The Next Great Entrepreneurs – How Entrepreneurs Think
Published March 24, 2011 | 
Expert Entrepreneurs are like Master Chefs who are at their very best when first viewing a variety of diverse ingredients and dared to throw together whatever dish practicality and the mind’s eye conjure up. To contrast, corporate leaders will always decide they are going to make dependable Swedish meatballs. They then go on to shop, measure, mix, and finally cook Swedish meatballs in the most pragmatic, efficient, and cost-effective manner.
That is not to say Entrepreneurs don’t have goals, only that those goals are broad and—like luggage—may shift during flight. Rather than meticulously segment customers according to potential return, they itch to get to market as quickly and cheaply as possible. Entrepreneurs are inherently impatient with anything that smacks of extensive and highly-detailed planning, particularly customary traditional market research.
Pursue “Partners” First
Entrepreneurs’ penchant for “doing the doable” and evolving the “doable project” from point to point is patent in their methodology to “partnerships.” 
Meanwhile corporate executives typically know exactly where they are going and follow a given mapped out path to get to completion. Many times with just the opposite guidance, Entrepreneurs permit whomever they encounter along the business journey, whether suppliers, advisers, customers and others to help shape their businesses, with a more open mind to the possible.
An important ally to Entrepreneurs among the potentially influential partners or allies are first customers. The Entrepreneurs have a built in anticipation for customer help on product design, sales, and identifying preferred suppliers. Some even view their very first customers as also their best investors.
Expert Entrepreneurs have learned the hard way over the years that “having even one real customer on board with you is better than knowing in a hands-off way, 10 things about a thousand customers.
Understand that simply gathering information from a large number of potential customers tends to increase all the different things you could do, but doesn’t tell you anything about what you should do. Many Entrepreneurs enjoy the stay close approach to customer interaction by the observation of a few customers as they work or even actually working closely alongside them.
Corporate executives, on the other hand, generally envision a much more traditional time-honored vendor-customer interaction, such as focus groups.
Executives rely less on firsthand insights, because they can afford to place bets on multiple segments and product versions, and Entrepreneurs of course, don’t have that luxury and are many times better off because of it with firsthand information and important market insights.
By the time Entrepreneurs start seeking investment, of course, they should be as far inside competitors’ heads as they can get. Although they tend not to spend much energy in the exhibition of concern about any existing competition, Entrepreneurs worry less about competitors because they see themselves not in the thick of a market but on the fringe of one, or in the creation of a new market entirely.
No Limits
Corporate managers traditionally believe that to the degree they can forecast the future, they can influence it. In contrast, Entrepreneurs have strong faith in that to the point they can control the future, they simply don’t need to predict it.
To many in the conventional corporate world, that may sound like monumental arrogance, but it is simply a manifestation of Entrepreneurs’ confidence in their capacity to recognize, respond to, and ability to reshape opportunities as they develop. 
Entrepreneurs simply thrive on unforeseen events and contingencies, and feel limited and stifled with even small amounts of information.
When provided with the same information as one another and as the corporate executives, Great Entrepreneurs have created opportunities in markets including academic institutions, venture capital firms, consultancies, government agencies, and even the military.
Finally, as much as the ability to conceive new products and services, it is the unique propensity to work their magic off whatever ideas or materials are at hand that genuinely characterizes and defines Great Entrepreneurs as an ingeniously creative breed and perpetual optimists.
But if you’ve ever been associated with or known a Great Entrepreneur, you almost certainly knew that already.
The Next Great Entrepreneurs – The Global Market
Published March 22, 2011 | 
In a world of Entrepreneurs like the U.S. and other global economies, Entrepreneurs make up the backbone of the global economy, and they most certainly are the ones who continue to bring the global economy out of the downturn in their respective nations.
So when looking at Entrepreneurs and the inherent approaches they share it must be well-known that some are purely deliberate and some tactics entirely evolve with the market. Most certainly, the real world unavoidably requires some thoughts and judgment ahead, as well as some modification and adjustments along the way.
You must understand that Entrepreneur’s commercial innovations and originality have never been part of the institutional scheme and systems and of large corporations. The corporate structural systems have never developed the ability to replicate the inherently unique thoughts and passions of genius Entrepreneurs. 
Not even the most ordinary run of the mill competent strategist. It is also a widely-held acceptance that in almost all cases, they never will. It’s simply that sizeable systems and processes aren’t designed and intended to encourage and support the creative and innovative thinking, the thoughts and ideas that come from the passions of truly Great Entrepreneurs.
So when we look at the requirements of great entrepreneurship we recognize that the good management of Entrepreneur’s is an important ingredient of the success formula, along with real entrepreneurial tactical strategies. Of which for entrepreneurial success are few and simple, but yet difficult and easier said than done. It takes a true Entrepreneur to identify the genuine opportunities whenever they present themselves, especially during challenging times, demanding market conditions, and the ever-evolving global economy.
The timely recognition of market trends and conditions that create new opportunities is an innately strong trait that distinguishes Entrepreneurs. Additional distinctive traits of Entrepreneurs are innovativeness and creativity, and the willingness to take to risks for their new ideas and innovations.
Their vision enables Entrepreneurs to anticipate future needs and problems, along with willingness to work independent and unaided with self-direction, and a strong sense of competitiveness that comes from the passion intrinsic to the Entrepreneur’s spirit.
It must not be forgotten that at the very heart of great Entrepreneurs is innovation, which is simply the effort to create, determined and focused transformation in either economic or social potential, which includes three kinds of innovation. 
The first kind of innovation is technological innovation which includes new products, ideas, and technologies.
The next kind of innovation is economic innovation which includes Entrepreneur’s spirit for turning those things into new businesses and industries. Finally, cultural and social innovations which is simply the talent and capacity to invent new ways of thinking, new art forms, new designs and concepts that identifies present and future trends in the global marketplace and their associated opportunities.
Understandably, these different identifiable components of innovation can share the same thought processes of the Entrepreneur as they all reinforce each other and overlap with closely-shared similarities. 
Many times the real genius of the Great Entrepreneurs is noticed and identified because they exhibit and demonstrate highly-proficient abilities to apply all three kinds of innovation at the same time to the same problem or opportunity.
The Entrepreneur Nation in the global economy with time will ultimately spur economic recovery, but timing of the recovery is critically dependent upon what kind of problems or barriers Entrepreneurs encounter with established systems and institutions, and regulations and taxes, that affect how quickly they can adapt their innovations to what has become the global marketplace.
The Next Great Entrepreneurs – Innovation
Published March 21, 2011 | 
Have you ever contemplated what it is that distinguishes great Entrepreneurs? Discussions of entrepreneurial psychology most often focus on innovation and creativity, high tolerance levels when it comes to taking on risk, and of course the intensely motivating desire for achievement. Most would agree these are extremely enviable traits that, unfortunately, the average person can’t learn, since the traits are not very teachable.
A strong common trait that is shared by many Entrepreneurs is that while they are brilliant improvisers, they don’t begin with concrete goals. They instead, constantly measure how to use their inventory of personal strengths and no matter what resources they have at hand to develop new goals as they operate, while quickly and creatively reacting and adjusting to contingencies.
The ability to identify new business opportunities presented in the market is a skill some true Entrepreneurs are gifted with. Others have to sharpen and refine their market senses through a detailed analysis of the existence and sources of new opportunities and the sources of course will have differing importance at different times. This is where purposeful and systematic innovation begins.
True innovators are always consciously analyzing opportunities and their sources in whatever the situation, because of the fluidity and ever changing trends in the global market. Innovators are constantly on the outlook, asking the precise questions and listening for the correct answers they are looking for.
Successful innovators are both analytical and insightful, observing potential customers to study their expectations, their values and their needs, and analytically evaluating exactly how and more importantly if the innovation is going to satisfy the identified opportunity. 
They must have the instinctive abilities to look at the market as a whole including customers and trends both past and future, and with their keen insightfulness be able to quickly identify opportunities to meet demands and solve market problems with their innovations.
A good rule to always follow if at all possible is that an innovation has to be simple to be most effective, and in the innovations focus there is but one extremely important thing to avoid, and that is confusing the customer. The innovator’s quest should be to hear simple yet golden praise like “It’s so simple!”, and “It’s obvious!”
Understand that all great innovations share one characteristic of above all others, and that it is hard work rather than genius that the delivers the final innovative realizations and solutions. It requires the accumulation of knowledge, and through that knowledge the development of ingenuity, all the while constantly remaining focused throughout the process. 
Now while innovators are of course talented in a wide range of areas, the greatest of innovators remain highly focused and are able to maintain valuable momentum.
So if you aspire to be an innovator and an entrepreneur, constantly reevaluate the way you spend your time, and evaluate whether you are creating the next great innovation in a favorable environment that is mandatory for the development of innovations? Are you focused with an eye to the future and what’s going to happen when your current product or service becomes obsolete, and are you developing something that is difficult or even impossible to copy, gadgets or social inventions?
It is exceedingly likely that the next great wave of lasting companies to leave their impression and significantly impact and change markets will be built not by technical or product visionaries, but Social Visionaries. 
They will be Social Entrepreneurs who see, recognize and clearly understand the realities of society’s changing human nature and creative trends, and develop new ways, new processes, methods and tools of organizing human effort and inspired creativity.
Contrary to well-established business planning principles, Entrepreneurs truly believe that to the degree they can control the future they really don’t need to predict it. That may sound like a monumental error in judgment. With that said, 
we must clearly see it differently, as an expression of Entrepreneurs’ assurance and strong belief in their highly-effective abilities to recognize, respond to, and restructure opportunities as quick as they develop.
Finally, understand that Entrepreneurs thrive in the world of contingency, and the very best ones extemporize their way to an outcome that in retrospect feels ordained to them, almost magical.
E-Commerce, Security, and Managing Risk … Part I
Published April 21, 2010 | Find out how to protect your computer and businesses while managing online risk.
This is a preview of the Table of Contents for the E-Commerce, Security, and Managing Risk eBook. Found only at Team Altman Dot Com!
Table of Contents.:
Introduction
How Hackers and Crackers Can Cripple the Internet and Your PC
Getting into the mind of the intruder
Managing Your e-Risk
What are Viruses, Trojans, Malware and more!
Three Common Security Methods Used in Web Communications
Wireless Security (Wifi security) The good and Bad!
Implementing Fire Walls and Available Configurations
Encryption Technology
Hot Tips and Web Links
Introduction .:
First, we should first realize that the internet’s very nature opens up to harmful attacks. It was designed to allow free information to exchange –success followed quickly growing far beyond the designers wildest expectations. However, this comes with a price! Hackers and virus writers try to attack using the internet and computers connected to the network. I have seen many different large viruses attack servers and databases while working for some large companies as technical support for MSN. I was amazed at how many people were affected by these viruses. I have noticed and learned that many virus writers are targeting Microsoft products like servers and data bases. These same programs can detect and turn off your antivirus software or this was the case once upon a time.
I should state, hope that this is obvious, that the internet is different from the World Wide Web and was started by Tim Berners-Lee in 1991. More servers were put online, and with the Mosaic web browser released in 1993, followed by Netscape in 1994, more and more people installed web browsers and began participating in the Web. The amount of the world that uses the internet and web is simply amazing as we enter into the world of web 2.0!
Wow! What a large topic to cover. Take a moment and think about all the different computers in the world and all the possible security risks that might be involved. This is a tad over whelming for many. I will do my best to provide enough details about what types of technologies are out in the world and strategies for security and managing your risk. We should start off by looking at what are the types of security that we should be thinking about.
Well, there are in fact two types of general security which are:
- Physical
- Logical
What is physical? Generally speaking physical is tangible. This type of security is hard to know and difficult to place a value on. Still, it is important to look at even the intangible. You would think that physical is easy to see and easy to implement security, but it may be that you need less or more security than you would have thought true.
What is Logical? Logical is protection using nonphysical means. We would use programming for instance to help logically protect or add a layer of security. A sensory in your car can detect a person that is walking to close to your vehicle. The logical sensors in the computer will signal and react depending on the logic of the programming. Each area is important as a general guide. During this course I would like to help you see the different types of threats, ways to think about measuring the risks, and ways to see how we use the internet. There are many built in features to the internet but many we must implement ourselves at home or on the job.
A few more computer security concepts to think about are the following:
- Confidentiality…..: Protecting Data
- Integrity……………: Data and System functions
- Availability………..: Service is Not denied to authorized users
- Authenticity………: Being Genuine
- Accountability……: Security Goals are Met
Well, time to dive-in and I hope that I can keep this all simple and straight forward.
Next on the Agenda!
How Hackers and Crackers Can Cripple the Internet and Your PC
Stay tuned… more will be added soon!
======================== HOT Tips =======================
Hijack This
http://cnettv.cnet.com/quick-tips-permanently-delete-malware/9742-1_53-27657.html
Encrypting your Thumb Drives
http://cnettv.cnet.com/thumbdrive-encryption/9742-1_53-32304.html
Entrepreneurial Engine: Small Business, the Economic Backbone!
Published February 28, 2010 | “Innovation is the specific instrument of entrepreneurship. The act that endows resources with a new capacity to create wealth.” –Peter Drucker
In a nation of Entrepreneurs like the United States and other global markets, Entrepreneurs and Small Business make up the backbone of the global economies, and they will be the ones who create economic growth, associated increases in wealth, and the real lasting jobs to bring the global economy out of the recession. So when looking at entrepreneurs and their inherent strategies it must be noted that some strategies are purely deliberate and some strategies purely evolve with the market and new opportunities from the birth of new industries and technologies. Of course, the real world, inevitably, involves some blending of thinking and planning ahead as well as some real-time adaptation along the way, as Entrepreneurs look to strategically develop and evolve their ideas to fill identified voids and problems in the market.
Entrepreneurial innovation has never been part of the institutionalized systems and of large corporations with labor unions, and never will be. Systems and organizations that stifle creativity and innovation have never been able to reproduce the thoughts and passions of genius entrepreneurs, or even the most ordinary competent strategist, and in almost all cases never will, and large systems, processes, and especially the labor unions aren’t designed to encourage the creative and innovative thinking that comes from the passions, of true independent innovative entrepreneurs.
So when we examine the requirements of entrepreneurship we know that good entrepreneurial management is part of the formula along with real entrepreneurial strategies, and the strategies for entrepreneurial success are 
few and simple, but yet difficult, since it takes a true independent Entrepreneur to identify the real opportunities which present themselves, especially during times of recession and lifeless economies, and recognition of market trends and conditions that create new opportunities is one of the strongest traits that identifies the true entrepreneurs. Additional traits of entrepreneurs are innovativeness and creativity, a willingness to take risk for their new ideas and innovations, and the ability to anticipate future needs and problems, willingness to work independently with self-direction, and a strong sense of competitiveness that comes from the passion inherent to the entrepreneurial spirit that’s at the core of the backbone of economic engines.
At the very heart and essence of entrepreneurship is innovation, which is the effort to create purposeful and focused change in economic or social potential, which includes three kinds of innovation. The first kind of innovation is “technological innovation” which is innovation including new products, ideas, and technologies. The next kind of innovation is “economic innovation” which includes entrepreneurship and turning those things into new businesses and industries, and finally, “cultural and social innovations” which are the ability to invent new ways of thinking, new art forms, new designs and concepts that identifies trends in the marketplace and associated opportunities.
These different identifiable components of innovation can share the same thought processes of the entrepreneur as they reinforce each other and 
overlap, and many times the genius of the entrepreneur is noticed and identified because they are able to apply all three kinds of innovation at the same time to the same problem or opportunity.
As always, the “Entrepreneurial Engine” that is the economic backbone will eventually spur future economic recovery, but the timing of the recovery is dependent upon what kind of problems or barriers entrepreneurs encounter with systems and institutions, huge U.S. Government intervention and its related regulations and taxes that negatively impact growth and wealth creation results, and that affect how quickly Entrepreneurs can adapt their innovations to the marketplace, which will start to create economic growth and jobs in the U.S. and global economies.