Category —
Entrepreneurship

Summer Interns: Rules of the Road (and How to Kick Ass)

Written by Paul on June 16th, 2008

I feel old. It’s summer and interns are all over the place.

Although I was an intern for only one summer long, long ago - I’ve undoubtedly known a number of friends that have experienced multiple internships. As with most workplaces, I’ve seen some come away with an enriched vision that could only be obtained through rewarding work with talented professionals while others have left disappointed, frustrated or much, much worse.

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The Importance of Useable Ideas

Written by Paul on May 9th, 2008

A friend of mine called me out of the blue a few months ago, here’s how the conversation went:

Me: “Hey man, how’s it going?”
Him: “Great! Listen, I know you’re busy but I want to start a business”
Me: “Ok.”
Him: “Where do I start?”
Me: “Uh, what kind of business?”
Him: “You tell me!”
Me: “I’m hanging up now.”

First, let me say that I love helping people succeed. I really do. But for …

How to avoid pissing off your mentor

Written by Paul on April 15th, 2008

Ben Casnocha wrote an interesting article on the six habits of highly effective mentees which is a great add-on to my previous post on goal buddies.

There’s no shortage of people hailing the benefits of mentors. There’s also ample advice on how to find mentors. Few talk about what to do once you’ve made contact with someone who wants to help you. You sit down to lunch with a potential mentor.

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My First Job: What I Learned Making Pizzas

Written by Paul on April 9th, 2008

My first job was at a Papa John’s Pizza in northern Virginia. Not only was making pizzas the only employment available to me, it was my favorite food at the time. What better way to make my first few paychecks?

It’s All About the Process
On my first day, each new employee would get a manual - a freakin’ MANUAL. This thing contained exact measurements, diagrams, pictures and clear …