Burkey

Why My Boss Is Better Than Your Boss

2011-12-21T12:23:00.001-08:00

I was planning on calling this post, "Why I Have The Best Boss In The World" but thought I would get a little more sassy. Ha

So, two months into a job with a company that I've been wanting to go back to work for for years and I'm really loving my new supervisor. Here's why:

1. I trust her - She does what she says she'll do. She is honest with me and appreciates honesty on my part. Relationships with a supervisor are largely built, or destroyed, based on trust.

2. I appreciate her - She helps me find solutions to problems and she sticks up for me if I need her to. Granted, I've not had to call on her to "fix anything" yet but she's on the ready in case I need her to. In fact, I have said to her, several times, "Nope, I'm not asking you to do anything about xyz, just know what's happening." She's ready to remove obstacles to my success, should I need her to. That...I appreciate.

3. I like her - My boss is nice, pleasant and enjoyable to be around. She is genuinely kind and she is a good person. Yes, she gives me things. She gives all of us in the department "stuff" like rewards and bonuses but that's not the main reason why I like her. Doesn't hurt......HA...but not the main reason.

So, I don't know about your boss. Maybe yours is as good, or better, than mine. Maybe not. Ask yourself, if you are a leader, how you can build trust and appreciation and good working rapport with your team. It's serving my supervisor well!

5 Things I'll Never Do Again In My Career

2011-12-16T08:10:00.000-08:00

1. Work in sales. I'll never work in sales again. This one negates the need for about 10 other things I will never do again like "Sell To The Government" and "Cold Call". This was originally going to be "1,00 Things I'll Never Do Again In My Career" but with this one being #1 I can keep this list down to 5. : )

2. Misrepresent what I'm able to do and what I am interested in doing during a job interview. Friend of mine that is an older gentleman said to me recently, "Scott, I'm too old to lie. I just tell it like it is." I really appreciate that. I'm just getting too old to lie. It's not the lie that kills me it's the rest of the junk that comes after that with trying to live that lie. In my career this is especially true. I can do what I can do and I am interested in doing what I am able to do. Nothing more.

3. Put my career before my family. Jobs come and go but I only have one shot at enjoying my family, raising my children and walking through my life with my dear wife. Whatever I'm doing at work will still be there in the morning....I'm going home to have dinner with my family and to play with my kids before bedtime.

4. Work for a small company because they tell me, "Oh we're serious about growing our company by leaps and bounds. We're expanding and you can be a part of the success!" Whatever.

5. Stay at a company too long. When the wheels are falling off they're falling off. Jump. I'm all about being faithful, since my mantra is Semper Fidelis - Always Faithful. But to my wife, not to a company where they're having trouble making payroll. Not my problem if it's not my company.

I reserve the right to add to this list. : ) I'm making mistakes all the time. Surely I'll make more.......daily.

Ah.....that feels better.

2011-12-09T06:45:00.001-08:00

It's been 12 years but I'm glad to be back at Turner Broadcasting. Solid company. Great culture. Killer properties to work on. Don't have to worry if the company will make payroll this month.

Currently working at the Project Manager on HLNTV.com and assorted other projects throughout the Turner-sphere. I have a great boss, friendly (and smart!) co-workers and it's good to be back at the CNN Center!

Merry Christmas and let me know if I can be of any assistance to you professionally or personally my friends.

Let's see if this works....

2011-10-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

My professional career has been a series of ill-timed changes that have often caused me to look back and say something similar to, "Well, that really wasn't the right change at the right time now was it?" Ha

I stayed on at a big dot-com too long, then the crash hit. I left a good agency to go to a start-up just as the recession hit in 2008. Bad move. I got into sales and let me tech skills wane. But now.......

I've decided that the 5-year departure from web development, to get into sales, needs to come back full-circle. I'm making the move from sales back into my first love.....web development.

Sales was great. Who wouldn't like being in control of how much they make? Who wouldn't like little accountability and all the flex-time they can handle? Lots of travel. Lots of exciting meetings and trips and dinners and networking events with big names. But....sales is lot of pressure. Lots of pressure. It's not about "Great job Burkey on closing that sale!" It's more about "What are you going to close next?" and "How soon will you be getting ink on that deal???" : )

I'm going to do some contract work for awhile to get my skills back "somewhat current" and then slide into a permanent position again with a target company. I'm doing some work now and will continue to refine my HTML 5, CSS3, JavaScript, JQuery, AJAX, .NET, SQL and other skills while I wait to take just the right permanent opportunity. I'm totally swamped with opportunities and it appears to be a good time to be moving back into delivery and out of "walking the street".

Let's see if this works.....

** UPDATE ** Nov 4, 2011
Just accepted a position back with CNN in their technology group. So that worked..... : )

My Sunny Day In Southern California

2011-09-30T08:21:00.000-07:00

On October 2, 1989 a truly amazing thing happened in my life. I was able to see the birth of my first child and be a part of a truly amazing experience. For those of you that have experienced this, as a father, you know it's something you will never forget. If you are still expecting your first child to be born I'm telling you now that it is one of the great moments in your life. It will change you forever. Enjoy it. Savor it. Be "there" for everything both physically and emotionally.

I remember being at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, California for what needed to be a scheduled birth. My (then) wife was already in the delivery room and they told me to put on my "outfit" over my clothes. Some kind of paper garments that I slipped into with a mask. I felt like I was going into a combination of a surgical procedure and some sort of hazardous material scene. HA What I was going into was an event that has had in impact on me for 22 years and will continue to make me smile for the rest of my life.

Ashlyn, my daughter, was born and it was a wonderful experience. No, the c-section deal wasn't pleasant for me and I'm sure not for my poor wife. But we made it through it and I remember seeing that little girl for the first time and thinking she was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen. Wonderful beyond words. They weighed her and wrapped her up and she was "ours".

Probably the thing that sticks in my mind, and in my heart, the most is when they took me into the side room to give her a bath and comb her beautiful hair and get her dressed. I remember watching and being in another world. Almost literally. I was beside myself with happiness and emotions. They handed her to me in that little room and I looked at her and said, "Hey sweetie, I'm your Daddy." I cried just as sure as I'm crying while I type this 22 years later. Introducing myself to this little person was what I will always remember as the height of my life at that point.

I don't want to downplay other events, by any means. I had already experienced many memorable moments in my life. (and have since then for certain) I also want to make a point to say how much I appreciate Ashlyn's mother for the beautiful gift she delivered that day. I'm eternally grateful for that. Thank you Ammy.

Ashlyn has been so very special to me and I've not always told her how much she means to me. I have made some big mistakes in the last 22 years and will always regret not having "been there" all of the time. But my heart has always been connected to that little baby as she has grown into the beautiful, sweet and intelligent young woman that she is today in 2011. People ask me all the time how many kids I have. When I tell them 5 they look beside me at the four little ones that I have with me and they get a puzzled look. I quickly tell them I have an older daughter from a previous marriage and smile. I think about Ashlyn and how while I have four little angels at home I have an original love affair with that beautiful little blonde-haired California girl that has given me so many good memories.

Ashlyn, I love you darlin'. You are beautiful. You are special. You are talented. You are a part of me that I am very proud of. Happy Birthday to you. Please know that I love you more than you can know. You will (hopefully) have children someday and truly know the special bond that a parent has with a child. It will come full-circle for you at that time but in the meantime believe your mother and me when we tell you that you are the greatest gift that God could have given us in sunny southern California that special day in 1989. You have lit up our lives and been a ray of sunshine to carry me through many gray skied days. Thank you for being my daughter and for the love that you have taught me to show. I love you.

Daddy

Why Your Web Developer Can't Define The User Experience

2011-09-20T09:35:00.001-07:00

As a web developer for many years before moving into consulting I have a lot of experience with the concept of having web developers (or IT people, or business people for that matter) be the ones responsible for making sure the user will adopt a system or website experience. For many years I was called on by both internal and external clients to "build it in a way that the customer will love it". I worked with the designers on the interface. I architected out the navigation and sections of the site. I worked with the IT staff on the backend that would be required to deliver the application. All of us, together, were the proverbial blind-leading-the-blind when it came to what the end-user was going to both enjoy using and adopt.

One of the things that happens is a technology person will try to get a committee of (normally) internal stakeholders together to ask them what they want to site to look and act like. If things don't slow to a stand-still soon thereafter it's at least almost always the case that the requirements are so scattered, in an attempt to please everyone, that everything being asked for can't all fit into the design and feature-set. Happens all the time....

What's wrong with this? Developers are not only NOT the user of the system in most instances but they also don't have the breadth of experience or the bandwidth to perform the research, architecture, design and taxonomy that will be required to have an engaging, enjoyable, positive experience. "That guy that does the website work" isn't the answer to creating/crafting the optimal experience that the users will either get from you or from your competition.

Why does this happen? It happens a lot when brands count on their limited technology department to look out for the company's interests. Well-meaning technology people hate to say that they don't have the skills or experience because they are counted on so often to shoulder the responsibility of not only the stability of their products but also carry the burden of adoption. It's often the case where, when a system fails to be adopted, the company blames it on the technology group as not having built a system that pleased everybody.

What is the solution? Smart companies value actually taking the user insights into consideration. Knowing who the target audience is important. It's not "everybody on the Internet". Come on. Knowing what those users are on the site to accomplish is vital. Knowing how the users think and what predispositions they have are key, as well. Research has to be done. The system has to be designed with the user in mind and the 80/20 Rule has to be put in place. By this I mean that the majority of the users' interests have to be held a higher weight than the minority peanut gallery.

Quick asterisks: By "experience" we can refer to not only experiencing a website but also software, offline experiences such as in retail, mobile applications, verbal communications and an assortment of other ways that a company engages their customers and employees. Also, by "users" I mean anyone that engages with a brand, not just customers.

And here is the paid endorsement: : ) Those of you that know me know I work for a great consulting company that has a unique methodology for incorporating user insights into system and software design and architecture. Macquarium has 20 years of experience in working with some of the top brands in the country to ensure that the users both delight in the engagement they have with our clients brands as well as adopt the system that is being deployed to them. Love to talk to you about how Macquarium can impact your engagements with your users. Just ping me anytime: scott.burkey@macquarium.com

Show Up and Throw Up

2011-08-23T07:41:00.000-07:00

I am literally writing this blog post while on a conference call with a bad salesperson. Why do people in my profession do this? They get on a demo, say they're going to "keep it short" and then they talk for waaaay to long about an assortment of features that are of no interest to me. When I do interrupt them to ask a question they don't answer it. They get back to what they want to talk about. Pitiful.

Features don't sell software in B2B. Integration and other concepts are more important. I assume that it has all of the features I need. I want to know about third-party tie-ins and things that would address how this software might be pertinent to my particular business.

Listen, salespeople. Stop rambling on about stuff while the buyer sits in silence for 15, 30, 45 or (God help you) 60 minutes! Your job (our job) in sales is to LISTEN and ask questions and LISTEN. If you're talking...you're not selling. You're alienating your buyer.

Ugh.....she's still talking...... I'm going to take a nap......

Great Advice for Sales People from Sandler

2011-08-03T07:50:00.000-07:00

Sandler Sales Institute is one of my favorite sources of timely, relevant advice for sales people. Here is a blurb from Lissa Versteegh (Lissa@sandler.com) for you folks in my line of work:

The "More Prospects" Paradox

Logic suggests that “more prospects” will lead to more sales. While that may be true for some salespeople, for many others, “more prospects” actually leads to fewer sales.

“Prospects” is undeniably the essential element in the sales process. However, the quality of the prospects and the pattern of interaction with them after the initial contact will determine if the sales process leads to closed sales…or closed files (and fewer sales).

What accounts for the difference?

It starts with the salesperson’s mindset. Some salespeople are of the mindset that “everybody’s a prospect.” These salespeople jump at the chance to tell their stories to anyone who will listen—voluntarily or otherwise…whether they’re truly interested or not. And, that mindset gives rise to two problems.

First, the salespeople spend an inordinate amount of time chasing prospects of questionable quality. Their quest being to convince those prospects that the product or service they have to offer deserves consideration. The more time they are in “chase” mode, the less time they have to develop and close sales.

Second, during the appointments they eventually schedule, they waste additional time attempting to “convince” prospects of the merits of their product or service. Their “convincing” approach (along with their “everybody’s a prospect” philosophy) fails to recognize the difference between a suspect (someone who may be curious about or have a casual interest in the product or service) and a prospect (someone who has a recognized need or acknowledged desire for the product or service).

Another element that accounts for the difference between “more prospects” leading to either more closed sales or more closed files is the process used to qualify and develop opportunities. The more structured (and perhaps stringent) the process of qualifying an opportunity, the more quickly suspects can be weeded out (wasting little time with them) and the more quickly opportunities can be developed and sales closed with qualified prospects. Salespeople with the “everybody’s a prospect” mindset, however, are likely to have an extremely flexible selling process (which in some cases means no defined process at all).

If you want “more prospects” to lead to “more sales,” first, be more selective about the people you target as prospects and with whom you invest your time. Develop a profile of the “ideal” prospect derived from the characteristics of your most consistent and/or profitable customers and then target prospects that most closely fit the profile. Even then, when a potential prospect expresses an interest in your product or service, quickly determine if that interest is driven merely by curiosity…or an actual need or desire for the outcome your product or service delivers. Sometimes, it takes nothing more than a direct question like, “What specifically sparked you interest in…?” or “What are you hoping to accomplish by investing in…?”

Next, be more stringent in qualifying the various aspects of the opportunity. Prospects must not only have a legitimate need or desire for your product or service, but they must also have the wherewithal to obtain it. And, they must be in a position to make a decision in a reasonable manner and within a reasonable time frame—reasonable for you, that is.

When you focus your efforts on quickly identifying and weeding out suspects, and then use a selling process to methodically qualify the remaining prospects, “more prospects” will lead to more sales.

Perspective for Dads

2011-08-01T17:08:00.000-07:00

In 2008 I just knew that this "economic downturn" would only last the winter and that things we be on the mend within 12 months or so. This is silly, of course, because I'd seen the dot-com crash and had even suffered the brunt of it having been in the technology sector since before the dot-com hey-days. I should have remembered that these things don't blow over in a few months. For that matter, I'd seen tough economic times in the 80's as well.

It seems, to me, like we see this in cycles. 80's, late 90's, 2000's......every 15 years or so. I'm sure somebody will find it necessary to correct me, but that's just my sense.

What has me feeling so reflective now is that this ongoing period of tough times is really starting to effect people in tough ways. Fear of losing ones' job is not as bad as actually being jobless, granted. However, there are unfortunate side-effects of this economy on the employed none-the-less. More on this in a minute.

Like many people, I know friends and family members that are faced with coping right now with all of the pressures from rising fuel prices, a horrible housing market and rising taxes while on top of it all dealing with being unemployed. I know senior citizens with no health care insurance. I know young people that are running up credit card bills because they are under-employed. (though...sorry to say...some of the young people are stuck in a sense of entitlement that is their biggest liability) The news is horrible and only perpetuates the situation we are in. I'm watching BIll O'Reilly right now and they're talking about how the economy is in "peril". I agree, but man...I can't listen to it everyday.

One of the things that I will admit is that while I'm gainfully employed I have a constant fear of losing my job. With 4 small children and a wife to support I have had this nagging feeling of "any day now I'm going to lose my job and disappoint my family". Some people tell me I'm being silly. Others tell me I've got to stay grateful and stay in action. Yet others tell me that they think I'm a baby and have nothing to whine about. But the fact remains that even the employed right now have pressures that don't seem to be letting up. I make the argument that while yes, it is "easier" for the employed there is still a toll that is being taken on them that is not letting up. It's the ever-present pressure that weighs one down. Living in fear of losing your job, making ends meet with the paycheck you do earn and watching those around you struggle all makes for a somewhat depressing existence.

So here is where I break from my gloom-and-doom and say what I need to say. (I'm going to talk straight here and it isn't always pretty. Sorry, in advance.)

Life is 5% what happens to you and 95% how you react to it, in my opinion. Cliches. I have some.

"Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'" That's one.

"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Corny, but true. "Bloom where you are planted" is another one.

"Life is hard, you have to change." Thanks to Shannon Hoon for that one.

I absolutely believe that the more I"m consumed with self-pity and fear the more likely I am to find that it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy and I actually end up sabotaging my own success.

It might not get any better for awhile, guys. (Yes, I'm talking to myself here, too.) Suck it up. Work hard. Live within your means. Spend more time working harder and smarter. Spend less time complaining. Help somebody else out, because somebody has helped you out lately. Enjoy your kids. I'll say that again, enjoy your kids. They need you and they are counting on you. They don't give a ripabout a recession or what issues you're facing with making ends meet. They just want their Dad to spend time with them and someday you will wish you had spent more time with them. Quit trying to bring other people down. Quit spending your money on crap like gambling, selfish extravagant hobbies, alcohol and all the other stuff that is draining your bank account while you sit there and complain about how broke you are. And while I'm on my rant: Men, quit messing with your babysitters, nannies and girls at work. Keep it in your pants and go take care of your family. Your wives are counting on you and one sure-fire way to jack up your life is to cheat on your wife and end up paying child support so that some dude can take your ex and your kids to Disney with your cash.

It sucks right now. True. But you don't remember whatever it was you were stressed out about in 1997. Do you? No. But you do remember how pretty your wife was when you got married that year. You don't remember what bills you were stressed about in 2003 but you can recall with great detail the day in the summer of that year that you took the kids to get ice cream and you laughed and laughed and laughed when your ice cream fell off onto your new tennis shoes. You get the picture. Life isn't about all the crap your dealing with it's about the good memories and 20 years from now you won't remember that jack-hole boss you had in 2011 but you'll remember the camping trip you took in the fall of 2011 with your kids when you had so much fun. (and they'll remember it for the rest of their lives)

Enjoy the ride, my friends. The destination will come way too soon.

QR Codes - Ideas for your business

2011-06-22T10:42:00.000-07:00

QR Codes are simply another way of using a "bar code", of sorts, to engage your customers and partners. When a user scans a QR code on their handheld device the action can spur an assortment of activities on the handheld. You can have somebody scan a code and it can send the user to a URL on their mobile browser. Or, it could spawn a text message or put a calendar appointment on their calendar. Lots of possibilities.

We've been called on to do a few QR code implementations recently and I wanted to post a few quick ideas on how you can use QR codes in your business. Hopefully, this will get the juices flowing for you on how you can use this simple tactic to impact your business. Here are some thoughts:

* Retail: So many ideas. Use QR codes to provide coupons or remind customers about sales dates.

* Manufacturing: Use QR codes in your tradeshow booth to obtain contact information and give out incentives to prospects.

* Hospitality & Lodging: Big tie-ins between QR codes and loyalty programs.

* Restaurants: Good engagement tactic to get users to connect to you via SMS for deals, specials and loyalty program.

* Apparel: Exclusive notifications of new styles for users that engage with you via QR codes in print/online/offline media channels.

* Airlines: Scan the QR code in the terminal and in exchange for giving up your contact info, get a free beverage or frequent flyer miles or something similar. Lots of ideas here.

* Non-profits: QR codes can assist with reducing costs for events/seminars. Just did this for ITSMF (Information Technology Senior Management Forum) where we used QR codes in place of printed conference materials. Saved them a lot of money and the members loved it.

Shoot me an email if you want to discuss some low-cost ways of using QR codes to engage users, reduce costs or streamline processes. scott.burkey@macquarium.com

Why User Experience Matters

2011-04-28T06:33:00.000-07:00

Industry research shows that over 70% of IT-lead software development initiatives fail. Why is that? It's largely because the needs of the business and the needs of technology are taken into consideration without any consideration at all being given to what the user wants.

When IT says, "We can build that!" and the CEO says, "That fits within our business goals." then software is normally done with design being managed by somebody that isn't even the actual target user of the application. Or, what happens it the "HIPPO Effect". This is the Highest Paid Person's Opinion gets taken as law and everyone else (too frightened to question) jumps in alignment for fear of losing their job or creating waves.

Alas....the poor, neglected USER of the application. He might be a consumer on the Internet or he may be a corporate Intranet user. Either way, nobody seems to give a rip about his desires in these types of projects. Yet, that user is the one that will decide whether or not he will delight in using the application thus leading to adoption.

We have a saying at Macquarium: "The value of technology is realized through its adoption and use." User Experience is everything if you actually want your application used. It is everything if you are selling products on your website. User Experience matters most if you are counting on repeat visitors to your website. It is paramount if you are counting on a successful software launch to help fund the next round of development. If I can be of value to you please give me a shout. I'm happy to help.

Scott.Burkey@Macquarium.com

404.554.4217 desk

"Macquarium Is User Experience"

Long-term, technology positions in NoVa/DC/MD

2011-02-23T05:37:00.000-08:00

One of the interesting things I'm seeing is that while most of the country is in some state of economic depression/recession the job market is doing better in some limited markets. Atlanta, for example, is doing a little better than it has done in recent years. Baltimore, MD and Washington, DC are both in the top 10 according to Forbes with DC as the #1 best job market in the country. http://bit.ly/dQLkTW

My reason for this post today is that I'm tasked with growing my employer's business with the federal government in the "NoVa/DC/MD" market. (Northern Virginia, Washington DC, Maryland) Currently I am experiencing a real need for software developers, quality assurance testers and information security experts to work at my client's site in Arlington, Va and Baltimore, MD.

Macquarium works with a variety of staffing firms across the country but the market in DC is tough. While our internal recruiting department is on the ball, this is a bit of a different deal for us to tackle. In DC, the good people have jobs and they get paid well at them. Information Technology Security Experts are in high demand. Skills like Java, WebShere, Cold Fusion, databases and ClearPath are in short supply in that market.

If you are reading this post and you, or somebody you know, is looking for an opportunity to do long-term work at a good rate with excellent benefits........might you/they consider what I know to be an exciting and beautiful part of our country known as the Mid-Atlantic? I've lived and worked in Virginia & DC for the past couple of years and it's a great place with excellent schools and tons of history. I'd' be happy to give you my take on the area if interested.

So the bottom line for my post this morning is that I'm looking for technology staff that might be interested in working in Washington DC. Pure and simple. Reach out to me if you have any ideas as I would be happy to speak with you. Scott.Burkey@Macquarium.com 404.554.4217 desk

As Bob Seger says, "Turn The Page"

2011-01-28T06:21:00.001-08:00

I'm up and running at my new home: www.Macquarium.com So far so good! Nice people, lot of talented professionals and plenty of opportunity to help clients.

Traveling to DC on a regular basis to help my main client there. I am currently looking for a Security Architect, Secure Programmer/JAVA and Search Engine Architect (IDOL Server) for positions in DC. If you know somebody looking......

My Time At The Townhall

2011-01-12T16:04:00.000-08:00

I'm determined to sit, in one shot, and watch a little Black Crowes in concert on tv and write about the past 15 months at Townhall. Probably the best job at the worst time. I'll explain why.

Never have I been more excited about a job in my career than the opportunity at Townhall.com/HotAir.com/Townhall Magazine. Great job that I poured my heart (and often 60+ hours a week) into. The unfortunate part is that the housing market in Atlanta is impossible and selling a home there, with the hopes of MOVING to Washington DC, is a lost cause right now. So....I'm going back to work in Atlanta and to be home with my family every night. Here are a few memories of my time at Townhall: (it's also a chance for me to say some things I wouldn't be able to say to peoples' faces without getting all teary-eyed like I do...)

I will likely never forget packing up my truck (bed and all) to go up and set up at my brother-in-law's house in Chantilly, Virginia so that I could work at TH until my family could move up. I remember the Saturday morning when I pulled out of the driveway and my daughter Madeline stood in the yard waving good-bye and crying her eyes out. I cried too as I drove down the street and stopped to look back to see her standing there like a little lost girl whose Daddy was leaving. One of the saddest moments of my life. 15 months later, after many Sunday afternoons of driving back to the airport to fly to DC for another week's work has taken a toll on me that I couldn't have imagined that first Saturday morning.
My first day on the job I was so freaked out that I would be late that I actually arrived at Townhall's offices in Rosslyn, Va at 5:45 a.m........just me and the dark office.........and a big lump in my stomach from the nerves.
One solid year, then ensued, of absolutely kicking ass. Sorry, that's what happened. The Sales Team, me, the company, the conservatives that retook control of the House, the Tea Party activists, all of us.....just blew it out in 2010. What a year. Wow....
I learned more about politics and online advertising than I thought ever possible. Yikes.
Some of the people I met at TH were: George Will, Dick Morris, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Andrew Breitbart, Herman Cain, Hon. Ed Meese and so many more that I can't recount them all......it was like being in political Hollywood. Amazing...
The people I have come to know. The people I have grown that care about. The people I have gained huge amounts of admiration and respect for:
Jonathan Garthwaite - Good, solid, Christian guy that didn't know what he was getting into hiring me. He taught me a huge amount and I hope I did as good of a job for him and I tried to do.
Chris Field - runs a GREAT magazine. Super nice guy and good Christian family man. Lots of respect for this guy.
Kevin Glass - good guy that I hate to leave. Kevin, wishing you the best in your bright future, my man.
Katie & Elizabeth - I'm lumping them together because they're just both equally sweet, smart, talented and the future of the conservative journalistic movement. (is that a term?) They make me look old and nerdy.....(easy people...no need to read into that one)
Guy Benson - there's my first INNOCENT bro-mance. ha I'm proud to say that I know somebody that talented in conservative politics. Keep up the great work Guy!
Magan Young - This chick is my home-girl. That was kind of blunt. One of the funnest people I have ever worked with. My sushi buddy. I would work with, for, over, under, beside Magan anytime. I could do a whole blog post on just Magan but I'll save it......I'm on the second encore with the Robinson brothers. Just let me say that Magan Young is the reason why I enjoyed Townhall. Period. She cared for me as a person when the job had really started to wear on me. Love ya, mean it. Call you tomorrow.
Scott Kline - This guy is probably the smartest hire I ever made. I say this because how often do you hire somebody that absolutely JAMS at his job and you turn around and realize you also have a real friend in that person. I'm proud to call Scott (and Magan) my friends. I don't call people "friend" lightly, just a thing about me. But Scott is a super nice guy that not only has real talent but he's a real good person that has made my time at Townhall (at the end, when I was really kind of over it) bearable and fun.
Chris Malagisi - Leadership Institute and YCC (http://www.theycc.org/) - one of the nicest guys I met in DC and I hope to keep him as a friend for a long time. Sharp guy....
Sarah Smith. The lovely and talented Sarah Smith of AFP - Americans For Prosperity. Some nice young guy please marry Sarah. Do yourself a favor. She's awesome! But be good to her or several of us will break your neck.
Linlee Dubard, my little Southern buddy. I don't know where to begin so I won't. You, my dear, have your whole life ahead of you and I'm glad I got to meet you before you are rich and famous. : ) Good luck to you darlin'. I am your biggest fan. Seriously.
There are a ton of talented people like Ed Morrissey, Ricardo Pontes, John Hanlon and others. There are a ton of nice people like Caroline Ambrose, Alan Moore, Joanna Rutkowska, Drew London and the always-sweet Lauren Veneziani. There are the people that are no longer there like Mr. Magic Stick, Ms. Barnes, Matt Bower, the coolest journalist in the world Jillian Bandes and my pal Steve Newton. Steve....that was another deal. Toughest conversation I ever had to have in my career was when Steve left Townhall. I hope to stay in tight with him too now that I'm back in Atlanta.
I got to go to RightOnline in Las Vegas, CPAC in 2010 in DC and The Money Show in Las Vegas back in April. All good trips. Oh, Right Nation in Chicago, that was fun. Interviewed Andrew Breitbart and Herman Cain and a few others that I am SURE had no idea who the heck I was or what I was doing interviewing them. ha
There was when I wrecked the crap out of the rental car in Hollywood. What I was doing in Hollywood in the middle of the night is another story for another blog. ha It was no Eddie Murphy kind of junk. Honest.
Glenn Beck Rally and countless dinners to hear George Will speak, Michelle Bachman, Sarah Palin, Tim Phillips and some other great voices in the conservative movement like Judge Napolitano and Tim Pawlenty. Oh...Michael Steele and Newt Gingrich. Great to be in the room with them.
I remember the first networking event I went to at Townhall at the Leadership Institute. I thought it odd, in a good way, that the Pledge Of Allegiance was recited and that a prayer was said at the beginning of the meeting. Of course conservatives don't have the market cornered on patriotism or a reverence for God but how refreshing it was to be in rooms that had the same values that I have. Kudos to everything that LI does.
When the end came and it was time to give notice I was treated with dignity and kindness. Thank you Townhall. I will always have fond memories of my time in your service.
Oh, one more thing. 35% revenue increase in the worst economy of our lifetimes. We did good.

So it was a good run. Sad to leave but...not that sad. I'm leaving out the people and memories that are less-than-positive. Eh...we're all an incomplete package and I wasn't always the best boss. Granted. But even though this is my personal blog and I could rip on some people/situations it's just not what feeds my soul.

So I racked up some Skymiles, made some friends, made some memories, got to know a little about politics, got to see some NEAT things in DC and hey....I put a chunk of money in the savings account. Not a bad 15 months for being in the middle of the worst economy of my lifetime. I'll post more as I think of it. Like elevator-pitching the House Majority Leader in the mens' room at the airport and when I told off a group of ladies on the Metro right before the door shut, locking me on the train with them for another stop. Smooth Burkey.

Ok, so one last thing to my team. Thanks for giving me a wonderful year and making it exciting and rewarding. I miss you guys already. I just left the office less than three hours ago and I'm already missing you. Best of luck and keep in touch, please.

Maddie, I'm coming home!

Townhall is hiring!

2010-03-09T11:58:00.001-08:00

http://tinyurl.com/yks8dm7

Townhall.com, Townhall Magazine and HotAir.com are hiring in Washington DC. Townhall is a great place to work and with our perfect location in Rosslyn, Virginia it's a great location.

CPAC 2010 is here!

2010-02-17T18:28:00.000-08:00

For the next three days (and nights) I'll be at the premiere conservative political event of the year. CPAC 2010 (www.cpac.org) is a great event with lots of networking, educational opportunities, events, speakers and parties in Washington DC.

Townhall is proud to be associated with CPAC and provides the official live video streaming efforts for CPAC.

www.townhall.com/cpac

Gitomer's Sales Training Seminar in Atlanta Today

2010-02-11T17:36:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd blog about some key take-aways and observations from attending Jeffrey Gitomer's seminar today.

Take-aways:

Nobody goes to school to become a sales manager so you have to get training.

Be a coach, not a manager.

Make your business card a conversation starter.

My attitude, as the Sales Coach, sets the tone for my team.

Inspire players to win for themselves.

Let each team member teach at sales meetings

Referrals are key. (this is a big mantra of Gitomer's)

Bring a customer to a sales meeting.

Look at your most heard objections and do something about them.

Have contests with your team anyone can win.

Hire women sales people. They do better, typically, than men.

Award your sales people in public.

Ask your sale people, "What is your best relationship in your life?" Now, nurture your client relationships the same way.

Lead by example, beside your people.

Set goals with your team.

Go through the sales people at your targets to get to the decision maker.

Record yourself pitching and watch it.

Enhance the comp plans.

Sales people don't like being accountable and they don't like working on a team with the other sales people.

Encourage your people.....all the way up until they leave.

Something I noticed in this, the 4th time I've paid to hear Gitomer, is that he's hawking his stuff a LOT more. Books, software, vendors, his new CRM, etc... It's annoying and I felt like I paid a lot of money to listen to him spend half his time talking about how the Phillies are awesome and his web guy is great. He lost me on this one. I won't pay to hear him again.

January 30, 2010

2010-01-30T08:38:00.001-08:00

Snowing in Chantilly, Virginia today which is where I stay during the week. I stayed here this weekend, as opposed to going home, and it was a hard decision to make.

We're stuck in this transition phase where my family needs to sell our home in Atlanta (http://bit.ly/9sU2JT) so that we can move up to northern Virginia. Hoping to do so this year...... : ) If anyone is looking for a home in Atlanta, we live in a great neighborhood with a great elementary school.

So I'll venture out into the snow today....while missing my family back in Conyers.

Goodbye 2009. Hello 2010!

2009-12-31T05:28:00.001-08:00

Been awhile since I've posted...but then again...not a big deal. Feeling pretty "reflective" today as most people are at the end of a year. 2009 was an interesting year. It's hard for me to NOT focus just on my job change in 2009. Many good things happened this year, including a job change, but many other good things happened for my family.

I hope that 2010 brings you prosperity and happiness and it surely will for me and my family.

Check out www.townhall.com sometime for political news and opinions.

Scott

Sgt. Grit - www.Grunt.com

2009-11-20T05:23:00.000-08:00

This is a recent post from a customer of Sgt. Grit's in his email newsletter today:

Old CorpsGrit, I travel a lot for work and I am truly amazed at the young Marines, I meet in airports, all over our wonderful country. They have the same pride, same "swagger", same confidence, that we had when we were in the Corps. I have talked with some of them and say I'm one of the "Old Corps", they respond, no Sir, you are a Marine, just a time change. I laugh at that.

We talk about boot camp and the differences in the USMC from the 1960's to 2009 and it is amazing to me that the Corps has not changed. Boot camp is longer now, we had 56 days and they have 12 weeks. They are anxious to hear how the Corps was in the 60's and most of the laughs we have is to see that not much has changed. They do not have JOB inspections now. When I mention the JOB, Junk on the Bunk, they look at me like I am telling them about the "Holy Grail". I laugh and say, that was a tradition that I am glad has ended. It is still the USMC and these young men and women are carrying on the tradition that was started, Nov 10, 1775.

I try to speak to as many as I can, and I ask myself, was I ever that young, and slim ?

Time has passed and most of us are not in our Boot camp shape, but we are Marines and we need to thank the young ones who are carrying on the tradition of our beloved Corps.

Eddie Leach
SSGT of Marines
1966-1969 and 1974-1980.
Platoon 2023

The Leading Conservative Political News and Opinion Website

2009-11-19T05:13:00.001-08:00

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New List - Political Love/Hate

2009-09-25T07:03:00.001-07:00

I'm going to attempt to put online a running list of political figures, as well as news and media personas, that I like and don't like. Let's see how this goes........

Thumbs Up:

Sean Hannity

Townhall.com

Glenn Beck

Neal Boortz

George W. Bush (any Bush for that matter)

Sarah Palin

John McCain

Ann Coulter

Thumbs Down:

That Ringo Starr looking Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Nancy Pelosi

The U.N.

Hugo Chavez

Jay Leno

Bill Maher

Technology Association of Georgia Blog

2009-09-22T07:43:00.001-07:00

Tag Blog - The Technology Association of Georgia has a great blog and a recent posting on the increase of tech jobs in Georgia as of late. Check it out. Scott

Shared via AddThis

Using Twitter for B2B

2009-09-21T09:56:00.000-07:00

I recently attended the LIFT Summit in Atlanta and heard a lot of good speakers from the social arena. One of the things I took from this meeting was a better understanding of the uses of Twitter for B2B companies. Some of the better uses of Twitter for B2B are:

Recruitment: Use of Twitter for recruitment is a definite possibility for corporate employers. Both in prospecting and in research of candidates' activities online.

Customer Service: Communicate with your followers/customers about things like service outages, updates, new offerings and assorted customer service issues.

Partnerships: Find potential partners for your business on Twitter. Oftentimes they are Tweeting about complimentary, non-competitive services and products they offer and the best thing about this is that, if they target the same market that you do, then potential partnerships can be on the table by reaching out to them.

Marketing: Getting your brand out there to be seen is of vital importance and Twitter is one more way to do so. Make sure your messages are valuable to your followers, not just "cool" to you as the marketer.

Monitoring: Being able to keep an ear to the streets on what your clients are saying about you is very valuable if you monitor this activity closely. You don't have to have a Twitter account to find out what's being said about your company.

Contact me: sburkey@solarvelocity.com or 404.395.0597 if you want to explore the uses of Twitter for your B2B company. Scott

2009-09-03T11:20:00.001-07:00

Tough to focus when it's so nice outside......

Lake Mesomikenda. Gogama, Ontario

2009-08-29T13:02:00.000-07:00

In early August of 2009 I went for 7 days to Lake Mesomikenda in Gogama, Ontario. We caught northern pike, walleye and smallmouth. It was a great trip that I would recommend for any avid fisherman that's looking to catch a large number of fish.

We stayed at a friend's family's island on Lake Mesomikenda, up the river from the lodge and down the river from the Kenda Wilderness lodge.

Guys in my network

2009-08-27T10:32:00.001-07:00

Some people in my network have great companies that are worth considering if you need their services and you want to work with somebody that I stand behind both professionally and personally:

Jeff Tuggle owns IQ Intelliquest - www.iqintelliquest.com - Graphics and printing company in Atlanta that has a HUGE amount of experience. Great guys and terrific service!

Sanders McConnell - www.myhsarewards.com - Tie your debit/credit card to his servcie (it's free!) to help fund your health savings account when you make purchases. Purchases made through the enormous vendor mall on his site get you even more points on your account!

Chris Clarke - www.wstyler.com - screening and sizing media for pharma, bio, chemical and screen-printing equipment. Chris is a great guy that will work with you to understand your business needs and find the right solution.

What are your employees saying about you?

2009-07-28T13:15:00.000-07:00

Business owners, managers, bosses. Just a quick observation.

Last night I was at a local business that I love. Great customer service. Friendly people. Clean environment. They go the extra mile to take care of you even though you are not spending a LOT of money with them. I asked one of the guys working there, "These people pretty good to work for?" His response was, without even turning to look at me, "No. Terrible place to work. Boss is a jerk. He just fakes being friendly with the customers but he's terrible to all of us. We're afraid of him and need the job so we fake smile at all of you (customers) too. You didn't here that from me."

Wow. What are your employees saying about your company when you are not around? I'm in the business of telling people how great my company is, as a matter of fact. I'm in sales. I don't always feel like my boss is great or the pay is great or that everything is where it should be. But....I don't slam my boss in front of customers. To me it's just not right. But, for somebody to do that, when they have really nothing to gain, only the potential of losing their job, that's pretty discouraging.

I wonder what your employees are saying about your company. Oh sure, there will always be "those ones" that have bad stuff to say regardless of how you treat them. However, keep in mind that impression your employees give of you with customers is very, very important to your business. I lost some respect for my "local favorite place" last night.

Stay Positive Even In A Bad Economy

2009-07-20T18:33:00.000-07:00

I started doing some searches online for ways to stay positive in this economic down-turn. It's tough, admittedly. I have so much to be grateful for yet I obsess on how to do better at work and worry constantly about losing my job. My faith has helped but it's tough even on a good day to stay positive. Here are some articles that I have found and enjoy:

http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/03/11-ways-to-stay-positive-in-a-bad-economy/

http://ezinearticles.com/?13-Ways-to-Stay-Positive-in-an-Economic-Downturn&id=1619476

http://www.ehow.com/how_4684630_stay-positive-tough-economic-times.html

http://christianhelpjournal.blogspot.com/2009/01/staying-positive-in-negative-economy.html

Green Is The New Black

2009-06-17T07:07:00.001-07:00

Seems that everyone these days is using the word "green" in their marketing. Being a corporate marketer I see it a lot and wanted to share my thoughts on the topic.

Being green is certainly fashionable these days for companies selling everything from mattresses to cars. From consumer products to professional services we are seeing eco-friendly messages creep up in marketing communications, product descriptions and taglines. Don't misunderstand me for a minute, I have a strong belief that reduction of waste, reuse of our resources and improvements in manufacturing processes are all great. What I have a problem with is that sometimes the message is a bit over the top with regards to just how much the environment has been positively impacted by the marketer. Take a closer look and don't assume that the marketer is representing their practices accurately. That's all I'm saying.

Green Careers, or "Green Collar Jobs", are also fast becoming a hot topic. I attended the 4th CareerEco event yesterday where this topic was approached by local experts Ira Blumenthal and Laura Turner Sydel. (www.careereco.com) What a great event this was! Ira is the President of the Captain Planet Foundation and Mrs. Sydel is an Atlanta icon both as the daughter of famed local business mogul Ted Turner and in her own way having led so many good causes. Some of the points I took from the discussion were:

1. Look for ways in corporate America to reduce, reuse and recycle. Don't just settle for the status-quo.

2. Make your own position. Oftentimes we look for job positions that say what we are in the description. You can be an Ambassador of the Environment and make your own position. I will speak more to this in future articles.

3. We need leaders in the eco-world. There are no REALLY well defined leaders championing the eco-cause in America and there's room for you to be the one!

4. Teach your kids about the envirnonmental practices that have a positive impact now and they will be our future green leaders. "Bend a sapling while it's young" to make a difference.

My family and I are doing more everyday to recycle, reuse resources and respect our planet. My company is doing it's part as well with increasing enthusiasm. I would challenge you to find out what you can do, get your education and find new ways to do your part. I am here for dialogue and hope to hear from you soon!

My new favorite golf course

2009-06-15T06:36:00.001-07:00

Went golfing last Friday morning at The Oaks in Covington, Georgia. Great golf course. Nice people (Met Andy and Dick). If you are in the area try them out.

www.golfoaks.com

Dick Shulz, one of the owners there, is a great guy with lots of interest in accomodating both small groups as well as tournaments looking for a new venue. Give them a try!

More Kudos and Boos....

2009-06-12T18:47:00.000-07:00

Kudos to Chic-fil-A. Love that place. Good food, good service and they will take any coupon, no matter how old, anytime. They are awesome! www.Chickfila.com

Kudos to Cowan Ace Hardware in Conyers Georgia. Nice people and very helpful. Excellent customer service! Kudos! www.acehardware.com

Kudos to The Oaks golf course in Covington, Ga. Great golf course, friendly people and they go above and beyond to make sure you enjoy your visit. www.golfoaks.com

Booooooo - Nah...I'm in such a good mood I can't think of anyone to "boo" tonight. Surely tomorrow brings a new day of resentments that need harboring. ha

Solar Velocity is still in action!

2009-06-11T09:08:00.000-07:00

Solar Velocity (the company I do sales for in Atlanta) is still clicking with another year of being named to the Atlanta Business Chronicle's Top 25 Largest Marketing Services Agencies. Congratulations to Solar Velocity.

At Solar Velocity, our first priority is to understand your company’s unique attributes and goals. Our identity analysis processes were honed and sharpened over the course of 10 years and 700 solutions-oriented for our clients. Though a series of strategy meetings, we learn your brand inside and out, ascertain your specific objectives for the website, and design a personalized marketing strategy that combines innovative creative materials and smart technology.

While we get to know your company, we also take steps to ensure that our own work is transparent. From the Design Team’s first design concepts of your homepage to our analysts’ ongoing examination of the traffic to your website, we take the time to explain the entire process and to help you understand both the creative and technical aspects of what we do. Our commitment to mutual learning and total collaboration are what set us apart from our competitors. When we begin designing your website, we are truly operating as an extension of your company and its vision.

www.SolarVelocity.com

10 Tips for Job Seekers

2009-05-27T05:21:00.001-07:00

Having had the experience last year (2008) where my employer went out of business unexpectedly I know what it's like to be in this economy without a job. As a matter of fact, I had a pregnant wife and three little kids at the time. While it wasn't my fault, it had a real impact on me both personally and professionally. It also changed me spiritually, emotionally and probably physically as I went through quite a bit of stress over the incident. Here are some thoughts I've put together to help others in "career transition" in 2009.

1. File for unemployment - Do it. You will need the money and you've paid your taxes for years so take advantage of it.
2. Get into action – Leave the results up to God or whoever you pray to.
3. You don’t know where it will come from - You might think that your next job will come from source xyz, but my experience (having been on the job market more than once over the years) is that the next job lead will come from perhaps an unlikely source. Stay alert and open-minded.
4. God hasn't forgotten you even in your tough times. He's got your back.
5. Mind your manners – Send Thank You cards, help others with their obstacles, etc. Trust me on this one, you never know who you help up today that will help you tomorrow.
6. Keep in mind that Plan A might not work. Plan E or Plan M may be your Plan A someday too soon.....
7. It could always be worse. It could always be worse, my friend. Keep perspective and remember that this too shall pass.
8. Be realistic - You can't afford everything you could 6 months ago. You will have to adjust your lifestyle during this time. Also, be realistic in the fact that you can't be super picky about what job you take in this economy.....sorry, had to say it at least once in this post.
9. Balance - you still need to eat, sleep, spend time with your family, etc. You have to keep some sort of balance though it will be difficult. Finding a job is a full-time job, yes. But...remember you need to stay in good health and "sharpen the saw" on a regular basis.
10. Journal and talk to people - Something that helped me was for me to write my thoughts down and to bounce my thoughts off of other people to see how they sounded coming out of my mouth. Normally I can think something that makes sense to me in my head but when I say it or write it I can see that it's off......sometimes really off! ha

Hang in there and remember that better times are on the horizon. Stay in action and reach out to everyone with a smile and a handshake. Email me if I can help you. sburkey1@gmail.com

And the beat goes on.....

2009-05-12T12:13:00.001-07:00

I'm seeing two things today:

1. Just found out that yet another friend/networking buddy was laid off from Sterling Commerce in Atlanta. I hate it. Hate it. Hate it. Unfortunately I still see layoffs today but at a slower rate than two months ago.

2. I'm seeing small signs of hope in the economy. Leads are picking up and buyers are starting to stick their heads out of their holes. Let's keep it going......

20,000 people show up for Georgia TEA Party

2009-04-15T18:02:00.000-07:00

Not bad. I'm watching the TEA Party in Atlanta from the quiet suburbs. Good to see anyone show up to speak their mind. Though I'm on the conservative side of the fence I fought for this country in the Marines Corps and for our right to speak our mind. Good for anyone that takes the time to get out and participate in our great country's right to free speech.

Interactive Marketing Internship Available

2009-04-10T08:14:00.000-07:00

If you know of anyone, or if you are, looking for an internship my company has an open slot. We need somebody that wants to learn the business of interactive marketing and web technologies. It is very common for my company, www.solarvelocity.com, to hire full-time employees from the intern ranks. Very common.

Send me an email at work if you are interested: sburkey@solarvelocity.com

Thanks! Scott

ECommerce Payment Gateways

2009-04-10T08:09:00.000-07:00

It looks like (from my recent experience) the defacto-standard in online credit card transaction processing, Authorize.net, has gotten too big for their britches. They used to be the only way to go for web developers like me to connect websites to merchant accounts. Now....their developer support has been outsourced, your request is put in a ticket queue and you're just a number to them.

It's okay, I understand. Companies grow and need to be scalable. But the same personalized service I liked about Authorize.net is now what I like about their competitor. : )

Cigars - April 09

2009-04-08T11:11:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit of a cigar enthusiast. I wanted to post a few recent ones I've enjoyed to get your take on them.

Ghurka Titan
Drew Estate - Tabak
Drew Estate - Chateu Real
Any Hoyo de Monterrey
Punch - I like all of them

Shout back on which ones you like.

If you are on LinkedIn, look me up at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/scottburkey I am a member of a few cigar groups with some good lists going of favorites.

April Is Here

2009-04-06T10:57:00.001-07:00

April is here. It's my favorite month.

* Spring
* Easter
* Birthdays (my wife's, my grandma's, mine, my niece)
* Fishing season!

I'm hoping that some sunshine and new energy will help rejuvenate our minds, our spirits and ....... dare I hope.....our economy.

Overview

2009-03-29T16:21:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking about making this blog primarily about something that I enjoy a lot. I actually enjoy the process of a sales pursuit. See, I'm a sales guy for an interactive agency and I take my job very seriously. Lots of guys/gals in sales that I've run across are not that "into" selling like I am. However, some that I run with are also into thinking about the details, the finer points of a pursuit.

While I've not been in business development long (3 years) I had what I think to be a good start at a larger agency under a couple of execs at that company. I learned how to qualify an RFP. I was told what types of questions to ask in the initial interactions with the prospect. Qualification, needs identification, solutions selling in a complex environment and closing techniques. All are very interesting to me.

Some of the books I like are "Let's Get Real Or Let's Not Play", "The Sales Bible", "Selling To Big Companies" and "Hope Is Not A Strategy".

I'll get into some thoughts on these in this blog as well as mixing in some other topics of interest to me.

Good List - Bad List

2009-03-25T13:06:00.001-07:00

I'm just looking to vent. And praise. Here are some of the businesses that I am disappointed in and here are some I love.

I'm disappointed in:
- Conyers Nissan (terrible customer relations, quit biting the hands that are feeding you guys)
- RaceTrac Petroleum - gas stations

I love:
+ Chick Fil A (what a wonderful company from front to back)
+ All Air - Great company with terrific service and integrity - www.allairinc.com
+ MyHSARewards.com - Sanders and Rob (founders) are on to something big here. Check them out.
+ Kaiteurcoffeehouse.com - Moose (the owner) and his wife are wonderful people that run a terrific business in Conyers, Ga.

So here is my beef. (with some companies) When you are snotty, rude, demeaning and discourteous to sales people, vendors, employment candidates and, in any instance, customers you are really hurting your business. That job candidate you are demeaning to is a person that can put out some bad press about your company in your community. Think about it. That vendor that you treat like garbage, he knows a lot of your clients and prospects and can have a real impact on your business. Here is an example:

RaceTrac Petroleum is a successful chain of gasoline retail convenience stores. But it's common knowledge in Atlanta amongst vendors and job candidates that they are a huge waste of time to try to do business with or to try to get a job at their corporate offices. They meet with you....they bring you in 5 times to talk to 20 people.....they ask for a long list of "things" from you.....then.....they never call you again. Job seekers. Vendors. All of them. They constantly put out RFP's and never choose a vendor. They interview dozens of people all of the time and never follow up to even show the courtesy of letting the job candidate know if they got the job or not. I've dealt with them on both accounts. I haven't bought gas from them, as a result of their poor business practices, in over 6 years now. I tell everyone I know not to buy from them. Pitiful.

Chick Fil A, on the other hand, I will go out of my way to patronize because they are polite, courteous and ethical from top to bottom. Front to back. Very nice and very professional both in their corporate offices and in their stores. Love them.

If you want to be on my list. (either one) ha Let me know at sburkey1@gmail.com

Renewable Energy and All Things Green

2009-03-25T06:49:00.000-07:00

I'm doing a lot of research right now in renewable energy. Looking of companies that provide products and services around ways to reuse energy, create new energy and reduce the amount of energy consumed. If you know of anyone that I could talk to please let me know!

A Positive Attitude Creeps In...

2009-03-24T10:17:00.000-07:00

I actually got up and went running this morning. No, not to the store to get some Little Debbies, but to actually wake up, start my day right and to try to reduce the Swiss Cake Roll I have developing above my belt.

I'm trying to keep a positive attitude in this economy. It's tough. I see people unemployed in my network almost daily. It's scary. I'm grateful for my job and hope to keep it for awhile......hope to..... Actually the company I work for is a good one (http://www.solarvelocity.com/) and the owners are nice guys. I appreciate the opportunity they've given me. I work day and night to try to be successful for them and for me and for the rest of the company.

How are you keeping a positive attitude in this economy? What do you do? How are you faring?

My first personal blog post on Blogger.

2009-03-14T19:16:00.000-07:00

I'm going to try blogging to a blog other than my company's blog. This way...maybe....I can say what is more-so on my mind than what I can/should say on a blog for my company. Gotta watch it on a business blog.

That's it. Nothing to complain about. Yet. Give it 4 or 5 minutes.