Category Archives: Business

Little-Known Business Facts: Did You Know That….., Part 1

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Products and Inventions

The zipper was invented in 1893; it was originally intended for shoes.

Kotex was first manufactured as bandages during World War I.

Levis were invented for the California gold miners in l873.

The first transcontinental phone call was from New York to San Francisco, in l9l5.

Chanel No. 5 is the most popular perfume in the world.

The “first electronic computer” was built in l889 for the U.S. Census Bureau.

Contact lenses were invented in l887.

The LaCoste shirt is named after French tennis star Rene LaCoste, the l927 Davis Cup winner.

The first bra was invented by a French designer in l902. But bras didn’t catch on until I9l3.

The first sound recording ever made was “Mary Had a Little Lamb“, in l877 by Thomas Edison.

The first all-talking movie was called “The Lights of New York.”

One company manufactures an edible set of Monopoly, made of chocolate and butterscotch.

The first sperm banks opened in l964; they were located in Tokyo and Iowa City.

The largest airline in the world is Aeroflot, the official Soviet airline.

The first known brothel opened its doors in 550 B.C. in Athens, Greece.

In l984, the National Coca Company of Peru introduced toothpaste with cocaine in it.

The first pay phone was installed in a Hartford, Connecticut bank in 1889. The price: 5 cents.

Thomas Edison demonstrated the first practical electric lightbulb on December 20th, 1879.

Alexander Graham Bell was 29 years old when he invented the telephone. Bell also installed the White House’s first telephone.

The name condom comes from Dr. Charles Condom (1630-1685). This product was originally made of linen and was invented in the early 1500s.

The first known contraceptive was crocodile dung (doo-doo, poop!), used by Egyptians in 2000 B.C.

A whopping 60% of all new cars sold in the 1980s were recalled for some defect.

It takes eight seconds to make a baseball bat in a bat factory.

The first chain store was the A + P; It was founded in 1842.

The patent for the ball-joint pen was awarded to John J. Loud of Weymouth, Mass. in 1888.

Ford Motor Co. manufactured a plastic auto-the first ever-in 1941.

Painting accounts for almost half the cost of auto assembly.

Scissors were invented by Leonardo da Vinci.

There are about 30,000 robots in the U.S.

The first advertisement to discuss body odor was a 1919 ad for the deodorant Odo-Ro-No.

There are 600 million phones on Earth.

A Brannock Device is the thing shoe salespeople use to measure feet.

Dr. Seuss designed the first animated color TV commercial in 1949, for Ford.

The all-aluminum can was introduced in 1964.

The first “streamlined swimsuits” of the early 1900s were made of wool and weighed as much as 20 lbs.

The first electric toothbrush was developed and tested on dogs. They reportedly enjoyed it.

On a typical day, your name is transmitted between computers five times.

The first rodeo wasn’t held until l847.

The U.S.

In Los Angeles, there are more cars than people.

Americans spend $8 billion a year on porn.

More Americans visit Tijuana than any other foreign city.

In l980, a secretary at John Deere and Co. was fired for “making a Xerox copy of her bottom.”

According to one poll, 50% of American kindergarteners believe TV commercials.

There are three times as many astrologers as astronomers in America.

About 96% of all American children can recognize Ronald McDonald. And 7% of all working Americans have worked at McDonald’s at some time.

Almost 90% of American doctors are male.

98% of American homes have at least one TV.

Only 53% of Americans have ever been to a dentist.

America’s first nudist organization was founded in 1929, by 3 men.

In l989, gamblers lost a record $4.43 billion in Nevada casinos.

The U.S. uses more steel making bottle caps than car bodies.

Before l863, mail service in the U.S. was free.

U.S. airports are busier on Thursdays than any other day.

The average American carries $27 on them. On the average, American men carry more cash than women do.

Casinos in Las Vegas don’t have clocks in them.

39% of Americans think the best way to get rich is to win a lottery.

In 75% of American households, women manage the money and pay the bills.

About 70% of Americans who go to college do it just to make more money.

63% of the Americans who earn minimum wages are women.

The U.S. bought Alaska from the Russians for about 2 cents an acre.

American kids’ allowances titled $8.6 billion in 1989.

Two-thirds of the world’s lawyers are in the U.S.

The U.S. Dept. of Defense spends about $6,000,000 on recruiting-every day.

One out of five American families doesn’t have a bank account.

Americans make $500 million worth of illegal long-distance calls annually.

90% of American businesses are family owned.

About half of American men polled say they enjoy money more than sex.

American teenagers spend over $70 billion a year.

A parking space in one New York City “condo garage” sells for $29,000.

There are about 30,000 robots in the U.S.

Among American cash crops, marijuana outranks corn in yearly value.

Nearly 50% of Americans read, work, or watch TV while they eat dinner.

In anonymous surveys, 40% of Americans confessed to cheating on their taxes.

Every year, Americans send three billion Christmas cards.

The average American kid will watch 30-40,000 TV commercials this year.

The number one use of gold in the U.S: Class rings.

Americans spend over $400 million on toys every day.

A cab ride from Los Angeles to New York costs $6,000.

Six billion pens are thrown away every year in the U.S.

Americans throw away around 10% of the food they buy at the supermarket.

Trash disposal costs the U.S. over $l0 billion a year.

More than 28 million Americans buy Christmas presents for their dogs every year.

Americans buy two billion disposable razors and razor blades every year.

An estimated 79% of all Americans have bought lottery tickets.

An estimated 70% of all Americans visit shopping malls at least once a week.

Each year, Americans consume 9 billion franks-an average of 87 per person.

The average American uses two pine trees’ worth of paper products each year.

According to recent surveys, 20% of American families don’t have a bank account.

70% of Americans have been to Disneyland or Disney World.

Americans spend $2 million a day on exercise equipment.

Source: “Uncle John’s 4-Ply Bathroom Reader” by The Bathroom Readers’ Institute, 2003

Rediscovering Science (and Some Female Groundbreakers)

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Special Note: This will still be the American Food/World of Business blog, but every so often, I’d like to feature a science article. One reason is because science can overlap into and with many diverse fields, including business and food.

The other reason? Please continue:

I have recently fallen in love with the field of science, realized during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, and continuing strong today.

It wasn’t always so; while growing up and attending school, I (like many women then-and a lot of men too) thought science was one of the most boring topics on the earth, comparable to “watching paint dry.”

I now know that the problem was the way the subject was taught and presented.

In my own humble way, a personal mission will be attempted to make science as accessible and interesting as possible.

To start off, here are a few Did You Know That…..

80 percent of all code breakers during World War II were female.

That paper bag your take-out comes in? It was invented by a female.

The process that made the shirt on your back possible, the first computer program, wireless tech, or nuclear fission? All were invented, discovered, or created by women.

A woman named Rosamund Franklin was also instrumental in the discovery of DNA, instead of only James Watson and Francis Crick. By January 1953, Franklin concluded that DNA takes the double-helix form (you’ve seen it). She then sent her findings to a prestigious science journal-a full day before Watson and Crick completed their model of the structure. No coincidence here; Watson and Crick’s model was based on a photo of the double helix that Franklin had taken, which they got their hands on through nefarious means. Watson even told Franklin to her face that he didn’t think she was smart enough to interpret her own photos correctly. Watson and Crick were awarded a Nobel prize in 1962; Franklin never was.

Jocelyn Bell Burnell actually discovered pulsars, but her male supervisor was awarded the 1974 Nobel Prize instead.

Ada Lovelace (1815-1852) was a British mathematician and programmer who created the first-ever computer program. She was a visionary, the first person to ever develop theories on the potential importance of computers. These theories and further notes influenced Alan Turing’s 1940s work on the first legit computers. The U.S. Dept. of Defense has a computer language named Ada in her honor, and there’s an Ada Lovelace Day every October 13th, to raise the profile of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).

On January 23rd, 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell (1821-1910) became the first woman in America to earn a medical degree.

Her younger sister, Emily Blackwell (1826-1910) also became a doctor, earning her medical degree in 1854.

Of the more than five million U.S. patents that have been granted since 1790, only about 5 percent have a woman’s name on them.

White men often took credit for women’s inventions, sometimes at the request of women of color who feared that white consumers wouldn’t want to purchase their items. Or women of color would pass as “white” (inventors didn’t have to put their race on patent applications). Women in general were often denied access to education and tools that made it possible to invent stuff in the first place.

Mary Sherman Morgan (1921-2004) was one of the world’s first female rocket scientists.

She developed hydyne fuel, a combustion powerful enough to propel a satellite all the way into space (a feat the U.S. had not yet accomplished). Hydyne increased thrust by 12 percent and effectively launched the United States’ first satellite, Explorer I, into orbit on January 1, 1958 (but the spacecraft’s designer, Wehner von Braun, was credited and lauded as the savior of the space program; NASA was developed that July).

Morgan’s passing in 2004 received no major accolades, but that was about to change due to one of her four children, son George. A play (2008) and complete biography (2013) of his mom’s life and work, Rocket Girl, received wide acclaim.

Elizabeth Magie (1866-1948) actually invented the Monopoly board game. In 1903, Magie developed and patented what was then called the “Landlord’s Game.” But Charles Darrow is credited with the invention; he had played a version of Magie’s game, copied the rules, and then sold it to Parker Brothers. Darrow went on to make millions.

Ruth Wakefield (ca. 1903-1977) created the first chocolate chip cookie in 1938.

Wakefield was a dietician, food lecturer, and graduate of the Framingham State Normal School Department of Household Arts in Massachusetts.

She and her husband bought a tourist lodge near Boston in 1930. It was called the Toll House Inn and became famous due to Ruth’s cooking (her chocolate chip treat was originally called Toll House Cookies).

In 1939, Wakefield sold the recipe rights and the Toll House name to Nestle for $1.

She became a company consultant (hopefully, with really decent money) for many years.

Grace Hopper (1906-1992) developed COBOL, the most used computer programming language of all time, and created the first compiler (a program that translates high-programming language into machine code for computers to read. Hopper also worked at Harvard on one of the first computers as part of the Mark I programming staff and as a member of WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) during World War II.

The late actress Hedy LaMarr (1914-2000) was best known as a sultry screen siren, but she was also an amazing inventor, often collaborating with composer George Antheil.

During World War II, LaMarr developed the technology to auto-target torpedoes.

At the time, an enemy could easily send the weapons off course by broadcasting interference at the same frequency as the signal that controlled them. 

LaMarr randomized the frequencies controlling the torpedoes, with Antheil assisting.

This same technology was later used to develop Wi-Fi!

For further interest in STEM, medicine, and exploration/adventure, check out:

girldevelopit.com-A nonprofit that provides affordable, accessible software-development programs across the U.S.

girlswhocode.com-Offers a wide variety of programs to help gain computing skills; the Summer Immersion Program has seven weeks of intensive training.

hackbrightacademy.com has a ten-week,women-only course that takes you from beginner to software engineer (90% of the graduates get job offers!). There are also scholarships for those from traditionally marginalized backgrounds.

girlsintech.org-for women interested in tech and entrepreneurship. There are conferences, a two-month bootcamp, mentorships, and much more.

Million Women Mentors; their website is mwm.stemconnector.com-If you’re interested in medicine or medical science, but not sure where or how to start, look here.

amwa-doc.org-This is the American Women’s Medical Association, which fights for improvements for women in medical science. Anyone in health services (doctor, nurse, resident, med student, health care worker, caregiver, for a few examples) or who is simply a supporter of women in medicine can join.

women.nasa.gov/outreach-programs/-Encouraging all women of any age to get involved in outer space.

exxpedition.com-Offers a series of all-women voyages that focus on data gathering concerning the harmful effects of toxins in our environment. The trips go everywhere and women with all kinds of skills are needed, from filmmakers, scientists, maintenance, cooks, etc.

Source: “Wonder Women-25 Innovators, Inventors, and Trailblazers Who Changed History” by Sam Maggs (female), and my own recollections

Cutting Costs on (Some) Financial Expenses

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 Here are a few simple, easy ways to save on personal expenses and make some extra money:

FINANCES

 Bank any unexpected or “windfall” money (but take some and get something you’ve always wanted to have or plan for something that you’ve always wanted to do; then bank the reminder).

If you have to use an ATM, only use those at your own bank to avoid service charges (if you’re able to; sometimes you have to use what’s closest).

Use cash as much as possible.

Buy printed checks from mail-order or online companies.

If you’re able to, try for a FREE checking account.

Prepare your own tax returns.

For those still employed, sign up for any automatic savings plans or deductions the company offers.

Open a savings account that compounds and pays interest daily.

If you use money orders, shop around. The charges vary (the banks tend to be the most expensive).

Keep a record of your spending to become aware of where your money goes.

FOR EXTRA INCOME

 At the end of each day, put aside all your loose change. Then deposit it regularly at week’s end. It adds up (especially pennies).

Have a garage sale.

Donate old clothes to a charity or one of the online thrift shops for a tax deduction.

Make craft items to sell at local, state, and county fairs.

If you have clerical skills, have a pleasant speaking voice, or both, you can work at home as an online office assistant, call center representative, online tutor, or an online content writer/producer for websites.

Kids who are old enough can work to earn extra cash-mowing lawns, running errands for neighbors, or pet sitting.

Sell old clothing, furniture, and other items through thrift or consignment shops

Cook meals for elderly people in your neighborhood. 

If you were good at a particular subject in school, or are currently a “mini-expert” on several topics, consider becoming a tutor at a local school, community college, or learning center.

 GENERAL 

Grow your own herbs (not necessarily “weed “!).

E-mail (or write) a fan letter to companies whose products you like; You may receive coupons, often for free items.

 Clean windows with newspapers instead of paper towels.

Go to the movies in the afternoon, instead of in the evening.

Enter all the contests you can, as often as possible as long as they’re FREE.

Dress up or add accessories to an outfit you already own instead of buying a new one.

Grow plants from seeds or cuttings to give as gifts.

 If possible, buy gifts and holiday decorations for the next season when they go on sale after the current holiday season ends.

Instead of eating out, buy take-out food and eat at home.

If you have just one or two (maybe three) pairs of underwear that need cleaning, use some dishwashing liquid and hand-wash them.

Get rid of unnecessary luxuries.

If feasible, use public transportation (it IS cheaper, but with that being said, not everyone enjoys riding and possibly dealing with masses of strangers. Use your own judgment).

Don’t buy on impulse.

Watch out for any “rent-to-own“; avoid them if possible.

Sew as much as possible. If you don’t know how, learn (It will come in handy).

How Emotions Influence Financial Behavior

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Here are a few ways:

Just because you can do almost anything with money doesn’t mean you can do everything.

Choices must be made; we must choose things not to do. When we spend money on one thing, it’s money that we cannot spend on something else, neither right now nor anytime later. These are Opportunity Costs.

Mental Accounting is operating our financial behavior much like organizations and companies do, allocating our money to categories, or accounts, and setting a budget for clothes, rent, bills, etc. These categories control what we spend and how we spend it, etc.

Receiving money from a negative source (drug dealing or selling guns, for example) that you don’t feel good about, so you try to “launder” it by donating the tainted money to charity or other good things or causes is Emotional Accounting.

The Pain of Paying is exactly what it implies; it’s some version of mental pain when we pay for things, at any price. If we happen to consume something while thinking about the payment, the pain of paying will deeply color the entire experience, making it far less enjoyable. Things like credit cards, auto-pay, debit cards, etc. are ways to “lessen” the pain, but the pain is still there.

To avoid the pain of paying, we increase the time between payment and consumption and decrease the attention needed to make payment (like paying for a trip or an item well in advance of enjoying or receiving it).

There are basically three types of times we can pay for a product or service: Before consumption or enjoyment; during consumption; or after consumption.

When we are drawn to a conclusion by something that should not have any relevance to our decision, Anchoring is what happens. This concept influences the price we are willing to pay (how much is it at the dollar store or the local Piggly Wiggly, for example? That’s what I’ll go by).

Herding is a part of anchoring; it’s the idea that we will go with the crowd, that we assume something is good or bad based on other people’s behavior. If they like it, do it, and pay for it, it must be good.

Basing our financial decisions on similar decisions we ourselves have made in the past is Self-Herding.

Confirmation Bias occurs when we interpret new information in a way that confirms our own preconceptions and expectations. It’s also when we make new decisions in ways that confirm our previous decisions.

The idea that we value what we have more simply because we own it is the Endowment Effect.

Ikea Effect-The harder it is to make something, the more we feel that we had some part in creating it, and our love for it increases even more. Investing effort creates extra love!

We don’t want to give up what we own partly because we overvalue it, and we overvalue it partly because we don’t want to give it up. This is the concept of Loss Aversion. Here’s an example:

  1. Could we live on 80 percent of our current income?
  2. Could we give up 20 percent of our current income?

The answers to both questions should be “yes,” because they’re the same question. But most people will say yes to no.1 and no to no.2. Why?

It’s the “give up” part in no. 2 that most will focus on.

Segregating Gains plays on loss aversion in this way: It’s one painful loss against many pleasurable gains. When a product has many features, it’s in the seller’s interest to highlight each one separately and to ask for one for all of them. To the consumer, this promotional practice makes the whole seem much more appealing than the sum of its parts.

The concept of Sunken Costs is finding that once we’ve invested in something, we have a hard time giving up on that investment. Therefore, we’re likely to continue investing in the same thing, not wanting to lose that investment. So often we throw good money after bad, adding a dash of wishful thinking.

Transparency reveals the work that goes into a product or service, allowing a company to show us that they’re working hard, earning our money. We don’t value things much unless we know there’s a lot of effort involved or at least the appearance of effort.

When we use specific terms to describe an experience, like the “bouquet” of a wine, that’s an example of Consumption Vocabulary. Consumption vocabulary gets people to think, focus, and pay attention, to slow down and appreciate an experience in a different way, and then experience the world in a different way.

Enjoyment of something comes from both the sensation of the thing (taste, the sound of a song, etc.)-and what’s happening in our brain to co-create the total experience of it, the full consumption experience.

Language can enhance or reduce the quality of the consumption experience-and that’s the primary reason it so powerfully influences the way we value something.

When language supports an experience, it changes and enhances that experience and how we value it.

When consumption vocabulary also describes the process of production, we appreciate the item even more.

Reward Substitution is a way to fight self-control. We value a reward in the future much less than we value a reward in the present even if the reward in the present is much, much smaller.

Source: “Dollars and Sense: How We Misthink Money and How to Spend Smarter” by Dan Ariely and Jeff Kreisler, 2017.

Seven Business and Tech Firsts

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The world’s first billionaire was John D. (Davison) Rockefeller; his net worth officially passed $1 billion on September 29th, 1916.

In 1870, he founded the Standard Oil Company, becoming an American industrialist, philanthropist, and petroleum industry icon. As gasoline’s importance grew, so did Rockefeller’s empire; he bought out smaller oil companies, eventually controlling more than 90 percent of the American oil market.

The first computer mouse debuted on December 9th, 1968, by inventor Douglas C. Engelbart and a research group from the Stanford Research Institute (Palo Alto, CA) at the Fall Joint Computer Conference in San Francisco.

On November 17th, 1970, Engelbart was given a patent for his computer “mouse” (named because the “tail” came out the end).

The first product was a 3-button hand-operated pointing device, originally called an X-Y position indicator.

1968 also marked the debut of the world’s first laptop computer concept; it was called the Dynabook and was created by Alan Kay of the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, CA. His concept was indeed a notebook-size wireless portable computer, but for children. The Dynabook never got past some sketches and a cardboard model, although by 1972, Kay’s ideas did lead to a Xerox prototype called the Interim Dynabook; this project didn’t go much further either.

The first commercial laptop was most likely the GR-D Compass 1100, launched in 1972.

The world’s first mail-order business was created by Benjamin Franklin; yes, that Benjamin Franklin. In 1744, he produced and printed the first mail-order catalog of academic and scientific books.

The first Social Security check, no. 00-000-001 was issued to 65-year-old Ida May Fuller on Jan. 31st, 1940 for $22.54.

The world’s first website, nxocOl.cern.ch, debuted on August 6th, 1991. It was created by Tim Berners-Lee and Robert Cailliau, developers of the World Wide Web (www). The site explained exactly what the www. was and provided instructions on owning browsers and setting up a web server. And nxocOl.cern.ch also became the world’s first web directory.

The bar code, also known as the universal product code (UPC), was invented by Bernard Silver and Joseph Woodland in 1948, receiving a patent in 1952.

The first barcode item ever scanned was in Troy, Ohio (Marsh Supermarket) on June 26th, 1974, and was a 10-pack of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit chewing gum. Why Wrigley’s gum? It just happened to be the first item the cashier picked up!

Source: “firsts-Origins of Everyday Things That Changed the World” by Wilson Casey, 2009

Dealing With an Asshole (without going to jail)

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They’re everywhere; not just in the workplace.

Assholes can abound within your home environment (perhaps you’re related to a few or even married one), local supermarket, fancy restaurant, regular fast-food place, local school district or hospital, etc. (Hopefully, there’s only one or two, but sometimes there can be several at practically all the abovementioned places, among many others. Because unfortunately, assholes can multiply like rabbits!).

Are you constantly and consistently talked to (and about) like dirt?

Been subjected to highly suspicious acts of sabotage?

Is this harassment on a regular or daily basis?

Now a person can be a temporary asshole, due to unusual or upsetting circumstances and situations going on in their life (it’s understandable, but it’s not a valid excuse. And if you’re guilty of this, explain briefly and apologize ASAP).

And then…..there’s your 24/7, 100% certified, be-one-till-I-die ASSHOLE!

Asshole Creating (or Encouraging) Factors

Having/Gaining Power-especially if they once had little or no power at all

At the Top and Feeling Threatened by any upcoming “stars” 

Being Rich

Being a Rule Stickler–all the time

Always On the Smartphone, Always Oblivious

A Male with a Female Boss (men tend to be more threatened; studies have shown!)

Being Cynical and Negative as a Way of Life

Many people will often flat-out deny that an asshole does indeed dwell or work among them or hold out false hope that one doesn’t exist: “It’s not that bad.” (Uh-huh.) “Things are going to get much better soon.” (Nope!)

Or, people do know but prefer to make excuses: “I’ll leave for a better situation right after I finish this important project. And I’m learning so much here, making many great connections; the mind-numbing abuse is just a small trade-off. It’s worth it.” 

“I’m tough. I can completely disregard all those so-called abuse aftereffects when I leave work; like a light switch, I can turn it on and off, baby.” “And besides, no one can replace me. I’m the star of this show, the glue that holds everything together.”

“It’s much worse for others here; I have no right to complain. Yes, it’s bad, but it could be even worse someplace else. My fellow sufferers and I will just put up a united front. Power to the people!”

There are a few ways to avoid an asshole, at least for a while:

If at all possible, keep your distance. Now there will be times you may have no choice but to deal with or interact (you’ll just have to grit your teeth, clench your butt cheeks, and do it as quickly and efficiently as possible).

Perhaps you’ll be fortunate enough to be able to continually duck and dodge, or use other people as asshole blockers.

Sometimes after a direct asshole dealing, creating shelter from the storm is necessary and imperative. This can be the snack spot, an outside area, another floor (if applicable), or even a bathroom stall if needed, just wherever you need for a break and recovery.

Some companies, organizations, and other places use an early alert system; “asshole incoming” messages are sent via e-mail, phone texts, or in-person transmissions.

Self-Protection Tactics

First of all, don’t blame yourself; it’s possible to downplay the “asshole effect” with humor (even the most dedicated one has a lot of funny elements), and support groups like DWAA (Dealing with Assholes Anonymous).

You can also take the high road or “kill them with kindness“; remain friendly and civil no matter what. You can also try to understand the asshole, and figure out what makes them “tick,” so to speak (this might or could work; in my humble opinion, taking the high road requires tremendous patience. I’m patient to a certain point. I’ve also tried “understanding” but quickly realized that knowing an asshole’s background doesn’t necessarily mean that the asshole will become a nicer, better person (in some circles, this could be considered a form of ass-kissing or sucking up).

And of course, there’s the classic tactic: Ignore!

Proceed With Extreme Caution

You can directly face off with the asshole, but be very careful; use these methods only if there’s absolutely no other way:

Calm Confrontation-Telling the asshole exactly what they’re doing, how their behavior/actions are affecting you and others, and demanding an immediate stop. Remember, the key factor here is staying calm.

Aggressive Confrontation-Not recommended (this can backfire very badly).

Revenge-Also not recommended (for the same abovementioned reason).

Using the System-Going the legal route (this can drag on for several years).

Sources: My personal recollections and “The Asshole Survival Guide: How to Deal With People Who Treat You Like Dirt” by Robert I. Sutton (2017).

How to Identify the 10 Most Annoying Office Workers

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(The following was written before the COVID-19 pandemic. Those of you who are still commuters or do “hybrid” work-a combination of remote and physical locations-may recognize all or some of the following. Full-time “remotes” will definitely remember.)

I have worked in several different offices for large corporations and small
companies, encompassing the Midwest and Eastern regions of these United
States.
And there hasn’t been a workplace yet, NOT ONE, where I didn’t encounter most
of these office space aggravators:

LOUD TALKERS-If there are more than four people in a workspace, at least one
of them will be the one that can be heard in China.
Even just saying “Hello” can be quite a jarring experience; You’ll be blasted out
of your seat or blown a few feet from where you stood (It’ll sure feel that way).
Have you ever tried to hold a private or just a normal conversation with a loud
talker? Forget it, because ALL of it will be revealed right there at that moment.
I was “lucky” enough to work with one who would repeat everything you said in
a booming voice as you were talking to him. Only talk about things with this
person that you really wouldn’t mind being broadcast in the office and
throughout the Chinese mainland.

KNOW-IT-ALLS-They not only think, they BELIEVE that they’re a vast reservoir
of all the knowledge in the world-and you’re not. Even on things they know
absolutely nothing about (And you KNOW they don’t), they’ll ab-lib or “shoot off
the cuff” (It’s actually very weird, yet fun to watch).
Some of you may remember Cliff Claven from the popular TV series “Cheers“
(played by John Ratzenberger); he’s the patron saint of this group.
If you really need an answer to a burning trivia question, they may actually be
handy once in a while (Be prepared for a lengthy dissertation, however).

 ONE-UPPERS-Whatever experience you’ve had, whatever trip you took, even
if you’re the FIRST to ever accomplish something in a given field, they will
ALWAYS do it better, travel to better places, and achieved more (After all,
you were only the first by default, didn’t you know that? They actually achieved
the one-of-a-kind goal first (or their cousin), but something else came up: They
inherited $50 million dollars and took FOUR around-the-world trips, setting up
their own computer labs and hamburger joints-or something like that.

ANGRY MAN (or WOMAN)-No matter what it is, whether it’s office business,
national news, or some aspect of home life, Angry will be ticked off-and stay
ticked off. If you come to work happy, they’ll be upset became you came in
happy (“Our community’s in tatters”. “You should be out there, doing your
share.” “Why aren’t you?” “Huh?” “Well?” “You finished your project on time,
huh?” “You COULD have helped me with mine; Why didn’t you?” “Well?” “You
think you’re all that, don’t you?” ). A close relation to this is the man or woman
with THE FUNKY ASS ATTITUDE. I have noticed that many angry and FAA types always want someone else to do part or all of their work for
them. Is it because they’re just not very good at their job and are “playing the
bad attitude card” to hide this? Hmmm

 SUPER PARENTS-They’re into baby or their kids, 24-7. It’s not entirely a bad
thing, and at least this group deeply cares about their offspring (There ARE
other things to talk about, though). But it’s annoying (and disturbing) to try to
convert EVERYONE to parenthood (Some are childless by choice, some are
childless for medical reasons-ALL choices should and need to be respected).

 THE NOSY (or SPYS, MOLES, SLINKYS)-They hover around, working
diligently to get the goods on everyone and the company. They seem to be
capable of appearing right through the walls, creeping up on you. They’ll know
if you got fired or promoted before you will (and may tell everyone else about it
first).

 THE PERKY-They live in Candyland. No matter what, they’re bubbling over
with pure sunshine and constant joy (And you should be too, gosh darn ya!).
There never seems to be a serious moment, nothing ever fazes them (at least
not in public). It’s unnerving sometimes-But if things are going exceptionally
well in your life, they are fun to celebrate with.

CHARITY PUSHERS-They’re those extremely passionate folks who are always
(and constantly!) collecting for a cause, any cause (Are the chili peppers in
Mexico being threatened? Are pigs and hogs being denied mud? Ongoing
conspiracy found in a baloney sandwich?). They care. They REALLY care.
And you should too (constantly!).

 THE DOWNERS-Some of you out there may remember a recurring comedy
sketch on “Saturday Night Live” called ‘Debbie Downer‘ (portrayed by Rachel
Dratch). It was hilarious-and oh-so-true. Perhaps you may not know it,
 but many, if not, most of you have certainly run across a person that’s
constantly having a tragedy, 24-7 (Don’t these folks ever have a GOOD or
HAPPY moment? But then, they’ll probably complain or whine about it!).

 SLOBS (or PACK RATS, HOARDERS, COLLECTORS)-They’re often one of
the nicest people around, but no one’s seen their desk in years. THEY haven’t
actually seen their desk in years. The piles and stacks have now begotten their
own piles and stacks.
But the weird thing is, slobs can usually find just what they need or what’s
requested out of all that chaos. I believe they could find just what they need out
of a garbage dump.
That DOES take a skill.

Become Your Own Motivation Guru

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What do you do when you know what you need to do, but don’t want to do it? If you’re like most people, you find yourself doing EVERYTHING ELSE but what you should be doing (often with a deadline looming). Your “get up and go” got up and went and didn’t even say goodbye.
This type of situation can wreak havoc when you have a jam-packed schedule and especially when you’re running your own business. It’s up to you-the entrepreneur wearing enough hats already-to also become your company’s motivation guru. Here’s how.

Get some answers.
You need to find out what would make doing the job at hand desirable, worthwhile, possible, and/or intriguing enough to get you to do it. Ask yourself these questions:

What do you want to do now?
You may be willing to do a task later; you just don’t want to do it now.
When would you be willing to do it?
If you answered something like “February 2028” or “Never“, you may want to follow up with the next question.

Do you still want the task to be done?
Will the result be worth the effort? Does it really need to be done? Maybe your delay signifies that it’s not really necessary.

Are you willing to live with the consequences of not doing it?
Sometimes you have to say no in order to open yourself up to new opportunities. Is this the case?

What would you be willing to do?
There might be a “fun” or “easy” part of a project that you may enjoy doing. Once you get started you may find that’s all it takes to get you motivated enough to complete it.

Is there another way to get the work done?
You can always arrange for someone else to do it. Be aware that you may have to pay someone else unless they’re a close relative or good friend. And even then… the price might be steep.

How will you feel once the task is done?
Sometimes the prospect or visualization of getting it over with will activate you. I often give myself a little non-edible treat-like reading a long-anticipated book, buying a new much-needed item, or simply taking a leisurely cat nap when I complete projects.

Why don’t you want to do it?
You can permanently alter aspects of what needs to be done or change your routine to make the task more appealing.

How long would you be willing to do the task?
Sometimes doing a little at a time helps a lot. You can also see how you’re progressing; that’s motivation right there!
Just get up and do it already!
There are a number of ways that you can get out of the doldrums and stay on top of your game. The following methods are used by many highly successful entrepreneurs and business professionals from all fields (and by yours truly).

Surround Yourself with Positive Energy and Attitudes by acquiring and connecting with colleagues and friends who have similar interests and/or challenges. If there are none in your immediate area, network via the Internet through associations and other great groups.

Give Yourself a Break to refresh and recharge your energy. You work hard enough, so when you’re feeling tapped out, tap into something completely unrelated to the job at hand. Play with your kids or pets, meditate, take a walk, or pick up the phone and call a friend. It’s imperative that you take the time to relax because being under pressure is just part of the life of an entrepreneur. I often use the visualization concept and imagine I’m in a five-star hotel being waited on hand and foot.

Play Some Great Tunes and get caught up in the good feelings they bring. A favorite work motivator across all industries is music. I even play certain types for each day of the week and often work in tune with the song!

Feel ready to take on the world or just the top item on your to-do list? Using these methods may help you find the drive you need when you need it and your ability to get the job done may be just the motivation you need to take your business to the next level. 

Surviving a Job Loss

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While a job loss has many ramifications, dealing with the range of emotions it causes-from anger to anxiety to depression can prove to be especially difficult. It is perfectly normal to experience these reactions, for being unemployed is inherently stressful and it can also involve a grief process.

There are four basic stages of this:

Shock-a disbelief that this has happened to you
Anger-a feeling that you have been wronged
Mourning-sadness over the loss of friends
Acceptance-the desire to get on with your life

  Stress isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It can, in fact, be a powerful motivator, but at too great a level it can get in the way of performance. It’s all a question of how you manage stress.

  Here are a few tips on how to deal with job stress:

1.    Keep a hopeful outlook. What are the good things in your life right now? (Good health, strong friendships, and your car and home are paid off). Listen to other people’s stories of how they emerged from this situation and not only survived, but in some cases, became more prosperous because of it.


2.    Recall the ways you have successfully handled past hardships and draw on these same skills to meet and overcome current challenges. You will become a much stronger person; To paraphrase an old saying, “What doesn’t break you, will make you”.


3.    Help yourself by helping others. Assist others in need by volunteering. When you are not going to work every day, your sense of being useful and helpful can suffer. You don’t have to do it full-time, but volunteer work will restore and maintain your self-esteem and self-concept. You may learn some useful new skills, you’ll look forward to getting out of the house, and most importantly, this will get you out of any depression (You’ll become so involved that you can look at your situation in a whole new way).


4.    Make connections. Don’t isolate yourself. Seek social support from your family, friends, and others. Spend time with those who offer genuine support and connection.


5.    Maintain a daily routine. Keep up a regular schedule, including household chores, job-search activities, and getting out of the house. This will also help stop any pending depression or just sitting around, feeling sorry for yourself.


6.    Take care of yourself. Make the time to properly exercise, eat, and rest. Schedule some time to do things you enjoy such as hobbies and social activities. You may feel the need to stay in survival mode when you’re job hunting, but this can lead to burnout. And besides, you still need some “down” time. Looking for a job IS a job and can be harder work than an ACTUAL job!
  
    Getting your finances in order is absolutely crucial now. One of the first things you should do is to see if you are eligible for unemployment compensation. If you are, sign up for them as soon as possible. I would also go over any savings you may have and figure out how much you can live on for as little as you can afford. Make sure you have enough for medical expenses and be very sure to keep paying for your rent or mortgage, heat, light, and food (You need these to survive). You will still need a telephone and a car (or public transportation) to find a job. If your money situation is extremely tight, make sure you pay for these first.

  If someone owes you money, ask for it. If you have a skill like baking, giving lessons or tutoring, decorating, or “babysitting” for pets or the elderly, put an ad in the newspaper or pass out homemade flyers advertising this to generate extra money. Sell off those items around the house that you no longer use that others need and will gladly pay for.

  Stop using your credit cards for now and start paying with cash. Create a weekly menu for all your meals. Start clipping and using discount coupons. Buy those store brands! (Did you know that we spend 14 percent of our total income on food? And almost half that amount is spent in restaurants, snack bars, vending machines, and fast-food places.) Eat at home or bring a brown bag lunch; it’s more nutritious and only a fifth the cost.

  Stay away from the malls. If you absolutely MUST go, bring a list of the things you truly need, with only enough cash to buy what’s on your list.

  Did you know that we often can spend more than $100 a month just on entertainment; movies, video rentals, cable television, hobbies, and other recreation?  Trim the entertainment.

  And don’t forget to turn off the lights and television when you’re not using them. Close the door. Put a full load in the washer and dryer. Set the thermostat to 68 degrees and put on a sweater. Use a fan (instead of air conditioning) when it’s hot. These simple actions will save you from higher utility bills, which you don’t need right now.

Sometimes a job loss can often turn out to be a greater opportunity than if you had continued with the company. By doing the abovementioned tips, you may find yourself being offered a better position or end up starting your own business.

Work Like a Cat (on location or remote)

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Whether at work in a physical location or remotely at home, adopting a few cat traits can teach you how to manage stress, develop independence, and live life on your own terms.

Here are a few examples:

Be free as the air and do only what you have chosen to do. Work only at jobs that fulfill you; heed only your own counsel, and pursue your true desires.

To maintain your inner calm and peace, identify the source of your stress, deal with the issue thoroughly, then let go of it for good-don’t ruminate or brood-and calm will return.

Know how to assert yourself calmly, and defend your space at the first attempt at intrusion. You deserve more than a walk-on part!

Wisdom is not a subject that can be learned or taught. It is a state, a stance that requires a step back from the agitation of life in order to comprehend it better in its universality. The wise person knows how to sit on the moon in order to gaze at the earth, just like the cat sits on the roof to observe the moon.

Emancipate yourself from other people’s views of you. To your own self be true.

Learn something new every day.

A cat is independent; it’s one of their main characteristics. But yet by our very nature, we can not be totally independent, as cats are (people have always leaned toward living in groups). Despite everything, we all have an interest in regularly taking into account the degree of dependence and independence in our lives, so we’ll ask ourselves from time to time:

How financially independent am I?

Do I alone determine my life’s major directions or are they determined by the needs of my partner, parents, or children?

To what extent am I dependent on my work for the money it brings in? Am I so much in debt that I have no other choice than to rack up overtime, spending weekends and holidays working?

Am I obliged to put up with my boss’s moods in order to keep my job, even though there’s a better position waiting for me elsewhere if only I were to allow myself to apply for it?

We can not live independently like a cat, but we owe it to ourselves to correct certain tendencies that can evolve, often without us realizing it.

Work to recapture a substantial part of independence in all areas, and you will win your freedom.

Learn to be served like a cat (they know how to delegate). Knowing how to delegate is key in the workplace (and in other areas as well); many company directors and other managers are incapable of trusting others and delegating, so they spend far too much of their time checking and validating their employees’ efforts. This can create a “mothering” culture where employees will want every minute detail of their work checked and approved. The result is wasted hours and excessive work for the boss. Effective delegating will develop time for yourself, to do what you like, rather than constant monitoring.

Regularly creating your own calm (cats love calm!) conditions creates the conditions for your well-being and is the best solution for avoiding ulcers.

Learn to say “no,” as a cat does. Don’t take on tasks that are not part of your job description with such regularity that your colleagues and superiors come to expect it of you, with no financial compensation for the extra workload.

Cats are natural bosses; a catlike attitude is very well suited to a professional context. Consider:

Be efficient when necessary and deal with problems immediately.

Always be watchful without being noticed.

Be responsive if needed and make that special effort.

Don’t spend your energy unnecessarily; also, ration your work.

If you’re the boss, be like a cat by always maintaining a firm yet benevolent attitude, encourage with a glance, and be present.

A cat is tenacious.

Be patient and tenacious in everything you do. Never give up!

Cats are always cautious.

When there’s a doubt, there’s no doubt. Follow your instinct!

And here’s a bit of extra advice from the resident “cool cat” of TV’s Shark Tank, Damon John:

Being broke can actually fuel success as an entrepreneur.

Why?

It forces you to think more creatively, use your resources more efficiently, connect with your customers more authentically, and market your ideas more imaginatively.

It forces you to be true to yourself, stay laser-focused on your goals, and come up with innovative solutions to make a meaningful mark.

Sources: “How to Think Like a Cat” by Stephane Garnier, 2018 and “The Power of Broke-How Empty Pockets, a Tight Budget, and a Hunger for Success Can Become Your Greatest Competitive Advantage” by Daymond John (with Daniel Paisner), 2016