Life Of A Lion

Squats

noreply@blogger.com (Bengo) — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 15:15:00 +0000

I love squats, no secret there. They are excellent for you in countless ways but I'm going to list my favorite 3.

1) Fullbody exercise that builds strength. When you squat raw, no belt or knee wraps etc, weighted squats are a complete full body exercise. Your upper body and core has to work really hard to stabalize the weight. And your lower body is fully involved once you are going to paralell or lower. They also build strength, as our muscles are designed to work in unison with each other. So if you train them in unison (compound movements) they'd work properly in unison i.e. practical strength. Also a point to note on lifting raw, the trick is to start light. Start at a weight where you can squat raw and only progress when you're body can handle it, meaning your core and stabilizing muscles. Remember you are lifting for you, not to impress other people.

2) Injury Prevention. Strengthening the muscles around the knee drastically decreases the likelihood of injuries. To do this though, it is important that you go paralelle or below parallel when squating. Reason being, if you are too high when switching from lowering to going up, the torque applied on the IT band puts extra stress and pressure on the joint. When you reach paralell or below, the knees are in a more stable position to transition from bending to straightening.

3) Conquering Fear & Will Power. The squat racks have safety pins for a reason. Many times I go to the gym and see guys have spotters literally hold them down and up on each rep. Personally I believe exercise is not just for the body but also for the mind. And squats, when done correctly, help you conqure fear and train your will power & mental fortitude. When there is a heavy weight on your back and you're squatting down there is a fear that you wouldn't be able to get back up or worse, fall down. That's good, that's normal. What's not good is not facing that fear. Remember danger is real but fear is in your mind and the safety pins are there to minimize the danger so go low and face that fear.

Most spotters jump in too early in the sticking point. But the sticking point is the best part of squats, it is where your mind and will power kicks in(refer to my last post on Trying vs attempting). Get to know it and learn it. You'd never learn your body if every time you stall someone helps you out. So have your spotters if you prefer, but know that they are there for safety but the squat is all you. Nothing is wrong with failing on a squat and letting the pins catch the weight. If you've never done it before, try it with light weights so you feel comfortable trusting them. If you are worried about what people would think if you fail, you have bigger problems but that's another post.

Last month though I stopped lifting due to a chest injury that needs some rest. I'm waiting until the end of January to start back. However I've been missing it desperately, as evident by this post, lol. So I've decided that while I'm not in the gym doing squats & deadlifts I'll do something to improve my squats when I start back. Squat depth and one leg squats are the two things to work on for my squats while I'm out of the gym.

1) Depth. While I'm able to go to parallel in my squats I know I can go lower. Ideally I'd like to reach ass to grass levels. I believe more mobility with the same amount of strength means stronger. So heres to strong(er). lol

2) One Leg Squats. I've tried these before and they are mad hard. You need basically 3 things to execute them correctly; flexibility, balance, and strength. The good thing is yoga should help me with these once I add a few poses to my routine. I'm not sure exactly how one legged squats are going to help my weighted squats, but I'm pretty sure they will, so not spending too much time thinking about that.

I basically have two months to get the depth and one leg squats before I start back lifting. So look out for another post where I'll highlight all the stuff I'm doing to achieve these two goals. As usual you can follow my progress on my Instagram(nbengo) and twitter(@nBengo) accounts.

Jah Blessings

Grateful Yogi Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Bengo) — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 15:05:00 +0000

Came across this trend recently #gratefulyogi Challenge on Instagram. Basically you do yoga and post a pose on instagram everyday, for 30 days, with a little write up on something that you’re grateful for.

I like the idea and I’m going to try it. I genuinely believe that gratefulness is important not because “we should be” but rather, it helps. When we practice gratefulness we focus more on the positives in our life rather than the negatives. This in turn leads to less stress and feeling happier.

I’m feeling excited about the challenge because it would force me to work on my yoga and focus on all the positives in my life and give thanks for them. It also falls in line with the Christmas season, a time when we give thanks for the gifts that Jah has given us.

So for the next thirty days look out for my posts on Instagram(nbengo & #lionlife). Don’t expect yogi levels or even proper pose names, I tend to bob & weave and just have fun when it comes to yoga.

Life Of A Lion

noreply@blogger.com (Bengo) — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 03:48:00 +0000

So I've had this blog for a couple of years. And thinking I needed to do it 'properly' I kept trying to find a theme for the blog. Because all the good blogs were always about a topic or theme. Only problem was, I could never commit to writing bout one thing everytime I blogged.

But I think I found the solution.

Many times I've looked back on my life and I think of what could have been, what I should have done, and what I would have done. And I realised, that problem was that I just wasn't serious about life.

When I mean serious about life, I mean enjoying the present moment and working hard to ensure the future moments are even better. So I've started a project where I have one year to get serious and turn my life into a beautiful life I love to live. The type of life worthy for a true Lion and I'm going to use this blog, as well as twitter(@nBengo) and Instagram (nbengo) to catalogue it.

I'd post updates on my progress in all aspects of my life from health to work to fun. I'll also post tips and ticks that I learn along the way.

So stay tuned and let's see where this takes me. #lionlife

Attempting vs. Trying

noreply@blogger.com (Bengo) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 22:55:00 +0000

Friday I went into the gym feeling a bit off. I told my brother, I wasn’t feeling as strong as usual and to keep an extra eye on my squats because I may have trouble. True to my word, I wasn’t able to complete the set and my Bro had to bail me out.

When I reached deadlifts, my favorite lift, my trainer told me to add another 20 lbs to my lift. The Wednesday before I had completed 8 reps with 225lbs for the first time and I protested to an extra 20lbs. I said I should get comfortable with the weight I’m at now before I try to increase. After some talking to, I reluctantly added the 20lbs onto the bar I positioned myself for pull. Time to Dip, Grip, & Rip(position, grip the bar, lift the weight). Only problem was, the weight didn’t move. I stepped back from the bar, looked at the weight again, and tried a second time. Dip, Grip, &…. Nothing. I was defeated. I told myself it was because I was not feeling strong and it was too much weight.

So I took off the 20lbs and tried again. Dip, Grip, &….. Nothing. Then was when I knew something was wrong. My trainer walked straight up to me and told me he knew I wasn’t going to lift it. “I could see it in your eyes. You can’t doubt yourself.” He explained that because I pulled 225 for 8 reps, my one rep max(most amount of weight for one rep) should be over 300 lbs. And the only reason I wasn’t getting this weight off the floor was because I didn’t think I could. After he told me that I was able to do my regular workout with the 225lbs.

This got me thinking about self belief. Many times in our lives we doubt ourselves because we think that our progress should be normal, steady and consistent like 'everyone else'. This mindset may not stop us from attempting but it stops us from truly trying.

If in our mind we don't believe we can achieve it, the moment we encounter any difficulty our mind tells us this is where we were meant to fail and we stop genuinely trying. Our mind then reinforces the idea that we could not have achieved it, limiting ourselves.

If we can’t even do it in our mind how can we hope to ever achieve it in real life.

So maybe you have an extra 20lbs to add to a lift or a project you wish you could do. But you’re thinking ‘I need to get more comfortable with this weight’ or ‘I need more experience before I try that.’ Truth is, more than likely you can do it. But it’s not just a matter of attempting it. It’s a matter of believing it. Otherwise you’d never truly try.

As for my extra 20lbs? Well I’m back in the gym tonight and let’s just say I’m feeling strong. Lol

I’ll keep you’ll posted.

* Update - Since this post I've been able to add another 10lbs. to the previous 20lbs. One word, Believe.

Quality Products

noreply@blogger.com (Bengo) — Thu, 10 May 2012 03:09:00 +0000

It's important to remember that no amount of marketing can replace quality. So don't try to bamboozle your customers with flashy ads and ignore product development. They will eventually see past the hype and recognise the product for what it is.

Even swag can't save a bad product

Personal Development

noreply@blogger.com (Bengo) — Wed, 09 May 2012 04:08:00 +0000

I’ve been asked before why I got into marketing. While there are a number of reasons and some serendipity along the way. One reason that stands out, is how dynamic the field is. In addition to technology, I think marketing is one of the fastest developing and evolving disciplines out there. Marketing is basically connecting with your target and aligning your company to offer them value. That first point, connecting with your target/customers, is where things get exciting. With changes in beliefs, lifestyles, technology, how we interact with people, and society on a whole, connecting with that customer is like shooting a moving target.

This means we are constantly looking for new ways to connect to people(through lifestyle, technology, and the internet). With this in mind, we’ll never know everything in marketing. Because it evolves as society evolves.

What does this mean? It means we as marketers can never stop learning. A foundation knowledge in marketing (STP, value, etc) is necessary, yes, but it’s not all you’d need. What the foundation does is help you understand the new rules and insights into marketing that are being created. But it cannot stand on its own.

You need to constantly be studying, learning new practices, and improving yourself. Reading that new edition of HBR and reading that new book on social media. In fact, my advice is find a new marketing/business each month and read it. It’s a necessary investment in your profession.

So for those now starting their journey into the marketing world, be it first degree, masters, or your first marketing job. Don’t think that the information you’re learning have gathered here would be enough to last you your time in the marketing.

Using Marketing To Study

noreply@blogger.com (Bengo) — Wed, 02 May 2012 21:42:00 +0000

As a student understanding information and memorising it is very important. Many times we sit down studying yet don’t understand nor remember anything we just read. I thought there had to be a better way and decided to draw inspiration from my marketing backgroundn finding the answer in multiple encoding.

In the fields of consumer behaviour and IMC (integrated marketing communications) memory and recall is a big thing. It’s what makes one brand come to mind when you reach the store. So naturally, marketers have given the idea a lot of thought. One of the methods used is called multiple encoding. This is, sending a message to the customer using different mediums and different formats. For example, a marketer may produce an ad for television, radio, digital media, and print. All with the same message. That message then gets stored in the customer’s mind in multiple formats and in different contexts helping it stick.

So I tried this approach to my studies and used different methods to remember content. My ‘media outlets’ were reading, summary writing, drawing, and presentations.

First I read the content, without fighting to understand or remember it. But rather reading like I would a magazine or blog article.
Skimming through, I then summarised the information in my own words being as simple and concise as possible. Using paper without lines, I mapped out my summaries and how they related to each other. Almost like an infographic.
Thirdly, I went through the page drawing a small doodle for each chunk of information, capturing the essence of it(e.g. a Gorilla talk to a guy about cheese for guerilla marketing).
Finally using the page I made a presentation to an imaginary group being as realistic as possible, speaking out loud, engaging the ‘audience’, and giving my opinion on topics.

The results were astonishing. The information and ideas were almost engraved in my memory and recall was not a problem. In exams remembering content and context was a breeze.

It may be tricky implementing this method for technical subjects like math. But the idea is to take more than one approach when memorising content. Because when we can relate to a topic in more than one way and context, we are more likely to remember it. It’s also important that marketers don’t forget these bits of theory when marketing our brands and try to communicate our messages in different formats.

The Importance Of A Brand

noreply@blogger.com (Bengo) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:02:00 +0000

RIM’s failure to develop the Blackberry brand played a role in the fall of the phone.

The Blackberry phones have not been able to compete with the Android and Apple phones. With many analysts writing about the demise of RIM and it’s slow death. While there are technical issues that also affected the company and its phone. Few have focused on the issue of branding in the whole scenario, but as a marketer, I couldn’t resist.

Blackberry’s Brand

Blackberry’s brand grew out of it’s functionality. Many business people began using the phones because of their capabilities. It’s ‘brand’ of the ‘businessman’s phone’ grew organically through lifestyle association. RIM however never focused on developing the brand but rather let it grow on it’s own. Being the only phone with it’s capabilities, it stood out.

Enter Google and Apple

When the iphone and Android phones entered the market with the same smart phone capability, it created brand parity. Brand parity is when the customer perceives no major difference between competing products. How companies deal with this is by pushing and focusing on their brand. As customers would move beyond purchasing the product and begin purchasing the brand. So when Apple and Google brought their brands into the game, things began to look bad for Blackberry. Relegating them to a ‘metoo’ product.

Another interesting benefit of brands is their ability to create loyal customers. Without Blackberry constantly working on their brand, their customer loyalty fell. With a large number of customers switching to Apple and Android.

RIM took too long to address this issue and they are now paying for it. They have been effectively knocked out of the market and needed to make some tough strategic decisions. Looking at RIM’s new strategy (focusing on Enterprise business) I think they can succeed. I just hope they take their brand more seriously this time.

Why I like Twitter

noreply@blogger.com (Bengo) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 20:34:00 +0000

Recently I’ve started using my Twitter account (@nBengo) much more and I must say, I like it. What I like most about it is its restriction to only 140 characters per tweet. Keeping all your tweets under 140, forces you to really think about what you want to say and how best to explain it. Every tweet can be a mini exercise in English language and simple language. Sentence construction, punctuation, and choice of words are just some of the elements to look at when crafting my tweet.
Even though I’m some way off from having excellent writing, I think the little daily practices are helping me improve. Now if you would excuse me, I have to write a tweet for this blog post.

Form and Function

noreply@blogger.com (Bengo) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 16:59:00 +0000

In the design world, there needs to be a marriage between form and
function. Great designers have stated that good design form is born
out of good function but not vice versa. Hence we should use function
as the starting point then merge it with form.

I believe design without function is art. It is beautiful and needed
sometimes, but one must recognize it as art and treat it as such.

Building on my last post, we see that not all ads stay true to this
relationship of form and function. There are some impressive
innovative ads out there that are pleasing to the eye but are they all
effective? They ticked the form box, but have they ticked the function
box? Sometimes, no.
So when designing ads for your products be sure to keep in mind that
without function, form is just art and art doesn't sell products.

The solution? Strategy and Tactics. Marketing strategy refers to where
you are taking your brand and marketing tactics, to how your getting
it there. Every brand should have a clearly defined strategy and
tactics. Aligning your ad directly to both, would ensure the
functionality of the ad.

Effective Ads

noreply@blogger.com (Bengo) — Thu, 19 May 2011 17:02:00 +0000

I've been thinking recently about which ads are effective in
getting me interested in a product or service. Finding out which ads are effective can tell us a bit about ourselves. For instance, I've
realized, there are two types of ads that are effective with me.

Firstly are ads that go for all out beauty and design in the ad and/or
product. A perfect example is this Mercedes Benz ad.

Secondly is if it goes into detail with why the product works. Though
this is not an ad per say it did get me to actually purchase the
product.

These type of ads are effective in bringing me to that “interest” or
“desire” phase about the product. I do enjoy other types of ads, but
the interest usually stays with the ad. I think these are effective because
of my interest in design as well as the curious analyzer in me.

What type of ads actually make you want the product/service?

Design and Context

noreply@blogger.com (Bengo) — Tue, 17 May 2011 01:37:00 +0000

Fiat 500 (1969)

I recently saw the Italian Job( the old version, 1969) and in it there
were a number of Fiat 500's. I've never been a fan of vintage cars,
but seeing the old 500's in their home setting really lead me to
appreciate their design.
It got me thinking about design and context
and I realized that design is best appreciated in it's original
context. Great design then, is design that can be applied in many
different contexts yet still be appreciated.

Google Us

noreply@blogger.com (Bengo) — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 18:43:00 +0000

In recent times, Google has become the ‘go to’ source for nearly all
types of information. People hardly make a decision now without
consulting their trusty search companion, especially when making
purchases. Filled with all sorts of third party information, customers
are now able to study the company, brand, and product, at home before
purchasing. Not only are they learning about your company and product,
but they are forming opinions on what your brand really is.

Brand Perception
One of the most important aspects of a brand is perception. The 4 P's
of marketing (product, price, place, and promotion) are all designed
to ensure the market perceives your brand how you intended. However,
with the growth and influence of Google, those 4 P's are not the only
thing influencing the market's perception of your brand. What's also
worrisome is you don't have control over those other factors.

We live in an age where information is a commodity and freely
available. There are loads of information online about your company,
brand, and product. However the majority of it was not created by you.
News reports, blog articles, customer forums, and third party
companies are all talking about your brand and product. Even customer
remixes of your brand flagship (logo) are out there(see Pepsi post).
What appeals to the customer is transparency and unbiased information
and this content and information is influencing how your customer
perceives your brand. Which, in essence, is your true brand, not what
you say it is.

This may be scary for some, as your company didn't create the
content, and thus can't manage it. It however does not mean you can't
influence it.

The solution?

Become your brand
A well designed marketing strategy and brand devised in the board room
is great. Proper implementation and roll out is also needed. However,
in the new online world this is not enough. Companies must now become
their brand. Everything about the company needs to reflect the brand
and its values. From hiring practices, business practices, production
practices, and management, everything about the company and the brand
must be the same throughout. Some other steps that you can take to
ensure positive brand perception:

Interact with people online who discuss your brand and become a member of that community

Hire employees that are part of your target market. That way you can stay up to date with how your brand is being perceived

Play an active role in ensuring that everything that reaches Google accurately portrays your brand

That way when people ask, who are you, you can say 'Google us', and
not be worried about brand perception

Why I run - via Asics

noreply@blogger.com (Bengo) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 23:56:00 +0000

We marketers usually talk about truly connecting with your customers through your advertising. However, in all honesty, though I've liked ads before, I have never felt any ad was speaking specifically to me. Though recently I saw an ad from asics and for the first time I felt that elusive connection. It is an amazing ad and spoke directly to the runner in me. (see video below)

Besides the obvious message in the ad, I like that they did not explicitly push their product. Instead they highlighted the message/connection (motivation for running) and tastefully placed their product. I once saw a statement from asics that they were "for runners by runners". With ads like this, I believe it.

Have you ever felt like an ad was speaking directly to you?

New Pepsi Logo

noreply@blogger.com (Bengo) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 04:20:00 +0000

I recently came across some adaptations of the new Pepsi logo online. Besides being quite funny, I think it is shows that everyone sees and interprets a design differently. And people who altered these logos definitely saw the logo differently than Pepsi Co. and the design studio.

The only problem is, every time I see the Pepsi logo, I see these guys lol.

What's your view on interpreting design (and these alterations)?

Science, Art, Strategy, and Advertising

noreply@blogger.com (Bengo) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:40:00 +0000

Art and science have always been considered polar opposites. However marketing is an interesting blend of science and art.
Science is seen as a methodological approach where logic triumphs. Hypotheses are put forward and are tested repeatedly to ensure credibility and validity. Correct answers backed up by facts and experiments.
Art on the other hand is more of an expression. Seen as the manifestation of our imagination, it is appears free and without restrictions. However it does have a method to its beauty. As an artist is about to create he must first decide on what he wants to portray, what mood and what expression he is trying to convey.
Marketing is where these two disciplines are perfectly blended. Marketing strategy is a science, from marketing research, segments, and deciding on targets, it requires that the marketer is methodological in his approach, and unbiased. The decisions made need to be logical and based on facts and proper information. Advertising and communication on the other hand is an art. With an idea of what is wanted and needed, what the marketer wants to portray, the advertiser then uses his imagination and his creativity to bring it to life. So for any company to be well placed to market its product it must blend both science and art.

Tangibles in Tourism

noreply@blogger.com (Bengo) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 15:46:00 +0000

When designing a tourism product there are two things we think about, the tangible and intangible elements. Undeniably one of the biggest aspects of tourism is service, which is, an intangible element. Beyond this though are the tangible aspects such as, F&B(restaurants and bars), hotel rooms, and pools. When deciding on these we tend focus on getting the highest quality within our budget. However designing and choosing these, we must remember they are not a stand alone.

These elements and products are merely tools to achieve intangible benefits. Intangible benefits being feelings such as comfort, relaxation, and excitement. This means people may choose a hotel suite because it gives them the feeling of isolation and not because of the actual quality of its tangible elements. It is an issue of the total being larger than the sum.

This is why we must be fully aware of our high fit customers, and their motivation for the vacation. We also need to be aware of what our brand represents and out core offering(benefit to customers). When we understand this, we realize we do not nessecarily need the 'best' products. Rather the products that embody the intangible benefits our customers are looking for.

Sustainable Mobility

noreply@blogger.com (Bengo) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 15:14:00 +0000

What comes to mind when one thinks of sustainable mobility? Is it electric and hydrogen cars, light rail systems and bicycles? If you thought of these things essentially you would be right, but is that everything? Does the whole issue of transportation on the journey of sustainable development boil down to just our dependency on oil and its impacts?

If we are to achieve sustainability in tourism then the environment and the issue of climate change are just pieces of the puzzle. I will attempt to look a little bit on the social and economic aspects of this issue of mobility. Taking the issue of the environmental damage out of the picture I will examine two aspects of sustainable mobility often overlooked.First I would look at mobility within destinations and then between destinations.

In tourism there is a term called 'multiply effect', which in essence, is how money is circulated through the local economy without any leakages (e.g. money leaving the destination). Having a high multiply effect is imperative for true economic development and for the multiply effect of a destination to be high, locals and tourists need to purchase from local shops and vendors. This helps the local economy by promoting linkages throughout the economy and encouraging entrepreneurship. Because of this the act of patronizing these shops should be easy and convenient. This is where the issue of walk-able cities and destinations come into play. In destinations not conducive to walking and cycling, especially cities, there is vehicular traffic and parking is always at a premium. This has a direct impact on the likelihood of someone randomly going into a store and purchasing an product or service. For this reason, destinations in the Caribbean should try to become as walkable as possible so tourists allowing them to explore the area with ease. In doing so, contribute to the development of the local economy. Someone who is walking along the street is more likely to stop and support local business than someone who is stuck in traffic or searching for a park.

Another hindrance to sustainable mobility is that of vertical integration. Vertical integration in tourism refers to when international tour companies have links with international airlines and hotel chains. These tour companies then promote their linkages and most times only recommend their partners to their customers. How does this affect the sustainability of island states? The answer is that these island states are then not in control of their own destiny. Neither do they reap all of the economic benefits of the vacations they facilitate. In other words, a tourist attraction or hotel in the Caribbean may be at the pinnacle of sustainability charts, yet how its guest arrives at the site may not be sustainable. Research done by the United Nations Economic Council of Latin America shows that the host nation only gets 40-45% of the retail cost of the organized holiday tours. Even if they used local hotels and visit locally own sites. The 55%-60% is lost with the use of foreign airlines. This percentage drops even further when the tourist utilizes foreign owned hotels and other foreign owned attractions.

With foreign airlines taking that much money, it forces us to look as sustainable mobility beyond just its environmental impacts. The use of foreign airlines to get to a vacation destination can deny the country of approximately half of the money they help generate. With this in mind, no matter how clean air fuel gets, can it really be considered sustainable? The answer is no. The dependence on international airlines can in some cases can ruin a country’s tourism product, by deeming that route 'unprofitable'. However it is impossible for all island states to have their own national carrier as they are a drain on national funds. We have seen a perfect example in the case of Air Jamaica.

I’m not quite sure how we are going to deal with this issue but I do know that the current system is not doing small island developing states any justice. Hopefully though, we can begin to look at this issue from a wider perspective and help us achieve sustainable tourism.

What are your thoughts?

Running at Your Pace

noreply@blogger.com (Bengo) — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 20:06:00 +0000

I was anxious to start back running after some time off, due to knee injuries. Excited and rearing to go, I went running with my two brothers(both in much better shape than me) around the nearby university. After one lap though, I had to stop to walk and fell behind. However, my pride could not let me fall so far behind so I started back running, pushing myself to reach my brothers. Because I was pushing myself beyond my limit I was not maintaining proper running form.

I did temporarily meet them, but it was not to last. I was so exhausted when I caught up, I had to stop again and they went on to finish the lap. At the time, reaching them for that one second was enough for me. After the run however, I felt the true consequences of my actions. In pushing myself way beyond my level of fitness, I lost form and did more harm than good, as my old injuries resurfaced.

I believe there are parallels between my running predicament and personal development. Sometimes in life we get caught up trying to emulate what we see from others and sacrifice everything for the end result. When we do this, we are doing ourselves a disservice. We need to be true to ourselves and focus on our own development. We also need to recognize that those running ahead of us were once like us and reached there through hard work and effort.

In terms of running this means maintaining proper form and progressing steadily. However in life, it may mean putting extra hours at work or school. We need to constantly be improving ourselves rather than trying to live the life of others.

I am happy to report that I was able to control my pride during my last run. I kept my pace and maintained proper form even though I was behind again.
Regarding the fact that I'm always behind, well, I'm working on that. Lol

Tips on Presenting

noreply@blogger.com (Bengo) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 17:45:00 +0000

Recently I completed over 10 presentations in 3 days. It can be a bit nerve wrecking, but presentations is always something that I loved. I love the idea of talking people, keeping them interested as well as imparting some knowledge to them. Also how, for 20 minutes or less, you can completely transform your persona. Over the weekend I was interviewed on my presentation as well as on presenting and it got me thinking about how I present. So I'm going to go through 7 main points that allow me to have good presentations and also help me feel comfortable.

Know your presentation and its topic. There are no two ways about it. The only way you are going to have good presentation and feel comfortable and confident is if you know everything there is to know about the topic and your presentation.
Use examples when possible. People are better able understand your presentation if you can give real world examples they can relate to.
Keep your slides clean and simple. Slides should be used as visual cues as opposed to information(exception;info graphics and numerical data). I like to use the slides for visual cues for both my audience and myself. Remember you are the focus of your audience not the slide. If the slide is full of words they will spend more time reading it than listening to you.
Practice but don't rehearse. The worst thing you can do when you present is to try and rehearse exactly what you want to say. What would happen is with the added pressure of a real audience you will become nervous and may forget tiny details which my fluster you. However it is important to actually say the presentation out loud when practising as it helps build confidence, and also allows you to really critique your presentation.
Be confident. How an you expect the audience to embrace what you said if you haven't?
Don't present. It might sound weird I know. But something that I try to do is not actually present but rather engage. You need to talk to your audience. You need to connect to them so that each person in the room feels that you are talking to them and not a crowd. This also helps you gauge the reaction of people in the room, to know when to emphasis on a point or when to move on. (Tip – During your presentation pick out two people who appear interested in what your saying. Make regular eye contact with them and it will help your confidence. Also nothing is wrong with having one or two of your good friends in the crowd to just nod and give you confidence, I did it for my first one:)).
Lastly you need to have fun. Unless your presenting on a topic that is socially bad(example crime), try to be happy, laugh, smile, make jokes, and have fun. It's no secret a smile in contagious. A smile helps you feel relaxed, at ease, and helps pick up your mood. Not taking yourself too seriously also does wonders. So if your up there, might as well have fun:)

Like everyone I have my flaws in presenting and have a lot to still learn. These are just some pointers that have helped me with my presentations. I've attached a small clip of my presenting “Flow's World” after the jump.

An Amazing weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Bengo) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 01:30:00 +0000

Just completed one of the most interesting weekends of my life. I was involved in a open fair put off by Flow Trinidad(an internet, cable, and telephone company). I helped launch a new product that my family's company launched,(http://ilearntt.com/). It was the first time I presented to the public, first time I was on Tv, and also the first time I've ever been interviewed. If my writing flow seems a bit off my apologies, it's the result of 3 days of intense energy:) I'm off to bed now and would provide more details and links tomorrow.

Low Financial Risk

noreply@blogger.com (Bengo) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 01:58:00 +0000

In my last blog I spoke about a good way to get started with a business. In this entry I would speak about one of the benefits of this type of start up. The first one is low financial risk. Its no secret that many start ups no matter how small require a certain amount of financial capital. However investing quickly into these business ventures can be disastrous.
People have been known to misread business and market trends which leads to failed businesses. Young entrepreneurs have also been known underestimate the financial costs and benefits that come with the services or products they offer. This is why a sort of organic growth is beneficial as it allows the entrepreneur to get first hand experience with the potential customers as well as the potential pit falls that might be unseen so far. This may help the business in one way or another. A possible outcome of this approach would be the realization that a slight change of the product is the difference between success and failure.

Life is a journey not a destination, so is a start up

noreply@blogger.com (Bengo) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:54:00 +0000

Everyone loves launches. Free giveaways, lots of hype, and publicity. It's like showing people a finished painting of your idea. Having a launch and starting your business with all the bells and whistles has its benefits. Customers find out about all the services you have to offer, get an idea of what the intended brand is, and you benefit from that initial boost in publicity. However it does have its downfalls. There risk of losing the financial investment by misreading markets and trends, and the host of other little problems. The biggest problem though is it might never happen.

People who dream of owning a business, small or big, spend a lot of time thinking about it. We spend time thinking about what services we can offer, all the investment and equipment needed, marketing, and even the lifestyle owning a company would bring. However thinking about all these things and planning an 'official' launch tends to make the whole venture daunting and sometimes causes us to keep pushing it off.

The solution? Start small

Start thinking you are already in business and work with what you have. Starting small and just doing odd jobs that relate to your bigger business plan would help you take the first plunge into the world of entrepreneurship. Slowly you would start to see your company becoming more of a reality rather than a distant dream, allowing the company to grow organically. Who knows it might even take your idea down a different path your originally planned. There are a number of benefits to this type of start up, lower financial risk, quicker start up, and better customer knowledge. In my next blogs I would go on to shortly explain each benefit.