PreceptColab.net

God is an artist! (via fysilhouettes)

Sun, 25 Jul 2010 07:41:16 -0400

God is an artist!

(via fysilhouettes)

markingwerphd: weekendxwarrior: askmeaboutmywiener (via...

Sun, 25 Jul 2010 07:40:14 -0400

markingwerphd:

weekendxwarrior:

askmeaboutmywiener

(via deadlyponies)

A business & life blog that doesn't sell anything

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 20:02:06 -0400

A business & life blog that doesn't sell anything

Day one in the books

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 08:48:00 -0400

Friday morning was my first official Crossfit training session @ HarborCity Crossfit. It went well, took a little longer than I expected but resulted in a really good workout. We ended with 200m run, 12 - 35lb kettle bell swings, and 6 pull-ups (can’t do a pull up so did jump pull ups) x 3 rounds. I finished in a little over 6 minutes which I thought was pretty good.

One thing happened that really hit me. Durring my last round I was finishing in the kettle bell swings in agony and I limped over to the pull up bar then took a few seconds to breathe and my instructor looked over and said, “do one then you can rest!” I did what he said immediately, but later after the workout I reflected on how profound that actually is.

Mentally we need to continue to push ourselves in life, work, as well as our workouts. We need to always push through mental and physical exhaustion to perform the next rep then we can grab a breath. If we continue to do that then we will constantly improve. Isn’t that the goal to constantly improve in life!

Down to 194, 9 pounds left on the drive to 185 then that goal might have to be adjusted downward!

Drive to 185 just got one step closer

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 08:42:41 -0400

So I have been delayed starting my actual Crossfit Sessions in the Harborcity affiliate, however since I have been home from my travels I have been eating very well and that is yeilding additional results.

This morning I weighed in at 194.6, which is below my goal of 195 by the end of the week. I am supposed to start my crossfit sessions tomorrow morning at 6:30am.

I look forward to it.

Guest Days

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:41:58 -0400

So I have been perfoming some of the scalled down Crossfit workouts at the house for a little over 3 weeks now, and the guest day for HarborCity Crossfit finally came. I meet my sister there at 9:45 am for a 10:00 am workout. I can honestly say I was a little intimidated just standing there, signing in and talking with some of the people. I just wanted to start the workout, even though this was going to be brutal as described by the sister.

We did some streching and I was obviously one of the worst physically fit individuals in the room. Then we moved over to the wall and I picked up the 20 lb medicine ball and prepared to squatdown and thrust upward heaving the ball up 10 feet to hit a market located on the wall. The two coaches were watching everyone and then we were off, “3, 2, 1 GO!”

I started out pretty well, in fact I had an early lead on my sister which I probably shouldn’t be bragging about, but then I started to hit the wall! I was gassed and I still had many reps to go. I finished the workout in a respectable 15:59, with my sister beating me by a mere 20 seconds. It was a wonderful feeling except for the dizziness and urge to vomit.

I decided to take the plunge and talked to the owners about signing up for real. It looks like I am going to start my intro sessions this week sometime. It is about time I get this train moving.

I haven’t lost anymore weight and I must admit I have been a little let strict on my diet with all my recent travel. It is no excuse, and I have to be stronger metally. We will see where I end up at the end of the week. I am hoping to get to a solid 195.

Fast Forward - Crossfit

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:35:00 -0400

My wife wants to make sure that I am commited to this lifestyle and working out before I fork over the $500 plus needed to do the real introductory sessions at a Crossfit Affiliate, HarborCity Crossfit.

Two weeks into my new lifestyle I have been working out about 4 times a week and sticking to my diet as perscribed. I have lost 7lbs, and I can feel a difference in my body and energy level.

At this point I am realizing that I need to apply the same level of effort to my spiritual well being. Now this process has begun as well!

First WOD,and week 1 diet results

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:27:50 -0400

I started the diet as described in my last post. To my suprise and satisfaction the food was very tasty and I was losing weight. So I was off on my way to a more fit self. I found a WOD (Workout of the Day) that I could do with the stuff I had in my make shift gym and did my very first crossfit workout. Three sets of thrusters - burpees - pull-ups with repetitions of 15-12-9. I was determined to make it through the work out and so it started. I used a broomstick for the thrusters and those went well, then right into the burpees. I executed the burpess all in succession followed by my nemesis, the pull up! I haven’t been able to do a full body weight pull up in many years and this day was no different. In order to finish the program I did jumping pullups where I would jump and use that momentum to get close to the top of the pullup. That set was difficult to say the least, but I persevered and got all 15 jump pull ups.

The second set was not so easy as the first. I had to stop halfway through to catch my breath and I could feel my heart beating like a drummer in a heavy metal band. Nevertheless I continued and slowly and sloppily progressed through the workout. When I was done, there was nothing left in me. My legs were jello and my head was spinning. I had to lay down to keep from passing out. My wife was proud of me that I put my max effort into the workout.

End result after the first week, I was sore as I have ever been and I lost a whopping 2.5 lbs. Although that doesn’t seem all that much, I felt a sense satisfaction and a real change in my perspective. This was a start to the real change required in my life.

External Rennovation Starts on the Inside

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:50:32 -0400

I have let myself go over the past 5 years. Normally one gets “in shape” for my wedding day, not me. In fact a few short months after my wedding day I ballooned to a whopping 216 lbs. Fast forward 3 years and I settled in at around 205 lbs. I work a desk job and slowly saw my pant size creep up to a 36.

I woke up one morning and was having trouble finding trousers, my 36s, that would fit. It was then that it hit me. I finally had to take a stand. My sister had just started this weird gym thing called Crossfit. I was reading up on the program and looking at the local affiliate’s site. My wife was sitting next to me and she pointed out to me that my sister is blessed with my fathers genes and I unfortunately got my mother’s genes in relations to body type and weight. That verbalization made my deep dark secret come alive. I finally had to admit if I was going to be “in shape” I would have to make a lifestyle change. I took a picture and weighed myself.

I was 202.5 lbs and had a BMI of approximately 32 which is right on the border from overweight to obese.

The next day I started to do a scaled down version of Crossfit at the house. As part of my new lifestyle I read The Paleo Diet, by Loren Cordian, and began phase 1 of the new digs. I am going to update my process on the site as well as the internal changes that I am making with my faith. This is a renovation project that I really look forward to. Stay tuned for updates.

Black Sheep Innovations

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 09:01:29 -0500

Black Sheep Innovations:

Thoughts on innovation and business strategy from a BlackSheep designer.

David vs. Goliath...

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:32:00 -0500

I read another fantastic piece of literature from my favorite author, Malcom Gladwell, titled “How David Beats Goliath, How underdogs break the rules”. There are some thoughts that really hit home for me and should resonate for any small to medium sized business operator.

Stop playing by the rules of the game!As a small business you are already disadvantaged especially from a resource standpoint, then why would you complete with the big boys in the same way they compete with each other and expect to be successful? Find the way that you can utilize your strengths to break the typical rules of competition. One of my good friends helps small businesses do just that! Rob Dempsey, CEO of Atlantic Dominion Solutions, recently started helping small to medium sized businesses become more responsive and flexible. He calls it ADS Skirmish, this is one way to help change the rules of the game on the larger slower moving competition.
Out work them! This should be self explanatory.
How can we change how the game is played? Get an outsiders opinion! My career path has been a winding road to this point, and there have been events that still stick out in my mind. At one point I was working with a very large public accounting firm doing consulting work. I was reviewing the business operations and culture for a large organization by interviewing senior management. Usually individuals that are discussing these entity level issues with top management are older and more experienced then I was, and this seemed to be a huge hurdle for the CEO. At one point he stopped and looked directly at me and said “I have been doing this for over 20 years, what can you tell me about my business?”. That was a good question and he looked at the current situation from a view point common to experienced executives. I had to respond quickly and BS wasn’t going to work in this situation so I plainly responded, “I can’t tell you how to run your business, but without having all the predispositions about how this business and industry operates I will be able to provide you with a fresh perspective and new ideas that you sir might be able to infuse in your business and make it better.” He paused and thought about what I said. He looked back at me and after a long pause said “great point, lets continue our conversation.”

Sometimes we need to collaborate and pull information from industries, people, and sources that we would not consider under normal circumstances. There is a sense of pride that my industry is different and if you haven’t operated in it you wouldn’t understand. That may be the case, but someone that is totally unfamiliar might give you the idea that can change the rules of the game you compete in.

Here at Precept Collaborative Network, we plan on changing the competition norms the consulting industry has operated under for many years. If you are intersted in joining this network and changing the game please email me at

Hayden.olson@gmail.com

“A crisis is a terrible thing to waste"

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:22:16 -0500

One of my cohorts from the Rollins MBA program emailed me earlier this week with a very intriguing question, and rather than just responding to him via email, I have decided to pontificate about my thoughts on the subject on this rarely viewed blog.

The following is the email I received.

“The Chinese say: crisis = opportunity.

What potential opportunities do you see in the current economic climate (in Florida and beyond) and how can you plan to take advantage of such opportunities now and when the economy rebounds?

Regards,
Allan”

First, I agree wholeheartedly with the Chinese proverb. In my opinion, based on my experiences and observations, most every situation in life is cyclical. Examples are been seen in the economic markets and the latest hot management trends. So in order to combat the urge to react to all bumps along the way, I try to keep some perspective on business and in life.

I heard once on the radio “recessions are nothing more than a half off sale for the rich.” that makes a whole bunch of sense to me. Which is why a down market (temporary) is the perfect place to acquire or start (if you don’t have the funds) something that you intend to invest in and grow over the long-term. The sage financial advice still rings true, “buy low sell high” even when starting something like a company or a small business on the side. PreceptColab.net is a vision that directly responses to the current situation of the markets and local economy, on a global and local perspective. It just so happens that at this time there are other market trends and social movements that intersect with this down market (to be discuss in subsequent posts), making the collaborative network an appealing solution to those people that may be feeling the “crisis” in a more direct way (highest unemployment rate since the great depression, 11.2% in FL).

Given the current employment situation, there are many experienced talented individuals that out of work and can’t find a job due, mostly due to the shortsightedness of many businesses and their managers. PreceptColab.net is a way for these independent individuals to join a network of similarly experienced professionals that collectively form a consulting network with knowledge resources that can rival those of the large management consulting firms. These individuals can form a small consulting business while maintain or seeking full-time employment and rely on PreceptColab.net for all the administrative matters involved with the consulting, such as billing, contracts, collections, financial reporting, etc… And similarly to an investment, if diligently invested in overtime the small consulting gig may grow to the point those individuals no longer have to rely on shortsighted business managers for their family’s financial stability.

We all need to take a look at what we can buy or invest in during this “crisis” or opportunity that can have wonderful returns for us in the long-term. Keep your perspective and remember the saying, “in time that too will pass”.

Stay tuned for more information on how you can become a member of the Precept Collaborative Network (PreceptColab.net).

What example are you setting?

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:37:00 -0500

Yesterday morning I had the opportunity to volunteer with impactbrevard.org at the Brevard Zoo, working on the oyster restoration project. To be honest the work isn’t glamorous. We drilled holes in oyster shells then used zip ties to attach them to plastic mesh mats that will be laid in the Indian River Lagoon.

Beyond the stench, and it was strong, one thing in particular really struck a positive cord in me.

There was a father with his two children there to volunteer with us, and the oldest son was fulfilling a requirement by his school to do 20 hours of community service per year. Initially I thought that was pretty neat that we are putting genuine requirements like that on our kids as they grow up, but then as the day went on something deeper hit me. The requirement for the children to fulfill volunteer hours is great, but the example being set by his father is what made it stick out to me. He could have very easily dropped the boy off and told him to call him on his cell when he was finished.

In business we, as managers, place quantitative metrics on items that are to be accomplished, similar to the 20 hours above. We, as workers, are programmed (via performance plans) to accomplish our goals so we get our raise. However, do we stop and think whether or not the true objective of making people volunteer is being accomplished? Don’t we want people to see how fulfilling it is to give to someone or something else when it is unwarranted? If this is the case are we marginalizing the objective by putting metrics on it? Dan Ariely, author of Predictably Irrational would probably say yes, and I agree. Children have the uncanny ability to mimic their parents behaviors and social norms as they grow up, so if we really wanted the children to give back and want to serve, then should the mandate be on the parents?

If so, then in business and as leaders shouldn’t we be putting the emphasis of giving back to the community and serving our customers on ourselves with the intention of having a more profound affect on those that may be looking to us as the example?

Therefore in addition to setting hard metrics for those who work with and for us, we need to be also leading by example for the more genuine goals.

I am a new father (2 week old baby) and I want to set the right example for her and for those who are paying attention in the business world. The seeds that are being planted now may reap much more than we can imagine down the road, like that father volunteering with his two kids.

The best gift that we can give is not the action of giving itself, it is the continued return from those around us that look up to us for an example of how to live.

I will be at the Brevard Zoo tomorrow to volunteer with impactbrevard.org from 11-1. I suggest...

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:13:51 -0500

I will be at the Brevard Zoo tomorrow to volunteer with impactbrevard.org from 11-1. I suggest everyone check into how they can give back to the community… very rewarding!

check out impactbrevarg.org on facebook for more informtation

Finished a good week of work, Gabby is still alive after 2 weeks, and there are some really great...

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:12:08 -0500

Finished a good week of work, Gabby is still alive after 2 weeks, and there are some really great new business developments on the horizon. Overall a solid week and hopefully a wonderful weekend!

What is next to impossible to achieve individually, is easily...

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:46:09 -0500

What is next to impossible to achieve individually, is easily obtained collectively!

Good Morning!

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:30:47 -0500

It is a beautiful morning and a perfect day to start putting the concept of PreceptColab.net down in to a document that can be discussed with some key partners that I have in mind.

Precept defined

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:45:45 -0500

according to dictionary.com, Precept is defined as “a procedural directive or rule, as for the performance of some technical operation.” Precept was carefully chosen to be included in the name of the collaborative network.

more info on the way….

I look forward to sharing some deep thoughts in the near future!

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:22:41 -0500

I look forward to sharing some deep thoughts in the near future!

Perspectives

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:43:40 -0500

Perspectives