Yes, a very bold claim indeed. Especially since we’re in a world of know it alls.  But give me a few minutes of your time, and you’ll understand why.

If you go back to the grassroots workings of the Internet, it’s a vast space where information is shared across many networks. That’s how programs stay updated, users interact and how so much progress is being made. It’s shared. Don’t make me mention Facebook and its IPO. I don’t know why everyone is so surprised. We’re talking access to a county’s worth of people. That’s a lot of data.

Here’s a good example of why you need to be diligent about your information. It may not be ‘personal information’ to you, but doesn’t it matter who gets to see this much information about you and why?

Real-Life Scenario

You’re buying something at Hollister, you crazy hipster you. The cashier asks you your zip code. Nothing new there, a few places do that. So you give it. He/she then asks for your address. A little personal but you give it to them anyways, heck he/she’s cute. The next questions: when you were born, what is your favorite restaurant, what your friends names are, how old you are, and where you were born. Normal? I think not, but  we trust online retailers and people we ‘like’ with this information all the time.

I just happen to Like Digg on Facebook. And here’s what I agreed to when I clicked that it was okay for Digg to access my personal information, which all apps do.

I highly recommend you go and learn about how to update these types of Facebook App Settings.

The Way

Everything you do is a ripple in the pond of the world. How Bruce Lee of me, I know. But that man knew his stuff!

What if every time you spoke, it was like you are up on the stage of TED. Sharing some influential, inspiring or geeky laughter inducing tidbit/life story/reality. Isn’t that scary?

But that’s pretty much what you do, everyday; like all day at work and any time you spend sharing things on the large information tubes known as the Internet. Seriously!

 Eye of the Tiger

1) Use strong passwords and change them every now and then (at least 3 times a year)

• Use words and numbers in no logical order (to an outsider that is, don’t forget your own passwords)

2) Know what info you’re sharing (check your privacy and profile settings!)

Just because you’re an open book doesn’t mean you should hand your info over to complete strangers, especially in exchange for “liking” their stuff.

3) Think before you share

• It may seem like a good idea now, but would you want your mom seeing it or your grand kids stumbling upon it down the road?

4) Better safe than sorry. If you’re unsure, Google it first.

• Possible spam email addresses
• Odd looking URL’s
• Weird business name from another country

So you’re surfing the web and come across a breathtaking font, what do you do?

You can highlight it and pop it into Word in hopes you already have it.  You can also scour the web trying to find ways to describe the font, but that’s like trying to find a Canadian in Canada that actually lives in an igloo. Needle in a haystack folks!  So changes are you  “forgetaboutit,” as so nicely put by Donnie Brasco.

There must be another solution right? Well of course there is, otherwise I wouldn’t waste both our times to present this article. So, without further ado…

How to Steal a Font in 3 Easy Steps

Step 1 — Go to MyFonts.com

Step 2 -

Upload a File or paste a URL of where the font in question is.

TIP: Your best bet is to take a screenshot or snipping tool cut of the font in question.  I’d take a screenshot of my snipping tool in action, but my Macbook running Windows 7 screenshot function is, well, an X-file.

Step 3 –

Either pay for the font on the site, or do it start up style and find the font on a free font website. Like one of my favorites below:

That’s it! You’ve now got the know-how to legitimately steal some fonts.  With that said, if you’re a normal person or start up, give props to the font artists, whether they ask you to or not.  And if you’re from a corporation or larger business, buy the dang font.  You’ll be helping the economy and you can write it off anyways.

Thanks for reading! <3

There is no such thing as an un-viable business these days. The Internet doesn’t change the fact that we’re human beings and still need people to fix our appliances when they break down or need to hire a chimney sweep so Santa can bring us presents in December.  It does, however, change how people find our businesses. That’s the difference.

If you’re in an offline business and complain at all about how the Internet is killing your business, you’re doing it wrong.  Here are 3 ways you can right this wrong:

1) Have a website

It’s 2012 for goodness sakes. There are kids in the world that don’t know any other means for research than by using the Internet. How do you expect them to find you? A stroll?

Please note: a Yellow Pages listing and/or ad is not enough. It’s great that if people look for you, you have lots of results leading to your business, but a website of your own is integral to your off and online existence.

If people search for your company and can’t find you. It’s over. That means they’ve already found someone else.

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~ How to Get a Website, Like Right Now ~

1) Go to instantdomainsearch.com and pick a relevant, available domain name.
2 a) Sign up for cheap as heck web hosting service to get the job done.
2 b) Use a service like Tumblr so you don’t have to pay hosting fees.

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2) Offer a phone number AND email address

Are you so rich that you don’t want customers contacting you? I didn’t think so. So there’s no if’s and’s or but’s on this one, let alone any excuse why you don’t have both an email address and phone number posted on your new-found website. Some people love the telephone, others hate it *points to self*. Some people love email, others prefer the phone. Get it?!?

If you just so happen to be a one-man/woman show, buy one phone line with an answering machine.  All you have to do is record a fancy business message and BAM, your work is done. Heck, you don’t even have to answer it, you can just check your messages. How difficult is that, really?

3) Using Aol, gmail, yahoo and hotmail email addresses  

This is one of my biggest pet peeves in the entire world, universe maybe. Why? Simply because it’s so easy to get a custom email address and it makes a huge difference; to 1) branding 2) perception 3) relevance.

Your email address should be relative to your business name. Why? Because any old shmo can sign up for any gmail, yahoo and hotmail addresses they want.  If I wanted to be SearsCanada@gmail.com I could be.  I’m obviously not related to the company Sears in any way, nor do I even venture in their stores, so what makes me an authority with an email address like that? It doesn’t.

If you don’t know how to get a personalized email address, here are a few solutions:

a) Google lets you do it for free (see the word trial, click on it)
b) Web hosting services usually provide one or two for free (GoDaddy for example)
c) Pay someone $5 to set it up for you via http://fiverr.com
d) Hire a professional geek to do it
e) Ask you kids or your friends kids

To iterate..

 If your business is located in a developed country and you don’t have an online presence, you will fail unless you move online too. 

If all that wasn’t motivating enough for you..