A Lesson On Business Chivalry from the Skies of the First World War…Over the Western Front

 

A Lesson On Business Chivalry from WWI Skies…

. 

…Over the Western Front

.

An original Business blog article by Yonatan Maisel, exclusively at JobShuk

.

.

World War I was a savage conflict, a prolonged conflagration which consumed the lives of 12 million combatants and civilians.

.

The "War to End All Wars" brought violence to a level that had never been seen before. The first tanks. Machine-guns. Submarines. Trenches. Foxholes. And poison gas. And no, it did not end all wars as historians at the time posited it might. Following the cessation of hostilities, WWII would break out less than two decades later. It would cost 50 million lives.

.

As a history buff, and having just finished reading Jeff Shaara’s incredible work To the Last Man, it is hard for me to get past the bloodshed and carnage and death on a mega-scale. Yet one episode from this scintillating book sticks out in my mind…

.

.

The skies over the Western Front differed from skies of previous wars. The invention of the airplane only a decade earlier brought the advent of aerial combat. Now, thousands of feet in the air, flew single-engine fighters, bi-planes and tri-planes, fashioned with machine-guns. "Dog-fighting" had been born. 

.

.

Oswald Boelcke was a German fighter-pilot and "ace" and the mentor to Manfred von Richthofen, later known as the "Red Baron." Taking to the skies almost daily against his British, French and ANZAC (Australia and New Zealand) counterparts, to name but a few, Boelcke would eventually rack up 40 victories, at that time, the undisputed record.

.

Yet, as cruelty raged on the battlefields below, there was, by all accounts, a camaraderie in the air, even among adversaries. Though your sworn enemy who stalked you until death, as you did he, there was a certain chivalry among the pilots born of mutual respect and admiration. Though at war with each other, fair-play seemed an unwritten rule for these knights-of-the-sky. With his forty "kills," Boelcke was feared by the French and British, but due to his skills and courage, he earned the respect and admiration of his foes.

.

.

On October 28, 1916, Boelcke was shot out of the sky by a British Airco DH2 fighter. He died on impact. He was 25 years old.

.

The day after his funeral, a lone British plane appeared over the base where Boelcke had been stationed.

.

 

As it was only one plane, flying slowly, German gunners withheld fire; it seemed the plane had no malicious intent. They stared up into the sky in wonderment at the plane and pilot who was willing to take such a risk.

.

That lone RFC (Royal Flying Corps) plane dropped something from above. It was not a bomb, however. It was a wreath of flowers which bore the message:

.

.

"To the memory of Captain Boelcke, a brave and chivalrous foe."

. 

.

The World of Business and the Writer’s Disclaimer:

.

How does one glean a business lesson from a conflict of savagery and butchery which claimed the lives of 12 million people? A war of aggression launched by a country whose sole aim was conquest and expansionism? One doesn’t. It is tasteless and offensive. I actually stopped writing this article at several junctures feeling that a business lesson drenched in blood was not worth writing.

.

Although this is a Business blog, the words I have to offer are about life in general…

.

Many of us, in our everyday lives, have rivals. We have competitors. We have competition. We have adversaries.

.

Being on opposite sides can breed resentment and contempt. Yet, sometimes there are qualities in those rivals and adversaries which are to be admired. Skill. Acumen. Deftness. Positivity. Respectfulness. Chivalry. Playing by the rules. Fairness.

.

.

"To the memory of a brave and chivalrous foe…"

.

.

I can’t get those crazy words out of my mind.

.

. 

______________________________________________                                   

Image Credits: Aerial Combat: www.airplane-collectible-best-net-resource.com/images/WW1_Dogfight.; British DH-2: http://www.static.rcgroups.net/        

..

.

.

Yonatan Maisel is a Business blogger, history buff and author. He specializes in all aspects of Business writing.

From speeches to resumes, from corporate bios to research, from blogging to website content, from articles to ghost-writing

A Business Diatribe: My Problem with the Fitness Industry (How It Puts Us In Mortal Danger Every Day!)

 

A Business Diatribe: My Problem with the Fitness Industry

. 

(How It Puts Us In Mortal Danger Every Day!)

.

.

Ahhh. The Fitness Industry. It’s a segment of the Business world which brings in tens-of-billions of dollars every year.

.

Want a part of the action?

.

Become certified and train people privately. Open a gym. Become a franchisee to one of the myriad of well-known "houses of muscle": Gold’s Gym. World Gym. 24 Hour Fitness. Or grab your piece of the supplement industry: vitamins, weight-loss shakes and protein supplements: a sub-segment of the industry which itself pulls in billions each year.

.

Whether you are just starting out in the world of Business or looking for a career change, it is a financially-lucrative profession.

.

.

So What’s My Beef?

.

 

.

I just happened to be watching a documentary about prisons on the Discovery Channel last night. You know the type: the camera and commentator take you inside of a large correctional facility: home to murderers, rapists and those guilty of such crimes as ‘assault with a deadly weapon,’ ‘2nd degree manslaughter’ and ‘home invasion robbery.’

.

The next thing you know, yes, it’s part of the standard script for such shows, you join the prisoners out in the courtyard or the prison-gym for some fitness fun. And there you see said murderers, rapists, manslaughterers and home-invaders getting pumped-up! Yep, people convicted of some of the most heinous crimes that exist…and they are now 225 pounds of rock-solid muscle. But wait: they have boxing equipment too, from which they learn to punch and kick harder and faster!

.

.

.

BUSINESS ETHICS & MORALS:

.

Okay, although I do have a real issue with "pumped-up" prisoners, it is a metaphor for this article. It has to do with morals, ethics and integrity. And it forces the questions: "Who are you doing business with?" and "At what cost do profits come?"

.

Within every industry there are morals, ethics, and codes-of-conduct both written and un-written. Most tobacco shops don’t sell cigarettes to ten year-olds. Liquor stores don’t usually sell fifths of Jim Beam to 12 year-olds. Most marketers would balk at selling business plans to South American drug-cartels. I, as a writer, would not sell my services to a known criminal organization.

.

Along with profitability come questions and issues such as…yes, health, well-being and public safety.

.

My question, and the basis of this rant is this? Who the heck is selling the fitness equipment to the prisons?

.

So, prospective fitness-guru, enter the industry! Make your money. Enjoy your work. Be profitable. Become an entrepreneur.

.

But for Heaven’s sake…if you’re getting into the fitness equipment-supply end, please don’t sell to prisons.

.

Realize that one day a lot of those rapists and murderers will finish their sentences or be released on parole. And the recidivism rate is astronomically-high. Statistics show that many will again commit violent crime. If they must be released, then there is not much that can be done. But please do not give them the means to be stronger and more athletic in their violent ways.

.

.

I prefer ex-cons to be rather skinny and weak!

.

. 

______________________________________________                                   

Image Credits: Barbell Weight: www.images.buzzillions.com; Dollar Signs: www.stopadvertisingnow.com; Prisoner: th942.photobucket.com;        

..

.

.

Yonatan Maisel is a Business blogger, history buff and author. He specializes in all aspects of Business writing.

From speeches to resumes, from corporate bios to research, from blogging to website content, from articles to ghost-writing, he provides the highest level of quality at a very reasonable price.

.

.

A Business, Branding and Marketing Lesson from Legendary Rockers ZZ Top! (The Power of a Business Beard!)

A Business, Branding and Marketing Lesson

. 

From Legendary Rockers ZZ TOP!

.

.

With hit-singles like "La Grange," "Cheap Sunglasses," "Legs," and "Sharp-Dressed Man," and with smash-hit albums like El Loco, Eliminator and Afterburner, ZZ Top has firmly cemented its place among the immortals of Rock ‘n Roll. There is not a list of "greatest rock bands" which doesn’t bear their name, and in 2004, they were inducted into the pantheon of legends, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

.

Yet, in terms of Branding, Marketing and Advertising, there is a component of ZZ Top which is just as prominent as their kick-ass style of music.

.

.

 

.

Those Trademark Beards:

.

They’re unmistakable, impossible to miss and they give ZZ Top high visibility. They can be associated with one musical act and one musical act only. Ask any rock n’ roll aficionado, and those only passingly familiar with the genre, "I have two words for you ‘Rock ‘n Roll’ and ‘beards’ what comes to mind?" They will say ZZ Top, guaranteed!

.

ZZ Top Trivia: Frank Beard, ZZ Top’s drummer is, ironically, the only band member without a beard!

.

.

ZZ Top on Business:

.

In the world of Business, there is almost nothing as important as visibility. Sure, you’ve got great products and great services, sure you offer great prices, but without that all-important visibility, who will ever find what you have to offer. You sell computer parts, websites or legal services. Guess what? So do ten-thousand other people!

.

So go ahead, use all of the modern tools that are available in business. A website. Profiles on sites such as LinkedIn. Social bookmarking. A blog. Twitter and Facebook.

.

But keep in mind that there are millions of other businesses that utilize these resources. What is needed is a way to capture a bit of attention and stick in peoples’ minds. Every business needs that little something extra to increase their visibility and recognize-ability. Without these aspects, any modern business risks becoming lost in the crowd; that proverboal needle in a haystack. So turn things up a notch and get people to look. Turn up the quality of your blog content. Have an impossible-to-miss logo created for your business. Re-design a tired, stale website. Stop using that generic "silhouette" avatar on your profile sites.  

.

Think of ZZ Top’s music as their backbone: great content on a blog, a fantastic website, and a great product. Jam along with "Doubleback" next time you catch Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future Part II. Play air-guitar next time "Give Me All Your Lovin’" comes on the radio.

.

But remember, that along with their awesome, music, there is one component of this iconic band which makes them impossible to overlook. It is their brand. It is their logo. It IS their beards!

.

.

What are you doing to set your business apart from the crowd?

.

How are you bringing added visibility?

.

.

What is your "beard?"

.

.

. 

___________________________________________________ 

Image Credits: Opening ZZ Top Image: www.smokestacklightnin.com;  In Concert: www.assets.nydailynews.com; World: www.imba.nccu.edu.tw

..

.

.

Yonatan Maisel is a Business blogger, history buff and author. He specializes in all aspects of Business writing.

From speeches to resumes, from corporate bios to research, from blogging to website content, from articles to ghost-writing, he provides the highest level of quality at a very reasonable price.

.

 

How to SABOTAGE Your Business Blog Article with a Bad Title in 4 Easy Steps!

 

How to Sabotage Your Business Blog Article…

.

With a Bad Title in 4 Easy Steps!

.

An original Business blog article by Yonatan Maisel exclusively at JobShuk

.

.

"Self-Sabotage" (my definition) (verb): Cock pistol. Aim towards foot. Pull trigger. Shriek in pain! Pick up phone. Call ambulance!

.

A BUSINESS BLOG is the #1 way to market a business. It’s is a highly-effective and free form of advertising. I am now at the point where 80% of my new clients contact me as a direct result of having read one or more of my posts. IT WORKS!

.

Yet, as I have found out through my own experience and from having read the posts of others, there are several ways in which a title can (pardon my language), FUCK-up an otherwise great article.

.

A bad title can in many ways ensure that a great article has very little chance of being read. And, as we shall see, it can effect the "Twitter-ability" of a post as well.

.

So here, without further adieu, are…

.

  GREAT ways to sabotage a business blog post:

.

.

 1) "Been there, seen that, done that!" A relevant and timely example: Social Media is all the rage in business blogs. Many great articles have been written and many more are waiting to be written. It could very well be the next mega-hit article for you and your business.

.

But go ahead and give it the following title: "5 Ways to Use Social Media to Improve Your Business." Whether 5 ways, 10 ways or 20 ways, this title has been used literally tens-of-thousands of times. It is old. It is tired. People are weary of seeing it. It no longer opens eyes and makes people want to click through. It is sabotage. Jazz up the title to increase your hit-count and ROI!

.

 2) B-O-R-I-N-G! Yup, consider it a continuation of point #1. There are hundreds-of-thousands of great business blogs out there, each one vying for readership. Want yours read? You BETTER spice up the title! A small dose of C-R-E-A-T-I-V-I-T-Y goes a long way! Your article might contain fantastic content, great tips and wonderful advice, but a boring title is a great way to make sure it won’t be read!

.

 3) Stating the Obvious! For the sake of continuity, let’s stay with Social Media. Give this title a try: "Social Media is GREAT for Your Business!"

.

Well, pardon my language again: "NO SHIT!" Don’t be surprised if your prospective reader mumbles to him or herself, "I already know that Dick Tracy!" Stating the obvious in a title gives a reader who already knows the obvious that you have stated a GREAT reason to skip the article. When you are "preaching to the choir," expect the choir to not pay attention!

.

 4) Apostrophes and Other Punctuation Marks. This is one I have been guilty of. Apostrophes might seem like a good way of highlighting or stressing something in your article title. It is a great way…unless you want to utilize Twitter Tweets and Re-Tweets to pass your article along.

.

Try this article title:

. 

The "Hitch Hikers" Guide to Social Media!

. 

Catchy title? Yes, but on Twitter, your Tweets and Re-Tweets will look something like this:

.

The &Apos. itch Hikers&Apos. uide to Social Media!

. 

Not the best way to give it readability on Twitter! 

.

Here are a few of the punctuation marks you will discover that Twitter does not like: ("), (‘), (;) (&).

.

.

.

Blogging for Business is…

.

ULTRA-Competitive!

.

One way to increase the chances…

.

That your posts will be read…

.

Is with effective TITLES!

.

.

. 

___________________________________________________ 

Image Credits: Shooting Self in Foot: http://www.2.bp.blogspot.com/; Bullet: www.aa-ok.com/; Blog: www.manuinfosolutions.com

.

.

.

Yonatan Maisel is a Business blogger, history buff and author. He specializes in all aspects of Business writing.

From speeches to resumes, from corporate bios to research, from blogging to website content, from articles to ghost-writing, he provides the highest level of quality at a very reasonable price.

.

An Open Letter to the Jews Accused of Controlling International Finance and The Media: I’d Like to Apply for a Job!

 

An Open Letter to the Jews Accused of Controlling International Finance and The Media:

. 

I’d Like to Apply for a Job!

.

.

.

March 17, 2010,

.

Dear International Jewish Banking and Media Heads (a.k.a. "The Conspirators"),

.

Good day to you! My name is Yonatan Maisel.

.

I am, by my very nature, a skeptic. I am, after all, an enlightened and reasonably-educated person, but one who is aware that entire industries are, and have been, built on the backs of conspiracy theories.

.

There is the 9/11 conspiracy which states that it was George Bush Jr. and the U.S. Government who carried out the devious and despicable attacks which brought down the Twin Towers. There is the theory that the U.S. Government is in possession of an alien spacecraft that crashed in Roswell, New Mexico in the 50s. The Kennedy assassination spawned theories of a 2nd gunman on the "grassy knoll." And the list goes on. I, myself, take these wild theories with the proverbial grain of salt.

.

Then there is the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion-esque" theory that Jews secretly control International Banking, Finance and the Media. Not a few Jews, rather, a vast, global network. Again, I take this with a grain of salt.

.

Well, truth be told…I used to take it that way. You see, in the past week, I have read two more articles, putting forth, expounding and perpetuating this theory. They piqued my curiosity, causing me to look into the matter further via the portal of information where everything fit-to-print must be true…yes, the Internet. The result? So widespread are these theories (not just by Neo-Nazis and anti-Semites…but also by seemingly educated, worldy, scholars) that I began to think there might just be some truth to it.

.

I will mention here that I am Jewish. Not just because I will be asking you for a favor. Rather, I see my Jewishness as a shield to prevent me from being called anti-Semitic or bigoted for having penned this letter.

.

Based on the assumption that you are indeed in control of the previously mentioned business-conglomerates, I would like to ask you for a job.

. 

I am a freelance-writer. A good one, but as is the case with most, a struggling one. Clients here, clients there and plenty of downtime in between. I guess it’s my fault though…I’m, at least as far as "they" say, supposed to be a doctor or a dentist.

.

So it is to you whom I turn. Those supposedly in charge of these major global industries, these bastions of commerce and information. With the unlimited power at your fingertips would it be too much to ask you to pull a few strings and bring me on board? I’m hard working and industrious. While my goal, unlike yours, is not world domination…it is simply a regular paycheck, I feel that I could contribute greatly.

.

As you are accused of being a vast, organized, worldwide network, I fully expected that you would have a central office where I could send my resume and writing samples. Unfortunately, however, it seems that you have neglected to publicize this information. Google shows a lot of information pertaining to the theory itself, however, I fail to find a website, e-mail address, postal address or your phone number.

.

I’m perplexed; unsure how to proceed.

.

My resume, portfolio and testimonials are ready to go. I believe that upon seeing them you will be duly impressed. All I need is your contact information.

.

I anxiously await your reply.

.

Sincerely,

.

Your "Partner in Conspiracy"

.

Yonatan Maisel

.

.

Dear Reader, If you have enjoyed this tongue-in-cheek piece, please consider giving it a Re-Tweet:

.

.

.

___________________________________________________ 

Image Credits: Conspiracy Theory Alert: www.brainpickings.org;  Keyboard: www.diomedia.com 

.

.

.

Yonatan Maisel is a Business blogger, history buff and author. He specializes in all aspects of Business writing.

From speeches to resumes, from corporate bios to research, from blogging to website content, from articles to ghost-writing, he provides the highest level of quality at a very reasonable price.

.

Business History and Ethics: The Fatal Ford Pinto and Why It’s Crucial to Test Your Product Before Selling It!

 

Business History and Ethics: The Fatal Ford Pinto…

. 

and Why It’s CRUCIAL to Test Your Product Before Selling It!

.

An original Business blog article by Yonatan Maisel exclusively at JobShuk

.

.

Produced by the Ford Motor Company beginning in 1971, the Pinto was a sub-compact model introduced and marketed as…

.

"The Carefree Little Car!"

.

.

The problem was that several hundred people perished, some burning to death inside of their vehicles, when the cars burst into flames.

.

You see, a strange thing happened to the Ford Pinto on the way to market. This sprightly little car, meant to cost less than $2,000 was rushed into production by Ford. Rear-end collision tests, mandated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration never took place. Ford, on a strict deadline, decided that the tests could and would be conducted after the car went on sale.

.

The problem was that the Pinto’s design left the fuel tank vulnerable to "explosion upon impact." Internal Ford memos later proved that those "in-the-know" at Ford knew of the design flaw. Further documentary evidence proves that designers at Ford suggested a steel "flak suit" protective device could be added to the Pinto at the cost of less than $10 per-vehicle. As inexpensive as that may sound to you and me, Ford decided that the proposed $10 investment was too much. Harold MacDonald, Ford Vice President of Car Engineering, thus nixed the flak suit…Ford would take its chances.

.

In what became known as the "Ford Pinto Memo," the folks at Ford decided that it would be cheaper to pay off lawsuits than to bring the car up to safety-standards. What the memo was, was a cost-benefit analysis of human-life. 

.

.

.

Grimshaw vs Ford Motor Company:

.

The lawsuit, resulting from a deadly 1972 accident which left a woman dead and her son burnt over most of his body resulted in a a $6 Million judgement against Ford. The California Court of Appeals for the Fourth Appellate District ruled that Ford "had been aware of the design defects before production but had decided against changing the design." This was only one of a large number of cases brought against Ford.

.

.

Business Lessons Etched in Blood:

.

.

Hundreds of deaths have been attributed to the Ford Pinto FIASCO. So, what unfortunate lessons can be gleaned from this tragic episode of Business history?

.

Firstly, and perhaps most obviously, though most of us in business don’t hold the balance of life in our hands, is that cost-benefit analyses are a good way of conducting business. But when lives are at stake…they are unforgivable!

.

Secondly, simply conducting the required tests would have uncovered the Pinto’s fatal flaw before lives were lost.

. 

In business, we can all test our products before they go to market to make sure they meet the standards of quality necessary to satisfy the consuming public. AND necessary to keep our clients and customers SAFE!

.

.

. 

___________________________________________________ 

Image Credits:  Pinto Ad: http://www.retromugs.com/;  Exploded Pinto: http://www.aworldofprogress.com/; Blood Drop: http://www.wyomingnews.com/

.

.

.

Yonatan Maisel is a Business blogger, history buff and author. He specializes in all aspects of Business writing.

From speeches to resumes, from corporate bios to research, from blogging to website content, from articles to ghost-writing, he provides the highest level of quality at a very reasonable price.

.

ROI of a Business Blog Post Written So Long Ago I Forgot I Had Written It (Find Waldo: A Look Back)

 

ROI of a Business Blog Post Written So Long Ago I Forgot I Had Written It:

.

(Find Waldo: A Look Back)

.

An original Buisness blog article by Yonatan Maisel exclusively at JobShuk

.

.

It’s the beauty of a Business blog as far as I’m concerned: each and every post is an investment…potential money in the bank so to speak.

.

.

.

I received a phone call this past Thursday from a reader who was interested in hiring me for a writing job. She had read an article of mine…it was the impetus for the call. I asked her which post, fully expecting her to say one of those I had written within the past week or two.

.

It came as a sheer, but pleasant, surprise when she mentioned an article which I had posted nearly six months ago. Yup, it was an article I had written so long ago that I almost forgot I had written it.

.

.

The article in question was Find Waldo: How a Beloved Childrens’ Game Has Survival Implications In the BUSINESS World!

.

The last time I had checked on the article was about a week after I had written it…at that time it had about 250 views. I went back to check after speaking with my new client and was amazed to see that it was closing in on 3,000 hits.

.

.

A Business blog and each article which is written has a certain value…a certain Return on Investment.

.

When first written, linking it to Social Bookmarking and Social Media sites plants the seeds for present and future readership. Tweeting on Twitter and links on Facebook and LinkedIn announce to the world what you have just posted. It is at this point that you can expect a certain initial interest in a blog post…hits and readers.

.

Then, after a week, two weeks or a month, interest in the post can subside. Views and comments become fewer and further-between.

.

But as time goes by another beautiful thing happens: the search-engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing get hold of your articles. It’s been said that "search-engines LOVE blogs"…to see why this is so and how it happens, check out "Blogging: The Way to a Search-Engine’s Heart" at my friend Hesham’s great website Famous Bloggers. And then the ball really gets rolling. More readers and more Re-Tweets. More Re-Tweets and more readers. It’s a self-perpetuating cycle which gains momentum…just like a snowball rolling down a hill.

.

.

Blogging for Business might at times feel like over-time work.

.

Like a tedious, effort-filled venture.

.

ROI is not always immediate.

.

But think of each article as…

.

Money in a long-term…

. 

.

$aving$ account!

.

.

. 

. 

___________________________________________________ 

Image Credits: Golden Egg: www.sitewiz.co.uk; Waldo: www.trailershut.com; Piggy Bank: www.images.paraorkut.com; Phone: www.images.paraorkut.com

.

.

.

Yonatan Maisel is a Business blogger, history buff and author. He specializes in all aspects of Business writing.

From speeches to resumes, from corporate bios to research, from blogging to website content, from articles to ghost-writing, he provides the highest level of quality at a very reasonable price.

.

  
  

Business History: How a Marketing Tool Allowed Every 1970s Boy to Own the Greatest Super-Car Ever Built!

. 

 

Business History:

. 

How Marketing Allowed Every 1970s Boy to Own the Greatest Super-Car Ever!

.

.

The Lamborghini Countach. Unmistakable. Insane in its appearance when it went into production in the 1970s. The sleek aerodynamic profile. The gull-wing doors. It’s monstrous engine. Gawks and stares were the reactions of anyone lucky enough to see one on the road!

.

The prestigious BBC television show TOP GEAR, in 2004, named it the "Sexiest Super-Car of All-Time." The iconic car was featured prominently in the 1981 Hollywood blockbuster Cannonball Run.

.

Less than 2,000 of these beautiful Italian "Super-Cars" were ever produced…production averaged no more than 450/year.

.

With a price-tag which more than rivaled its enormous V-12 engine, the Countach was reserved for the super-wealthy. It was simply an icon of the road which everybody, myself as a youth growing up in America in the 70s and 80s, dreamed of owning.

.

.

.

"On the Wall" Marketing:

.

The 70s and 80s were also a heyday for another iconic product: the poster. Young ladies hung posters of their favorite teen idols, young boys…well, for a long time Farrah Fawcett was the queen. And for music fans it was KISS, Led Zeppelin and AC-DC. Posters were an enormous industry.

.

The Lamborghini Countach poster which cost about two bucks, allowed every fan to own a piece of the car. It turned a dream into a tangible, concrete reality.

.

It is estimated that in the late 70s to early 80s, up to 40% of all American boys had a Countach on his wall (I’ll bet a lot of girls did too!). It is widely considered to be the best-selling poster of its time. And with licensing (product-piracy was not yet in full-swing), Lamborghini saw a nice piece of the action for every poster sold.

.

.

The Countach poster provided something which every customer and prospective client wishes in exchange for his or her money…

.

.

Value!

.

.

Business success often hinges on finding creative ways to appeal to prospective clients and customers.

. 

What novel, exciting ways can you use to market your goods and services…

.

…and make people want a piece of the action?

.

.

. 

. 

___________________________________________________________

Image Credits:Countach: http://www.drivewerks.com/; Road: http://www.concurringopinions.com/

.

.

.

Yonatan Maisel is a Business blogger, history buff and author. He specializes in all aspects of Business writing.

From speeches to resumes, from corporate bios to research, from blogging to website content, from articles to ghost-writing, he provides the highest level of quality at a very reasonable price.

.

Entrepreneurship and Risk-Taking in Business are Dead: The Return of the Debtors Prison!

 

Entrepreneurship and Risk-Taking in Business are Dead:

. 

The Return of the Debtors Prison!

.

An original Business blog article by Yonatan Maisel exclusively at JobShuk

.

.

Press Release: The Associated Press. Dateline: March 8, 2011:

.

"In a move to clamp down on businesses which accumulate debt which can’t be re-paid, the governments of the United States and the European Union have today proposed legislation to bring back Debtors Prisons. The initial pilot-program will affect small businesses only but is expected in the near-future to encompass larger businesses and corporations as well. 

.

Business, Risk, and the chance of Success or Failure:

.

Okay, it’s fictitious; no need to worry.

.

But with debt, foreclosures, re-possession and bankruptcies hitting record-highs, could it ever happen?

.

And if it ever did, ask yourself as a small business owner: have you accumulated debt that you can’t pay at this time? Is your business in the red? Is your next big business plan risky? Are you an entrepreneur who might succeed wildly with "the next big thing," but is there also a chance that things could "go south?"

.

Some of the greatest inventions, breakthroughs and innovations which we as consumers take for granted were brought about by those who took risks and chances. For every one of these great, game-changing innovations, there were those that failed.

.

With potential penal punishment for financial failure, how might the world of business look? Differently? Probably. Those with awesome ideas would probably be hesitant to go ahead with their ventures. Those offering financing to ‘venturists’ would probably be much less inclined to invest. Your father, mother, sister, brother or the guy down the street who decided to take a chance to build a business might just end up in…

.

.

Debtors Prisons: A Brief History:

.

Perhaps due to Charles Dickens and his many writings on debtors prisons ("Little Dorrit" is among his finest), no other country has been as synonymous with debtors prisons as England.

.

Until the late 19th Century in England, and in other European countries as well, if you owed money to creditors and were unable to pay, you would end up in prison. These prisons were old, decrepit and draconian. Rather than having cells, however, debtors prisons were huge, open, communal spaces. Men and women were housed together. Communities formed. Oftentimes, the family of the debtor, left destitute and homeless, came to live in the prison; they could come and go as they pleased. Kids were born in the prisons.

. 

When those on land began to fill up, new ones were opened in the hulls of disused, rotting ships which were anchored offshore.

.

Because the prisoner was charged a fee for being in prison (food, bed, legal fees) the debt was often compounded, pushing the prisoner even deeper into the red.

.

Fact: Charles Dickens’ father served three months in debtors prison in 1824 for a small fee he owed to a baker.

.

Fact: When the "Fleet Prison" was closed by an act of Parliament in the mid 1800s, some prisoners were found to have been locked up for three decades for their debts. 

.

In the United States, debtors prisons remained in existence until 1833. In some states, imprisonment could result from as little as sixty cents worth of unpaid debt.

.

Fact: Notable Americans who served time in debtors prison: James Wilson and Robert Morris, both signers of the Declaration of Independence.

.

.

Financial responsibility is a hallmark of our economic system. Most people have little sympathy for those who take ridiculous gambles on outcomes and lose. Do you sympathize with Bernie Madoff and those responsible for the fiascos at Enron, WorldCom and AIG? Probably not.

.

But the world of Small Business is founded on great ideas and plans that do involve risk. Imagine that the fictitious press release at the top of this article was real.

.

.

Would you continue to take chances…

.

…to build your dream and make it a reality?

.

.

. 

___________________________________________________________

Image Credits: Prison: www.boblines.com/images;  Old Globe: http://www.1.bp.blogspot.com/; World: http://www.imba.nccu.edu/

.

.

.

Yonatan Maisel is a Business blogger, history buff and author. He specializes in all aspects of Business writing.

From speeches to resumes, from corporate bios to research, from blogging to website content, from articles to ghost-writing, he provides the highest level of quality at a very reasonable price.

.

The Single Bigge$t Payday in the History of Business and Why It Depresses the Hell Out of Me as a Businessperson!

 

The Single Bigge$t Payday in the History of Business

. 

…and Why It Depresses the Hell Out of Me as a Businessperson!

.

An original Business blog article by Yonatan Maisel exclusively at JobShuk 

.

.

As I take a break from writing (I’m the owner of a small, one-person, freelance writing business), perhaps, like you, I am contemplating how I will be able to pay bills and stay afloat.

.

And as I contemplate the dog-eat-dog, competitive world of business, survival and getting by, I decided to do a bit of research. I wanted to discover who received the biggest paycheck for time worked in Business history.

. 

The answer? 

.

As coal miners at this very moment cough and toil away a mile below the ground in conditions which can turn deadly in the blink of an eye (statistic: 5,000 Chinese coal miners die in the average year…

 

…their average pay is US $2/hour)…

.

As single moms and dads work double-shifts to put food on the table for their family…

.

As those seeking work in the current global economic downturn and whose unemployment benefits have run out…

.

As talented, motivated and capable people with disabilities fight for their rightful place in the workforce, only to find most doors of opportunity closed to them…

.

Keep this in mind…

.

.

In 1988, heavyweight boxer and undisputed champion Mike Tyson earned $22 Million in his bout with challenger Michael Spinks.

.

The bout which ended by knockout at 1:31 of Round 1 lasted a mere 91 seconds.

.

The math? Tyson earned a gaudy $241,758 per-second!

.

.

I decided to take, at random, one occupation from the Scribd list of U.S. Jobs Sorted by Hourly Wages:

.

Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics. According to the Scribd list (based on U.S. Dept. of Labor statistics for the year 2008), they earn an average of $14.30/hour.

.

At their average wage of approximately 31,000/year, it would take 710 years to earn as much as Tyson earned in 91 seconds…

.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the average annual income is US$306. Number of years to earn $22 million? 71,895.

.

.

It is…

.

A statistic which truly…

. 

 depresses the shit out of me! 

.

. 

. 

_______________________________________ 

Image Credits:  Gold Bars: www.topnews.in; Tyson vs Spinks: www.thumbs3.ebaystatic.com 

.

.

.

Yonatan Maisel is a Business blogger, history buff and author. He specializes in all aspects of Business writing.

From speeches to resumes, from corporate bios to research, from blogging to website content, from articles to ghost-writing, he provides the highest level of quality at a very reasonable price.

.