Archive for September, 2007
Talk about your RAoK!
RAoK or Random Act of Kindness is the single most remarkable thing that touches the heart of every human being. According to wiki it is a “purportedly selfless act performed by a person or persons wishing to either assist or cheer up a stranger.” And it is simply that, a random act of kindness.
A complete stranger gives a man in a Master Chief costume a brand new Xbox 360. It is that type of thing that brings me back hope for humanity. With all the violence during the PS3 craze and drinking for a Wii, you would think all people that want a gaming system were selfish. But not this man. This man took it upon himself to unselfishly reward a complete stranger with a Xbox 360. That comes straight from the heart.
Kindness is still something a lot of humans haven’t discovered. The kindness from a random stranger for the pure sake of being kind. Most people do things with an ulterior motive or expect something back. But a RAoK is a remarkable discovery by humanity. Free Hugs so far is the #1 example of this and Join Me is another. The only RAoK I can remember doing was giving a friend a gift on Christmas that I received earlier that day. It wasn’t a big present nor was she one of my best friends but I gave it to her simply to see a smile on her face. A RAoK can really brighten up anyone’s day.
Courtesy of majorknitter
Maybe that will be another one of my goals. Commit a RAoK at least once every week. I thrive to see a smile on everyone’s face one day. I like to inspire people and influence for a better good. Maybe I’ll push this blog in the direction of an amazing startup idea around RAoK. Free virtual hugs anyone?
~Kevin X
Honesty blows…
Well not really, but it is funny when you want to be honest but you try to lie but then become honest anyways and it blows up in your face.
So the other day I got a quiz back in physics and got a 100 (w00t!) but he really did mark one wrong. I guess he didn’t see it or something but I was trying to hide this mistake even though I knew I should have told him. All my friends around me were like “Oh you lucky b****” but I was like “shh, keep it down”. But then someone suggested for me to tell him the truth anyways because he might just let me keep the grade. This has happened for like the past 3 years when a honest student tells the teacher something bad about his grade but then the teacher lets the student keep it anyways. So I thought why not and went up to tell him. So the convo went something like this:
Me: “Um hey, I think you marked my quiz wrong, I really got one wrong.”
Teacher: “Oh yeah you’re right. I appreciate the honesty.”
*Long pause*
Teacher: “I’ll change the grade now.”
Me: *Mumbling curses*
Yeah yeah it was just like 3 points so I don’t really care but it is kinda funny. I guess this would take place in the business world sometimes too. If someone loans you $10,000 when they really meant only $1000 would you keep it or be honest about it? Well the chance of that happening is already rare… but I guess the moral of this post is to keep your mouth shut and play dumb =D
~Kevin X
Halo 3: Reloaded
Hey we’re teens, we gotta talk about video games.
Halo 3 certainly is the hit that many hardcore fans have been waiting for. Dozens of people have waited in lines and skipped class to purchase the eagerly awaited title. It has already topped the charts, selling $170 million in it’s first 24 hours ($30 million more than it’s predeccesor Halo 2).
While many gamers are eager to discover the fate of Master Chief on his epic quest to save the galaxy from evil forces bent on his destruction, the corporation that had developed is wondering what this game can bring.
It is evident that much of Microsoft is riding on Halo 3 to help boost its sales of its Xbox 360, but the performance isn’t all that spectacular compared to various game consoles already on the market. It is noted that the Wii has sold almost as many consoles despite it’s relative new introduction.
Recently the Xbox 360 has been plagued with various problems, ranging from minor releases to huge numbers of consoles not functioning at all. They hope that the game will run smoothly and sales will promote both the game and the Xbox 360.
~Kevin Z
Programming and Its Awesomeness
I’ve been asked many times why I want to go into computer science as my college major, and each time I’ve said the same thing: programming and working with computers are my favorite things in the world, right above living and breathing…well maybe not above that. But still, they’re pretty high up there on my favorites list. Now, however, my view on computer science is shifting. As I’m being more and more introduced into the business world, I’m gaining a broader insight into computer science and its ties to the business world.
Right now we are right smack dab in the middle of the information age. The internet is growing every day. An increasing amount of businesses are now taking their ideas to the web: popular sites such as youtube and digg are popping up all over the place. In order to make popular websites like these, someone needs two major things. First, they need an idea. But second, they need to know how to code the site and/or have someone else code it for them!
As I see it, as the web continues to grow and more people realize the potential of online businesses there will be an increasing demand for programmers. I now feel that the computer science major is a great choice not only because I enjoy computers so much, but also because it puts me into a position of great potential.
I have many other thoughts regarding this subject, but I guess this is enough for one post =).
~Josh B.
Grabbing opportunity by the horns
A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.
This is one of those ‘quote of the day’s I got on iGoogle from a Sir Francis Bacon. It is so simple but implies such a deep message of success. Opportunities are chances for anything to happen, a chance to make a change in people, or the world.
I view anything and everything as an opportunity. Every class is an opportunity to learn something new. Every person you talk to is an opportunity for friendship. Every event you go to is a chance to make a difference. As you can see there are a lot of opportunities out there and anything possible can result from it. That’s why I try to go out and see as much of the world as possible. Some places or people can change your way of thinking forever. Or sometimes you can change a part of someone else forever. If there is an opportunity to meet someone high-up in the business world, I will never pass that chance. That chance for me to shake hands with a prominent man. That chance for him to know my name and hopefully see it again one day.
The quote is saying that a wise man will make his own opportunities rather than find them. I did this the other day when I presented myself to the advisers for the career fair where I initiated a proposal for the website Zinch as an example of college recruitment and startup website. They all loved the idea thus a cornucopia of things could happen. Earlier this year I entered the 2007 Six Flags Business and Marketing Competition. It was an entirely optional project and a lot of work. But I took it upon myself and my team to create this idea called the “Ultimate Flash Pass”. And what do you know― we won 3rd place for it! And now there is a chance they will actually use the idea for next season so the possibilities are endless.
I believe that is why I created this blog, as a source of opportunities for me to meet other people and for people to know who I am, who we are. CanTheWorldHearMe is our title but also our message. I think if I were to rewrite the quote it would go something like this:
A normal man has to find opportunities.
A lucky man is given opportunities.
A wise man makes his own opportunities.
~Kevin X
First impressions really do last
Rereading my post from last night I can easily tell I was exhausted and was barely able to write a decent post. It took me about two hours to write that confusing post and then I still had homework. It was just the sheer thought process over that psychological and philosophical question that really took it out of me.
Basically I was trying to say that you have to understand the human psych in order to understand others and excel in startups. But if you were a new reader and that was the very first post you read on my blog you would have probably thought “What in the world is this guy talking about?!?! What a messed up blog!” and it would stick with you for a long time until you read many of the other posts. This is the sad effect of the first impression, whatever we are exposed to first we think it is the only truth.
This has happened to me a lot over the years. I have never been into politics nor the elections but I read my first review about Ron Paul from Digg. He was the first candidate I really know anything about now and I based everything I know about him from someone else’s opinion. So in my mind he is pretty cool and if I could, I would vote for him but I realize it is just because I was exposed to him first. Sure a real voter would do his research in all of the candidates and make his vote worthwhile but for a guy that already has no care of politics, I wouldn’t bother thus first impression sticks.
So in the business world, real life, and especially web 2.0, first impressions are a big deal. I am reminded of last year on the first day of school when my friend dressed in ghetto clothes and sat down in math class. Immediately the teacher came and said “Excuse me son, are you sure you are in the right class? This is a math honors class.” Talk about ouch, my friend is actually really smart but just dresses differently. His relationship with his teacher was then forever awkward for the whole year.
In the end with web 2.0 I guess the first thing you show to people has got to be the best. That’s why I always try to make my top post the best since people usually read that first although my first post was more informative. Well I would also like to know what you all feel about this topic so leave a comment!
~Kevin X
Why do we do the things we do?
Why is this called CanTheWorldHearMe instead of Can The World Hear Me?
Now I’m going to go into human psychology in this post but it does have a lot of relevance to what entrepreneurship is all about! But honestly why do we do the things we do? Probably many have pondered this philosophical question but few have answers. Even I don’t have a simple answer and I’m not going to force one onto my readers. But the main idea behind this question is what we do affects other people.
As I’m writing this post, I’m thinking about what people’s reactions will be and how they will feel afterwards. I might add a little bit of humor in hopes you laugh. Or I might write very seriously in hopes you will take me seriously. But the common motive in everything I write is to get the right reaction from my audience and I realize that every time I write. I realize that what I write is directly related to what type of reaction I want. I recognize that I typed “we are different than other bloggers” in hopes that people really think we are different even though we might not be but we are definitely trying to be by writing that and then writing about realizing that. Wow wasn’t that a mouthful.
The thing that gets to me the most is when people would say their thoughts out loud in that voice that’s soft enough so it seems like you’re talking to yourself but just loud enough for other people to clearly hear you in hopes they do hear you and react. I mean really why? They’re your thoughts so they should belong in your head and if you really want others to hear you then just speak up!
But then again, this blog is basically my thoughts and how I want the world to hear me. In the entrepreneur business, it’s all about pleasing the customers with your service or product. You have got to find ways to appeal to people and persuade people with a technique called rhetoric (new word I just learned). So it’s not enough just to understand how the human psych works and to manipulate it in others but also realize that you are doing it all the time.
Now we are still a newbie blog and one day might grow corrupt and only write to get mass amounts of traffic. But for right now I want to stay as pure as possible and write for the sake of CanTheWorldHearMe. I will not add keywords to this blog like “apple iphone” or “vanessa hudgens nude” just to generate a lot of traffic. We rate ourselves by the quality of our content and will continue to do that for as long as possible.
Now this is just my take on it and of course it’s open to debate. I want your opinion to be heard so please feel free to leave a comment.
~Kevin X
Edit// Why did I spend 3 hours on this blog and not study until 2:00am? Example of me affecting myself.
The Last I- Innovation
Looking over the past couple of posts since we have started, I noticed that we have been talking about two I’s: Influence and Inspiration. Now I present to you the last I: Innovation.
Innovation is how I refer to humankind genius. The ability to look beyond the obvious and outside of the box to come up with a brand new idea. Since innovation is always new, it is usually looked upon with skepticism from people who are too stuck in ‘the norm’. But the innovations that do become successful create huge changes in the economy and culture. Here I’m talking about Apple’s infamous iPod and Nintendo’s shiny new Wii (which I finally got recently ^.^). I don’t know if it was Steve Jobs’ plan all along to make a cultural icon and revolutionize the music industry forever but that was exactly what happened. Heck, the i in iPod might as well stand for innovation. And then there’s Nintendo’s Wii.. with two i’s! Innovating video games with something like motion sensing brings about a whole new way of playing games.
So the three I’s will now be our tactic to get the world to hear us. We want to influence the world, inspire others, and create an innovation for the world to see. That might sound ambitious but this is what CanTheWorldHearMe is all about. Expect some more posts based on this but I don’t actually know if the three I’s have been coined anywhere else. A quick Google search doesn’t bring up anything significant. So with the completion of this sentence, I now coin the three I’s: Influence, Inspiration, and Innovation. Hopefully one day it will join the ranks of the 3 R’s and the 5 W’s.
~Kevin X
Age of Riches: Hedge Funds Altering MBA Goals
Article
An interesting article highlighting the growing changes that are found in the business world. Hedge funds, which had often been seen as an investment for the elite, are now being managed by a new generation of energetic men fresh from college. Many of these new college graduates entering the business are making 6 digit and 7 digit salaries.
Now it seems a transition has begun favoring those graduates with more “hands-on experience” and potential rather than those going to graduate school for their MBA. The traditional approach is being bombarded with “Why did you leave your job? What were you doing wrong that you couldn’t get a promotion… or pursue an opportunity with a private equity or hedge fund?”
No doubt the world of business is very volatile and chaotic but often offers rewards beyond some of our wildest dreams. But there is a dramatic change that is reshaping the world of hedge fund investments. MBA’s are gradually falling out of place as hedge funds are favoring those who have already begun. It is noted that many seeking an MBA are from different backgrounds or those switching out of other careers, a trait that disfavors you in the business world.
Which leaves us with the awkward question: for those of us who truly want to aspire to great things, should we take a detour off of the main road? As we yearn for the world to hear us, will the normal approach of education, college, and work… work?
-Kevin Z
Happy OneWebDay!
Did you know that there is a whole holiday in dedication to the web? A whole day dedicated to how the web has changed the way we live, interact, and think in general just like Earth Day. Well there is and that is today, September 22. Happy OneWebDay.
I think I’m going to continue my last post about the power of the web. We received our very first comment on a post from Robin Mizell and it really touched me. Along with bringing a lot of traffic (that’s always a plus ;D) his post was an abnormally strong allusion to my life and the goals of this blog. And the remarkable part was, he wrote that before he found this blog. So I want to thank him for his support and for the motivation. That was really everything I could have asked for, an inspiring post.
Robin’s post was an amazing example of power of the web, the power of one. One person can make a difference in one’s life and I really believe that. It is hard to realize that everything you read, everything you see, and everything you hear on the web is having a powerful impact on how you think. Everything from first impressions to reviews and especially blogs contain someone’s opinions and the web binds us all together by a simple link. Everyday, the web has the power to influence what you do or how you think and that is true power. That is the power that we hope to use to accomplish our goals and I believe that is what OneWebDay is all about.
Sure some might say that the goal of most blogs are to whore up all the traffic and comments so they seem all popular. But our goals have never been truer or clearer before, we really feel that the web is the key to another revolution and how we are going to influence the world. We want the whole world to hear us and will not stop trying until the world does. You might say we are too optimistic or we’re going to end up in big disappointment but I say bring it. Something happening is always better than nothing.
~Kevin X.