question using the name

Early on in your interaction with the person, try to ask him a question using his name. For example: “So John, what brings you to this meeting?” or “John, how do you know Chester?” Again, this will help prevent the name from immediately slipping your mind.

Come up with an association

The next simple step is to make some sort of association between the person’s name and something – anything — that you already know. For instance, the name John may remind you of a toilet bowl. Or you could simply think of the fact that you know someone else named John. Any association between the name and something you already know will suffice to make the name more meaningful and thus increase your chances of remembering it.

Use your visual memory

Take advantage of the power of your visual memory; it’s incredibly potent. You’ve probably had the experience where, years after meeting a person, you recognize him, know that you’ve met and seen him somewhere before, but you can’t remember his name. This is because when you first met the person, you were able to see his face with your eyes, but you did not see his name. To see a person’s name, all you have to do is visualize an image that is in some way representative of the name. The association you came up with in the previous step might help you. For John, you could visualize a toilet bowl.

Read entire article at .

How to: Give Constructive Criticism

Article from Ask Men written by Ross Bonander.

I recently had lunch with one of the world’s most well-known critics, so I took the opportunity to ask her what she thought of the three judges on American Idol. “Truly, constructive criticism conveys that indispensable degree of honesty through a combination of credibility and skilled diplomacy,” she said. “For example, Simon Cowell is too cold, while Paula Abdul is often way too warm. But Randy Jackson strikes the proper balance between the two.” I pressed Goldilocks to elaborate, and she said, “He’s just right.”

Someone submitting themselves to you for approval makes giving constructive criticism fraught with pitfalls. Here are some tips to find that critical golden mean so that your comments neither sound inutile nor cause too much offense, while still getting the person to respond and improve accordingly.

Omit character traits

If you want your criticism to get the best out of someone, suppress the urge to attach one of his personality deficits to your critique. If you do start to bring up personality deficits, it’s likely he will interpret your comment as an ad hominem attack, causing your point to fall on deaf, insulted ears. It isn’t possible to entirely separate a person from their work, but your criticism should make that effort.

Frame your criticism in appropriate language

The very words you speak can make all the difference. Using terminology germane to the issue keeps constructive criticism on a professional level, beyond reproach. Furthermore, you can thaw out even the most severe criticism by tenderizing your language. Opening with “It seems to me…,” or “I could be wrong, but…” makes it less likely that your point is compromised by arrogance or rudeness.

Read entire article on Ask Men.

What Christian Entrepreneurs Owe the Poor

Article from Marketplace Christianity written by Brad Harmon (November, 2009)

Does the Christian Entrepreneur have an obligation to the poor?  If so, does giving to the church cover our obligation?  Thanksgiving is next week, and Christmas is right around the corner.  It is a time of the year that always makes me stop to think of all the blessings for which I have to be thankful.

My favorite Dickens story, Scrooge, will be playing in all its versions soon (there is yet another version due to hit the theaters).  I can’t help but think about poor Tiny Tim and the heartless Ebenezer.

Thankfully, there’s another person that comes to mind when I start thinking about the poor.  His name is Boaz, and there is a lot that we can learn from him.

Boaz – A Man of Standing

Boaz first appears in Ruth chapter 2, and is described as a “man of standing.”  The term literally means a man of valor, but it can be expanded to mean a man who is capable in his community and lives an exemplary lifestyle.

Boaz has returned from Jerusalem and bids his harvesters with a hearty, “The LORD be with you!”  The harvesters promptly replied back with an equally hearty, “The LORD bless you!”  I wonder how many employers could say that they have that type of relationship with their employees?  Does charity begin at home?

As Christian entrepreneurs, we should treat our employees so well that they will never want to leave us.  We should go above and beyond the norm and provide as much as possible to them.  We should be known by our generosity.

Boaz – Friend to the Needy

The next thing Boaz does is ask his foreman about a new woman that he saw in the fields going behind his servants gathering the spilled barley.

In Jewish law, it was commanded that the poor be allowed to pick up the spillage from the harvest.   In fact, it legally belonged to the poor.  This was only one provision for the poor in the law, and it was over and above the tithe.

When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.  Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God. –Leviticus 19:9-10

It was not uncommon for the poor to be in his fields, but he still noticed the new person.  His foreman told him how Ruth had been working diligently all day long, and about what she had done for her mother-in-law.

Boaz went to Ruth and told her he wanted her to stay in his fields where his men were harvesting, and to follow the female servants behind them so she would be protected.  He also told her she could drink from the water jugs prepared for his harvesters whenever she was thirsty.

All of this was above and beyond what the law required him to do.  It doesn’t sound much like the way most entrepreneurs think about the poor outside their buildings, does it?

Read entire article on Marketplace Christianity.

Christian Businesses Don’t Exist

Article from mpchristianity.com by Brad Harmon

You read that correctly – Christian businesses don’t exist.  That doesn’t sound like a proclamation you’d expect to hear from a website dedicated to bringing our Christian faith into the marketplace, does it?

We were reminded of this fact in a recent tweet by Rick Warren.

There’s really no such thing as a “Christian business” only Christian business people. Jesus saves people,not organizations – Rick Warren

In our third lesson from the 20 Entrepreneurial Lessons from Creation series, we look at how your business can serve as a beacon of light in the world.

 

Our Number One Priority as Christians

When the Bible talks about the actions of God it’s important to understand that the Holy Spirit led the writer to depict these actions in a very precise way.  God is not a god of chaos.  Everything He does is perfectly ordered.

Knowing this about God, it’s interesting that his first priority in Creation was to bring light into the world.

2And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. (Genesis 1:2-3, KJV)

If this was His first priority, as demonstrated by His actions, then it would follow that it’s our first priority as Christians, as leaders, and as entrepreneurs.  Just imagine how all of the remaining acts of Creation would be for naught had God not first brought the light that would sustain them.

 

Every Christian is Called into Full-Time Ministry

While only about 3% of Christians receive a vocational calling to be in full-time ministry, this doesn’t mean that the other 97% are off the hook.  All Christians have a life calling, or a commission, to spread the Gospel.

19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20, KJV)

This Great Commission was the last instructions given by Christ to His eleven disciples before He ascended into Heaven.  It’s why evangelical Christians believe it’s their duty to proselytize in every facet of their daily lives.

Similar to God’s first actions being significant, doesn’t Christ’s last actions on earth also take on an added significance?  Wouldn’t you want your last words to be the most profound and significant ones you’d ever uttered?

Read entire article on mpchristianity.com