Professional conferences can indeed be a drag. You can also discover amazing people, and great ideas. You just have to do more than simply be present.

Acting on feelings, in the absence of data, can be an extremely dangerous personality trait. But learning to trust your "gut instincts" can also mean the difference between thriving, and simply surviving.

Regardless of the type of organization you run, or find yourself working within, there is the publicized or “official” way things are supposed to happen.

And – there is the way that things really happen. The way things get done.

Technical Debt is nothing more than the eventual consequence of every design decision you've put into a codebase.

Someone will step, and be the first to implement one or more of these measures - and rightfully be labeled a visionary. Most likely, they will also be fired.

But they will still be right.

Don’t outsource your relationship management. That is, unless you don’t care about the long term prospects of keeping your customers.

Is Sweet Briar College the “canary in the coal mine?”

For a certain type of residential college experience, yes. Yes, it is.

Even if the question seems obvious: Ask.

If you insist on producing your own webinar, these tips could help the next person feel like they at least got something of value from your efforts.

Remember: Making a profit isn't a bad thing. It's your business's reason for being. And if it's not, you're not running a business - you're running a hobby.