Journal Entries
Reality Check: If you build it, who will come?
If you derive hope from the Field of Dreams story and recite the ever popular “if you build it, he will come” quote as your reasoning for building without logical rationale, you may be in for a disappointment. In a tech savvy, well-connected city of potential app users, you would think that your awesome app…
Read MoreReality Check: How Failure Can Lead to Long Term Success
I had the great fortune of failing on my first project. Yes, you read that correctly and it was not a typo. I know it doesn’t seem like the type of thing one would be proud of, but I gained something from that experience that I continue to look for in other projects. I was…
Read MoreGetting Organized
The key to productivity is planning and focus; to do one successfully you must also do the other. I’d like to share a presentation I gave last week representing CauseLabs at the Tech4Good meetup in Denver, Colorado. Download the Presentation Slides: Getting Organized If tools were all we needed to be more productive, we’d be…
Read MoreIs your organization a social enterprise?
What is a social enterprise? Social enterprises are organizations whose primary purpose is to serve the common good, and whose strategy applies business disciplines and market-based strategies to achieve social or environmental missions. Social enterprise models There are two social enterprise models: Non-profits and For-profits. Non-profits utilizing business models and the power of the marketplace…
Read MoreAn Interview on Changing Careers
I have a varied skill set due to the twists and turns in my career path. I started off in the U.S. Army as an Arabic linguistic specialist, then worked (mostly as a volunteer or board member) in the non-profit realm as I raised my children. When I was ready to re-enter the business world,…
Read More50 Inspirational Quotes On Leadership
Quotes are incredibly inspirational. Granted, we are taking a one liner out of the context of the greater conversation, but the motivation is there and the heart of message is clearly articulated. That’s why some of these quotes have been repeated a million times over and will continue to be tweeted, quoted, recited and shared…
Read MoreHow to “Right-Size” a Project
If you’ve been a project manager for a while, then you know that when a client says, “can you send me a scope of work?” that means, “tell me how long this will take and how much it will cost.” If you’re new to project management, then you have all of this to look forward to and whether you’re new or rather experienced, here are some pointers to help you along your way.
Read More3 Reasons to Consider Mobile First
1. Your Audience is Mobile. Trust me.
Need proof? I can understand your need to crunch numbers since redesigning your website is a daunting undertaking. This Infographic makes the data more digestible: http://bit.ly/1dHrocV
The truth is, more and more users are viewing websites on mobile devices.
Read MoreThe Best of Agile
Are you and agile project manager developing software for not-so-agile stakeholders? Perhaps you’re product owner wishing for a more agile manager or development team.
Here’s my advice: When all else is in question including the scope and the budget and the timing of milestones, put the people first.
Read MoreLet’s Move Mountains
Recently, I took course titled “Grow to Greatness.” The many case studies reiterated that growth and success require focus. This isn’t a big secret. For years, entrepreneurs and leaders have echoed the importance of focus. However, deciding to limit your services, products or market can be a scary decision and staying committed to this choice…
Read MoreLearning to Innovate
We often look to other leaders for inspiration, guidance and motivation. Gandhi has always been one I quote often. One of my favorite quotes is: “Live as if you were to die tomorrow, learn as if you were to live forever.” Mahatma Gandhi Depending on our perspective, there are a few ways to read meaning…
Read MoreI Don’t Need to Change the World, Only Myself
It starts somewhere, right? Every story has an important beginning. If I ever write my story however, I think I would start in the middle because that’s when I understood just how important the events of my past had been to shaping my purpose. On the afternoon of July 4th, 2013, I sat content on…
Read MoreYour Inner Wonder Woman
Do you have a Wonder Woman complex? You’re not alone; I too have a super hero complex and like anything, it can be healthy in moderation. However, your desire to do everything can become unhealthy for you and those around you. Celebrate your strengths and recognize your challenges. I feel like I can or should…
Read More3 Challenges for International Development
Recently, I attended the Harvard International Development Conference at the Harvard Kennedy School, which was ironically titled “The End of Development.” The keynote speakers were inspiring, the crowd was eager to change the world, and the message was clear: International Development is at the beginning of a new era. It must adapt to new expectations, advancing technologies,…
Read MoreIdentifying Your Job Description
Recently, I’ve been taking on a lot more responsibility and the hours in the day just weren’t enough to get it all done. I take that back; I had enough time to do everything, just not enough time to do it all well. I found I was picking and choosing which things would get more…
Read MorePartner Solutions: A New Paradigm for Digital Services
The most important thing about choosing a team name or title is ensuring it reflects your job both internally and externally. What’s in a name? At CauseLabs we have three core teams that make things happen: the Creative Team, the Tech Team and the Partner Solutions Team. While the first two are fairly straightforward, Partner…
Read MoreWhat is the perfect project?
I spent some time thinking about the perfect project and realized that even across my small team, all with very similar goals and personalities, the answer differs vastly from person to person. For some, the perfect project is analytical and manages data and reports. For example, such projects include apps that measure social impact, dashboards…
Read MoreSimple Things Make A Big Difference
I often make seemingly irrational decisions on very minor things just because it will improve my day. For example, There are two streets that lead to my house; one is the street I live on and the other is a side street that may actually be a longer route depending on the direction I’m coming…
Read MoreManaging Email Deliverability
The days of the Pony Express had its challenges. Airmail may never go away, but it can’t keep up with our desire for instant delivery. Emails drastically changed communication, but it too is plagued with delivery concerns. Email deliverability is a common problem amongst social enterprises and nonprofits, especially when developing a platform that sends…
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