See all the photos here.

The 2010 Penny Arcade Expo here in Seattle is only a couple weeks away.  As far as my attendance, general admission is sold out for the first two days.  I’m working to obtain media passes to shoot some photos at PAX this year.    If you attended TourneyPlay4 at the Seattle Center and are still looking for pictures, I have them uploaded here. Want more details about PAX?  Visit their site here. Are you on Twitter?  I am.

I shot this picture just off Interstate 90, traveling west, back to Seattle.  I’ll be uploading some more soon. A few details about the picture:
Aug 18, 2010, 6:53pm
ISO: 200
Exposure: 1/320 sec
Aperture: 3.5
Focal Length: 18mm
Flash Used: No
Latitude: 45.736111° N
Longitude: 109.757065° W
[This is the original image]

Ventrilo, TeamSpeak and Mohawk voice products are not used just for gamers.  Many businesses rely on Ventrilo (especially on Android phones using Mangler app), to communicate with their peers, co workers or friends (or even business partners).   I’ve been using MaxFrag since day 1 and I haven’t had any issues (other then the occasional network congestion which is normal for any IP-based product).

Anthony Deol his team of world-class professionals over at MaxFrag are simply some of the best people I’ve done business with.   Their first-time resolution process makes the returning client for help, slim to none.   In business myself for IT services, if a client does not call me back after a job is complete, I know a) their issue is solved and b) I don’t have to go fix something again.

I’d like to give a huge thanks to MaxFrag.

As one adventure on the career path comes to an end, another is bound to begin.   In my case, it began before the current one ended.  As of today (Friday, July 9th), this is my last day working at Innuity, Inc.

Unfortunately, the downsize was bound to happen again.  Good times, though!   No one wanted to see anything change.  But on a positive note, I enjoyed my 30 months of employment, the people I worked with, and the platform we supported.

On Monday, a venture starts with an unnamed company (until I sign the w2, nothing is ‘official’).  I will be working in various positions in the company.

• Part IT manager — Manage servers, PCs, Storage, setup new hire machines.  Working with Windows and Apple OS.
• Part time Multi-Media Specialist – Understanding, configuring and tailoring existing AV systems for clients presentations & train end-users.
• Part time Web Developer – WordPress, PHP, MySQL — I love wordpress!

Are you following me on Twitter?  Stay tuned there for updates

Here is where I’m frustrated.  Is there a ‘perfect’ billing system?  There are a key features we’re searching for but cannot seem to find either an self-hosted or hosted solution for a reasonable cost.

I turn to you, the readers for your help.

What we need:

• Ability for client’s to login to their billing system and key in a credit card that we manually punch using our pin-pad or have them use PayPal
• Create invoices for clients, give them an online solution to manage invoices, pay invoices, etc
• Allow clients to purchase a service if needed (online signup).
• Purchase order entry ability (to show the client what hardware we bought for them.  WHMCS does not have this ability (multiple invoice lines).

So far, we’ve tried out:

• WHMCS – Credit Card/Merchant Account module = Refuses to work, gives a blank page
• ClientEXEC – Issues with welcome signup emails not arriving to the customer (yet forgot password confirmation and invoices do work).
• Blesta – Blank page issue with CC Module (other then that, awesome system)
• CannyBill – Cannot have customers enter in card numbers to later manually authorize and post sale
• Invoicera – Same issue, cannot manually run cards.

I’m at a loss of what to use at this point.  Right now, we use WHMCS but really need to give the ability for customers to key in their CC for intergration with our merchant gateway or manual punch.

Anyone have ideas?

If you’re an Android G1 user, you know that Exchange does not work on the G1 by default.  I found this free app called WorkEmail.  http://www.nexeo.net/?p=93 — You’ll need to download the  free barcode scanner from the Market to download using the QR code.  Enjoy.  Don’t forget to RATE, COMMENT AND SUBSCRIBE!

I bought this for less than $50.00 on e-bay while by D90 was in the shop. I’m impressed by the outside quality, but inside, the lighting is just horrible. Great for kids though.
http://www.amazon.com/DXG-5-0MP-Camcorder-1-7-Inch-Hi-Res/dp/B0014JJXMW

I’m a huge fan of Android. I’m also a huge fan of on the go media. StreamFurious A streaming audio app for your Android phone. There is both a free and paid version

The first step to creating your way down the path of having a successful business is with a plan.    There also a couple basics you must know, or else you’re setting up for failure.

Prepare to fail — Believe it or not, 90% of all start-ups fail within 5 years or less.   However, do not let this discourage you.

Random Question: Do you hum the Tetris theme to yourself as you build a base of ideas in your head?  If you answer yes, you just might be crazy enough to succeed.

Here is good news.  If you’ve got the drive to succeed and follow some of the steps below, you may actually make it!

Keep in mind, there is not the “perfect” business plan.  Only the plan that tailors to your needs and what you’ll need to succeed.  At least you think so.   Don’t “think”.  If you’re serious about going into business, you need to have solid answers to these questions.   If you cannot answer the  basics, you need to sit down, and re-think.

For purely reading possible entertainment purposes, I have provided some background music. 

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

1. What does your company do?
   — Really, what does your company do?  Ice cream sales?  Tech support?  Dedicated server?
2. What type of product(s) does your company provide?
   — You know what you do.. or know what you want to do… now, what are actually providing and how can your customer(s) benefit?
3. Who are you marketing to?
   — If you’re in ice cream sales, you’ve got a pretty good chance of success, provided your competition isn’t in the same area as you.  Think about your market.  Home, small business, corporate clients?
4. Who is your competition?
   — Every business has competition.  Unless you were born into the dotCom bubble and created something 10 years ago that took off, chance are, someone already thought of it.   This doesn’t mean you should not go into this market.  You just need to pay attention to #5.
5. What edge do you have over your competition?
   — So, you’ve got chocolate, vanilla, caramel and rocky road… what does the other guy have?  Same flavors?
6. Do you have overhead cost?  If so, how much?
   — The other guy has the same product, but your cost is higher.  How can you spend less but offer the same quality.  That often is the hardest question to answer.

I’ll leave you with those questions to answer.  Later, I’ll come back and post some more.   I am not the expert in business or the know-it-all.  I use those questions to help make my business succeed.   If you’ve got some tips, tricks, feedback or comments, I want to hear them.