Welcome to the SOB Cafe

We offer the best in thinking–articles on the business of blogging written by the Successful and Outstanding Bloggers of Successful Blog. Click on the titles to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are

Drew’s Marketing Minute got creative.
So I decided to continue along the vein that the ladies started. So, without further ado, here are 10 things you didn’t know (and neither did they) about Toby and Liz.

Interesting Observations had an experience worth sharing.
I certainly was surprised when this is exactly what I was told by a dear friend Karen Zara of abaminds the other day. I had mentioned to Karen that I was a bit in a dilemma as to what topics I should be writing about since I had no particular niche

Instigator Blog designed a new look.
Design matters. A great, well-polished design raises the bar of your blog instantly. “You only have one chance to make a first impression.” And it’s a shame and waste when you don’t make the right impression off-the-bat.

My Beautiful Chaos received a nice surprise.
I don’t usually read email forwards, but this one from my friend Megan Dyson was short enough to skim. It caught my attention and I read it two, three, then four times.

Jibber Jobber had a question.
That morning he came into my office and shared with me that he was pretty sure I would be let go on the board call.

Sifry’s Alerts has a reminder.
I’m working from home today, so I kicked off something that I really needed to do for a while – I’m running a fully bootable backup of my primary computer onto one of my portable hard drives.

Related ala carte selections include

Lorelle on WordPress talks toys.
There are lot of fun things to do on the web besides just playing traditional games and shoot ‘em up games. This week’s blog challenge is:

Blog a listing of your favorite online toys and play things that aren’t “games”.

Sit back. Enjoy your read. Nachos and drinks will be right over. Stay as long as you like. No tips required. Comments appreciated.

Have a great weekend! See you when I’m home again!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Welcome to the SOB Cafe

We offer the best in thinking–articles on the business of blogging written by the Successful and Outstanding Bloggers of Successful Blog. Click on the titles to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are

A.P. Lawrence focusing on something he heard us say a lot. This morning I was reading Successful-blog.com and noticed how so many people were talking about “focus”.I’d like to focus on that for a minute.

Levite Chronicles reflected on moving through life with our friends.
Those of you I know in the 2.0 world, they ask about you. They want to know how you are doing. They care about your lives. They are interested. I am, for you and they, the mutual friend. And I can assure both of you all, 0.0 and 2.0, that you would really like each

Confident Writing searched her blog for answers. As I get ready to look through my own writing archives for the year gone by I jotted down the questions I would ask myself – or rather, ask my blog. A note of the things that I would be looking out for, that would help me to learn. These are the 7 searching questions I came up with . . .

Drew’s marketing Minute analyzes what happened to us in 2007. Fabulous, Drew! And then Greg left #7 blank — asking readers to share what they thought was the 7th significant trend of the year. So, here’s my take. A year ago, Time Magazine named YOU (meaning us) the person of the year….heralding the power and influence of social media.

Damn! I Wish I’d Thought of That! reveals the secrets that great event marketers use.
Here are a few videos interviews with smart folks I met at the Corporate Event Marketers Association conference:

Related ala carte selections include

SuccessCREEations announces something worth congratulating! As of the new year I will no longer be employed full time in my old position in the maritime industry. I’m leaving that job to focus on growing SuccessCREEations, Inc. It is a big step, no doubt. and that is one that Gorgeous and I have been working towards for quite some time.

I finally did a decent radio interview . . . you can download it at blogtalkradio/PowerfullLiving

Sit back. Enjoy your read. Nachos and drinks will be right over. Stay as long as you like. No tips required. Comments appreciated.

Have a great weekend! See you when I’m home again!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Welcome to the SOB Cafe

We offer the best in thinking–articles on the business of blogging written by the Successful and Outstanding Bloggers of Successful Blog. Click on the titles to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are

The Viral Garden asks do we market our products and services as well as rock stars market their wares?
Does it happen by accident? Is it just easier to create fans for music than it is for umbrellas or paper clips?

The thinking blog asks whether we remember lava lamps.
Drempels is a nifty piece of software that makes your computer’s desktop behave like a screensaver, providing a hypnotic and psychedelic display of constant motion . . .

Startup Princess asks about our frustration with what we’re doing.
I ask this question because I can’t be the only entrepreneur out there hitting my head against the wall trying to move to the next stage, unsure what that stage should be!

All Things Workplace asks how we’ll grow without risks?
“Risk-taking” is a criterion for hiring and promotion at many companies. We’re not talking ‘skydivers without parachutes’; we’re looking for people who know how to calculate the odds and shout, “Let’s go!” when they think the benefits outweigh the consequences of the risk.

clear.your.mind asks about how we’re keeping up with our plans?
It has been said, that 90% of business never grow up like they could because their owners lose, sometime in the battle, the goals they once thought for their business.

Just Creative Design asks if we want our great ideas to show up faster?

Related ala carte selections include

This review at Amazon via Phil Renaud’s wonderful blog.

Sit back. Enjoy your read. Nachos and drinks will be right over. Stay as long as you like. No tips required. Comments appreciated.

Have a great weekend! See you when I’m home again!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Welcome to the SOB Cafe

We offer the best in thinking–articles on the business of blogging written by the Successful and Outstanding Bloggers of Successful Blog. Click on the titles to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are

Vandelay brings tidings of careful and caring business.
Unfortunately, sometimes monetizing a website comes at the expense of its readers and visitors. Obviously, in order to maintain a successful web presence, the site must be monetized in a way that is acceptable to visitors.

Carpe Factum brings tidings of diversity and alliances.
The key point that I wish more people would take from this story is that if you’re going to dare to be different, it really helps to have other allies watching your back.

Small Biz Survival brings tidings of managing a micro business.
What level of detail makes sense for micro businesses?
Basically, income and expenses. You want to measure the basic profitability.

Ramblings From a Glass Half Full brings tidings of experience and leadership.
And, I was REALLY focused on what was in front of me rather than what was behind. I also think he knew that I was bound and determined to justify the risk that he took on me.

Shards of Consciousness brings tidings of enlightenment.
No wonder so many people have attributed enlightenment to grace or a gift from god. It’s experience seems to be both beyond their control and at the same time a total break with what has gone before.

Essential Keystrokes brings tidings of learning.
One of the easiest ways to customize a basic WordPress Theme is by changing the background

Related ala carte selections include

Sawse – Stir it Up! brings tidings of wonderful images. . . .
Whether you are looking for great photography from talented artists or want to improve your abilities or income as a photographer, this list has something for you. Sorted into advice, blogs and further resources, here are twelve of the best sites for photos and photographers on the web.

Sit back. Enjoy your read. Nachos and drinks will be right over. Stay as long as you like. No tips required. Comments appreciated.

Have a great weekend! See you when I’m home again!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Welcome to the SOB Cafe

We offer the best in thinking–articles on the business of blogging written by the Successful and Outstanding Bloggers of Successful Blog. Click on the titles to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are some of the best on the living web.

Cube Rules lives leadership. I said goodbye to my team and 3-4 others on the floor and headed on home twenty minutes after being laid off.

All of this, of course, happened a half hour after my wife, Kate, was laid off in a different building in a different department. There are times when working for the same company sucks…

Dorai Learn Log brings out A Robert Scoble interview with Tim Berners-Lee.

It involves serious study. It involves research. We need to study it as a huge complex system.

Jonathan Fields demonstrates doing for others is tricky business. “It’s late, sweety,” I say, “what’s the matter?” “I’m scared, daddy,” comes the reply. “What’s scaring you?” “The crickets.” [we live on the 9th floor in the city, ain’t no crickets, here] “I’m scared they’re gonna jump out and get me,” she continues.

Legal Andrew offers an educated perspective. Many of the key issues for this topic are exactly what time counts as “hours worked.”

Drew’s Marketing Minute offers a timely question (or two). I’m not talking about giving someone a pen or t-shirt with your logo on it. (You’re not doing that, are you?)

The Savvy Entrepreneur offers a thoughtful definition. . . . Filling the pipeline is the first stage in the Universal Marketing Cycle. If you’re not actively filling your pipeline, your business will soon run dry. So what DOES filing the pipeline really mean?

Lorelle on WordPress takes a stand on translations. . . . I rarely give permission. Whoa! Does this sound like it goes against Lorelle’s policy of open, transparent, fair, and equal communication and breaking down the language barriers? Nope. It is within my policies.

Related ala carte selections include

Being Five is a longtime favorite of mine. Be sure to read the one for 12/04/07.

Sit back. Enjoy your read. Nachos and drinks will be right over. Stay as long as you like. No tips required. Comments appreciated.

Have a great weekend! See you when I’m home again!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Welcome to the SOB Cafe

We offer the best in thinking–articles on the business of blogging written by the Successful and Outstanding Bloggers of Successful Blog. Click on the titles to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are from the Past

Do you remember when these great finds were featured in Successful-Blog posts goneby . . .

seomoz.org guides our blogs with “a complete overview of many of the processes, techniques and strategies used by professional search engine optimization specialists.?

w3school.com guides us as we tweak and code.

Institute for Interactive Research guides us through a new interface. “Within this interface you won’t find any buttons. Instead you navigate the contents in a different way. . . . Prepare yourself for the new situation . . . ”

Sandy guides us a cool program for playing logos and buttons to replace typography.

vitamin guides us through C.R.A.P. design — “The four golden rules of site design. Simply follow them and watch the accolades come flooding in.”

Eyes on Design guides us through Photoshop.

Related ala carte selections include

I’m guiding you to one your might have missed.

Sit back. Enjoy your read. Nachos and drinks will be right over. Stay as long as you like. No tips required. Comments appreciated.

Have a great weekend! See you when I’m home again!

–ME “Liz” Strauss