The Friday Blog Round-Up 10/14/11

Welcome to a gray and rainy, here at least,  edition of the Friday blog round-up.  First up today is a post from Erich Campbell on how to make the best of the materials you’re given.  We’ve probably all been confronted, at one time or another,  with a design or some material or an idea that isn’t optimum.   The trick, as Erich tells us,  is to see things for their inherent value,  without letting your own opinions get in the way.  In the end you may find that what you thought wasn’t workable becomes a very nice piece in its own right.

Next on the list is a great post from My Two Stitches about concentrating on slow and steady growth instead of getting rich quick schemes.   A lot of new businesses may get the urge to focus on smoke and mirrors instead of substance,  hoping to build their businesses quickly.  As Bonnie Landsberger points out,  this isn’t the best way to go.  Slow and steady wins the race, and the clients, in the end,  plus it helps ensure that your business has the sort of reputation you should want it to have.

Third up today is a post from a great new series on the Urban Threads Stitch Punk blog.  They call it Urban Entrepreneurs.  Each week they spotlight a different Urban Threads customer who is using their designs as part of a small business.   It’s an awesome series,  and I especially like the business they’ve spotlighted this week.   First of all, who wouldn’t like a business called Just for Giggles?  Second,  I love the positive attitude of the owner and what she has to say about being successful and building a business.   It’s a great post,  and a great series.

Fourth at bat today is a post that characterizes common website issues as types of people.    Let’s face it, building a good, functional, nice looking website that actually works and is user friendly is a tough task.   This post is a funny way to deal with a problem that can be serious.   It’s also a great reminder to take a look at your own website and make sure you don’t have the web version of the Know It All or the Creeper.

Fifth on the docket is a post that asks if social media can make you truly happy.  The gist of the post is the fact that social media is taking up more and more of people’s time and that a lot of what is on your average social media site may not be all that useful.    If you want to get the most from social media,  you need to be mindful of what you’re putting out there, and also how you’re using your time on whatever sites you visit.    This post is a good reminder that social media can be a powerful force,  if we’re mindful about how we use it.

View the original article here