C-SPAN or Twitter?

Yes, I have two Twitter accounts. One of the accounts is for personal use. The personal one is individuals and organizations I follow for a variety of reasons. An example is authors, writers, and columnists I admire and learn from.  Some are think tanks and other similar organizations that publish very thought provoking studies and analyses.  A number are individuals I find both interesting and humorous (@LordBuckethead).  And finally, I follow several news organizations and journals.  I have 215 followers and I follow 1,372 accounts. Consider it my news feed. I liken it to the old stock market or Western Union ticker tape machines (picture below). 

So after Attorney General Barr testified before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee on July 28th I started reading various accounts. Unfortunately, I am not sure if all the tweeters saw the same hearing. At least I could not tell reading various and numerous tweets.  Was AG Barr frustrated or was he patient with the process?  Were many members asking four minute and 55 second questions and then expecting an answer (know each congressman was allowed five minutes to question AG Barr)?  Were some members asking really intelligent questions?  Were some members asking non-germane questions?  Were some members asking for a yes or no answer to a complex question?  Were some members asking questions to AG Barr and when dissatisfied with the response would say "the right answer is..."?  Were some members asking soft ball questions?  Were some members playing to the camera? Were some members simply made statements and asked a question, but would not let AG Barr answer.  Were some members disrespectful to AG Barr? Did some members ignore the committee rules?  Did we see lots of talking and no listening?

As I read the various and numerous tweets, I could not reach a conclusion about how the hearing went.  It was not so much as some members this or AG General that. Rather it was usually sweeping statements about the entire hearing. 

So what could I do?  C-SPAN to the rescue.  I decided to watch the entire five hour hearing and much to my surprise all the tweets were essentially correct if you zeroed in on one or a few snippets of the hearing. Almost each tweeter had ample snippets to support a somewhat one sided opinion.

If you are interested in government and policy, perhaps C-SPAN is the best vehicle for an unvarnished view of a Congressional hearing. No commentary, no opinions, only the committee members and the individuals testifying. 

My opinion?  I am glad I spent five hours watching the entire hearing.  It was informative, entertaining, and thought provoking.  And it was well worth the time.  You may notice I did not give a qualitative opinion.  And I will not.  I doubt any one is truly interested in my opinion. 

I realize most people do not have five hours to watch and hearing. Frankly, they can be somewhat boring.  So why waste time. In the long run, will it really make much of a difference?

But for me, I should do watch hearings more often.  Basically, I learned that I should watch an entire hearing if I am interested in the topic. From that I can determine my own opinion and conclusion based on the actual event.  At the very least, I can say "at least I watched the entire hearing".  

Finally, if you learn nothing from this, at least follow @LordBuckethead on Twitter.

Clip for the AG Barr hearing:

https://www.c-span.org/video/?473384-1/attorney-general-barr-testifies-justice-department-mission-programs&live&vod&start=9194

Next?  The technology hearing held on July 29th by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee. 

Postscript I:  on a personal note, this is my 200th blog post. 

Postscript II:  ON C-SPAN now is NASA/Space X Return to Earth (it is very interesting)

Everyone Loves a Success Story

At least I do.  This one is typical American, except no success stories are typical.  This one is about a phenomenal lady who started as a secretary in a small company to rise to the first female CEO of a Fortune 50 firm.  Pretty impressive.

Yet we have more, she did it in 23 years. Unfortunately, the article does not dwell much on her early years. The focus is her time as CEO and after, including a couple of runs for political offices.  

These years are are definitely important and one can certainly learn from her years as a CEO and political activity.  Making hard decisions are part of life for a CEO, emphasis on strategy is important, and implementation skills are crucial. 

As I read articles like this, I am more interested in how and who helped any successful individual up a career ladder. More than likely, we cannot do it on our own.  Just be sure to read very last paragraph. 

Still, this is a very interesting profile.  In fact, she is definitely someone to continue watching and to learn from.  

The article is by Dave Gordon. Link to article:

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52820298

Customer Service - Makes You or Breaks You

Customer service is a vital component of any business.  It makes or breaks you.  It is the basis of what others say about your business and how your current and future customers view you. 

More small businesses are moving to a self help model.  This makes sense, given the technology in our hands. Technology also allows customer service to operate 24/7.  This is valuable, not everyone is on a 9-5 schedule.  So anyone can access help when it suits their schedule.  

But be aware, a self service model can also lead to incredible frustration.  It is incumbent on the small business owner to make it as easy and logical as possible.  This may require training and a commitment to enhancing the website. 

The following article by Jimmy Rodela offers one model for any small business to ponder. 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/small-business/a-beginners-guide-to-customer-self-service/ar-BB16xwAN 

Sometimes Truth is Actually Stranger than Fiction

In my new job with Prince William County Development Services Department (permitting). Previously (and for the past 30 years) I practiced economic development, which is the business of "why".

Permitting is the business of "how". It can be complex and quite interesting. I continue developing the infamous 30 second elevator speech (you know, what do you do).  Right now I can certainly explain it, but not in a tight and coherent 30 second response. 

My exploration and quest of knowledge about the local permitting is ongoing. Sometimes it appears as common sense.  An example?  Continue.  As you read this column you might think it is a joke or a parody.  Let me assure you, it is not.

Now normally I do not post entire articles on my blog.  However, this is different.  It is an excellent column by Ms. Rachel Greszler about the challenges of permitting a lemonade stand in Montgomery County, MD.  The article appeared in the Washington Post. 

It’s time for Maryland to stop criminalizing kids’ lemonade stands

A children’s lemonade stand is moved in Bethesda after the stand’s operators were warned by the Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services in 2011. (Amanda Voisard/The Washington Post)

By Rachel Greszler 

Feb. 7, 2020 at 7:00 a.m. EST

Rachel Greszler is a research fellow in economics, budget and entitlements for the Heritage Foundation and the mother of six lemonade stand-loving children.

It’s hard to find fault with a kids’ lemonade stand. In fact, I can’t help but smile when I see one.

But in some places, it is literally a crime to operate a lemonade stand on your own property unless you’ve first gotten all the required government licenses and permits. Same thing if you’re thinking about selling hot chocolate or any other beverage.

In fact, about a mile up the road from my home, Montgomery County authorities shut down a lemonade stand in a front yard because the kids were operating without a permit. Officials slapped their family with a $500 fine. So much for the kids’ plan to donate 50 percent of their profits to a pediatric cancer charity.

After a public outcry over this action, county officials dropped the charges and the fine. But the law criminalizing unlicensed lemonade stands hasn’t changed.

Maryland’s health code makes it a crime to operate a “food establishment” (which includes a lemonade stand) that does not comply with the state’s licensing requirements. The first offense is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and 90 days in prison. A second offense carries up to a $2,500 fine and one-year imprisonment.

In addition to these criminal penalties (which typically fall on the parents of children operating unlicensed lemonade stands), the children themselves are liable for up to $5,000 in civil penalties.

So what would kids and parents need to do to operate a legal lemonade stand? It’s not entirely clear, but in Montgomery County, it could require obtaining as many as six licenses and permits:

1. A sidewalk vendor license;

2. A site-specific vendors license;

3. A limited duration sign permit;

4. An awning or canopy permit;

5. A mobile food service unit license; and

6. A special food service facility license for temporary events.

What 6- or 10-year-old has the wherewithal to do all that? And what parent is going to go through all that hassle just so their kids can have fun and make a buck?

Putting kids’ lemonade stands out of business isn’t the same as ending a person’s livelihood, but it’s nonetheless disturbing and lamentable.

Operating a lemonade stand teaches kids all sorts of valuable life lessons. For starters, they have to work together, divvying up jobs of making the sign, setting up the table, making the lemonade and obtaining the cups.

Then there are the economics and math lessons involved in pricing the lemonade and making change for customers.

And attracting and interacting with customers can help build kids’ interpersonal skills. I know my more reserved children have learned a thing or two from watching their more outgoing siblings actively recruit customers and strike up conversations with neighbors.

In fact, running a lemonade stand is such a well-established and well-regarded rite of passage, it’s even integrated in childhood development curriculums. Among my kids’ after-school activity programs is a “My First Lemonade Stand” course, which aims to “empower kids with an entrepreneurial mindset” while introducing them to the disciplines of finance, strategy and marketing.

Fortunately, the Maryland legislature is considering bipartisan legislation that would bar localities from adopting or enforcing regulations on the sale of lemonade and other nonalcoholic beverages by minors on private property.

With Maryland’s new slogan and welcome signs touting “We’re Open for Business,” it’s time to stop criminalizing children’s lemonade stands and let them enjoy this common childhood pastime while learning a thing or two about business.

Do not Meet, Exceed Customer...

Expectations!  That is the word.

This post is about exceeding expectations.  I read it in Entrepreneur and it made me think about this very concept. 

How often have you had a highly positive experience after purchasing a product or using a service?  It occurred to me after reading this article that it or the individual exceeded my expectations.  

You can think of numerous examples of expectations either exceeded or not. A few that come to mind is a meal at a restaurant (see article), watching a movie, returning an item to a store, a haircut, trying a new dish, flying, or an experience with a customer service staffer. 

All of these (and many more) reflect that we generally have predetermined expectations.  When it is less, we are disappointed. When it is met, we are pleased, but nothing to brag about to other.  However, when it is exceeded, we talk very positively about it to our friends and others. 

I do not believe I consciously thought about this in these terms as is applied to my career, but I think I do. And so do others.  

If you ask most people to relate their experience to a government agency, it is probably one of two departments:  motor vehicles and revenue.  And that experience likely leads to very low expectations (mainly because you do not want to be at either one in the first place).  And how many jokes have you heard about going to get a driver's license, the process of getting a license, and the motor vehicle department staff. 

Allow me to offer an example of one government employee who likely exceeds expectations with every customer.  In my suite I can hear interactions of county government employees with the public.  One individual in particular comes to mind. I hear her bright and sunny greeting to each customer who approaches her counter with a land use issue.  So just think about every customer who gets an enthusiastic greeting from a government employee, more than likely expectations have been exceeded right off the mark. She also is very well informed.

In my case, I look at the businesses and citizens that I serve (and I do mean serve) as clients. If my expertise or knowledge of a particular resource can help clients avoid a pain point, than it is worth the extra effort.  A couple of examples.  I would find programs or initiatives of interest and send them to appropriate businesses.  But I would craft an email (with careful formatting) that contains key points like a summary of the program, milestones, criteria, link, etc.  It is far easy to just send the program title and a link (thus meeting expectations) or making it far easier for my clients to glean the most relevant data and then decide if going to the program is worth the trouble (exceeding expectations). 

A second example is my most recent task.  Agribusiness is growing in the County, but the permitting process is a challenge. I was asked to prepare a flowchart of the County permitting process for a new agribusiness venture. The first flowchart is for an alcohol manufacturing facility (winery, brewery, or distillery) on a farm. I could have done just the County process, but I chose to add federal and state permits too. Why? My clients will benefit from understanding the entire permitting process.  Without consciously thinking about it, I tried to exceed the expectations of my boss and my customers. 

You may already do this, but you just do not look at it from this perspective. 

Enjoy the article and I hope it makes you think about your career. 

Link to article:  https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/344385

Staying on Top is a Constant Challenge

This is a brief post.  One common theme in my posts is the importance of innovation.  This article highlights just that.  

The article is about Spotify and how it was a disruptive technology.  Now, how does Spotify maintain its leading position?  Especially when new and well funded competitors are on the horizon. In addition, technology adaption is an underlying current in disruptive technology. 

Link to article:  https://fortune.com/longform/spotify-music-industry-profits-apple-amazon/

Take Advantage of Opportunities

One of the frequent topics I write about is economic development agencies taking advantage of changes in a competitor's circumstances.  

This one is no different. It is an excellent Fortune article by Viviene Walt about Amsterdam's strategy, execution, and likely success in becoming the financial center of the European Union when the United Kingdom finally exits. 

A key point, Amsterdam built on existing advantages. The city was up against stiff competition that included Paris and Frankfurt. 

However, the effort to attract the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to Amsterdam is an excellent part of the story. As you read the article, you will see why attracting the EMA was so important and how Amsterdam executed the strategy. 

Link to article:  https://fortune.com/longform/brexit-amsterdam-the-new-london-europe-companies/