Why I Stopped Endorsing the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF)
For years I recommended US military veterans seeking free entrepreneurship training or certification testing to check out Onward to Opportunity (O2O) by the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF). I'm Syracuse University (SU) alum. IVMF is on SU campus. It's a rarely discussed benefit that can help vets of all ages. Then I attended an entrepreneurship program.
From the PPW and ERB to Veteran Badges?
Army veterans understand the importance of making sure your authorized awards match your Army promotion points, promotion point worksheet (PPW) and other paperwork. Those awards and badges provide a snapshot of your experiences. Once you leave the service, that concept is still applicable to some business ventures and career goals.
How to Manage Email
Electronic mail isn't going away anytime soon, no matter how many social media platforms and other businesses integrate private messaging systems. Below are a few tips to lessen the dread you might feel when looking at your inbox. No matter how long you wait to check, "you've got mail."
Lessons from "On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction"
"On Writing Well," by William Zinsser, is one of my favorite books. It is the only book about writing that I own, but I remember being excited whenever I made time to read it. Here are three quick, major lessons I learned from that book.
Black Men Owned Businesses Matter
I've purchased from over 20 Black-owned businesses in the past few years. I've recently heard that Black men are refused financing to start businesses at a higher rate, compared to Black women. Dr. T Hasan Johnson has shared stories about Black men bringing on a Black woman simply for the higher rate of approval. This made me curious.
What is the ratio of "Black first," or "B1," companies owned by Black men compared to Black women which I have supported? And what are the correlations?
Kanbans for Small Team Project Management
A kanban can be a great solution for task management, or agile project management, within smaller teams. Gantt charts and Scrum have their value but a kanban can benefit creatives, fast-paced departments, and generally busy individuals with hectic personal lives.
ATTN: Specialist (E-4)
First published on June 21, 2017
If only I could go back in time and whisper a few notes in ears of my younger self . . .
Congratulations on your promotion to Specialist E-4. Don’t put that new rank on your uniform until your unit has a promotion ceremony! If they suck or dislike you, disregard last transmission.
Your Specialist rank is a X factor at any given time. There are many like it, but this one is yours. Everyone you encounter will wonder what type of Spec-4 you are:
ATTN: Private
First published on March 6, 2017
If only I could go back in time and whisper a few notes in ears of my younger self . . .
Ask Drill Sergeants about their military occupational specialty. Ask what they know about your MOS. Why? Knowledge. There’s a lot more you need to know now about the military than Initial Entry Training will teach you, directly or indirectly. Take notes.
