I rush to & from speculative meetings all the time. All the time.
I love them so it's ok.
But when my bud Jambi sent this classic Paul Graham post Maker's Schedule, Manager's Schedule from 2009, I chuckled... then paused.
According to Mr. Graham, "There are two types of schedule, which I'll call the manager's schedule and the maker's schedule. The manager's schedule is for bosses. It's embodied in the traditional appointment book, with each day cut into one hour intervals. [...] When you're operating on the maker's schedule, meetings are a disaster. A single meeting can blow a whole afternoon, by breaking it into two pieces each too small to do anything hard in. Plus you have to remember to go to the meeting."
August has been a slower end to a slower summer than we had shot for. I had the feeling in May that I was keen to be spending more time 'making' but pursued new business so diligently I felt like I was pulling the starter cable on a lawn mower for weeks on end. Phew.
September looms with heaps of opportunity earned through a stacked 'manager's schedule' of speculative meetings dating back to the spring and even earlier. As I operate in that mode nearly 100% of the time, I'm excited to spend more time in maker mode more in the fall and try to focus less on scheduling rushing around. After all, life isn't a journey. ; )
p.s. speaking of making, if you're already in maker mode, give my bud Benjamin a shout.
As always, thanks for reading!
Cycling
Podia - Win Training Range Kit
Podia is offering the chance to win prizes between 29th August and 4th September 2016 with a competition called the ‘Summer Social’. It is a combo insta / strava contest.
p.s. I think they shoulda used Komoot! Komoot is photo focused and a contest they recently did with BMC had 2,204 people enter from no less than 78 different countries!
Follow Podia on Komoot here.
Director Nick Ahlmark captures the thrills of night riding for Vice and Samsung
“You can’t just rely on your sight. You rely on your natural instincts,” says Katy. “It brings on different emotions as you test your skills in a different way.”
The final instalment of _The Night_ series, created by Vice Sports for Samsung, follows downhill racing champion Katy Curd careering through the Forest of Dean on her bike after the sun has set.
In other news, several friends of mine here just did a 270km #nightridergiro. Riding in the dark is fun! 🔦🔦🔦
Cycling as a Cure for Creative Block
"The bicycle, the bicycle surely, should always be the vehicle of novelists and poets."
Startups
Ticket Deflection Savings: Start calculating them, then improve
Deflecting tickets is every customer service operation’s top priority.
If you're managing support desks at your start up, check out what Cupenya is up to!
Causr.co - Creating connections on the go
I've never been a believer in luck. Creating your own serendipity is repeatable and scalable. That is exactly what Causr enables you to do: "Creating connections you'd otherwise miss.Never let an opportunity or coincidence pass you by." James and the team at Causr just got on board to sponsor Techbikers Luxembourg to Amsterdam too! Sign up here for early access.
Why 4 a.m. Is the Most Productive Hour
Some people begin to work or tackle personal tasks before sunrise, aiming to find focus before distractions begin in the standard morning rush. (pro tip, the hacker news commentary is good too!)
Sales
When to Use Social Media When Selling
Nice one from @gabevillamizar!
What nobody tells you when you start your own company
You will be told that it is going to be hard work, long days and a lot less time for family and friends when starting your own company... Nice one from my friend Terry & the ever integral team at Headroom that I used for personal assistance.
The 1 Trait Truly Exceptional Salespeople Possess
It's a soft skill anyone can learn. Bonus: three tips to help you write gooder from John Biggs. And Boomerang even has a new app leveraging AI to help you pen better emails.
Radness
Long Distance: Atlanta's Olympic MTB Course Lives On
"The Olympic racecourse that wouldn't die–and the man who refused to let it." Man, nice work Brett and the team at Bike Mag on this story. Awesome photos too Sandy Carson!
