1) The May FiBA presentation was a blast and lasted for about an hour. Questions were great, interest was high, energy was up, and feedback has been resoundingly positive. I’ve had the opportunity to follow up with quite a few attendees and would love to do another session sometime soon. Here’s the Powerpoint I used if you’re curious…

2) Not long after the meeting, I received a surprise call from Atlanta, GA. The founder of a local nonprofit saw the Criollo and Brix Websites featured in the WooThemes April Showcase. She liked what she saw, got in touch, and For Food’s Sake had a new online community within a couple of weeks, just in time for its first anniversary in June.

SIDEBAR: I have to take just a moment to sing the praises of WordPress. It’s powerful, flexible, extensible, free, open source, supported by a devoted community of users, and can empower even non-technical users to take control of their Websites. There’s really no other online publishing platform that could have enabled us to turn the For Food’s Sake project around so quickly, so affordably, so collaboratively, and with such great results.

3) June also marked the inaugural month of search-engine optimization and marketing work for Williams and Flagstaff-based Mountain Goat Air Tours. Not much more to say yet — we’re still in the early stages of a 90-day initial plan that will hopefully continue into the fall — but I’ll be excited to see (and share) some results after a bit more time has passed.

4) Just last week, we also wrapped up some work with Intrinsic Consulting on a proposal for the Coconino National Forest that includes the integration of technology tools into a public-meeting and planning process. If we are awarded the contract, this will be an amazing project, one that includes but also goes well beyond Sweet Lid’s ususal Web-design-and-online-marketing focus. Even if we aren’t awarded the project, I have to say that Dexter and Jason at Intrinsic are true professionals, and it was a pleasure working through the proposal with them.

So that’s it for now. This month, I’m looking forward to continuing Web work for Brix and Criollo, increasing Mountain Goat Air Tours‘ Web traffic and visibility, and possibly helping local photographer friends (Kristen and Keiji) enhance their current Flash-based sites with a couple of search-engine-magnet WordPress photoblogs. And — oh, yeah, almost forgot — having a baby. (Can’t wait to meet you, Camille!)

‘Til next time,

Brad

FiBA PRESENTATION by Business Member BRAD KAMRADT — open to all.
$10 ENTRY for not-yet-FiBA-members, FREE TO FiBA MEMBERS!

Thursday, May 13 … 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Downtown Greenhouse

Online Survey and RSVP: http://www.sweetlid.com/contact/fiba-rsvp/

It’s often said that every business needs a Web site, but just having a site isn’t enough — you need a plan to make it work for you. Join us for a presentation and discussion led by FiBA member Brad Kamradt of Sweet Lid Solutions as we demystify Web development and help you jump-start your online marketing plan.

Planned topics include how and why to get started, what to do AFTER you launch a Web site, handling search engines, and moving beyond the hype of “Web 2.0″ and “social media” buzzwords. Whether you’re a FiBA member or not — whether you’re planning to attend or not — we’d appreciate a few minutes of your time to complete this online survey so we can tailor the event to your questions and needs: http://www.sweetlid.com/contact/fiba-rsvp/

Sweet Lid, however, has been plenty busy during the past few months: The Brix and Criollo Websites launched successfully in December, and we’re continuing to work with the owners and management team to slowly but surely develop the sites and implement online media and marketing strategies. TeamMastermind was back not long ago for another site enhancement in the form of a recently released Northern Arizona University research study on the efficacy of their curriculum. And, most exciting of all, we’ve just launched a brand new site for High Country MotorCycle & ATV Center, their first foray into the world of online media.

It has to be said that I feel fortunate to have such great clients. They respect the creative and technical process — and sometimes unpredictable nature — of designing and developing Websites and implementing strategies. Pretty much the opposite of what’s depicted here: “How a Web Design Goes Straight to Hell“. Bottom line: I’ve been in situations much like that one, and it’s pretty f’ing horrible. It’s nice to feel valued for the expertise and ideas you bring to the table, and treated as a colleague and trusted advisor rather than a mere hired gun. (Thank you!)

So, having said all that, the only other news is that I have joined the Flagstaff Independent Business Alliance and will be attending my first meeting tomorrow night. It’s an “elevator-minute” “speed dating” event where members get to meet one another and, I suppose, pitch goods and services. Should be interesting, to say the least. Hopefully, my next project and outstanding client is waiting for me there. Even if the meeting isn’t fruitful in that respect, I’m looking forward to getting involved in an organization whose mission and goals I believe in. I’ll let you know how it goes … eventually.

‘Til next time,

Brad

1) Getting Things Done: Still liking the GTD philosophy and methodology. Definitely recommended for anyone who needs structure and inspiration to manage all the “stuff” that typically exceeds your available “psychic RAM.” At this point, I credit GTD with keeping day-job work from encroaching on home life for the past month and a half while also boosting my productivity at the office. Haven’t exactly gotten around to implementing a “trusted system” at home yet, but making and breaking habits takes time.

2) Portfolio Update: Our portfolio has been updated with a new format for client listings and a couple of previously unpublished concepts. Hopefully, everyone finds the more streamlined and visual approach to be useful and accessible. (We’re pretty psyched about the lightbox effect for the thumbnails if nothing else.)

3) Growing Pains: Some interesting shifts in the aims and goals of Sweet Lid lately, inspired by the creeping realization that picking up work on the side for extra cash is not the same as building a legitimate business. The difference? Moonlighting can be a pretty reactive endeavor — “You need what?” “Sure, I can do that!” — while a nascent business enterprise needs to be much more proactive. Accordingly, expect some changes around here in the near future that reflect a more focused Sweet Lid Solutions. (And much thanks to Annette Zinky and Kurt Haskell of the Coconino Community College Small Business Development Center for their continued help crafting a new vision.)

4) Prospects: We’re in talks with a local motorcycle and ATV shop to build a simple website with planned future expansion. Could be an interesting project, potentially including a mobile-friendly version of the site and monetization via affiliate links and advertising. Also hoping to help a local music-equipment manufacturer to integrate their brands on a single, modern website that includes a multimedia showcase and e-commerce. Finally, we’re working on a few online business concepts of our own designed to serve the Flagstaff community. Stay tuned!

5) The Future of the Blog: Chronicling the continued development of Sweet Lid Solutions seems obvious. It might also be interesting to go back to the beginning and discuss the steps, trials, and tribulations involved in initially setting up our Website and blog. I’m also considering a series of posts that start to address the Sweet Lid philosophy, our chosen tools and partner services, and other special topics that would essentially become a client FAQ. Finally, it might also be interesting to take requests for topics from anyone who might be paying attention, so…

Leave a comment. Ask a question. Contact us. Join the discussion.

‘Til next time!

Don’t get me wrong: I really like the idea of communicating this way. Writing in any form can be productive and valuable, fun and rewarding. But blogging, in and of itself, just isn’t a critical part of my health and happiness regimen right now. At the risk of sounding like a zealot, the truth is I’ve been too busy getting things done to worry about a blog.

My personal agenda at the moment seems to have room for the following and not much more:

1. handle the day job so it doesn’t encroach on my evenings and weekends,
2. use my evenings and weekends to develop Sweet Lid and serve clientele, and
3. take care of myself and my wife — mentally, physically, and spiritually.

Accordingly, about two-and-a-half weeks ago, I marched into work focused on one singular goal: Beat 300 unread emails — some dating back several months — into submission as quickly as possible. Armed with armed with a few, simple GTD-inspired strategies, I managed to whittle a mountain of emails down to a molehill in just a few days. And then, miraculously, even the molehill was gone.

Not long afterwards, one of my colleagues remarked that I seemed to be in a good mood. Now I enjoy what I do, but I’ve never really been a “whistle while you work” kind of guy. The fact that my coworker noticed an almost immediate difference in my workplace mood and demeanor seems to confirm the promise of GTD: A sense of sense of accomplishment, empowerment, and freedom from the psychic baggage of carrying too much around in one’s noggin.

The GTD-inspired concepts I applied to tame my virtual workspace are simple and have become my own trusted mini system:

1. If an email communiqué or related task can be dealt with in just a few minutes, handle it immediately. Intuitively. Proactively.
2. As soon as an email has been dealt with, delete it. Without hesitation. No mercy!
3. If an email doesn’t require any action, delete it. On the spot. It’s noise at that point, an unnecessary distraction.
4. If an email seems necessary for future reference but requires no immediate action, file it away … and fast. (And don’t worry about an elaborate folder system; odds are the email will end up in one of only a few places. Odds are it won’t be needed again anyway.)
5. If an email requires follow up at a later date, create a “tickler” event in the good ol’ Outlook calendar so it can be dealt with at a future date and time. Copy important information from the email into the tickler, and delete that sucker.

This kind of approach to work — and living — may seem elementary or second nature to some, but it’s been revelatory for me. Bottom line: I feel more productive, more creative, and more in control of my workload than I have in ages.

GTD hasn’t been some kind of panacea, and I’m a long way from having a system that spans all facets of my busy life. I still need to subdue my physical workspace at the office, finish reading “Getting Things Done,” and apply the above and other new principles to my homestead and Sweet Lid endeavors. It will take time, energy, and the continued development of a whole new system, a whole new set of habits. But the promise is there, and I’m excited to see where it all goes.

My next big step is OmniFocus, a software application for “personal productivity and peace of mind.” Designed around GTD methodologies and ideas, I’m hoping it can help me start to apply these concepts outside of the office, outside of the context of Outlook.

Should be fun. “See” you in a couple of weeks with an update.

Anyone who knows me well also knows that I’ve generally cruised through a lifetime of school, relationships, and workplaces without any real system to back me up. And why would I need backup? Or a system? Flying solo, all things have seemed possible and, for the most part, manageable. Recently, though, with a new wife and a new life to contend with, I’ve been forced to acknowledge that my attention is stretched thin, my brain is itchier than ever, and my anxiety levels are on the rise.

In short, I have reached critical mass. There are bills to pay. A future to save and plan for. More overhead than ever before. I have a full-time job and a weekend gig that is helping to bankroll a part-time start-up business. I have a spouse to see through nursing school and a household to help maintain. I have loyal, loving friends and family — not to mention two dogs and a cat — who deserve far more attention than I seem able to provide on a regular basis. And I have a slew of personal development and creative projects waiting in the wings that I never have enough spare time and energy for.

I take all of the commitments listed above very seriously, and my inability to give each and every one of them the attention they deserve can be demoralizing at times. By the same token, it’s been a humbling process to finally accept that my brain alone is not enough. Call it catharsis, an epiphany, or a moment of clarity if you will, but I am ready to embrace the previously unthinkable. Hello. My name is Brad, and I can’t do it alone anymore. I need help. I need to channel this newfound humility into increased productivity. I need … ugh … a system.

Enter “Getting Things Done.” Maybe. After spending a great deal of the past week in a state of option paralysis while investigating every to-do list and task-management tip, technique, and iPhone app I could find, I finally arrived at the conclusion that the illustrious, infamous Getting Things Done (GTD) system may be my ticket out of brain-overload hell.

At this point, I admittedly don’t know much about GTD, but a few compelling details from my scatter-shot research have lodged in my brainpan:

• GTD has an almost cult-like following, including legions of young, tech-savvy, creative types.
• David Allen may have spent time in a mental institution and time consulting new-age spiritual advisors before writing the original, best-selling “Getting Things Done” in 2001.
• GTD is based, in part, on the idea that productivity and relaxation have a symbiotic relationship, and that a “system you can trust” can lead to a “mind like water” and unleashed creativity and potential.

That all sounds pretty good to me, even — perhaps especially — the bit about the mental institution and spiritual advisors. If GTD can help me better manage my life, keep me out of the looney bin, and eliminate the temptation to go Krishna and escape from it all, then I’m all for it.

This morning, instead of succumbing to temptation and jetting to the local Cineplex for a matinee, I went to the local bookstore, bought a copy of “Getting Things Done,” and ran some errands. The rest of the day quickly slipped away to work and running around town, but I am proud to say that I checked off a few important items from my bloated mental list.

Next up: Read the book. Try out the system. Get things done.

I’ll let you know how it goes.