October  3rd.  2010
Permalink

What Were You Thinking…Actually I Wasn’t, That’s The Point

posted 1 year ago
What were you thinking?? Is often asked when something unimaginable has happened.
Wouldn’t it be better to ask, “You didn’t think things over now, did you?”. 

I’m sure you’ve heard about the Rutger’s suicide due to a roommate illegally videotaping a fellow roommates sexual encounter. If not, here it is:

What a tragedy…I am truly heartbroken for what happened. I can’t imagine what the parents are going through. 
It didn’t have to be this way, but am I surprised…NO!

Stories like these are becoming more prevalent today, than it has ever been. Why is that? Is social media to blame?
We all have the power to communicate, and tools like FaceTubetter (Facebook, Youtube & Twitter combined) make it so easy & powerful. “And with great power, comes great responsibility”…the problem are not on the tools, its the ones that are using it. Anything and everything can either be used for good or evil.

Have we become a nation or a world where we are no longer think about the repercussions of our actions?
Has our moral compass spinning to the beat of our own drum?

We all, in some form or fashion, in the quiet and privacy of our own minds, have judged others. We even share it to the world, the wrongness of others that is, often in disbelief. We ask, how could they do such a thing.
The truth is, we are all guilty! One form or another, we all have made mistakes, and will continue to do so.

We all have hurt others. To admit that takes honesty and humility, and its the first step on the right direction.
Obviously, we are not all going to agree on the same thing. Culturally, we are not going to see eye to eye.

So if our morals and ethics are disjointed and we do not see eye to eye, how can we live in peace and harmony? Does truth even exist?
Yes, we are all different. From the color of our skin, to the places of our births, to the spiritual beliefs we hold dear. Despite all that, we are all still human beings.

“If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?” William Shakespeare 
Let us all remember, we are all human, imperfect in our many ways.

Searching from within ourselves for truth, will only lead to a tunneled vision of what “Truth” really is.
I know fearfully, that I cannot come up with the answers on my own, nor will I believe the “cultural consensus” either. For timeless and undeniable “truth” stays true regardless of age. It has been challenged and fought over thru the ages, and has won, time and time again.

“The greatest friend of truth is time, her greatest enemy is prejudice, and her constant companion humility.” Chuck Colson
I encourage you to always search for “Truth”, coz’ it is out there, and its undeniable…its revealing…it hurts…its not compliant…its true to itself…it defines itself…its humbling…its hard, and when you find it hold on to it, for it will define you.

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.

Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”
converted socially to:

“Watch your thoughts, for they become tweets & updates.
Watch your tweets & updates, for they become blogs.
Watch your blogs, for they become video clips.

Watch your videos, for they become your profile.
Watch your profile, for it stays on Facebook, Youtube, and Twitter forever.”

Posted via email from thoughts of a gotta be venturer ~cesar abueg | Comment »

April  6th.  2010
Permalink

Giving In A Non-Giving Economy

posted 2 years ago

In this kind of economy, we have a tendency to keep our hands closed. We don’t like to give, because then we are worried that we would run out of stuff to give. I understand you got bills to pay; you’ve got work or products you need to sell. I’m not telling you to give ALL your stuff, just what you can give away. Everyone can give something away.

So what can you GIVE?

…ANYTHING of VALUE to others. 

Zig Ziglar quotes:

“If you can dream it, then you can achieve it. You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want.”

You have a dream, I understand that. So do others. But as Zig says, if you help enough people get what they want, you’ll get what you want in life.

Practice it. Help someone, and don’t expect something in return. 

Just help to help someone. And somehow, that kindness will come back to you in a way you’ll never expect.

If you want to meet the man himself, yes, Zig Ziglar, and his timeless wisdom. Join us in this great event called the www.ExtremeBusinessMakeovers.com. No, I’m not getting paid to spread the word. I just believe in it so much, that I want you to know about this great event that changed my life, my business, and my relationships.

Let me know if you decide to come, I may have some discounted tickets left. Thanks for listening.

Posted via web from thoughts of a gotta be venturer ~cesar abueg | Comment »

February  26th.  2010
Permalink

Sad Disconnect Truth of Such a Connected World

posted 2 years ago
We Live In An Age Where Reaching Out To People Is Really EasyIts amazing how far we have come in technology. We have gizmos that can pretty much communicate in every medium possible. With the recent announcement of Apple and their new “ipad”, we have yet another device to absorb information, communicate and interact with the world.

I recently came back from a weekend in Miami where I attended WordCamp & BarCamp Miami. It was great finally meeting people I initially just connected via Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. To put a human touch from their virtual profile was no short than…REAL. I made friends there that I know would last a lifetime. The beauty of social media at its best. Yet with all this technology, why is it that I feel like we can still be “disconnected”.

Recently, I tried to reach out to a few people, wanting to talk with them via phone call, but they responded saying, “just email me”. At first I was offended, quite honestly. But then I realized in an age of SPAM, phone solicitations and so forth, we do get bombarded with so much information and communication, sometimes we just need to screen ourselves. You want to talk, but people respond rather with text messaging or email.

I feel we have lost the human touch, even if its just a voice I crave.Realizing this, I am making a more conscious effort to talk to people more on the phone, or meet with them in person. We are social beings, living in a highly virtual social community, perplexed with our technology, that sometimes we lose sight that there is so much more than just digital responses.

To each is own, so don’t feel like I am calling you out. You communicate what you want and how.What do you think? Feel like responding, don’t comment. Call me, and lets talk, my number is 321-549-0881. Tell me what you think.

PS
Sorry its been so long posting…glad to be back.

Posted via email from thoughts of a gotta be venturer ~cesar abueg | Comment »

December  4th.  2009
Permalink

Authenticity Sucks, Character Improvement Rocks

posted 2 years ago
Your Authentic or True Self May Suck, So What To Do About ItOkay, the buzz is, authenticity is the best thing since sliced bread, or is it? So businesses or companies should not hide behind their corporate walls and masks and start really being REAL to their customers.

Wait a minute. What if we are authentically selfish, rude, obnoxious and just plain out unprofessional? That all we want to do is make money. Nothing wrong with making money, but in time, your business will show its true color and customers will start fleeing from you, as if you had the plague. To have that kind of character I mentioned and be transparent, can only get you into trouble. So does that mean social media is out of the game for you?

NO!!!The only solution, CHANGE!

Start really caring for your customers!!!The general rule of business, is that, people do business with others if:
  1. They Know You! (Hence, why social media is the rave, you get to know people you normally won’t get a chance to know in your normal circles or that you are really starting to put to work the circle of influence you really have.)
  2. They Like You! (They can’t like you, if you don’t know you. So put some personality into it. Be likable, and be real. Just be careful what you reveal.)
  3. They Trust You! (Trust is big, so you gotta work at it. Be the go to person in your field. If you really are an expert, flaunt it, by giving people value that they can use, not to just toot your own horn.)

Now don’t think I got this from years of being in business. This was actually clarified to me by a good friend of mine, Bob Burg, the author of “The Go-Giver”, him and John Mann, wrote this book about a guy in need of a desperate sale. Its a must read. It has changed the way I do business for the better.

We are currently working a project with Bob for the upcoming Extreme Business Makeover conference in Orlando on April 25, 2010, and its gonna be awesome. Join us!! So change your character and be a person that people will want to do business with, and your authenticity will flow out, and that will help you get more business.

I leave you with a great interview of Gary Vaynerchuk, author of “Crush It”. This guy has built a millionaire dollar wine business, and if you want to be successful, listen to what he has to say.

Posted via email from thoughts of a gotta be venturer ~cesar abueg | Comment »

December  1st.  2009
Permalink

Web & Business Predictions for 2010

posted 2 years ago
Knowing What Will Work in 2010 Can Be A Game ChangerWouldn’t it be great to know beforehand what will work for your business or not. What technology you use, what marketing approach, what web agency to hire. Half the battle really is being informed, and keeping your ears open. Knowing where to put your ears to is also key.

Here are some great Proverbs that I hold dear:
“Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others” (Proverbs 12:15)
 
“Plans go wrong for the lack of advice; many advisers bring success” (Proverbs 15:22)
 
“Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life” (Proverbs 19:20)
 
“Plans succeed through good counsel; don’t go to war without wise advice” (Proverbs 20:18)


With that said, here are some of the predictions I am making…

  1. Facebook is Gonna Dominate. Most of our lives we surround ourselves with friends and family, and those we care about. Facebook allows us to do that. They will make a breakthrough that will make businesses really want to invest their efforts here. Not for marketing sakes, but for building long term relationships.
  2. Its About Relationships. We do business with who we know, like and trust. The foundation of a good relationship. Its not only about price, its whether your customers like you enough to pay a little extra.

  3. Real Value & Price. Along with relationships, there are really needs to be an obvious “no brainer” value to what you are bringing to the table. People are searching for value, not just price, and how you ‘relate’ to them is going to determine whether you have a loyal raving fan.
  4. Building Loyal Raving Fans. Obama won the Presidency because he built a loyalty by winning people over, and giving them the tools to do it. 2010 is going to be about empowerment.

  5. Twitter Alone is Dead. Twitter needs to integrate itself even more, just like it did with LinkedIn. More of that will help this company start monetizing on its service. How you say? That depends on the data that its able to collect from its users, and and how they can utilize the data they get from tweets, will make Twitter a viable company worth keeping.
  6. Video Goes Even Further. Right now, its still pretty challenging for the novice user to do video, even with all the services and technology that we have now. Its not so much that, its really about what the video can really say. So content, creative approach, and purpose driven videos are what’s going to stand out. We have so much content out there, it just needs to get better.

  7. Authenticity Redefined, True Morality is Pursued. Your authentic self may not be a good thing. So maybe its time to change all that, and look at who you really represent. What are your values, your morals, that define you? By being so, you can be authentic, but not authentically masquerading yourself to be someone you are not.
  8. Niche It Even More. The Internet continues to grow, finding your niche can be hard, so make it your own and define one, and gather those needed around you.

  9. Locally Focused, Yet Worldly Open. Local business is great, your friends, your neighbors, the guy at your church will be able to keep his or her business open. But lets be smart and choose what we keep local. It needs to be viable, profitable and efficient. When its better to outsource it somewhere else, exhaust your options and think long term, outsourcing is not for everything or for everyone.
  10. Locally Smart & Effective. To go further from the previous prediction. Knowing what you have locally is key. So brick & mortar stores and business really need to scream and shout and get noticed. Whether more involvement then ever on the web, with social media, and truly building relationships should be a priority.

  11. Partnership Becomes An Even More of a Necessity For Success. You can not do it alone, you can, but its easier, and you’ll be much stronger if you find other people who believes in the same vision. Find them, build them, and unleash them.
  12. Push For Multilingualism. The whole world is out there. China alone is a huge market, its time to get out of our comfort zone and tap into world markets, where they can be customers as well. To do that, we need to be multilingual. This is gonna be a great year for translators.

  13. Mobile Is The New Netbook. I love these smaller laptops, but quite honestly, what I can do with it, I’d rather have it on my mobile device. Laptops are suppose to be a mobile office medium, if I can’t put hogging applications on it, then what’s the use in getting these small netbooks. I like my laptop screens big. I see Mobile phones getting faster, smarter and true office productivity devices. Maybe I am wishful thinking on this last one.

Thanks WebFugitive for the inspiration. You can view his predictions here:
http://webfugitive.posterous.com/predictions-for-2010 Do you agree to disagree with what I said? Got any predictions of your own?

Posted via email from thoughts of a gotta be venturer ~cesar abueg | Comment »

November  26th.  2009
Permalink

Things I Am Thankful For, For Eternity

posted 2 years ago
Writing What Your Thankful For, Helps Keep You GroundedTo my fellow Americans, we live in a very fortunate country where liberties are accessible, although somewhat depleting each day. But compared to most countries, we have got it made.

In this struggling economy, like most of us, we had to cut down on a lot of things to make sure we don’t get in trouble. Or have we really have? Are we really just cutting down on our feeble attempts to satisfy our insatiable appetite for things. I’m not going there. Anyhow, in all honestly, this year has been quite tough, its probably the most trying times I have ever had to go to. Being born and raised in the Philippines, saying that, says a lot about it as well.

Regardless, I wanted to publicly list what I am thankful for, because I know this year, it made me realize how thankful I truly need to be. I AM Thankful For:
  1. Knowing my Creator - many times I have doubted, and will still do so in the future, but this year has drawn me closer to Him. Just glad He hasn’t abandoned me. Thank you Jesus.
  2. Having An Incredible Faithful & Supportive Wife - married to me is not easy, I’ve made so many mistakes and I’ve put my spouse behind the line. Thank you Emma.
  3. My Adorably Joyful Children - I am such a proud father. I love being one. My kids make it so easy. They are so precious and a delight to me.
  4. My Family & Friends - you have been a great supporter, mentor, coach, uplifter, and challenger.
  5. My Extended Family - yes you Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn family, thank you for allowing me to do what I do. I love you all.
  6. Health, Wellness & Spiritual Growth - without, I would go insane, grumpy and miserable.
  7. Business Partners - can’t do it alone, its great to have trusting guys who let me do what I do, appreciate your trust and support in me.
  8. Opportunities - there so many out there, find them, change your stars, I am on that road myself.
  9. Loyal & Loving Customers - yes, even with this economy :). Thank you all for staying with me since the beginning. I look forward to many more prosperous years.
  10. Everyone Else - whoever you are, I appreciate you. I can learn from you, and I love that one day, we can be friends.
Share with me what you are thankful for. Be bold, and be honest. Thanks for contributing.

Posted via email from thoughts of a gotta be venturer ~cesar abueg | Comment »

November  20th.  2009
Permalink

Word Of Mouth Is Not All That

posted 2 years ago

Reliable Word of Mouth “Is” All That

Lets be honest, when was the last time you gave a friend a recommendation you weren’t 100% sure of, or at least 75% sure it was a good one. Or it had an alternative motive, like trying to help out a friend, but wasn’t sure if their product or service was really reliable or even good.

Sometimes we do it because we want to be the one “Who Knows It All”. I am guilty of that. Sometimes. I really strive to give only good recommendations or advice. I value my integrity, so should you. Sometimes, your word may all that people rely on. So make it count. So, what do we do…

Well here are some ways you can avoid getting bad “Word of Mouth”:
  1. Ask reliable & appropriate people. Yes, its that simple. Asking the right person, can get you the right advice.
  2. Ask specific questions. If you are looking for an AC repair guy, ask the person who is recommending the company why they are recommending them. Get details. Get answers.
  3. Get more than one. If you ask around, don’t stop with just one recommendation, ask for more. Keep shopping. That means, don’t get sold on the first person you interview, because they are a good sales person.
  4. Ask for backup. Okay, you got a list of the ‘cream of the crop’, now what to do about it. Ask more people if they’ve heard of these companies or peoples.
  5. Do your research. Look them up online, check out their website. Go on their LinkedIn.com profile and see if they have “Recommendations”. If they have a Facebook fan page or group, visit that, and see what’s on there.
  6. Test them out. Be testy, and give people a chance to prove themselves. This will give you an idea of what’s like to work with them. Its as simple as giving them a minor task before the real thing.
  7. Cheap is not the best, nor is the pricey one. Buying a product because its cheap, means it was constructed cheaply. You get what you pay for, most of the time. The most expensive may not necessarily be the best indicator too.
  8. Trust your gut. If somethings fishy, 9 times out of 10, it probably is. To fix that, follow #2 again.

Funny - Not So Good Advice:


Word of mouth is great, only if the person giving it to you is really a good source. So do what you need to do, to get what you want.

Subscribe to my friend Bob Burg, the guru on Word of Mouth, you can visit his site: www.burg.com.

Tell me if you have any more to add, would love to hear about it. Thanks for reading.

Posted via email from cesar abueg’s heart speaks | Comment »

4:50  am
Permalink

Word Of Mouth Is Not All That

posted 2 years ago
Reliable Word of Mouth Is All ThatLets be honest, when was the last time you gave a friend a recommendation you weren’t 100% sure of, or at least 75% sure it was a good one. Or it had an alternative motive, like trying to help out a friend, but wasn’t sure if their product or service was really reliable or even good.

Sometimes we do it because we want to be the one”Who Knows It All”. I am guilty of that. Sometimes.Let me give you an example. I saw a post by a Facebook friend, wanting to know how to do something. I gave a half-ass way of doing it. Other people commented and gave her a better word. A better advice, a better recommendation.

So what do we do…Well here are some ways you can avoid getting bad “Word of Mouth”:

  1. Ask reliable & appropriate people. Yes, its that simple. Asking the right person, can get you the right advice.
  2. Ask specific questions. If you are looking for an AC repair guy, ask the person who is recommending the company why they are recommending them. Get details. Get answers.

  3. Get more than one. If you ask around, don’t stop with just one recommendation, ask for more. Keep shopping. That means, don’t get sold on the first person you interview, because they are a good sales person.
  4. Ask for backup. Okay, you got a list of the ‘cream of the crop’, now what to do about it. Ask more people if they’ve heard of these companies or peoples.

  5. Do your research. Look them up online, check out their website. Go on their LinkedIn.com profile and see if they have “Recommendations”. If they have a Facebook fan page or group, visit that, and see what’s on there.
  6. Test them out. Be testy, and give people a chance to prove themselves. This will give you an idea of what’s like to work with them. Its as simple as giving them a minor task before the real thing.

  7. Cheap is not the best, nor is the pricey one. Buying a product because its cheap, means it was constructed cheaply. You get what you pay for, most of the time. The most expensive may not necessarily be the best indicator too.
  8. Trust your gut. If somethings fishy, 9 times out of 10, it probably is. To fix that, follow #2 again.

Word of mouth is great, only if the person giving it to you is really a good source. So do what you need to do, to get what you want.

Subscribe to my friend Bob Burg, the guru on Word of Mouth, you can visit his site: www.burg.com.Tell me if you have any more to add, would love to hear about it. Thanks for reading.

Posted via email from cesar abueg’s heart speaks | Comment »

November  1st.  2009
Permalink

Your Hands Are Precious Like Jewel

posted 2 years ago
The Gifts, Skills, Abilities, Your Very Hands Make A DifferenceJust saw Jewel in concert with the wife. It was my birthday gift to her. She’s a huge fan, so am I. It was our first time to see her live.

In one of her famous songs, “Hands”, She shared to the audience, before she became famous, that she was homeless for nearly a year. During that tough time, living in her car, she stole food to feed herself. One day she passed by a store in which she saw a pretty sunny dress she liked very much. She planned on stealing it. After looking at the tag of this $39 dress she was trying on, she came to a realization. She rebuked herself for stooping so low.

She knew she was much better than that. From that day on she stopped stealing. The rest as they say, is history. A once homeless and struggling artist, is now a 3 time Grammy nominee that has sold over 27 million albums worldwide. Wow, what an incredible story. If you haven’t heard or read her story, its amazing. I’ve provided a link in the end of the blog so you can read more about it.

Each day we are faced with moral & ethical dilemmas. We hear in the news about white collar crimes from top executives stealing, lying and abusing their power because of greed.You have a choice each day to make sure your hands contribute for the benefit of many, or just yourself.

Take responsibility for your actions. Remember, your hands make a difference. Make it a good one, and leave a legacy worth remembering.Jewel Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewel_(singer)
http://twitter.com/jeweljk
http://www.jeweljk.com/

“I won’t be made useless, I won’t be idle with despair, I will gather myself around my faith”…

“My hands are small I know, But they’re not yours, they are my own”… “In the end only kindness matters, I will get down on my knees, and I will pray”…

“We are God’s eyes, God’s hands, God’s eyes, We are God’s hands, We are God’s hands”…

Posted via email from cesar abueg’s heart speaks | Comment »

October  29th.  2009
Permalink

Accolades Are Your Friends, So Get More of Them

posted 2 years ago
No Better Way to Enjoy What You To Do, Then For Others To Tell You Your Doing A Great JobSo here are some quick lessons on getting accolades or recommendations for work you’ve done & why its necessary.

I logged unto my LinkedIn Profile account and saw that I could use some recommendations, especially since we’ve just recently launched a few websites these past few weeks. So I did what any person would do, I asked for them. Lesson #1 ASK FOR RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU MIGHT JUST GET SOME

Recommendations and accolades they are the same to me. No matter how it was given, its sole purpose is to lift that person up, to praise them for their work, to honor their service, their commitment, their blood and sweat. Ultimately, to show others you are worth dealing with. Okay, not to get dramatic or anything, but getting these “words of sweet honey” in my ears made me smile inside. Lesson #2 SWEET WORDS CAN CAN SOOTHE A SOUL

Hey why not, I worked hard for it…it was a labor of love.Lesson #3 WORK AS IF YOU’RE WORKING FOR GOD

Believe it or not, that works for me. You see, if you work for the big man, no matter what the outcome, as long as you worked your best, you’ll get the thumbs up. And you’ll have a tendency to do a good job. Whatever works for you. Seriously, what’s the big deal? Not much, except you can win peoples confidence, trust, business, you name it. Getting recommendations is essential for credibility.

Lesson #4 RECOMMENDATIONS BUILD CREDIBILITY If you are smart shopper, whether you are buying a product or a service, you would always want to look at the comments, feedback, ratings, rants, etc., so that way you get the inside track without having to invest in anything just yet.

Lesson #5 GIVE IT BEFORE ITS TOO LATEYou see, often times accolades come to late or don’t come at all. So please, when you have the opportunity, make someones day and give them sincere and kind words. Lift their spirits up. I leave you with this quote:

“The accolades usually come when you’re dead or too old to get a job.” John Frankenheimer

Posted via email from cesar abueg’s heart speaks | Comment »