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Monday, February 28, 2011

Are graphic designers an endangered species?

I am writing this blog for 2 main reasons.  #1 is due to the fact that I run a startup mobile app and web based software company.  #2 is because I recently advised a cousin of mine to go into graphic design and web page design.
Let me start off with my cousin.  She is currently studying Sociology and hates it.  She realizes that getting a degree is important, and that just because she studies sociology, does not mean she is stuck being a sociologist.  The thing with her is that she is very good with computers, she is very artistic and very creative.  I also figured if my company Ozipherus Health Technologies ever gets big enough, I would love to employ her.  I figured based on her knowledge and personality, graphic & web design is right up her alley.
I was speaking to a friend of mine on twitter the other day and I admitted that for my 1st app I employed a company in India since their quote was THOUSANDS of dollars cheaper, and being limited in financial backing, we need to be very cost conscious. 
I don't want to have every project "made in India".  I want to employ local talent and local companies.  I want to help young designers and developers get a feel for the "game" and grow with my company.  Outsourcing to India was a one shot deal, and it is not that their work isn't good, web coding is web coding, it was simply a budgetary decision.
I saw the clothing industry all but die a slow and painful death when import fees from China were lifted.  I saw technicians lose jobs as mechanical and electronic goods were being made in the far east.  Watch makers are hard to come by now that China, Thailand, Japan and the Philippines all make quality watches.
Mobile apps and website development are huge businesses.  They employ thousands, and online is not going away.  Mobile apps may be a trend, but web applications, website development and design and e-commerce development are not going anywhere... if anything, they are getting to be bigger industries.
I wonder though, will cheaper labor in India lead to lost jobs for graphic designers and web developers here in North America?  What other countries will it affect?
There are thousands of graphic artists out and about.  Some freelance and others work for large companies.  The truth is, a creative talented mind is a valuable asset, but with school costs going up and living costs going up, can North American graphic artists compete in a global market place?
I will do my part by trying to employ local talent, but I am just 1 company...

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Finally incorporated

Well, it took a few extra days but all is done and by tomorrow afternoon we will be fully incorporated.  I have the majority of shares, as well as titles of CEO and Director of Operations.  My business partner Jeff has 40% of the company since he is financing this deal, and he will have to lose 10% stock that we will eventually find an internal IT director.  Jeff will be the CFO (he has had that position in large companies and he is a CA) and I believe he will also be the VP of finances & accounting.
Our 1st app should be ready withing the next 5 to 6 weeks, and it will be available on iPhone and BlackBerry.
We are also working on the first web based project that will be a resource for fitness experts and personal trainers.
Without sounding too much like Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory TV show, technology is slowly taking over the business world, and I am very proud to be on board!

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Misadventure in email money sending

I called my bank, the CIBC to ask about the easiness and security of email money sending.  The lady I was speaking with assured me that it was the "easiest, fastest and safest" way to send money.  I also know of many friends, and my sister that does this quite often.  Its an easy enough concept, and it makes total sense.
1 of the companies that I represent deals with the ScotiaBank.   They find it easier to deposit money into a Scotia account for me.  I have no problem with this, and I was even ready to switch to the ScotiaBank, but they aren't offering me what the CIBC has... cheque protection, high daily limits, no freeze through the machine etc...
What I was doing in the past was physically going to a ScotiaBank, withdrawing my pay, and then depositing it into the CIBC.  It was a good time consuming method that led to no issues, problems or complications.
I decided that since I was quite busy yesterday, I'd email the money to myself... HUGE MISTAKE!!!
Within 30 minutes I received an email with the transfer, I answered the security question and did all that I needed to do, yet I was given an error code.  After calling both the CIBC and Scotia, I discovered that Scotia put a hold on this money, since it was the 1st time they saw an email money transfer from my account and it was a fair sum of money.  After a few security questions, I got that corrected, received a new email and went about everything again.
Still have an error code, and no money.  I went to my CIBC branch and they told me I had to call web banking's toll free number.  For the next 5 hours I argued with the CIBC and Certapay about where my money was.
Here is what I got out of it, I still don't have my money.   Agents at the CIBC have no access to the department that can help me.  The supervisor at the CIBC basically told me that he couldn't help and too bad for me, I have to wait 48 to 72 hours to get a call.
It is now almost 12 hours after I "completed" the email money transfer and my money is in cyberspace, with nobody available to help me.  I guess technology doesn't always make life easier.
All I know is this, I will NEVER use ScotiaBank EVER again, and I am seriously debating leaving the CIBC.  Whether I do or not, their complaints department is getting a very detailed long letter.
As for you Daniel Clement at CIBC customer service, Thank you for being so rude, uncaring and unwilling to help... as a supervisor, it should be your goal to make the client feel as if they were assisted.  I received better care from EVERYBODY else but you.  No matter what happens with my money, I wish you a good weekend Mr. Clement, and I hope to never have to deal with your rudeness and incompetent ass again!

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

iPod Touch or Tablet?

Although technology isn't my current main income, it will be in the next few months.  As my company develops more apps and websites, my sole income will be from "web" and App sources.  I have a few retail estores and I only market them via Facebook, YouTube, twitter and MySpace (yes, its still around).
In the meantime, I also need to focus on my other jobs and make income there so that I can pay for all these technological ventures that I am investing both time and money into.
I often run from store to store and gym to gym selling my brands of nutritional supplements, fitness equipment or other gadgets.  I currently bring my laptop and samples everywhere I go.  Let me tell you, that gets heavy, so I decided to buy an iPad. 
In speaking with a few people and doing some research, I see that the iPad is not the best suited tablet on the market for what I need.  I am also not really willing to pay the price for a tablet at the current moment.  Then an idea struck my mind... what if I went back a step and got the iPod Touch???  I can load all my music, plenty of pictures, my pricelists etc... it is smaller than the iPad and this way my son and I can also waste time playing angry birds...
I do not want the iPhone,  I am team BlackBerry all the way and I am afraid to switch since BlackBerry has been great to me.
I would love feedback on the iPod Touch!

Sunday, February 20, 2011

WTF with the weather???

I must start off by saying that I am very grateful that it is bright and sunny outside.  I am very happy that my son is going to a play date and then both families are going to a star exhibit.  I am thrilled that we are all excited about this.
What I don't understand though is how the weather works... Thursday was a very mild day with hints of warm, but it was cloudy and gray.  Friday was BEAUTIFUL, +5 at its highest and sunny.  Yesterday was cold and windy and today is VERY cold yet sunny....
Without crossing too many lines and being totally politically incorrect, is Mother Nature bi-polar?
Am I just getting jaded and cynical or did the weather used to slowly change from warm to cold to colder and then back to cold and then warmer???
Either way, I want warmer weather, but I state again, I am supper happy and grateful for the sun today!

Friday, February 18, 2011

My Family Tree project

Lets just say a crazy bug entered my head.  I have a cousin that I am quite close to, and my girlfriend asked me how exactly we are related, and she was curious since my son absolutely ADORES him.  My answer was quite simple "I'm not sure"!
A few years back, a cousin on my mother's side who lives in Israel, started a family tree, and really has it all down, facebook group and all.  I never thought much of it at all, but now I want to map my paternal family tree.
I sat down with graph paper, a ruler and pencil and started with my son, then me and my siblings, my dad and his sister, her kids, my dad's parents, 2 of their siblings that I knew about and a few of their kids... that is where I drew a blank.
Tonight over Shabbat supper, I started talking to my dad, and WOW, do I ever have holes in my pretty little drawing that I made today... I knew I had cousins and extended family, I just couldn't fit the puzzle pieces together... SOOOO... tomorrow evening my dad and I will be spending the evening placing character by character on my family tree.  Hopefully I can get in touch with enough of them to create a facebook group and perhaps a twitter list as well.
Who knows, perhaps a family reunion is in the making...
I will keep you posted!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Battle of the weight loss shows

Just in case you didn't believe me when I stated that I watch way too much TV, this blog should prove that!  I will also admit that although I have no explanation for it, I really enjoy reality TV, so I am sure to watch 'Biggest Loser', 'Heavy' and MTV's 'I Used To Be Fat'.
I am a certified personal trainer with quite a background in not only nutrition, but holistic nutrition and sports performance nutrition.  I am always looking for new training ideas and I love the motivation and inspiration these shows bring to millions.
Which of these is the best, entertainment wise? 
I have watched 'Biggest Loser' from the very beginning, and I have enjoyed almost every season.  They are currently on season 11 and I will say I am not enjoying it all that much.  I like the new trainers, would have loved to have seen more of them in the first 4 episodes... I also think that the competition has been quite good this season, but it started way to close after last season for my liking.
'I Used to be Fat' on MTV shows a High School graduate change their lives over the course of 1 summer.  In terms of proving that it can be done, and in terms of inspiration, this is the winner, but the show isn't always an edge of the seat watch...
Capitalizing on the success of Intervention and Hoarders, A&E launched Heavy which is my favorite of the weight loss shows.  I like the way its done, I like the trainers, I like how we get background on the participants.  I also think it really shows that food can be an addiction and that hard work and diligence will lead to success.
BUT - which is the entertainment winner?
I guess I have to say Biggest Loser wins because if its game show backbone.  Yes, it is a show that helps change lives, and yes, it gets MILLIONS of people active and on weight loss journeys, but the show is a game show.  It pits people against each other in a 'Survivor' like game, and that game mixed with the characters leads to quite an entertaining show.
If you are looking for some great weight loss shows be sure to catch 'X-Weighted' and 'Last 10 pound bootcamp'!

Monday, February 14, 2011

I may be too busy....

I know it takes a great idea to hit it big on the app market, and yes, the competition is intense, but there is money to be made.  Having made a good income from other ecommerce ideas, I decided that my next step would be to create a few apps.
I have 2 apps on the go right now.  My original app is already out and available, and it basically makes one of my online stores accessible from any iPhone, iPad, iTouch & BlackBerry devise.  These 2 new apps will be available to all of those and android as well.
1 of the apps is fairly simple and has a professional use, so I am not worried about selling a million of them at $2.99 a piece.  The coding should be simple, it just involves quite a bit of data entry at the early stages of creation.  It is a simple process.
My 2nd app idea is very interactive and can work online as well, so that will be a huge project and I will likely need to find a few new designers to help with coding and functionality.  I may also have to look for an equity investor and give up part of that business, which I am quite ready to do.  I have no doubt I can sell upwards of 2 million of these at $3.99 a pop.... so you do the math.
Last night, being the creator that I am, and idea struck me, and now I am also starting to develop a new social website.  Something not out there yet... but this will be a HUGE task to get it running and I will for sure need partners and new staff to help with this.
I am  very positive that all this will get done and quite successfully, I am just worried that I may be over doing it to myself right now.
I guess time will tell!