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Because I’m always hunting down the best deals, easiest technology for beginners to use and my inbox is full of “”which phone/computer/internet plan/printer is right for me, Trent?” I have both an Android Smartphone and an iPhone AND a basic mobile for testing phone and mobile Internet coverage in certain areas (I’m a very hands-on guy – no lab tests here!)

The one thing I have to say is if you are in Sydney, Vodafone is hard to beat!

Optus has had too many connection issues in all of my tests, so until someone else knocks them off their throne, Vodafone is my pick for small business phone access with internet for Facebook and email use that just works.

Here is some news about what they have been doing with their network; which explains why I’ve been seeing such dramatic improvements in coverage and Internet speeds compared to Optus and Telstra.

Vodafone have been upgrading its existing network and adding new sites to bring customers better call quality, improved coverage and faster data speeds, as well as building a new 850MHz network to improve performance for compatible smartphones and mobile broadband devices. This is obviously great for mobile phone and broadband users.

In addition to this, there is also a lot of work being done behind the scenes to improve the activation rate of placed orders, which reduces the time to getting your phone up and running ( saw this in person at the local store when I activated my iPhone earlier this year).

[source - Vodafone Australia, cut down and edited for the important bits by yours truly]

First of all, sorry to all my subscribers! I have been very quiet this last year because, in between working on the new book with Shannon, I have been working on a book that I was almost bullied into writing – but in a nice way of course.

Helping people starting a business – the SIMPLE way – has been something I’ve done unconsciously for 15 years.

… and during that time I’ve had business people say ‘You should write a book about how you solve problems’ I’d always smiled politely, assuming that they were gushing becuase I’d helped them overcome business challenges they hadn’t been able to before, etc.

I mean, come on! How could li’l ol’ me be an expert on solving problems that hasn’t already been published by some Ecoomics whiz?

It wasn’t until two friends suggested I write a book that I realised I couldn’t dismiss the idea without giving it a shot.
If it were just friends and family saying ‘write it’? I might never have written this book.
If it were only customers telling me ‘write a book’ amidst their excitement of getting their busines started or becoming profitable again? I also might never have  decided to take this journey…

…And what a journey it has been!

I started with the idea to find common solutions that stand the test of time in both business and personal situations. A list of fix-it guides to problems we often feel are too big to handle ourselves and work out WHY we think we are unable to do it alone. A bit like Spotless for general problem solving hehe
(Spotless was written by Shannon and Jennifer and you can buy it by clicking here or at your local ABC bookshop… right next to the book I wrote with Shannon hint hint)

Writing Stainless with Shannon was probably only possible due to problem solving – we started writing the book when I was still in Adelaide, I flew over for some of the writing, but found that a system of talking and writing in a fluid way was the best way for both of us and I think it shows in the book.
The new book with Shannon involves more specific solutions, so it was more research based and not as quick to write (I can’t say more at this stage, but watch this space for more news)

BUT the upside of this is that when it was Shannon’s turn to work on the manuscript after I’d passed it back to her, I was able to work on my solo work.

My book contains some simple truths that have held true in the last 15 years of coaching, consulting, project managing for SMEs, charities and start-up businesses… but my “Eureka moment” (that point of amazing serendipity writers get when they have ‘penned’ a great narrative or a chapter that has truly leapt off the page) was when I realised that I had been using a single guideline, unconsciously, each and every time I was problem-solving those challenges that both customers and friends had been putting in front of me…

The guideline was more concise than one of my favourite adages;
Keep It Simple, Stupid!

It was more universal than identifying the reason many people were having problems in a relationship;
Contempt prior to investigation impedes all growth

And it was far more elegant in its simplicity than the barrier we put before ourselves;
Can’t see the wood for the trees…

This guideline is also my working title for the book.

Start at the End

If you want to know how to make money on the internet, don’t click on another one of those pages promising money-back guarantees!

They are SCAMS! Don’t click on them and if you already have leave the site straight away! Don’t give them your email address!
(Click here for a list of special offer sites I’ve had complaints about)

I receive so many emails each week about which of these are real and “Do these Gurus really make millions on the internet, Trent?” is the most common question.

The answer is, YES! They are making money, but they are doing so in a way similar to Pyramid scams that are illegal in the real world.

How do they SCAM you out of your money?

Imagine 4 people get together, hire someone to recycle some information from around the internet, make it into a document and then sell it as “The latest way to make money on the internet!” then sell this valuable information for $30.

But wait! There is MORE! As soon as you try and either complete the purchase or (heaven forbid) leave the site, you are told of an exclusive offer worth THOUSANDS for only $300.

Oh you thought it had stopped? Oh no! As soon as you have signed up for THAT offer (or again make the silly attempt to leave their website) you are told of a consolation prize that is free (BUT you will pay each month when you forget to cancel your subscription)

So the answer is YES, you can make money like this – but whether you will sleep at night depends on whether you have the morals of a thief or not 

How do I know if my computer is ready for Windows 7?

I’ve lost count of how many emails and txts I have received on this question so I thought I would post a simple solution.

So for all my Aussie clients and readers, just click here to download Microsoft’s Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor

Not based in Australia? Contact me for more details below

[dekoboko]

Have you received a domain name renewal letter in the mail?

If you’re in business or have a website, chances are you have received a domain name renewal letter in the mail at some stage or you will in the near future.

No matter how authentic the domain name renewal letter looks, don’t act on it!

In every case where I’ve been shown a renewal letter by a business client asking for advice, they have been companies making spurious comments to scare people into renewing the domain name with them, often giving up their rights to those domain names!

Some examples of scare tactics used in bogus domain name renewal letters

• Your domain name is about to expire! Send your cheque/money order or call us now to save your name or lose it forever
• Your domain name is in danger! Contact us now to save your domain name from being deleted!
• Your competitors are interested in your domain name! It is urgent that you contact us today regarding your domain name.
• This is an official warning about your domain name. Please contact us now to avoid legal complications

The list goes on, but you can see the general tone will be about urgency and in the worst cases, they will make suggestions about the letter being an ‘official warning’

So what do I do if I receive a letter about my domain name?

Here are some simple steps:

1. Contact the person who currently looks after your website and ask them who looks after your domain name (this is your domain name registrar)
2. Make a note of the registrar and keep it somewhere easily visible to anyone who accepts mail on behalf of your website.
3. E-Mail or phone your registrar to find out when your domain name is actually due for renewal and add this information to the note (above)
4. If you don’t have a current webmaster, feel free to use my contact form (below) and I will use my handy dandy domain name gadgets to find out who your registrar is for you.

Also if you receive an e-mail that looks similar, follow the steps above to be sure.

Contact me if you’re not sure…. I will answer ASAP:

[dekoboko]

Over the last 28 years that I’ve been taking notes (gawd I feel old writing that!), I’ve noticed something that is common to books (both fiction and non-fiction), websites, artwork and business ideas.

I’ve seen people at business courses suspiciously tentative about revealing their ideas because “no one else has thought of them before,” and I’ve seen writers who won’t share anything about their plots for fear they will be stolen.

So what have I noticed?

Something that repeats itself over and over…

There are no truly original ideas, only unique perspectives

It’s not the idea that makes your work unique, it’s you.

There is no one that’s been through exactly what you have, but there will be people who have been through similar situations. Don’t be threatened by them – this is what gives you a sense of camaraderie with them – they are often your target audience…

So what I’m trying to say is do it…

Doers DO, talkers just talk
- or: Ideas mean nothing if you don’t ACT!
Don’t hide under a rock – make sure people know about your work. Make sure they know about you! Whether it’s a publisher, artistic studio or the local BEC or business registration office… Make sure as many people as possible have seen your work.

If you have been working on an idea for years and you suddenly see the same thing published and think “DAMN, they stole that!” They probably didn’t steal anything. They just acted on it, even if they came up with the idea long after you.

They did something

So…

What are you waiting for?

Launch that business. Write that story and send it to the publisher you dream of writing for. Send your art to Disney or Marvel. Let it go and watch what happens… it might take on a life of its own

But.

Don’t just sit in a group that meets to talk about it. You gain experience by doing, not talking about how you plan to do it one day.

• I posted The formula for becoming an author check it out here http://bit.ly/169Q81 #

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