Successful Blog

Part 3: Time Out with Matt Rissell of TSheets

by

A SERIES in the quest to know more about the offline world

Part 3 in a 4-Part Interview with Matt Rissell

TSHEETS logo

Last week, Matt Rissell, CEO of TSheets had just told me why “tracking time is sexy.” Now we’re back to find out more about his business that serves folks who work offline, mobile, and on the web.


Matt, As a product person, I’ve often found folks use products I’ve made in ways I’ve never imagined. What are the top three ways people use TSheets? Do you find that people online use the product differently than people offline do?

The top three ways people use Tsheets, are:

Business owners tracking the time of their team members / employees
Freelance consultants tracking the time of their billable projects
Businesses using TSheets as a Productivity measurement tool

Since TSheets is Web-based, all of the applications for tracking time are essentially on-line. However, the voice activated time tracking has really surprised me in its applications. Now, many Sales Managers, Executives and all users across the board are using TSheets to track their life. This enables TSheets to become an effectiveness training tool as well as a reflection of priorities. For instance, it’s easy to say that “my kids come first” but when you actually create a project code called “family time”, and go back and see the actual time spent with your family – it can be sobering to say the least.

How do people respond when they find out what you do? Do you talk about your product differently online than you do in person? How does that response about TSheets after they’ve had a chance to use them?

Very interesting question! Yes, they do talk about it differently. When I talk to people in person, they often say, “cool idea”. It’s not something I would use but I’m sure you’ll do great”. When people “discover” us on-line, they say, “I have been searching for you! I am so thankful to find your service. I’ll tell all my friends!” It’s intriguing to hear the difference in the responses.

Tomorrow we find out how a guy ends up in this business and why time is valuable. . . .

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!
Blogging well takes less time. Buy the ebook and find out the secret.

Related:
Part 1: A Timely Interview with Matt Rissell of TSheets
Part 2: More Time with Matt Rissell of TSheets
Part 3: Time Out with Matt Rissell of TSheets
Part 4: The Last Time with Matt Rissell of TSheets

Old People “Get” Social Media — Woodstock Was Social 3-D

by

Grandma Has a Computer

The Living Web

Experience has value.

Every generation thinks they’ve invented the latest deal. I know we did. I know my grandma did too. My dad’s saloon reminds me of what folks do on Twitter everyday.

The value of getting older is that there isn’t much you haven’t seen in some form or other in the years gone by.

Old People Don’t Get Social Media

I caught this statement in a discussion elsewhere. It went something like, “I don’t think people over 40 get social media, whereas kids love it.” Having seen this sentiment mentioned before, I thought I’d express my feelings on the matter.

I’m 50 years old. I get the whole social media gig. It’s like Woodstock on the ‘Net, where people gather together for several minutes, days, weeks, months and years to hang out, talk, share, listen to music, run around naked and slide in the mud.

What social media doesn’t offer people of my generation is face to face communication. It doesn’t let us hold hands, sing or hug. Instead of raising our lighters as a token of respect and homage to those we admire, social media offers voting and “thumbs up” buttons. There’s no thrill there. There’s no rock and roll. Today’s version of social is “read this, read that”, vote on it, follow or unfollow, friend or unfriend, get answers or be completely and utterly ignored even though you know you’re there. . . .

They may never know you showed up. Not only that, to participate, you have to give out personal information and obtain a password. You need to configure settings. Its a lot of work just to hang out with people you don’t even know and annoying as heck when you simply wish to stay in touch with a few you do know. If someone spots you, everybody wants to be your friend.

Pot used to do that too.

— Kim Krause Berg

The entire blog post is a great read.

I know that relationships are where you find them. We’ve talked plenty about that. And I’m not about to give up my social tools, but I think, Kim, has a point about what’s missing from the mix.

They say it takes 10 years to make a VC.
Maybe it takes even longer to make a social media expert.
I wonder where Guy Kawasaki would weigh in on that question.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!
Check out Models and Masterminds too

Part 2: More Time with Matt Rissell of TSheets

by

A SERIES in the quest to know more about the offline world

Part 2 in a 4-Part Interview with Matt Rissell

TSHEETS logo

Yesterday, I started a conversation with Matt Rissell, CEO of TSheets to find out more about his business that serves folks who work offline, mobile, and on the web. When we ended Matt and I exchanged two questions.

Matt said: Would you be interested in knowing how TSheets can track time from a cell phone?

I answered: Sure, how do you do it and why would I want to?

Liz, fasten your seatbelt and keep arms and legs inside at all times and prepare yourself, because I’m about to change your life. The how: we are the first company in history to create a voice activated time tracking software. For example, you can simply dial a phone number and say, “Hi TSheets, clock me under job code “Bridge Project” and add notes – I’m meeting with the owner to discuss design plans.” At that moment, you are “clocked in” under a job code and notes have been attached to that timesheet. You can also clock in/out from the iPhone Web app., or regular mobile Web app. too.

The “why” is blatantly sexy! You see, tracking time isn’t sexy, that is, until you can turn your time into money. Now, Attorneys, Freelance Consultants, Web Designers, Realtors etc… can accurately track the time that they invest into clients and projects. And now they don’t have to try and remember what they did or talked about, as it can all be captured right there on their timesheet.

Hmmm. I like turning time into money. Most folks do.
Thanks, Matt! More next week about mobile time.

What do YOU think. Would track your time on your cell phone?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!
Blogging well takes less time. Buy the ebook and find out the secret.

Related:
Part 1: A Timely Interview with Matt Rissell of TSheets
Part 2: More Time with Matt Rissell of TSheets
Part 3: Time Out with Matt Rissell of TSheets
Part 4: The Last Time with Matt Rissell of TSheets

Part 1: A Timely Interview with Matt Rissell of TSheets

by

A SERIES in the quest to know more about the offline world

Part 1 in a 4-Part Interview with Matt Rissell

TSHEETS logo

At Tech Cocktail8, I met Matt Rissell, CEO of TSheets. He’s a great conversationalist and in a business that serves folks who work solely offline, those who work mobile, and those who work mostly on the web. He seemed a perfect catch for an interview to find out more about closing the gap between the online and offline business worlds.

Matt, your tagline says “Time is money. Track it.” What does that mean exactly?

Great question Liz. First, let me begin by saying that we are passionate about helping people – in this case, specifically, the business leader. More than ever, time has become more and more valuable as we cram as much into each day as possible…

The old saying, “time is money”, has been around since, well, probably the beginning of time, but for some reason people seem to ignore this simple truth. 80% of the population is actually unaware of how valuable time is, how they invest it, and if they have employees, how much is wasted. TSheets wasn’t created because “I had a great business idea” but rather, I was the small business owner who was frustrated with managing labor expenses. With approximately 20 employees I went on a hunt for a time tracking solution. What I found were tools that weren’t practical for the small business owner. Thus, I had my friend build one. After our first month using TSheets for our time tracking, we reviewed the timesheet reports, and it became blatantly obvious that there was some serious time timecard fudging going on. Literally, my company’s ROI in the first month was $2,000 in reduced labor expenses and increased efficiency! I began to realize that time really does equal money.

To answer your question on a personal level – have you ever found yourself at the end of a busy day, week, month or even year when you realize that things are coming to a close and you begin to get this feeling of, “I know I have been busy but what the heck have I been doing? Where did the time go?” It happens to me all of the time. However, now I have a time tracking tool that tells me where I have been investing my time. I set up Job Codes and can now track how much time I have spent with my family, at work, exercising, and even the time I spend volunteering. It’s incredible to have a clear picture of my time… and to be honest, it gives me a real picture what my real priorities are.

I work with are businesses, universities, and individuals. Their needs are different. Their days are varied, often stuffed with meetings, research, or thinking. Many are professionals who find tracking time is not among their favorite things to do. Why would they even look at it?

Liz that’s a great point! We understand that time tracking probably isn’t going to rank very high on the personal “To Do” list. It’s funny, because we are always saying around the TLab (the TSheets Office) that tracking time is as much fun as getting your teeth pulled. But our PASSION truly is – to simplify the life of business leaders by making time tracking fun and easy! Truly, everyone has the opportunity to be a business leader, whether they own their own business, are an employee or student. It’s a mindset not a position. We believe that time is just as valuable for the student, as it is for the professor or the business owner — so our service accommodates each person’s life – regardless of their role.

Because of TSheets’ mobility, it has practical applications for all types of people at each stage of their life For instance, freelancers can track their time spent with each client. Bloggers can track their time writing, researching, or time spent surfing the Web. Students can set up job codes such as homework, internships, and class time. Businesses can track their hourly employee times. Sales Managers can identify areas of weakness to train behavior as opposed to simply managing results. Athletes can track Cardio, Weight Training, and sleep. The impact of having a clear picture of your priorities can literally be life changing.

Would you be interested in knowing how TSheets can track time from a cell phone?

Sure, how do you do it and why would I want to?

That’s the cliffhanger until tomorrow. . . .

Thanks, Matt!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!
Blogging well takes less time. Buy the ebook and find out the secret.

Related:
Part 1: A Timely Interview with Matt Rissell of TSheets
Part 2: More Time with Matt Rissell of TSheets
Part 3: Time Out with Matt Rissell of TSheets
Part 4: The Last Time with Matt Rissell of TSheets

MinuteFix: Computer help is only a click away

by

I’m pleased to announce that this week while I’m in the UK,

Phil and Diego will be hosting
Tuesday Open Comments
Come Ask Them Questions!!

Minute Fix and Diego Orjuela
Guest interview by Phil Gerbyshak

Recently I had the opportunity to spend a few minutes chatting with my friend Diego Orjuela, founder and CEO of what will hopefully the world’s greatest tech support company, MinuteFix. Full disclosure: I got to know Diego at the 2007 Successful and Outstanding Blogger Conference, and have been working with him at MinuteFix since December of 2007 as the Customer Experience Officer.

I wanted to share this interview with the audience here at Successful Blog because a service like this can really help you out if you’re in a pinch working at your home office and you need tech support. If you don’t want to pay $50 or more to take your computer into your local computer shop, give MinuteFix a shot.

Without further ado…

Tech support from MinuteFix

An interview with Phil Gerbyshak and Diego Orjuela

Phil Gerbyshak: So tell me Diego, what is MinuteFix?

Diego OrjeulaDiego Orjuela: MinuteFix is the first provider of tech support that is powered by a community of experts. Think of it like a Geek Squad combined with the power of a community model like Wikipedia or eBay. Customers can get help for any computer problem, no matter how big or small, 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. The service is very affordable, at only $0.99 per minute. It doesn’t matter what the problem is, our certified community technicians will do
their best to fix it. And, if we don’t fix your problem, the session is free.

PG: Wow, why didn’t I think of that? Seems like it could be very useful for anyone working at home or with a limited budget.

DO: Absolutely! Imagine you are at your computer and you are having trouble with a
simple task like downloading an image from the Internet. MinuteFix can help you complete such a simple task in a few minutes, which otherwise might have taken you an hour to figure out on your own, all the way to more complex issues like virus or security problems. One customer last week lost her entire iTunes music library. We were able to help her recover it, and get her on her way, saving her tons of lost time and money.

PG: I hear you guys are very big on customer service. Why is that so important to you?

DO: Well, we are a company built by a passionate community of technicians who love what they do. With tech support from MinuteFix, we empower technology experts to work from home, at the hours they choose. Because they do what we love, we can offer a superior service. We deeply believe that technology should help us to interact seamlessly with the people we care about, produce tremendous results while making us more productive – and not get in the way in the process. We are your friend, and maybe even our neighbor, so we want to treat you as that. All Certified MinuteFix Technicians are thoroughly screened and tested, and must pass a customer service exam. Great customer service is the foundation of MinuteFix. [Read more…]

Test Drive OneBigPlanet! It’s a Cool, New World of Internet Commerce

by

A More Sensible Way to Buy on the Web

onebigplanet logo

Keep an eye out. A new service is coming to the Internet. You’ll find it as part of your social network, and it will make the way you buy things online easier, faster, and more intelligent. It’s the power of OneBigPlanet, a patent pending Commerce and Loyalty platform that leverages the power of the Internet, an intelligent algorithm, Web 2.0 and your personal preferences. I’ve seen it in action.

Here’s a bit of the history and a little about Eric Aubertin, CEO and founder of One Big Planet.

In 2002, Eric Aubertin founded OneBigPlanet Corp., where he pioneered a patent pending Web and Mobile Commerce and Loyalty Platform for social networks and organizations. He had a vision of changing the way people consume and saw a market opportunity to develop an easy to deploy but comprehensive solution that would empower social networking sites, portals, membership organizations and associations to foster strong and long-term relationships, as well as assist them in monetizing their sites. The members would benefit by gaining access to exclusive deals and advantages as well as useful consumer tools and information that would enable them to save money and time.

Previously, as CEO and Founder of eFundraising.com Corp, Eric Aubertin had invented a patented e-mail and web-based fundraising system that was acquired by Reader’s Digest in 2000 for the sum of $27 million

Last Friday, I enjoyed a meeting and conversation with Mr. Aubertin and OneBigPlanet Marketing Services Director, Sonia Gasparini. They showed me around the platform and showed great patience with my curiosity. I was asking questions and having ideas. It’s quick to see how it makes life easier.

Imagine being able to build your own Internet shopping mall complete with

  • Products and services organized in over 20 drag & drop categories.
  • Instant rewards (discounts) tailored to your preferences and interests (no points/miles to collect)
  • Cool tools: Consumer Calendar· Travel Power Search· Restaurant Reservations that remind you and update when you move locations.
  • Personalized for us. Modular for the network who offers it.
  • Consumer information to make smarter purchasing decisions.

You expected those things, didn’t you? So did I. Think of the real power of bringing all of that information AND US together in one place. Consumers get a new way to lead the conversation.

SOCIAL SHOPPING Is Simply Consumer Driven!

I like the OneBigPlanet term for it — social shopping.

  • Share your preferences with friends. Never buy a lame gift again.
  • Participate in consumer forums.
  • Create your own consumer groups.
  • Meet others with similar consumer profiles.·
  • Refer merchants you like.
  • Give feedback so we can improve your future consumer experiences.

    • It was amazing to see how OneBigPlanet simplifies Internet commerce. It’s a dashboard for all things shopping. I’ve been dreaming of a personal assistant to organize my consumer life. This would take over that burden. I’d join a community just to use it.

    Apparently the U.S. Chamber of Commerce agrees with me.

    First and Only Commerce and Loyalty Platform for USCC Employees and Members

    New York, NY – April 22, 2008 – OneBigPlanet®, the leader in Commerce and Loyalty Platforms for social networks and organizations, will implement a tailored member portal for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce(USCC). Employees and member companies will have access to an abundance of unique benefits, deals and Advantages. National associations, state and local chambers will also be invited to share this “One-Stop Consumer Portal” with their respective members.

    In addition to powering the USCC’s Member Benefits Program, OneBigPlanet will offer their member businesses the possibility to position products and services on its member portal. By providing exclusive deals, the USCC’s member businesses will have access to a multitude of social networks and organizations, translating into millions of potential targeted customers.

    At the end of our conversation, Eric and I talked about the future goals for OneBigPlanet. I was interested in what might be the opportunities for small businesses and online entrepreneurs — clients and readers — to participate by offering their products and services in the future. I’ll say I wasn’t disappointed with answers or the possibilities.

    Until I saw OneBigPlanet, I hadn’t thought about how I shop online. How much time would you save if you could do all of your commerce in one place?

    Tune in and take a test drive April 29th. Sign up for the videocast now!

    No disclaimer. I’m passing on my enthusiasm for a great idea. Great ideas done well deserve attention.

    –ME “Liz” Strauss
    Work with Liz!!
    SOBCon08 is May 2,3,4 in Chicago. Register now!