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Q&A with Tim — Revisiting 15+ Years of PR and Marketing Lessons, Time Dilation for Deep Relaxation, The Art of Setting Ultra-High Prices, The Low-Information

By
Richard Meier
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0
Q&A with Tim — Revisiting 15+ Years of PR and Marketing Lessons, Time Dilation for Deep Relaxation, The Art of Setting Ultra-High Prices, The Low-Information
Illustration via 99designs

Welcome to another episode of The Tim Ferriss Show, where it is usually my job to sit down with world-class performers of all different types to tease out the habits, routines, favorite books, and so on that you can apply and test in your own life. This time, we have a slightly different format, and I’m the guest. 

As some of you know, I tested a “fan-supported model” in 2019, but I ended up returning to ads by request. That’s a long story, and you can read more about it at tim.blog/podcastexperiment. I recently sat down with the original supporter group for a fun and live Q&A on YouTube. 

In this episode, I answer questions on marketing and product launches, premium pricing, user feedback, fasting routines, podcast advertising, my recent gardening adventures, tools for releasing tension in the iliacus and psoas muscles, my current coffee and alcohol rules, advice for artisans, animal communication, tools for adverse life moments, and more. 

Please enjoy!  

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. You can watch the Q&A on YouTube here.

Brought to you by House of Macadamias delicious and nutritious nuts, Wealthfront high-yield savings account, and Vuori Clothing comfortable and durable performance apparel.

The transcript of this episode can be found here. Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.

Listen onApple Podcasts
Listen onSpotify
Listen onOvercast

#628: Q&A with Tim — Revisiting 15+ Years of PR and Marketing Lessons, Time Dilation for Deep Relaxation, The Art of Setting Ultra-High Prices, The Low-Information Diet, Studying Animal Communication, My 3-Day Fasting Protocol, Tools for Handling Adversity, Selling to the Affluent, My Current Coffee and Alcohol Rules, Risk Mitigation, and Much More

This episode is brought to you by House of Macadamias delicious and nutritious nuts! I love macadamia nuts and have been enjoying them often since keto expert Dr. Dominic D’Agostino recommended them on the podcast in 2015. They taste great, and with more healthy, monounsaturated fat than both olive oil and avocados, 27% fewer carbs than almonds, and more than 50% fewer carbs than cashews, they’re the perfect low-carb, keto-friendly, nutty snack. In fact, I just ate a handful of lightly white-chocolate-covered macadamias about an hour ago to keep me going through the afternoon until dinner. And I will say this: ​House of Macadamias produces the best-tasting macadamia nuts I’ve ever eaten… by far.

Listeners of The Tim Ferriss Show can use code TIM20 to get 20% off all orders, plus free two-day shipping across the US, UK, and African continent with the purchase of two or more boxes! Visit HouseOfMacadamias.com/Tim to discover some of the most delicious and nutritious nuts on the planet.

This episode is brought to you by Vuori Clothing! Vuori is a new and fresh perspective on performance apparel, perfect if you are sick and tired of traditional, old workout gear. Everything is designed for maximum comfort and versatility so that you look and feel as good in everyday life as you do working out.

Get yourself some of the most comfortable and versatile clothing on the planet at VuoriClothing.com/Tim. Not only will you receive 20% off your first purchase, but you’ll also enjoy free shipping on any US orders over $75 and free returns.

This episode is brought to you by Wealthfront! Wealthfront is an app that helps you save and invest your money. Right now, you can earn 3.30% APY—that’s the Annual Percentage Yield—with the Wealthfront Cash Account. That’s more than fifteen times more interest than if you left your money in a savings account at the average bank, according to FDIC.gov. 

It takes just a few minutes to sign up, and then you’ll immediately start earning 3.30% interest on your savings. And when you open an account today, you’ll get an extra fifty-dollar bonus with a deposit of five hundred dollars or more.  Visit Wealthfront.com/Tim to get started.

Want to hear my most recent Q&A? Listen to the podcast episode here, in which I answered questions about mitigating risks in an increasingly contentious society, Japanese martial arts culture, C.S. Lewis, coping with the sudden loss of a loved one, self-discipline advice for ADHD folks who have already tried everything, cultivating resilience ahead of when it’s needed, podcasting tips for introverts, and much more.

#614: Q&A with Tim on Wealth and Money, Book Recommendations, Advice on Taking Advice, C.S. Lewis, Relationships, Behavior Change and Self-Awareness, Why We Are All (Mostly) Making It Up as We Go, and Much More

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

SHOW NOTES

  • [08:27] How I would build clientele/mitigate risk if I were opening a restaurant.
  • [13:02] Raising awareness for a new productivity tool.
  • [18:33] Notable contributions during my days as a tech company advisor.
  • [21:21] Biggest project/challenge at the moment.
  • [22:02] Biggest takeaway from my own work that often gets overlooked.
  • [24:47] Thoughts on curated newsletters for information gathering.
  • [26:47] Recent spiritual shifts?
  • [30:07] Derek Sivers.
  • [30:50] New invention: franchise or sell the proprietary system?
  • [35:41] My experience with Bas Rutten’s O2 breathing device.
  • [38:19] Encouragement for a caregiver amid a chronic medical situation.
  • [40:18] Ketamine and bladder damage.
  • [42:56] Is it always bad to be the bottleneck to your own business?
  • [44:32] Blogs or newsletters I read every day.
  • [46:03] First steps on the animal communication journey.
  • [49:40] Preparing, enduring, and breaking a three-day fast.
  • [54:43] How to launch a successful nonprofit.
  • [58:28] Building a luxury brand.
  • [1:12:52] Favorite recent travel destinations.
  • [1:13:37] Shredders.
  • [1:14:06] Outcompeting in a saturated market.
  • [1:17:43] Coffee vs. tea.
  • [1:18:35] Limiting alcohol intake.
  • [1:22:04] Shaved Ice Island.
  • [1:22:13] Resources for the archery curious.
  • [1:25:36] Fiction writing.
  • [1:26:33] Past guests who have inspired me through tough times.
  • [1:29:14] The mental model that most effectively helps me prioritize.
  • [1:32:59] Cosmic insignificance therapy (via Four Thousand Weeks).
  • [1:33:36] Marketing The 4-Hour Workweek in 2007 vs. 2022.
  • [1:39:14] Metaverse musings.
  • [1:41:25] How does my garden grow?
  • [1:43:29] Workout routine.
  • [1:48:34] Optimizing ROI on ad dollars spent.
  • [2:01:59] Required reading for someone in need of self-love.
  • [2:02:16] If asked, would I appear on The Joe Rogan Experience again?
  • [2:02:40] Have I ever tried backcountry skiing?
  • [2:03:25] What is Project 555?

PEOPLE MENTIONED

The Tim Ferriss Show is one of the most popular podcasts in the world with more than 900 million downloads. It has been selected for “Best of Apple Podcasts” three times, it is often the #1 interview podcast across all of Apple Podcasts, and it’s been ranked #1 out of 400,000+ podcasts on many occasions. To listen to any of the past episodes for free, check out this page.

Aryeh Bourkoff — Media’s Hottest Dealmaker on How to Negotiate, Rejecting Constraints, Mastering the Calendar to Create More Time, and How to Play the Long Game

By
Richard Meier
-
0
Aryeh Bourkoff — Media’s Hottest Dealmaker on How to Negotiate, Rejecting Constraints, Mastering the Calendar to Create More Time, and How to Play the Long Game
Illustration via 99designs

“What is your edge?”

— Aryeh Bourkoff

Aryeh B. Bourkoff (@aryehbourkoff) is the chairman and CEO of LionTree, an independent investment and merchant bank advising and investing in transformational CEOs and the companies they lead. Aryeh founded LionTree in 2012 during a time of unprecedented disruption, and since then, LionTree has supported an expanding number of industries as they capture opportunity in an evolving digital economy.

Aryeh is also the founder of Kindred Media, a digital media and podcasting company powered by LionTree, and serves on the boards of Yahoo and Carnegie Hall. Before founding LionTree, Aryeh spent 13 years at UBS, closing his tenure as vice chairman and Head of Americas Investment Banking. Before UBS, Aryeh was a high-yield research analyst and ranked as the #1 cable and satellite analyst by Institutional Investor for seven consecutive years.

Aryeh is a graduate of the University of California at San Diego and resides in New York City with his family.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. You can watch the interview on YouTube here.

Brought to you by HEY premium email service, Theragun percussive muscle therapy devices, and LinkedIn Jobs recruitment platform with 800M+ users.

The transcript of this episode can be found here. Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.

Listen onApple Podcasts
Listen onSpotify
Listen onOvercast

#629: Aryeh Bourkoff — Media’s Hottest Dealmaker on How to Negotiate, Rejecting Constraints, Mastering the Calendar to Create More Time, and How to Play the Long Game

This episode is brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs. Whether you are looking to hire now for a critical role or thinking about needs that you may have in the future, LinkedIn Jobs can help. LinkedIn screens candidates for the hard and soft skills you’re looking for and puts your job in front of candidates looking for job opportunities that match what you have to offer.

Using LinkedIn’s active community of more than 800 million professionals worldwide, LinkedIn Jobs can help you find and hire the right person faster. When your business is ready to make that next hire, find the right person with LinkedIn Jobs. And now, you can post a job for free. Just visit LinkedIn.com/Tim.

This episode is brought to you by Theragun! Theragun is my go-to solution for recovery and restoration. It’s a famous, handheld percussive therapy device that releases your deepest muscle tension. I own two Theraguns, and my girlfriend and I use them every day after workouts and before bed. The all-new Gen 4 Theragun is easy to use and has a proprietary brushless motor that’s surprisingly quiet—about as quiet as an electric toothbrush.

Go to Therabody.com/Tim right now and get your Gen 4 Theragun today, starting at only $179.

This episode is brought to you by HEY! I was introduced to HEY by my friend Kevin Rose, who calls it “a beautiful rethinking of everything wrong with email.” HEY is a premium email service for people who are tired of having an inbox overflowing with things they don’t care about, and who value their privacy and online security.

They offer a 14-day free trial if you want to get a taste of HEY. A full-year’s subscription to HEY is just $99. Plus, The Tim Ferriss Show listeners get an exclusive discount that has never been offered anywhere before: get $20 off your first year’s subscription when you sign up at Hey.com/Tim.

Want to hear another podcast episode featuring a titan of the media industry? Listen to my interview with Daniel Ek, in which we discuss the meaning of eldsjäl, European versus American parenting, books that stand out among the 60–70 Daniel reads annually, dealing with tough-to-hear feedback, Spotify’s internal two-year missions, speed vs. quality of iteration, and much more.

#484: Daniel Ek, CEO of Spotify — Habits, Systems and Mental Models for Top Performance

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

  • Connect with Aryeh Bourkoff:

Instagram

SHOW NOTES

  • [05:35] What makes a good research analyst?
  • [12:39] Lessons learned from Alan Ginsberg.
  • [16:02] Why did Aryeh choose to move across the country for a career in finance?
  • [19:49] Professional job-seeking, doorknob negotiation, and toe-stepping.
  • [24:30] Tying together the disparate and thinking outside convention.
  • [35:38] Coping with overflow when time is short.
  • [51:56] “What is your edge?”
  • [58:27] A deck of cards and Joe Ianniello.
  • [1:05:08] Resources for sharpening negotiation skills.
  • [1:13:56] Recommended reading.
  • [1:22:04] Thoughts on the future of audio/streaming/podcasting.
  • [1:29:41] Building and maintaining community trust.
  • [1:32:39] Goalkeeping.
  • [1:35:59] Mach2.
  • [1:38:01] The write time.
  • [1:39:12] Parting thoughts.

MORE ARYEH BOURKOFF QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW

“If you’re going to go into an industry, go to the heart of it. Don’t plan around the edges.”
— Aryeh Bourkoff

“Conventional thinking is typically right, but seldom profitable.”
— Aryeh Bourkoff

“What is your edge?”
— Aryeh Bourkoff

“If we eliminate all the extremism, then everyone can redefine their view of what their centers look like, and that’s where the richness lies. And whether you find it in the magic hours in the wee hours of the night or the middle of the day, I think we can form these circles and then really bond together, and I think the best is yet to come.”
— Aryeh Bourkoff

“People have hopes and dreams that sometimes take the shape and form of businesses. And those businesses need money, capital, to see the light of day, to realize their dreams. And that’s finance. And if I can play a role in helping those individuals get capital and have their dreams realized, that is a worthwhile life to live.”
— Aryeh Bourkoff

“You have to ask yourself, are you comfortable going into a controversial scenario, or do you want to just live in the non-controversial?”
— Aryeh Bourkoff

“Whenever anyone says, ‘Life is too short,’ I’m like, ‘Well, life is the longest thing you know. You don’t know anything longer than life.’ So I’m like, ‘Let’s just live it to the fullest as much as you can.’”
— Aryeh Bourkoff

“It goes back to adaptability. If something has a rigid purpose and you break the purpose, it will die.”
— Aryeh Bourkoff

PEOPLE MENTIONED

The Tim Ferriss Show is one of the most popular podcasts in the world with more than 900 million downloads. It has been selected for “Best of Apple Podcasts” three times, it is often the #1 interview podcast across all of Apple Podcasts, and it’s been ranked #1 out of 400,000+ podcasts on many occasions. To listen to any of the past episodes for free, check out this page.

Chris Palmer, MD, of Harvard Medical School — Optimizing Brain Energy for Mental Health, The Incredible Potential of Metabolic Psychiatry, Extraordinary Case

By
Richard Meier
-
0
Chris Palmer, MD, of Harvard Medical School — Optimizing Brain Energy for Mental Health, The Incredible Potential of Metabolic Psychiatry, Extraordinary Case

“Mental disorders are metabolic disorders of the brain, so that means metabolic impairment in the body and/or brain can result in mental symptoms.”

— Dr. Christopher Palmer

Dr. Christopher M. Palmer (@chrispalmermd) is a Harvard psychiatrist and researcher working at the interface of metabolism and mental health. Dr. Palmer is the director of the Department of Postgraduate and Continuing Education at McLean Hospital and an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. For over 25 years, he has held administrative, educational, research, and clinical roles in psychiatry at Harvard. He has been pioneering the use of the medical ketogenic diet in the treatment of psychiatric disorders—conducting research in this area, treating patients, writing, and speaking around the world on this topic.

He has developed the first comprehensive theory of what causes mental illness, integrating existing theories and research into one unifying theory—the brain energy theory of mental illness. You can learn more in his new book Brain Energy: A Revolutionary Breakthrough in Understanding Mental Health—and Improving Treatment for Anxiety, Depression, OCD, PTSD, and More.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Brought to you by Levels real-time feedback on how diet impacts your health, Athletic Greens all-in-one nutritional supplement, and LinkedIn Marketing Solutions marketing platform with 800M+ users.

The transcript of this episode can be found here. Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.

Listen onApple Podcasts
Listen onSpotify
Listen onOvercast

#633: Chris Palmer, MD, of Harvard Medical School — Optimizing Brain Energy for Mental Health, The Incredible Potential of Metabolic Psychiatry, Extraordinary Case Studies, and Harnessing Mitochondria for Anxiety, Depression, OCD, PTSD, and More

This episode is brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could use only one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually AG1 by Athletic Greens, my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body in 2010 and did not get paid to do so. I do my best with nutrient-dense meals, of course, but AG further covers my bases with vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced micronutrients that support gut health and the immune system. 

Right now, Athletic Greens is offering you their Vitamin D Liquid Formula free with your first subscription purchase—a vital nutrient for a strong immune system and strong bones. Visit AthleticGreens.com/Tim to claim this special offer today and receive the free Vitamin D Liquid Formula (and five free travel packs) with your first subscription purchase! That’s up to a one-year supply of Vitamin D as added value when you try their delicious and comprehensive all-in-one daily greens product.

This episode is brought to you by Levels! I wrote about the health benefits of using continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) more than ten years ago in The 4-Hour Body. At the time, CGMs were primitive and hard to use. Levels has now made this technology, and the unique insights that come from it, easy and available to everyone. Levels is making glucose monitoring simple, helping you see how food affects your health through real-time feedback. I started tracking my glucose years ago to learn more about what I should and shouldn’t be eating (including quantities, time of day, etc.), based on objective data from my own, unique physiology. Keeping my blood sugar stable is critical to my daily and long-term health and performance goals. Furthermore, poor glucose control is associated with a number of chronic conditions, such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and obesity. It’s important.

If you’re interested in learning more about Levels and trying a CGM yourself, go to Levels.link/Tim.

This episode is brought to you by LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, the go-to tool for B2B marketers and advertisers who want to drive brand awareness, generate leads, or build long-term relationships that result in real business impact.

With a community of more than 800 million professionals, LinkedIn is gigantic, but it can be hyper-specific. You have access to a diverse group of people all searching for things they need to grow professionally. LinkedIn has the marketing tools to help you target your customers with precision, right down to job title, company name, industry, etc. To redeem your free $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to LinkedIn.com/TFS!

Want to hear an episode that explores the ketogenic diet in greater depth? Have a listen to my conversation with Dr. Dominic D’Agostino here, in which we discuss muscle and strength gain in ketosis, the diet’s impact on type 1 diabetes, tricks for adhering to the diet in polite company outings, vegetarian and vegan options, exogenous ketone efficacy, and much more.

#172: Dom D’Agostino — The Power of the Ketogenic Diet

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

  • Connect with Dr. Christopher Palmer:

Website | Twitter | Instagram

SHOW NOTES

  • [07:14] How a woman overcame her 53-year streak of chronic paranoid schizophrenia.
  • [11:16] The backstory of Brain Energy‘s dedication.
  • [16:31] Chris’ thoughts on DSM-5 diagnostic categories.
  • [21:51] Chris’ first exposure to the ketogenic diet.
  • [28:35] Metabolic psychiatry.
  • [30:33] How ketosis affects the human body (e.g., sleep, mood, weight).
  • [39:35] Examining the mood elevation of ketosis on a bio-cellular level.
  • [44:24] When ketosis can be dangerous.
  • [46:44] How mitochondrial dysfunction can trigger a host of ailments.
  • [58:07] Dietary methods for sustaining ketosis over the long term.
  • [1:04:54] Common ketosis mistakes.
  • [1:07:53] Psychiatric medications, metabolism, and controversy.
  • [1:15:29] Indications that a medication impairs more than improves a patient’s condition.
  • [1:18:06] Resources to share with doctors open to conversation about these issues.
  • [1:20:41] Why quitting psychiatric medication cold turkey is a bad idea.
  • [1:23:20] Thoughts on the efficacy of exogenous ketones.
  • [1:30:32] Ketogenic diet as treatment for schizophrenia.
  • [1:38:34] Why you need to take radical ownership of your own health advocacy.
  • [1:40:33] Physical exercise for optimizing mitochondrial health.
  • [1:44:59] A cautionary note for people using medication for off-label results.
  • [1:48:49] Parting thoughts.

MORE CHRIS PALMER, MD QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW

“Mental disorders are metabolic disorders of the brain, so that means metabolic impairment in the body and/or brain can result in mental symptoms.”
— Dr. Christopher Palmer

“Mental disorders are now the leading cause of disability on our planet. And it’s not because people aren’t getting treatment. A lot of those people are getting treatment, and it’s because our current treatments fail to work for them. That is a fact, and that is why I am so passionate about this work. Because I want to help those people who are being told, ‘There’s nothing more we have to offer you. There’s nothing more we can do. Just take your pills and stop complaining.’ I want to help them.”
— Dr. Christopher Palmer

“Right now, the mental health field says, ‘This child has block-throwing disorder.’ ‘This child has grumpy disorder.’ ‘This child has handwriting disorder,’ and ‘This child has defiant disorder. He spoke back to me in a really poor manner.’ We label those different things, and then we assume they are different disorders. They’re certainly different behaviors, and they might require different interventions. One child might need discipline and another maybe not, but you can solve all of it by feeding them.”
— Dr. Christopher Palmer

“What I want to say is, for all of you who know somebody with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, there is a better way.”
— Dr. Christopher Palmer

PEOPLE MENTIONED

The Tim Ferriss Show is one of the most popular podcasts in the world with more than 900 million downloads. It has been selected for “Best of Apple Podcasts” three times, it is often the #1 interview podcast across all of Apple Podcasts, and it’s been ranked #1 out of 400,000+ podcasts on many occasions. To listen to any of the past episodes for free, check out this page.

Niall Ferguson, Historian — The Coming Cold War II, Visible and Invisible Geopolitics, Why Even Atheists Should Study Religion, Masters of Paradox, Fatherhood,

By
Richard Meier
-
0
Niall Ferguson, Historian — The Coming Cold War II, Visible and Invisible Geopolitics, Why Even Atheists Should Study Religion, Masters of Paradox, Fatherhood,

“One of the things that’s exciting about the study of history is you are trying to remind yourself again and again that what happened, that what we know happened, might have gone the other way. That the Cuban Missile Crisis ended in both sides essentially backing down was not predetermined. There was a moment when a Soviet submarine commander gave the order to fire a nuclear torpedo at US naval surface ships, so we came within a hair’s breadth of World War III. These alternate worlds, these histories that didn’t happen, have to be alive in your mind when you are writing history. The fatal mistake is to write history as if it were bound to happen the way it happened.”

— Niall Ferguson

Niall Ferguson (@nfergus), MA, DPhil, FRSE, is the Milbank Family Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, and a senior faculty fellow of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard. He is the author of 16 books, including The Pity of War, The House of Rothschild, Empire, Civilization, and Kissinger, 1923–1968: The Idealist, which won the Council on Foreign Relations Arthur Ross Prize.

He is an award-winning filmmaker, too, having won an International Emmy for his PBS series The Ascent of Money. His 2018 book, The Square and the Tower, was a New York Times bestseller and also adapted for television by PBS as Niall Ferguson’s Networld. In 2020 he joined Bloomberg Opinion as a columnist.

In addition, he is the founder and managing director of Greenmantle LLC, a New York-based advisory firm; a co-founder of Ualá, a Latin American financial technology company; and a trustee of the New York Historical Society, the London-based Centre for Policy Studies, and the newly founded University of Austin.

His latest book, Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe, was published last year by Penguin and was shortlisted for the Lionel Gelber Prize. 

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. You can watch the interview on YouTube here.

Brought to you by Wealthfront high-yield savings account, ShipStation shipping software, and Athletic Greens all-in-one nutritional supplement.

The transcript of this episode can be found here. Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.

Listen onApple Podcasts
Listen onSpotify
Listen onOvercast

#634: Niall Ferguson, Historian — The Coming Cold War II, Visible and Invisible Geopolitics, Why Even Atheists Should Study Religion, Masters of Paradox, Fatherhood, Fear, and More

This episode is brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could use only one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually AG1 by Athletic Greens, my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body in 2010 and did not get paid to do so. I do my best with nutrient-dense meals, of course, but AG further covers my bases with vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced micronutrients that support gut health and the immune system. 

Right now, Athletic Greens is offering you their Vitamin D Liquid Formula free with your first subscription purchase—a vital nutrient for a strong immune system and strong bones. Visit AthleticGreens.com/Tim to claim this special offer today and receive the free Vitamin D Liquid Formula (and five free travel packs) with your first subscription purchase! That’s up to a one-year supply of Vitamin D as added value when you try their delicious and comprehensive all-in-one daily greens product.

This episode is brought to you by Wealthfront! Wealthfront is an app that helps you save and invest your money. Right now, you can earn 3.30% APY—that’s the Annual Percentage Yield—with the Wealthfront Cash Account. That’s more than fifteen times more interest than if you left your money in a savings account at the average bank, according to FDIC.gov. 

It takes just a few minutes to sign up, and then you’ll immediately start earning 3.30% interest on your savings. And when you open an account today, you’ll get an extra fifty-dollar bonus with a deposit of five hundred dollars or more.  Visit Wealthfront.com/Tim to get started.

This episode is brought to you by ShipStation. Do you sell stuff online? Then you know what a pain the shipping process is. ShipStation was created to make your life easier. Whether you’re selling on eBay, Amazon, Shopify, or over 100 other popular selling channels, ShipStation lets you access all of your orders from one simple dashboard, and it works with all of the major shipping carriers, locally and globally, including FedEx, UPS, and USPS. 

Tim Ferriss Show listeners get to try ShipStation free for 60 days by using promo code TIM. There’s no risk, and you can start your free trial without even entering your credit card info. Just visit ShipStation.com, click on the microphone at the TOP of the homepage, and type in “TIM”!

Want to hear another episode about the geopolitical framework of current events? Have a listen to my most recent conversation with Noah Feldman, in which we discuss free speech in the age of social media, AR vs. VR, the dollar’s status as a reserve currency, and much more.

#608: Signal Over Noise with Noah Feldman — The War in Ukraine (Recap and Predictions), The Machiavelli of Maryland, Best Books to Understand Geopolitics, The Battles for Free Speech on Social Media, Metaverse Challenges, and More

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

  • Connect with Niall Ferguson:

Website | Twitter

SHOW NOTES

  • [05:45] How Niall’s multi-faceted career has gone according to plan.
  • [08:00] The license to be outrageous in academia ain’t what it used to be.
  • [14:53] High table, dregs of Château Lafite, and hyperbolic references.
  • [20:26] A.J.P. Taylor and the philosophy of history.
  • [25:00] How does a historian find an “ear” for historical resonance?
  • [29:48] What Niall would ask A.J.P. if they were Château Lafite drinking buddies.
  • [34:30] An appetite for tweed.
  • [36:40] Historical contingency.
  • [43:40] A.J.P. Taylor reading for beginners and counterfactual history.
  • [46:41] Dan Carlin, Elon Musk, and Gavrilo Princip.
  • [48:39] What Niall gets out of digging deep into historical correspondence.
  • [54:04] Cold War II — what can we do?
  • [1:10:44] Keeping Cold War II from heating up into World War III.
  • [1:16:37] Economic interdependence does not preclude conflict.
  • [1:20:02] Ways Niall is using his grasp of history to change the world for the better.
  • [1:26:11] How Niall’s toolkit for enacting change has evolved over the years.
  • [1:28:55] Thoughts on fatherhood.
  • [1:36:15] Why someone raised as an atheist takes his kids to church.
  • [1:42:42] Has marriage to ex-Muslim Ayaan Hirsi Ali changed Niall’s view of Western philosophy?
  • [1:46:22] Life under fatwa.
  • [1:51:00] Parting thoughts.

MORE NIALL FERGUSON QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW

“You have to talk about what didn’t happen to understand what did happen, obviously.”

— Niall Ferguson

” I used to call myself a punktory, because I had been a schoolboy when the Sex Pistols burst onto the scene in 1976. Three years later, Margaret Thatcher became prime minister and she was almost as infuriating to many people as Johnny Rotten.”

— Niall Ferguson

“Somebody threw a party to celebrate the deployment of cruise and Pershing missiles to Western Europe. And the invitation was the neck of a champagne bottle with a mushroom cloud coming out of it. That was one of the milder things that we did. At that time, there were very limited downside risks to being obnoxious.”

— Niall Ferguson

“The philosophy of history is barely studied or indeed taught. And yet you can’t really be an historian without a philosophy of history. You have to understand the nature of causation. These days, nobody bothers with that, which is why a lot of academic history is garbage.”

— Niall Ferguson

“History’s not a science. It can’t be a science because we can’t rerun events in laboratory and see if, consistently, war breaks out in 1939 with or without Hitler. … It’s quite obvious when one reads a book when a historian’s tone deaf and shouldn’t really have gone into the business, just as it would be obvious if they tried to conduct an orchestra or play a concerto. Yeah, I think it’s much closer to music than it is to science.”

— Niall Ferguson

“The best historians have that ability to bring the experiences of the dead alive, bring them back to life, make you empathize with them, despite the distance in time and in space and in experience.”

— Niall Ferguson

“One of the things that’s exciting about the study of history is you are trying to remind yourself again and again that what happened, that what we know happened, might have gone the other way. That the Cuban Missile Crisis ended in both sides essentially backing down was not predetermined. There was a moment when a Soviet submarine commander gave the order to fire a nuclear torpedo at US naval surface ships, so we came within a hair’s breadth of World War III. These alternate worlds, these histories that didn’t happen, have to be alive in your mind when you are writing history. The fatal mistake is to write history as if it were bound to happen the way it happened.”

— Niall Ferguson

“As a jazz fan, I think history has to have that kind of Thelonious Monk feel to it where you’re telling the reader, ‘This didn’t happen, but it nearly did, and people at the time thought about it.’ This is the key rule, by the way. You can’t just fantasize and devise counterfactuals that are entirely out of your imagination. You have to go with things that people at the time thought might happen. That’s a really important guardrail on counterfactual history.”

— Niall Ferguson

“Economic interdependence does not preclude conflict.”

— Niall Ferguson

PEOPLE MENTIONED

The Tim Ferriss Show is one of the most popular podcasts in the world with more than 900 million downloads. It has been selected for “Best of Apple Podcasts” three times, it is often the #1 interview podcast across all of Apple Podcasts, and it’s been ranked #1 out of 400,000+ podcasts on many occasions. To listen to any of the past episodes for free, check out this page.

What is the #1 Tip for Business Success? – Business Tips & Advice

By
Richard Meier
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0
What is the #1 Tip for Business Success? – Business Tips & Advice

What does it really take to succeed in business?

Most entrepreneurs fail. The ones that succeed in the long run understand that each failure contains the seed of a future success. Entrepreneurs start new businesses, create jobs, build brands, take risks, break down barriers, and fail. They fail early and they fail often.

The ability to fail and to move on is one of the biggest reasons some become successful while most fail.

The truth is failing increases your chance for business success. According to research done by economists at Stanford and the University of Michigan, failed entrepreneurs are far more likely to be successful the second time. Of course, it only applies to those that actually try the second time. Unfortunately, many failed entrepreneurs never try again after an initial failure.

To succeed as an entrepreneur you have to get over failures fast and without thinking that you are a complete loser.

Failing is not the same as being a failure.

Your ability to separate yourself from failure is what enables you to move on to the next challenge. You must think of it as a learning experience not as a personal flaw.

To many, the entrepreneur is the hero of capitalism. The reality is that the life of an entrepreneur is incredibly difficult. Dealing with the perpetual ups and downs of failures requires a kind of failure amnesia.

Perhaps the single most defining characteristic of an entrepreneur is her ability to deal with failure. Entrepreneurs who succeed have a special relationship with failure. Don’t get me wrong, entrepreneurs are not numb, but they internalize failure differently. After a bad decision, they feel just as stupid or depressed as the next guy, but they are able to get over it and move on. Entrepreneurs don’t enjoy failure any more than the general population. Neither are they proud of failure, but somehow they are able to bounce back from it.

Successful entrepreneurs understand the difference between failure and failure. There are different kinds of failures. Sometimes a failure tells you to go another direction while other times it tells you the game is over. We often hear stories about relentless efforts when giving up seemed so easy yet someone stuck it out, just to succeed in the end. It is true there are times when you have to do anything to get through hard times. But, great entrepreneurs know when to keep on fighting and when to fold.

Not all failures are created equal. The best entrepreneurs are guided by their guts. Yes, they consider the facts, but the decision comes down to the final decision maker, the Gut. No amount of data can replace good old-fashioned gut feeling. Many are paralyzed by too much information. They collect more-and-more of it, anything to avoid making a decision.

Serial failure is a fact of the entrepreneurial life. Can you learn to embrace failure? We are taught from an early age that failure is bad. When we fail we are embarrassed. A lesson learned some say. Successful entrepreneurs have such a special relationship with failure that they can smile about it.

Being an entrepreneur is incredibly difficult. You hear the stories about million and billion dollar businesses. There are many lists about success such as the Fortune 500, Forbes 400, Inc 5000. There is no list of business failures published. Perhaps, if such a list existed more people would take comfort in the fact that failure is just another step toward success.

Failure can feel devastating, but if you want to succeed as an entrepreneur, you can’t let it crush you. Failure and the ability to process it is the most important factor to why some people succeed. Remember, failure doesn’t kill your business, giving up does.

Successful entrepreneurs overcome failure the following ways:

  • Accept mistakes – Only wannabes avoid failures, their reward is never accomplishing anything.
  • Don’t panic – Successful entrepreneurs waste no energy panicking about failure.
  • Focus on the big picture – Failures are part of doing business, they are a step toward the larger goal you set for yourself.
  • Avoid negative self-talk – They don’t allow themselves negative self-talk.
  • Learn from failure – Understanding that failure is a learning experience is an absolute must.
  • Laugh it off – If you can laugh at your failures, you are one step closer to success.

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Marketing Strategies to Launch a Small Business, Part II » Succeed As Your Own Boss

By
Richard Meier
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Marketing Strategies to Launch a Small Business, Part II » Succeed As Your Own Boss

Marketing is key to driving sales into your business, and it’s the one thing you constantly need to work on from day one. If you are a local business, your marketing approach can be offline and online. Thanks to the advanced targeting capabilities, you can use online ads as a cost-effective way to get exposure for your local business. We focused on marketing ideas for service and ecommerce businesses in Part I of this series. In Part II, we’ll share marketing strategies for local businesses. 

Use a Direct Mail Campaign

Local businesses can leverage traditional marketing strategies such as direct mail. You can develop a direct mail campaign cost-effectively, and it’s still highly effective since email and online ads dominate the marketplace. Direct mail works well if your target market includes people who aren’t tech-savvy and don’t often use social media.

Part 2 Marketing Strategies to Launch Your Small Business direct mail image

Create Your Google Business Listing

One of the most important marketing strategies for local businesses is to register for a free Google business listing. This free listing will give you greater visibility in local searches and help you get found on Google Maps, so it will also help you obtain more customers.

Use Online Review Sites and Local Business Directories 

Sites such as Yelp, Merchant Circle, and Google My Business enable people to identify and learn about businesses in a specific area. Customers use these sites to find businesses where they live, where they are visiting, and to review good service. To use review sites and directories for your business, you need to get listed, encourage reviews, and monitor your listing. For more guidance, check out my Ultimate Guide to Online Reviews for Your Small Business.

Host a Grand Opening Event

Part 2 Marketing Strategies to Launch Your Small Business opening event image

Events are among the best marketing strategies for local businesses. When you’re just launching, it’s a great idea to invite people in to see your business for the first time. Offer giveaways, games, and food for the entire family. Live music is always a great touch. Offer great opening day specials and discount coupons for a return visit.

Do a Live Remote

If you have a significant start-up budget, schedule a live remote with a local radio station that serves your target market. That’s a great way to get your name out in the marketplace.

Become a PR Machine

Do it yourself if you can’t afford to hire a publicist for the launch. You need to have a contact list for local media. Develop at least three hooks to pitch your business to the press, and don’t forget the local business journal. 

Try one of these PR-based marketing strategies for local businesses:

  • Try a sports gimmick, e.g., your company president will shave his head if the local football team wins.
  • Develop a special sale item for the opening week, with a portion of the proceeds going to a local charity.
  • Invite the community in. Hire musicians to play in your store every Friday for a few months after the launch.
  • Invite a book club and knitting group to meet in your store or coffee shop.

Write a Blog

Part 2 Marketing Strategies to Launch Your Small Business blog image

Blogging is an effective way to demonstrate your expertise and drive traffic to your site or your store. It can bring in visitors, test new ideas, and you can use it to promote your business locally, whether you’re selling products online or in-store only.

Develop a Membership Program

Create a frequent buyers club. Create a VIP membership service if you have a business that touches customers frequently. Develop a few exclusives that you can offer just for members. It’s great monthly cash flow and a wonderful way to build an online community for your brand.   

Run Local Facebook Ads and Google Ads

Google Ads can be faster to start with and have a wider potential reach than Facebook Ads. Still, Facebook Ads can offer more nuanced targeting with its pixel and potentially much more powerful tracking insights than Google Ads. With Google, you can run the classic search engine result Google Ad, Google Local Services Ads, Google Shopping Ads, Google Ads radius targeting, and more. Most experts suggest it’s worth investing in both Google and Facebook if the budget allows it. Ads are among the top marketing strategies for local businesses because 97 percent of consumers search online to find a local business.

Build Custom Landing Pages for Every Local Ad Campaign 

Countless local businesses throw money down the drain with online ads by not tracking conversions or building local landing pages. Use a descriptive hero image that compliments the value proposition. Answer your target’s top questions to help them feel confident in moving forward and have a clear call to action. Most importantly, make sure your contact number is a click-to-call button. 

Try Mobile Social Ads 

mobile social ads Part 2 Marketing Strategies to Launch Your Small Business image

Mobile social media ads are a technique of advertising via social media on mobile devices. According to research, nearly 71% of users access social media on mobile devices. Mobile ads include Instagram Story Ads that pop up between your connection’s stories, text and image ads on Facebook, Carousel Ads, Snapchat Filters and Ads, video ads on YouTube, ads in-between playing videos or games, notifications from downloaded apps, and much more.

Partner with Local Influencers

Influencer marketing is on the list of marketing strategies for local businesses because you can do fun and effective campaigns with local influencers! A micro-influencer has an engaged following of 10,000 to 100,000 followers online and can influence their audience’s purchasing decisions. Partnering with local influencers can attract local customers. You can pay them with products or a flat fee for a certain number of posts about your business across their social media channels.

Start a Referral Program

Offer your current customers an incentive to refer their friends and family.  A referral program can bring you high-quality leads while strengthening your relationship with existing customers. People trust recommendations from their friends, so this is an excellent way to build word-of-mouth advertising. Try offering a significant discount or a free service for a referral that becomes a customer.

Show Approximate Distance from Your Store in Mobile Social Ads

research Part 2 Marketing Strategies to Launch Your Small Business image

As a local business, you can create hyper-local ads for each location. Try including your zip code in the ad headline and talk about the distance to your location in the copy too.

Use Google Search Console

You can use Google Search Console to find new ad group opportunities for your mobile ads based on driving search impressions.

Leverage Call-Only Ads

If you are a local service business driving sales through phone calls, and if landing pages aren’t your thing (even though they should be…), then call-only ads could be a lifesaver.

Use Remarketing to Generate Reviews

Receiving and responding to reviews is one of the best things you can do for your local business and should be top on your list of marketing strategies for local businesses. Customers love you! Unfortunately, sometimes customers who love you don’t remember to leave reviews, so you can use ads to remind them. 

Promote Your Latest Reviews on Social Media

Potential customers want to read reviews. The key is to make these customer reviews more accessible. A great way to do this is by incorporating them into your social media content or leveraging them in your advertising campaigns.

Be Visible in Your Local Community

Part 2 Marketing Strategies to Launch Your Small Business local community image

Do volunteer work in your local community or sponsor a local 5K or a little league team. Set up a local farmers market booth, join the local chamber of commerce, etc. The possibilities are endless.

Form Local Partnerships

Network with other local business owners. As you learn about their products and services, as well as their core values and customer base, you might find that their business complements yours. If you’re targeting a similar demographic, a partnership might be worth considering.

This is not an exhaustive list of marketing strategies for local businesses, but it is a good start to building an effective marketing strategy from day one. Start small and boost your local visibility by claiming your Google My Business Listing. You can then move on to a direct mail campaign and content development to build your brand online. Soon, you’ll be expanding by running Facebook and Google ads. No matter what type of business you have, marketing will never stop! Try out some of these marketing strategies for local businesses and start putting your business out there.

Talking Biz News Today – Nov. 9, 2022

By
Richard Meier
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0
Talking Biz News Today – Nov. 9, 2022

Some of Wednesday’s top business news stories:

The Associated Press

Elon Musk sells $3.95 billion worth of Tesla stock, by Barbara Ortutay

Facebook parent Meta cuts 11,000 jobs, 13% of workforce, by Barbara Ortutay

CNN

Twitter to debut gray ‘official’ check mark to verify government accounts, media and major brands, by Brian Fung

Proposed tie-up sends shockwaves through crypto markets, by Allison Morrow

The Wall Street Journal

Netflix Explores Investing in Sports Leagues, Bidding on Streaming Rights, by Jessica Toonkel and Sarah Krouse

Disney’s Earnings Hurt by Costs at Disney+, by Robbie Whelan

CNBC

Space company Astra lays off 16% of workforce as it faces rocket development delay, quarterly losses, by Michael Sheetz

Weekly mortgage demand flattens, as interest rates climb higher to 7.14%, by Diana Olick

Reuters

Microsoft faces new EU antitrust complaint on cloud computing practices, by Foo Yun Chee

Europe’s retailers strive to keep prices low to win struggling shoppers, by Richa Naidu

News about business journalism:

Former Crain’s Detroit editor returns to Detroit News

Wisconsin paper hires Kloehn to cover business

Minneapolis/St. Paul Biz Journal hires Schubert as a reporter

Dow Jones reports increase in revenue, profits

How Bloomberg’s Basak develops sources

Bloomberg EIC to staff: Be careful using Twitter as a source

Dawn Wotapka’s Media Movers: Fox Business’ Cheryl Casone

Bronner named Israel bureau chief for Bloomberg

NY Times hires Warner as senior editor for DealBook

Bloomberg makes changes to Latin America coverage

Bloomberg hires Newman to cover tech in Tel Aviv

What today’s journalism could learn from Kip Kiplinger

Axios tech reporter McGill joins government agency

Denver Biz Journal hires Romano as money reporter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is a typical SYMPTOM of a CMOS BATTERY FAILURE? – Business Tips & Advice

By
Richard Meier
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0
What is the #1 Tip for Business Success? – Business Tips & Advice

Most people never think about what happens when a CMOS battery, also known as coin-cell battery (CR2032), dies. But the CMOS battery is a critical component of your computer. The CMOS battery is a tiny part, seemingly unimportant, but when it fails, your computer no longer shows the correct time, and it will lead to severe issues with your laptop or desktop computer. But, what are the signs of a CMOS battery failing?

How do you fix CMOS battery failure?

I have researched issues related to CMOS battery failures to help you recognize the telltale signs of a dying CMOS battery. First, I will provide you with the necessary information to help you understand the problems a failing CMOS battery can cause in your computer. Then, we will discuss its primary function, what will happen if the CMOS battery dies and how to replace it.

My goal is to help you understand the problems a failed CMOS battery can present. I also hope that this article will help you prevent the problems that a dead CMOS battery may cause.

What is a typical symptom of a CMOS battery failure?

Several telltale signs indicate a dying CMOS battery, but the most common symptom that most people experience is an incorrect date and time. Unfortunately, it is also represented by a consistent date and time reset even if you set the correct date and time in the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System).

Common symptoms of a failing or dying CMOS battery are:

  • Booting issues
  • Failing or disappearing drivers
  • Beeping noise from motherboard
  • Random shutdowns
  • Checksum error
  • Unresponsive peripherals
  • Network or Internet connectivity issues
  • Various hardware failures.

All of the above symptoms indicate a CMOS battery failure. The CMOS failure tells you that you need to replace the CMOS battery to keep your computer running optimally.

How can you detect if your CMOS battery is dead?

You can detect if your CMOS battery is dead in older computers by displaying the incorrect time. However, your computer won’t retain it with a dead CMOS battery even after setting the correct date and time.

It’s easier to detect if your CMOS battery failed in newer motherboards because it will display a warning if the voltage in your CMOS battery is low.

What are the possible consequences of a CMOS battery failure?

One of the possible consequences of a CMOS battery failure is losing RTC (Real-time Clock) configuration. The CMOS battery plays a vital role in keeping your BIOS settings and clock configurations. A working CMOS battery ensures that these configurations are stored even when turning your computer off or unplugging the power cord.

Another serious consequence of a dead CMOS battery is that you will lose all of your BIOS settings. Also, your computer will be stuck at the POST unless you click the BIOS settings shortcut.

Usually, at POST (Power-on Self Test), the BIOS will report that the CMOS battery is not inserted or has depleted.

Can a dead CMOS battery cause a PC (or laptop) not to turn on?

A dead CMOS battery can prevent a PC or a laptop from turning on. This is very common with older computers. But sometimes, even a brand new laptop may ship with a dead CMOS battery. When that happens, you won’t be able to boot up your laptop.

If you have a new computer with a dead CMOS battery, you could try to remove the batter, leaving it out for a few seconds, then put it back to see if it resolves the issue.

Can a dead CMOS battery stop a computer from booting?

A dead CMOS battery can stop a computer from booting. Most laptops and desktops require a working CMOS battery for boot. The CMOS battery maintains the computer date and time required for the computer to boot up.

What happens if I boot my computer with a failed CMOS battery?

With modern ATX motherboards, your computer will boot even with a failed CMOS battery. However, if you have an older computer with a motherboard where the power is switched from the power supply, a dead CMOS battery will cause the CMOS/BIOS/UEFI settings to be cleared and set to default.

What happens if the CMOS battery fails?

It should boot normally if your laptop or desktop computer can boot with the default CMOS/BIOS/UEFI settings. However, when booting like this, the system time may be off. And if you have special boot settings such as a hardware RAID setup, the computer may become unbootable (unable to find/boot OS) until the failed battery is replaced and the correct settings are restored.

Can a PC run without a CMOS battery?

A PC can run without a CMOS battery. But, the CMOS battery plays an essential role in running your PC. For example, the motherboard won’t retain the system time or remember any BIOS changes without a CMOS battery. Nevertheless, the PC will work without a CMOS battery.

Does every motherboard use the same CMOS battery?

Today, virtually every motherboard uses the same type of CMOS battery. The CR2032 battery is used on modern motherboards. Laptops and desktop computers use a CR2032 coin battery. These lithium coin batteries have 3 volts and 235 mAh.

What if there is no CMOS battery on the motherboard?

The computer will still boot without a battery on the motherboard. This is because manufacturers install a CMOS battery. If you get a computer without a CMOS battery on the motherboard, you should contact the manufacturer.

But, if your computer isn’t brand new and the CMOS battery is missing, you can buy a replacement battery. You need to buy a CR2032 coin lithium-ion battery.

What is the reason CMOS battery keeps dying?

If a CMOS battery keeps dying, your motherboard may have a bigger problem. A CMOS battery should last at least five years, and often it lasts much longer.

A faulty motherboard could result in a CMOS battery dying unusually fast. Unfortunately, if you have a faulty motherboard, you may have to replace it.

What drains CMOS battery?

A constant small load from the motherboard can drain a CMOS battery. For example, a motherboard that isn’t grounded properly can drain the CMOS battery. Therefore, if your CMOS battery is drained fast, check your motherboard.

Can CMOS battery cause no display?

A dead CMOS battery can cause no display. With a failed CMOS battery, the BIOS loses its settings. Therefore, a faulty CMOS battery may cause a blank screen, but it’s unlikely. Instead, the computer monitor will likely display something like stop and wait for a user input, or date and time not set or checksum error.

A black screen is more likely a display hardware problem on the computer no a dead CMOS battery. Even if you hear some beeps, it is more likely a problem with the actual display on the desktop or laptop. Try plugging in another external display to test if you don’t hear any beeps. You should at least hear the fan running unless your computer doesn’t have one.

But, if your computer has a display problem due to a failed CMOS battery, it’s a simple fix. Just replace the dead CMOS battery with a new CR2032 lithium-ion battery.

Will a dead CMOS battery prevent power on?

A dead CMOS battery won’t prevent power on. Because the role of the CMOS battery is to keep the computer date and time up to date, a failed CMOS battery will not prevent power on.

The BIOS won’t retain its settings when the CMOS battery is dead.

How can a CMOS battery be replaced in a PC without losing CMOS contents?

The simplest way to replace a CMOS battery without losing CMOS contents is to swap the battery while the power is on.

But, before you change the CMOS battery, it’s a good idea to take a photo of CMOS/BIOS/UEFI setting screens with your phone. This is a good practice even if you know each setting.

Make sure you swap the CMOS battery quickly. Use a non-conductive tool to remove the dead battery. Always make sure you work in a well-lit environment. Make sure you are grounded before removing the CMOS battery to reduce static electricity.

PS4 CMOS Battery Failure

Sony has fixed the PS4’s CMOS issue, affecting the console’s internal clock battery.

The CMOS issue was discovered in April of this year, and it has taken a while for Sony to address it. Luckily, it finally listened to PS4 users, and the issue has been fixed.

The CMOS issue was addressed with the release of firmware 9.0.0, which is good news, considering if the console’s battery died, it would reset the clock back to zero and render both physical and digital games unplayable.

Now, PS4 consoles with a dead battery can play games that no longer crash at startup. Trophies are also once again earnable, but they won’t have a date attached.

The problem the CMOS issue caused was that if the battery died, the system clock would not be able to tell internal time, which rendered games unplayable.

To keep games playable, users would have to maintain a constant connection to the PlayStation Network or buy a new battery, which was no big deal. Still, the new battery would also need to connect to the servers for authentication purposes. If the battery died and were replaced without a connection, users would no longer be able to play their stored or physical games.

And this worried PS4 users because Sony could eventually take the PS4 servers offline in the future, and their games would be lost to time.

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5 Amazing Steps To Improve Your Marketing – Business Tips & Advice

By
Richard Meier
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0
What is the #1 Tip for Business Success? – Business Tips & Advice

Want to improve your marketing?

Entrepreneurs often waste their time on the wrong things like:

  • Worrying about vanity metrics.
  • Working on an administrative task that could be easily outsourced.
  • Spending more money on things that won’t help to grow their business.
  • Micromanage employees.
  • Putting out fires instead of working on the bigger goals.
  • Repeat doing the same things over-and-over instead of creating systems.
  • Getting new business cards designed.
  • Trying to perfect things. Obsessing over using the right font or the shade of background color on their website.
  • Checking Twitter and Facebook more than once a day.

Instead of focusing on what matters little, they should focus on what matters the most.

Improve marketing.

You can’t blame entrepreneurs for wanting to waste their time on less important things. Improving marketing is hard wasting time is easy.

Another huge mistake entrepreneurs make when starting a business is that they want to hire a “marketing superstar”. Read job posts for marketing people. You can smell the desperation. Instead of hoping for a miracle worker you need a marketing system.

Take the following steps to get more customers for your business:

1. Define your ideal customer

The key here is to be specific. Middle-aged men or small business owner is not a target audience. You have to do better than that.

To build the correct business to consumer (B2C) profile you have to include:

  • Age (range like 35-50 years old)
  • Sex
  • Education
  • Location
  • Income
  • Where do they shop for similar products to yours?
  • Where and how they research products?
  • What is their problem you are solving?
  • How do they make buying decisions?
  • What competing products do they buy?
  • Who else would influence their buying decisions?

To build the correct business to business (B2B) profile you have to include:

  • Business industry.
  • The size of business in terms of revenue.
  • A total number of employees.
  • Location.
  • What is important to them, cost, reliability, speed, etc.?
  • What pains are you solving?
  • What competing products do they buy?
  • How frequently do they buy?
  • How much do they pay?
  • Where do they turn for advice?
  • Who is the decision maker within the organization?

2. Study the competition.

Who is currently selling to your target audience? What competing products do they buy? Why do they buy those products? How satisfied are they with the products? What do they like and dislike about the competing products?

Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle, admitted to hiring investigators to go through the trash of a Washington group he suspected of being a Microsoft front.

Even though I don’t recommend you go through other peoples’ trash, research your competition the following ways:

  • Where do they advertise? Use services like Spyfu or Whatrunswhere and learn about their most profitable keywords and ads for paid and organic search.
  • Set Google Alerts. It also makes sense to monitor your own brand with Google Alerts.
  • Watch Google Trends. It helps you to stay on top of the latest within your own industry.
  • Read studies that included your competitors.
  • Ask their customers. You can locate your competitor’s customers through reviews, forums, and social media.
  • Attend conferences, trade shows, and networking events your competitors attend.
  • Reach out to your competitors’ suppliers.
  • Hire their employees.
  • Check out their press releases and news coverage.
  • Call them. The phone is a simple and fast way to get answers.
  • Sign up for their newsletters and email marketing channels.
  • Like their Facebook pages and follow them on Twitter and other social networks.

3. Differentiate your business from the competition.

Once you have a clear understanding of your competition you are ready to differentiate your business.

Before we get into the specifics of differentiation, think about the following questions:

  • What makes your business different from competitors?
  • Why would your target audience care about your differentiators?

Here are some of the most common differentiators:

  • Unique technology – Patentable technology is a clear differentiator.
  • Exceptional customer service – Everyone says that they have it, but very few companies actually do. Great customer service is easy to say, but one of the most difficult things to achieve.
  • Price – It is easy to compete on price. All you need to do is lower your prices. Guess what, all your competitors need to do is to lower their prices. You see how easy it is? Price is important, but you can’t differentiate on price only.
  • Selection – People want choices. Too many choices can actually hurt your conversions, so don’t go crazy there.
  • Fast response – In service businesses, especially, prompt service is an excellent differentiator.
  • Reputation – If you have happy customers, tell the world about them to set you apart from the competition.
  • Specialization – If you are a web designer, for example, focus on certain verticals like biotech or construction. Specialization gives you the right focus to offer superior service.
  • Focus on business size – Offer services for a specific size of business. If you are a business attorney, for example, you could specialize on startup businesses.
  • Team – Your team could be the most experienced or with the highest level of education or possess the most professional certifications, etc. You could also hire or partner with the biggest experts in your field.
  • Improved business model – Everyone in your industry might charge by the hour, but you could introduce a model with a flat fee. Many IT companies have moved to the flat fee model from the hourly model.
  • Geography – For the most part geography is not a very strong differentiator anymore.
  • Use your network – For example, a startup attorney could use his angel and VC connections as a differentiator.
  • Impress by a client – Use your current and past client list to distinguish your business.
  • Partnerships – Strategic partnerships can be a big asset to you and your potential customers.
  • Maturity – Years in business is hard to compete against.
  • Accomplishments – Your company might have been the first to do something or the last to do something else. Focus on some major accomplishments.
  • Be different – Look and act differently from your competitors. Doing things differently is risky, but it will help you stand out.

4. Develop strategic partnerships.

Forming strategic partnerships to get more customers is what compound interest is to wealth building. Small and large companies depend on distribution channels to sell products and services. Selling through strategic partners other than a direct sales team provides businesses with the opportunity to grow and increase market share, expand into new verticals, and capture new customers.

Finding the right strategic partners requires the same scrutiny as finding a co-founder. You’ll be working closely together and the wrong partner could hurt your business. It is important to establish clear objectives from the start. Understand what you want from the partnership and make sure you understand your partner’s goals too. Before you enter into an agreement be realistic about your own limitations.

Do your research about potential partners. Reach out to other companies that have partnered with your potential partner. Find out what went well and what didn’t go so well. Also, reach out to customers of your potential partner. You can learn more from customers than any other source. If you have questions or concerns keep communicating. Maintain contact with frequent check-ins to quickly resolve any problems.

5. Ask your customers for referrals.

Your best source of new leads and prospects should originate from your own customers. Give incentives to existing customers.

Here are a few examples of successful referral incentives:

  • Dropbox had done a great job with offering extra storage space for referrals.
  • Paypal paid cash. Referrals helped Paypal achieve 7 to 10% daily growth.
  • Airbnb offered travel credit. It nearly doubled their customers.
  • Uber’s referral program lets you give discounted first rides.
  • World of Warcraft’s referral program rewards with exclusive in-game items.

You can ask your customers for referrals several ways:

  • Email
  • Snail mail
  • Phone
  • When you hear a compliment.
  • At the close of sale.
  • At the completion of a project.
  • Social media like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, etc.
  • Organize an event for your customers. – Encourage your customer to bring a friend.
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12 Amazing Tactics to Protect Your Business From Ransomware – Business Tips & Advice

By
Richard Meier
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0
What is the #1 Tip for Business Success? – Business Tips & Advice

Ransomware is not something that only happens to other businesses.

Ransomware is malicious software that criminals use to hold your computer, network, and data hostage, demanding payment from you to get them back.

Ransomware is not science-fiction. It is becoming increasingly damaging for businesses around the world.

Your business can’t succeed without your IT infrastructure. If you want your business to succeed, you have to protect your business from ransomware.

If you fail to protect your business from ransomware your business will be controlled by extortionists.

Ransomware leads to loss of data, revenue, and customers.

Who is the target of ransomware?

Any business or organization that depends on access to critical data and can’t afford to lose access to it.

 

Here is how to protect your business from ransomware:

 

Backup Your Data to Fight Ransomware

Ransomware often encrypts your data. What that means to you is that if you don’t have a recent backup of your data, you are in trouble.

One of the simplest protection against ransomware is frequent backups. How frequently you need to backup your data depends on your business.

Ask yourself: How often does my data change?

If your data changes daily, you need daily backups. If your data rarely changes, you might be able to get away with less frequent data backups.

Your backups must be secured. At the least, you have to have one offsite copy of your data. Either through a cloud backup service or an external drive, stored offsite.

Backup your data in three different places:

  • Your file server (If your files are in the cloud, this should be done by your cloud service provider.).
  • Local backup (You should store a copy of your local backups offline.).
  • Mirrors of your data in the cloud.

In the case of a ransomware attack, your backups will help you recover almost immediately.

Crypto ransomware punishes those businesses the most that fail to backup their data.

The low cost of backup solutions makes defending your data easier than ever.

Key point: Regularly check to make sure that your backups are working.

Keep Software Updated to Protect From Ransomware

There is no protection from ransomware without regular software updates.

At the very least:

  • Make sure that Windows is updated.
  • Keep all plugins up-to-date
  • Automate updates
  • Create a patch management update

Protect from Ransomware with Browsers

Chrome and Firefox are constantly updated. Install plugins to block ads. Installing a pop-up blocker could greatly decrease attacks.

Show Hidden Files to Fight Ransomware

Ransomware prefers to use hidden files. It is best to show hidden files. It makes it easier for you and your users to see suspicious files.

Disable Autorun to Protect from Malware

Users like autorun because it simplifies the user experience. For better malware protection, disable autorun.

Disable VBS to Protect from Malware

Windows Scripting Host (VBS) is useful but makes computers more vulnerable to malware. VBS is used to download more damaging malware to your computer. It is best to disable the VBS engine.

Restrict User Permissions to Protect from Ransomware

Some ransomware can browse and encrypt data on mapped drives. Therefore, it is important to restrict user permissions.

Install a Second Browser to Protect Yourself from Ransomware

Ransomware could damage your primary web browser. It makes sense to install a second browser.

Malware can also slow down your browser. Even worse, malware could destabilize and make your browser completely unusable.

There are many different browsers for your business to use. We prefer to use Chrome and Firefox.

To make your browsers more secure, consider installing the following:

  • Script blockers.
  • Pop-up or ad blockers.
  • Web filters.

Also, make sure that you are always using the latest version of your browsers.

Filter Executable Files to Protect from Ransomware

It is important to have your IT department filter your email servers for executable files. The bottom line is that your mail server should not allow .exe files into your network.

Emails sent with .exe attachments should be discarded.

If your users need to share .exe files use a cloud file-sharing service such as dropbox or Google drive.

Use Security Software to Detect Ransomware

Every computer on your network should run a malware/virus defender.

How to detect ransomware?

You can detect ransomware by taking the necessary precautionary measures. It’s possible to detect ransomware accurately by thoroughly checking the sender’s email address of every received email.

Ransomware creators send malicious emails through a similar-looking email account. They use distinct techniques to make fake emails look similar to the legitimate email address they’re trying to imitate.

For instance, attackers replace the small character “L” with an upper-case “I.” These characters are easily confused with each other, which can easily fool potential victims that don’t have proper knowledge of how to detect ransomware.

Look for spelling errors in the domain name. Spammers sending ransomware often use domains that look similar to some of the most trusted domains in the world.

You can also detect ransomware by scrutinizing the content of the email. In the past, ransomware creators would send mass emails with nonsensical content. But modern ransomware attacks are more sophisticated.

Modern ransomware creators are savvier. They take great care in making ransomware emails legit. They will try to imitate authentic email addresses and send you “real” sounding email messages.

If you aren’t sure about the authenticity of an email, delete it and mark the sender’s email address as spam. You can actually call the institution the ransomware email referenced to get to the bottom of the situation.

An effective way to detect ransomware before the damage is done is to avoid downloading suspicious attachments. Ransomware generally involves malicious file attachments. They are hidden in encrypted zip files.

Once you click or tap the malicious file, it will infect your device. So, don’t click or download any attachments if you don’t trust the sender.

In case of a ransomware attack, don’t give in to the demands of the ransom creator. Paying the ransom doesn’t guarantee that your problem is solved. Often, ransomware creators continue to extort money from ransomware victims.

Learning how to detect ransomware is a must to fight back. Your ransomware knowledge will help protect your organization from the financial losses of ransomware.

Educate Users

There is no substitute for user education about ransomware. Train your users not to click on suspicious emails. Tell your users to delete all emails that arrive from an unknown sender. Create and share a cheat sheet to show users how to protect their computers.

Disconnect

Once a computer is infected it must be disconnected ASAP from your network.

Disconnect the computer from wifi and hardwire connections until the ransomware has been resolved.

Disconnecting can prevent further damage.

What is the difference between ransomware and malware?

The difference between ransomware and malware is that ransomware is designed to block access to your own data until the ransom is paid, and malware is designed to destroy data and degrade the performance of computer systems.

Malware is an umbrella term used to describe harmful software such as Trojan horses, worms, and viruses. All ransomware is also malware. But where malware is designed to damage or destroy data and computer systems, ransomware is designed to extort payment from organizations such as hospitals and for-profit organizations.

How Ransomware Spreads

Ransomware spreads through exposure to public WiFi, phishing emails with malicious links or attachments, Zero-Day vulnerabilities, and portable computers.

Cybercriminals use phishing emails to install ransomware. Once you have clicked a malicious link or downloaded a ransomware file, their malware will infiltrate your entire network.

Hackers also use spear phishing techniques to plant ransomware into your network. Phishing emails are extremely common. According to a recent study, 91% of all cyberattacks start with a phishing email.

The malicious emails are carefully written and formatted to fool people into installing ransomware on their systems.

Ransomware also spreads through:

  • Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)
  • MSPs and RMMs
  • Drive-By Downloads
  • Bad Ads
  • Network Propagation
  • USB Drives
  • Unpatched or outdated software
  • Pay-For-Install Attacks
  • Network Scanning
  • Pirated Software

photo credit: Self portrait in my hoodie

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5 Rules to Make Customers Love Your Business – Business Tips & Advice

By
Richard Meier
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0
What is the #1 Tip for Business Success? – Business Tips & Advice

Attracting paying customers is what separates entrepreneurs from entrepreneurs. Ask any entrepreneur and she will tell you that getting customers is one of the hardest parts of business. The inability to attract customers cost-effectively is one of the common reasons businesses fail.

Do you know your customers’ needs?

Many entrepreneurs focus on customers too late. Before they think about the customer they are focusing on product development, research, design, coding, and a bunch of other important issues. Except that, the problem is that none of them really matter without the customer.

Step #1 to get customers love your business is to involve the customer from day one.

Don’t design the look of your product without consulting your customer. Don’t build your product in a vacuum. Ask your customer for feedback. Involve your customer early and often.

If your customer us part of the process from the beginning, they are much more likely to buy once you are ready to sell. Reach out to your target market for advice and feedback. Keep them in the loop. Send them updates as you are making progress. Get them involved with the process of creating and improving.

Understand your customer.

This sounds very easy, yet most businesses fail at everything. Why? Because this requires for you to actually reach out to people and learn from them. It is a lot easier to make assumptions which are exactly what many businesses do. To be more specific, making assumptions about the customer is what failed entrepreneurs do.

There are several ways you can understand your customers:

  • Ignore non-customers – You don’t have to get everyone’s opinion. You don’t have to get the whole world to like you or your product. Only focus on those whom will pay for it.
  • Understand problems and pain points – When you reach out to your customers find out about what frustrates them and what are their pain points.
  • Learn about decision making – If you are going to sell to them, you have to understand their decision making. What’s important to them? I tell you it’s not just the price. Find out what really matters to them. Is it support? Is it guarantee? Whatever it is, find out. People make a decision for rational, emotional, logical, spontaneous, competitive, humanistic, and other reasons.

Differentiate yourself from the competition.

There are several ways you can differentiate your business:

  • Improve – Many entrepreneurs think that their ideas have to be revolutionary. In reality, if you can improve on what your competitors do, you are in good shape. If you think of some super successful businesses, all they did was to improve on something already out there. For example, Facebook wasn’t the first social network, Google wasn’t the first search engine, and Starbucks wasn’t the first coffee shop.
  • USP – Unique Selling Proposition will help you stand out from the crowd. Without a USP you are forced to compete on price alone and that’s a losing proposition. Your USP is that secret sauce that makes you a better business than your competitors.
  • Guarantee – Offer a guarantee. Working with your customers will help you determine what would be the best guarantee to offer. If the customers complain about the delay, you can offer a time guarantee. Find out the custom pain points and tailor the guarantee around them. Never make claims you can’t fulfill.

Become an authority.

Authority sells. It’s a lot easier to sell when people look up to you. If you establish yourself as an industry authority, customers will seek you out. They will want to buy from you and you will no longer have to compete on price only.

How do you become an authority?

  • Anti expert – Instead of calling yourself an expert, act like one. Present new ways to look at your industry. Show people new ways to look at your field. Challenge the status quo. Every time you speak, write an article or blog post, shot a video, or record audio, show that you are an expert.
  • Details – Go into greater details than your competitors. For example, if you see a 2000 word blog post on how to start a business write a 4000-word blog post with much greater detail.
  • Controversy – Challenge the status quo and be controversial, but not for the sake of controversy.
  • Network – Reach out to influencers and ask for their input. To get attention, get in the sight of other authorities.

Use social media.

Social media is going to help you create greater visibility.

Here is how to make social media work for your business:

  • Focus on the right social media channel. For example, if you are a B2C brand Facebook and Pinterest might work better than LinkedIn. Regardless of your assumptions, test various social networks.
  • Sell less and give more. Offer information. Be helpful. Focus a lot less on selling than building relationships.
  • Understand the social media channel. Not all social channels work the same way. You will have to change the way you communicate based on the network you are using.
  • Create content people care about. Some of the most shared content is funny, educational, controversial, and visual.
  • Use relevant hashtags. Although it is most effective on Twitter, hashtags are also very effective on other networks. For example, if you are targeting #entrepreneurs, #smallbusiness, or #startups, use the appropriate tags.
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Welcome to your new look Small Business 

By
Richard Meier
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0
Welcome to your new look Small Business 

Small Business and its sister site Growth Business have fresh new logos bringing the sites into the 2020s.  

Our new publisher, insurance technology platform Stubben Edge Group, wanted Small Business and Growth Business to have modern, clean and minimalist logos which would be both memorable and also show the websites are part of the wider Stubben Edge business group. 

New modern logo

Designer Tayla Bresser, who is based in South Africa, and Stubben Edge media manager Bruno Mameli worked through various concepts before settling on the new logo and colours you see today.  

Bresser says the idea was to modernise rather than revolutionise the existing Small Business and Growth Business branding.  

Bressler says her watchwords when redesigning the logos for both sites were “punchy, modern and also clearly recognisable”.  

The redesign is just the first phase of the evolution of Small Business brand as we add products and services to better serve you, the small business community. In time, we hope to become the one-stop-shop fulfilling all your finance and insurance needs as small business owners.  

Further reading

Small business logos we really love

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