From the desk (and BlackBerry) of Keith Parnell

photo credit: www.timbarcz.com

Here are a few quick blogging tips to keep in mind so you don’t bore your readers stiff:

1. Write for your audience. Not for you. Not for your boss. Write for your readers.
2. Don’t write a book. Booorrring. If your readers want to read multiple pages, they’ll download a new book onto their Kindle.
3. Have a purpose. Don’t just ramble on your blog. You can do that on Twitter, JASEzone or some other microblog platform. Write blog articles that have a point to make or a question to ask. Which leads to the next point …
4. Ask questions. Get your readers involved in the communication.
5. Share information. Don’t fall into the old school mindset that you need to hoard your “mojo”. Believe me, it’s not yours. Someone else has already thought of it.
6. Be Switzerland. This one is hard sometimes. I know. But try to be neutral.
7. Publish your articles on a schedule. Or atleast a semi schedule. Don’t sweat missing a beat or two but try to be considerate and thankful of your readers that are coming back to you for information.
8. Link. Link. Link. Out. Link to your competitors. Link to other ‘experts’. They will appreciate the recognition and do the same back to you. Trackbacks work. I promise.

What are some other tips you can think of?

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At our most recent Entrepreneurs Forum of Hampton Roads meeting earlier this week, we were honored to have Dr. James Koch speak to us on his economic study of entrepreneurial traits. The topic of his presentation was follow-named with his newest book, Born, Not Made.

For those that do not know, Dr. Koch (pronounced like cook) is a world-renowned economist with at least 9 books and over 100 hundred journal artcles published. He is also President Emeritus and the Board of Visitors Professor of Economics at Old Dominion University. You may read more information on Dr. Koch at his website here.

All in all, the presentation was very interesting and intriguing. Personally, I received validations on several fronts that my personality does fit the entrepreneurial model Dr. Koch expresses.

Here are a few scratch notes I took during the meeting -

• Entrepreneurial traits in an individual stem from 60% heredity, 40% environment.
• Heredity: risk taking, behavioral genetics research, uncertainty.
• Environment: education, wealth, training from parents, parental influence is much smaller relative to pier influence.
• Entrepreneurs think more outside the box than managers.
• Entrepreneurs have more innovative ideas than managers.
• Entrepreneurs stir things up more than managers.
• Entrepreneurs encourage less creative thinking and ideas than managers.
• Entrepreneurs do not agree with organizational charts whereas managers do.
• Entrepreneurs violate the chain of command more than managers.
• Entrepreneurs make good employees only if you expect them to do entrepreneurial things.
• Higher wealth does not equate to a greater risk taker.

I’d like to thank Joel Nied for organizing & moderating and Williams Mullen for their sponsorship and hosting the event. Hopefully the next event in March I’ll be able to live blog or live microblog the event.

Amazon.com describes Born, Not Made this way -

Books, magazine articles, and educational programs on entrepreneurship are all based on the idea that anyone can be an entrepreneur–that entrepreneurs are made, not born. Well, maybe not.

In a study of 234 CEOs funded by the Kauffman Foundation, James L. Fisher and James V. Koch came up with a surprising conclusion: Some individuals are simply more naturally fitted to become entrepreneurs than others. They are pre-wired. Because of heredity, some people are much more likely to become successful entrepreneurs or pursue entrepreneurial strategies within a corporate setting profitably.

By recognizing that, this book will significantly improve corporate selection processes, strengthen entrepreneurship programs, and boost the confidence of aspiring entrepreneurs through invaluable insights. Among other things, Fisher and Koch show that true entrepreneurs not only see the world differently–they act differently. Compared with corporate managers, for example, they are more confident, more decisive, more likely to upset the apple cart, and more energetic. They love to compete but are notable for the partnerships they are able to fashion with friend and foe alike. Such conclusions are remarkable. Why? Because they are based on the only empirical comparison study yet conducted on entrepreneurship.

The insights are not based on personal opinion or case studies but on valid and reliable personality indicators. Because the book shows that certain kinds of people will find it much easier to found successful companies than others, it has many practical applications. It will help organizations fit the right people into jobs requiring an entrepreneurial bent. It will challenge corporations to hire entrepreneurial CEOs who will transform businesses rather than maintain the status quo. And it will speak directly to entrepreneurs and those contemplating starting a business, who will learn if they have the right stuff to start and sustain a business. In short, this book provides insights into the entrepreneurial soul that can change the fortunes of individuals and companies for the better.