It’s the cliche job interview question of all time – where do you see yourself in 5 years? I am willing to bet that most of those reading this have been asked this question. As you may have guessed, I have been asked it several times over the 20+ years of my professional career. Where some people may be asking it to expect an answer that you will be working for their particular company then, others are asking to gain insight into your long-term thought process, the latter approach not being all that bad or evil.

After a year like 2009, I am doing much more thinking and planning about the future than I ever had before. I am not limiting it to business as I am also thinking of my growing family, and our needs and wants into the future. Where many things do purely happen, and you may never know what opportunities may come about, purely leaving everything to chance is not the way to go. Even if your plans don’t materialize how you originally planned, you now have a marker to compare and measure against.

When you get down to it, thinking about the future is really about your vision. Where do you see things going and happening, and how will you be a part of it? You may not be able to see things 5 years in advance, but you sure as heck should be able to have a fairly good idea as to how the rest of the year will go!

The video below is from mobile device giant Nokia, and is a projection of where they see the markets they play in, as well as themselves, in 2015. If you don’t see the video below, watch it here at YouTube.

If you watched it, you will see that you don’t have to be an uber genius to make projections of your own, as Nokia’s predictions seem respectable with where the world is now with mobile technology. As this video is from Nokia, I am required to say that I have a continuous professional relation with them.

Perhaps the question should just be where do you see yourself? I welcome your thoughts on how you think of the future.

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Business • Strategize • (0) Comments • Permalink

The next likemind will be Friday, January 15, 2010 in dozens of cities around the world.

In Chicago, it will be at Argo Tea, 140 S Dearborn St. at the corner of Adams and Dearborn Streets in the Loop from 8:00 am to 10:00 am.

I call likemind a gathering of creative-minded people, from various disciplines including Internet, advertising, art, social media, et. al. For more information on likemind, you can read this great article on likemind from the New York Times.

No RSVP is required. You are also welcome to join the likemind Chicago Facebook group.

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Announcements • Business • Technology • (0) Comments • Permalink

The 2009 calendar that hung in my office this year featured 12 different houses from around the world. Who knew when I got it for Christmas last year it would be a metaphor for the year it tracked?

2009 has been an interesting year to say the least. For many people, it outright sucked. For others, it presented challenges many have never encountered or even thought of before. As a result, a lot of thought has gone into what did not happen, what was lost, and what money was not made.

As we pop the cork on whatever beverages we will be consuming tonight, we’ll be not only ringing out 2009 but the first decade of the millennium. Looking beyond 2009 at the other 9 years of the decade, there were certainly many more highs than lows, and those are what I am thinking about over that timeline. And in looking back over the last year, I am thankful for what did happen, what was won and gained and the money I did make. When I think of these things, it makes me smile and fortunate for what I was able to accomplish.

In talking to many people, there is a lot of optimism as we look ahead to 2010. There is a renewed confidence that business will not only pick up, but will thrive in the new year. For small businesses, there are still a lot of things outside of our control. But those things be damned!

Happy New Year to all my friends, family and readers! New Year’s Eve also marks the 3rd anniversary of The Hot Iron. Here’s to year some great conversation in year 4!

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Announcements • Business • (2) Comments • Permalink

A couple of weeks back I mentioned I was evaluating OfficePort Chicago,a co-working environment, to see if it would work for me. While I was here, the people from Crain's Chicago Business came in to report on OfficePort, and the video report is now available on their Web site as well as embedded below. In it, you can see me in action. hard at work on a client solution.

So what was my verdict on OfficePort? Stay tuned!

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Business • (3) Comments • Permalink

It’s not everyday that someone says you’re a favorite, especially when that someone is Google.

Yesterday I received a letter from Google’s Local Business Team regarding my Internet consulting firm, Dunkirk Systems, LLC. It stated my Google Local listing is a “Favorite Place of Google” and reinforced this with stats – it was viewed 346 times in the 3rd quarter of 2009. Along with this letter of praise came a window decal stating “We’re a Favorite Place on Google” which features a QR code with a link to the mobile version of my Google Local listing. If you have a QR code reader on your mobile device, click on the accompanying photo to see a larger version of it from which you can scan the QR code and navigate to the link, or view the link to my mobile listing in your Web browser.

Where I haven’t done any poking around to see who else got a similar letter, there is some value in this, and just the opposite. First off, Google Local listings work. I have been seeing the hits coming to the Dunkirk Web site from the Local listing in my Google Analytics reporting. It is also yet another way to drive traffic to you and your business. Google Local also gives the ability for people to rate a business, similar to Yelp, which also provides businesses with window stickers.

For a retail establishment, this is a great program to offer the window stickers. But for a business like mine, it isn’t something I can leverage. First off, my mailing address is different from my office location. And my office isn’t typically where I meet my clients or have walk-in traffic. But Google Local doesn’t know this, nor did they ask.

Legendary US Congressman and House Speaker Tip O’Neil is known for his quote, “all politics is local.” Can the same be said for search? Yes and no, with an emphasis on the word “and.” If you don’t have a Google Local listing for your business, set one up right away. Today, there’s many services offered by Google, at no cost, that businesses and Web sites must use. So it’s quite obvious I use them myself, and do business with Google in many ways. Whatever your opinion of them, keeping up with what is offered by the Internet giant is vital.

Business • Mobile Technology • QR Codes • Technology • (1) Comments • Permalink