How often are you wrong?  What I mean is, how often do you admit that you are wrong?  We are all wrong at least some of the times on issues that are not subjective; you recall a birthday as Feb 3rd instead of March 3rd, you forget that you take a left on Main St then a right on Elm St when giving directions to a friend, etc.  We are all wrong some of the time.  Understanding why we are wrong, how perception influences our level of trust, and what we can do about it is the subject of Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error by Kathryn Schulz.

Today I am going to discuss a takeaway idea from the Being Wrong.  As with any book, there are tons more great ideas that can be gleaned from the pages so be sure to check this one out.

Takeaway #1 from Being Wrong

This takeaway idea is from page 151,

Imagine yourself at a party.  Everyone is having a great time.  You just finished a conversation about your favorite subject, underwater basket weaving, with the foremost expert in the world.  Your head is spinning with ideas of baskets and scuba gear.  You take a moment to jot down a few notes and head over to a smallish group of people talking about stock investing.

You are no expert but hey, you know a bit more than the average bear.  Always looking to learn more, you join in on the conversation about a particular company stock.  Suddenly, the speaker is interrupted by another guest.  This guy is a real piece of work, being rude, and telling everyone how great this new company is and how everyone would be an idiot if they didn’t invest now.

So, are you going to trust the information you just heard?  What if you found out that the annoying guy was a multi-millionaire stock investor, how about now?  According to the book, we are more likely going to dismiss the information because of the source was disagreeable.  Most often, you are not going to research the company simply because the guy you heard if from was a jerk.

How can we apply that in business?  Customers are more likely to do business with you if your company is familiar and agreeable.  In fact, they are more likely to trust the information you provide simply because you are familiar and agreeable.  If your company is not active on social media, they are missing an opportunity to become familiar with potential and existing customers.  If you are not participating in a community of people, either online or off, you are making it much harder for people to become familiar with your company.

Not convienced?  How many times have you purchased a product from a company (Amazon maybe…) because they are familiar?  How brand-loyal are you?  Do you consider the lesser known brands to be the same quality as the big brands?  These are all examples of the takeaway idea from Being Wrong, that we accept information (quality, value, etc) from sources we are familiar with and trust (brands, favorite stores, etc)

Here are a few more resources by Kathryn Schulz and error:

• TED Talk - Kathryn Schulz: On being wrong
• Freakonomics.com - The United Mistakes of America

If you haven’t read it yet, Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error by Kathryn Schulz. is a great book and I highly suggest that you put it on your reading list.  Remember, just one idea can change your life and who knows, this book may help you find it. This takeaway idea is just a small piece of the great ideas in the book.  Go read it for yourself and let it change your life.

Do you rely too much on trusted sources without verifying the accuracy of the information?

(Note:  Many of the links on this page are affiliate links.  If you choose to purchase via these links, thank you.)

Thanks for reading Takeaway Ideas – Being Wrong. I would like to know what you think and get your feedback on this post, so please leave a comment. If you like the post, be a hero and share it with your Facebook friends. If you would like to stay up-to-date with new blog posts, subscribe to the RSS feed. Have a great day.

The post Takeaway Ideas – Being Wrong appeared first on Book Worm Laser & Design.

Have you read these posts?

1. Takeaway Ideas – The Idea Hunter
2. Takeaway Ideas – Meatball Sundae
3. Takeaway Ideas – Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain

Welcome to Can You Etch It

Reading is a great way to learn.  It’s said that the person you will be in five years will depend on two things: who you meet and the books you read.  Some people enjoy fiction but for me, reading is a great way to learn.  Imagine learning from the best teachers, not just in your town, but in the world.  Well, let’s not stop there; imagine learning from the best teachers throughout history.

Having the best teachers does no good if you don’t apply the knowledge you learn.  It’s hard to keep all that knowledge rolling around in your head so notes play a vital role in learning.  This project helps me take notes by providing a place to store the flags used in my system.  You can read more about how I read a book in this article.

Why laser engrave a bookmark?

Having the right tool for the job is vital for efficiency.  It also helps if we like our tools and have a sense of pride in them.  Sure, any scrap of paper can serve as a bookmark but is that the best solution?  Probably not but sometimes, you just have to make due.  Version 1 of my bookmark was made from card stock and packing tape.  Today’s project is version 2.

For the design, I choose to include the Book Worm Laser & Design logo (naturally) and some of the books I have read recently.  Those books include:

• The Personal MBA
• The Art of Non-Conformity
• Being Wrong
• Switch
• Drive
• A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
• The War of Art
• The Power of Habit
• Smarter, Faster, Cheaper
• Creativity
• Linchpin
• 48 Days to the Work You Love
• The Art of Possibility
• A Book of Five Rings
• The Power of Less

All are great books.  Most are focused on business and productivity and all have improved my life in some way.  Click on the links to learn about one takeaway idea that I learned and applied.

Here is the video showing the bookmark being engraved and cut. The design took about 7 minutes so it’s playing much faster than it actually engraved.  At the end of the video you can final result along with a picture of the bookmark in use. For a better look at the pictures, check out the end of the post.

Don’t miss a single episode of Can You Etch It; sign up for the Can You Etch It RSS feed or subscribe to the Book Worm Laser & Design YouTube channel.

Subscribe to the Book Worm Laser & Design YouTube channel
so you don’t miss a minute of video

Can You Etch It Roundup

For those of you who are keeping score, here’s the list so far: a bookmark, nesting boxes, woodworking templates, manhole cover coaster, armadillo notepad, wooden postcard, a mat board picture frame, a mat board ruler, a hammer award, mini clip boards, an anodized aluminum ruler, hair bow, a couple of American Flags, a gift card holder, plastic labels, South Dakota frig magnet, a few failed light switch plates, a taco shell, Mount Rushmore coasters, house numbers, a cutting board, 6 social media icons, a mirror, a hand-drawn robot design, a CD jewel case, a pair of drum sticks, a luggage tag, a fishing reel, a couple of impact sockets, a drinking glass, a little industrial labeling, a baseball, a Frappuccino bottle, a tennis ball, 12 Scrabble tiles, a custom ink stamp, Thank You cards, M&M’s, a slice of bread, a clothes pin, a cinnamon stick, a sweet potato, a walnut, and a toothpick.

Let me know if you have any suggestions for future installments.  Have a great weekend.

Don’t miss a single episode of Can You Etch It.  Subscribe to the Can You Etch It RSS feed

Thanks for reading Can You Etch It – Laser Engraved Bookmark. I would like to know what you think and get your feedback on this post, so please leave a comment. If you like the post, be a hero and share it with your Facebook friends. If you would like to stay up-to-date with new blog posts, subscribe to the RSS feed. Have a great day.

The post Can You Etch It – Laser Engraved Bookmark appeared first on Book Worm Laser & Design.

Have you read these posts?

1. Can You Etch It – Laser Engraved and Cut Mat Board Picture Frame
2. Can You Etch It – Laser Engraved Mat Board Ruler
3. Can You Etch It – Laser Engraved Manhole Cover Coasters

The old way of operating is a good way to run your business into the ground.  We must get our message in sync with our customers and understand their needs. There is too much clutter for anything but a focused message to reach the customers that need your product or services.  You can use a ton of tricks and tips to reach your customers but if you don’t know what they want, all you’re building is a meatball sundae, not something I would want to eat.

Today I am going to discuss a takeaway idea from the Meatball Sundae.  As with any book, there are tons more great ideas that can be gleaned from the pages so be sure to check this one out; you never know where you’ll discover your next big idea.

Takeaway #1 from Meatball Sundae

This takeaway idea is from page 184,

What can you do in your life and business to get in sync?

(Note:  Many of the links on this page are affiliate links.  If you choose to purchase via these links, thank you.)

Thanks for reading Takeaway Ideas – Meatball Sundae. I would like to know what you think and get your feedback on this post, so please leave a comment. If you like the post, be a hero and share it with your Facebook friends. If you would like to stay up-to-date with new blog posts, subscribe to the RSS feed. Have a great day.

The post Takeaway Ideas – Meatball Sundae appeared first on Book Worm Laser & Design.

Have you read these posts?

1. Takeaway ideas – Linchpin by Seth Godin
2. Takeaway Ideas – Being Wrong
3. Takeaway ideas – Switch by Chip & Dan Heath

Welcome to Can You Etch It

Close your eyes and imagine that you are about to give a very special gift to very special someone.  It could be a proposal, it could be a Thank You gift, doesn’t matter.  Picture in your mind the look on the recipients face when you present your gift.  Let your thoughts move to the box, right before it is opened.  Now, pause the scene.  What do you see?

As the old saying goes, good things come in small packages.  Let’s add something to that: Good things come in nice, small packages.  You would not want to present an engagement ring in a paper bag or a nice set of cuff links in a plastic bag.  The presentation matters.  If you don’t think so, imagine how much value you would give to a piece of costume jewelry that is packaged in a very nice box from a jewelry store.  Trust me, the packaging matters.

If the packaging matters so much, how can you make an impact in a world of blah boxes and uninspiring stuff?

One great way is nesting boxes.  We have all seen or heard of people that are given a big box that, when opened, contained a smaller box.  When that box is opened, it contains a smaller box.  This goes on for a while until the smallest box with the good stuff is found.  That gives us a good mental picture of a nesting box.

Now, combine that with laser engraving and a little creativity and you get today’s project.

Why laser cut nesting boxes?

As stated before, packaging is important.  If you are buying a ring, chances are it comes in a box.  And that box looks pretty much like every other ring box out there.  By adding in a little creativity, you can leave a lasting impression not only for your attention to detail (how many people think about something as minor as a box) but for the super cool laser cut box.

After the recipient goes wild at the box and they open it, they see another box, just slightly smaller, nested nicely in the larger box.  This is where laser engraving comes in: One-of-a-kind items are easy to make by hand but making multiple items that are not the same size but slightly smaller can be a challenge.  In this instance, once the design is created digitally, it can be duplicated and re-sized, resulting in a set of nesting boxes.

In our example today, the original box design was created then duplicated at 90% the original size.  The two designs were sent to the laser and cut, resulting in two boxes that are duplicates except for the size.  With a few test runs, you could figure out the exact percent reduction needed to have the boxes nest just right and create a whole set.  Wouldn’t that be better than a ring box that everyone else gets?

Here is the video showing the boxes being cut. The outside shape of the boxes are cut first then the fold lines are engraved.  By engraving the fold lines, putting the box together is simple; just fold along the lines, add a dot of glue, and a little time.  At the end of the video you can see boxes after they are cut out, a little of the folding process, and the final result. For more pictures, check out the end of the post.

Don’t miss a single episode of Can You Etch It; sign up for the Can You Etch It RSS feed or subscribe to the Book Worm Laser & Design YouTube channel.

Subscribe to the Book Worm Laser & Design YouTube channel
so you don’t miss a minute of video

Can You Etch It Roundup

For those of you who are keeping score, here’s the list so far: nesting boxes, woodworking templates, manhole cover coaster, armadillo notepad, wooden postcard, a mat board picture frame, a mat board ruler, a hammer award, mini clip boards, an anodized aluminum ruler, hair bow, a couple of American Flags, a gift card holder, plastic labels, South Dakota frig magnet, a few failed light switch plates, a taco shell, Mount Rushmore coasters, house numbers, a cutting board, 6 social media icons, a mirror, a hand-drawn robot design, a CD jewel case, a pair of drum sticks, a luggage tag, a fishing reel, a couple of impact sockets, a drinking glass, a little industrial labeling, a baseball, a Frappuccino bottle, a tennis ball, 12 Scrabble tiles, a custom ink stamp, Thank You cards, M&M’s, a slice of bread, a clothes pin, a cinnamon stick, a sweet potato, a walnut, and a toothpick.

Let me know if you have any suggestions for future installments.  Have a great weekend.

Don’t miss a single episode of Can You Etch It.  Subscribe to the Can You Etch It RSS feed

Thanks for reading Can You Etch It – Laser Cut Nesting Boxes. I would like to know what you think and get your feedback on this post, so please leave a comment. If you like the post, be a hero and share it with your Facebook friends. If you would like to stay up-to-date with new blog posts, subscribe to the RSS feed. Have a great day.

The post Can You Etch It – Laser Cut Nesting Boxes appeared first on Book Worm Laser & Design.

Have you read these posts?

1. Can You Etch It – Laser Engraved and Cut Mat Board Picture Frame
2. Can You Etch It – Laser Engraved Mat Board Ruler
3. Can You Etch It – Laser Engraved Wooden Postcard

The one that started it all

Welcome to Can You Etch It, the web’s first laser engraving series that specializes in laser engraving strange, unique, and even common items. Today, let’s take a look back at 2012.

2012 was a year full of excitement.  Some of it was good, some was bad, but you and I are forged into better people by both parts, the failures and successes.  For Can You Etch It, 2012 was a great year, a year full of growth.  Here are a few interesting facts:

• The first episode of Can You Etch It was published on December 16, 2011 and featured a laser engraved walnut
• The first video showed an M&M chocolate candy being laser engraved and was published on January 6, 2012
• Overall, there have been 34 videos of laser engraving goodness with over 2300 views on YouTube, Vimeo, Flickr, and this site

Top 3 Can You Etch It Videos from 2012

According to YouTube, the top three most videos are (drum roll please….)

Laser engraved CD case (#18)

Laser engraved baseball (#11)

Laser engraved Mirror (#20)

These three videos account for almost 20% of the views, over 440 views together.  You can see the episode number on the side.  It looks like the end of April was a good time for laser engraving videos with a little help from America’s past time.

Overall, a great start for a video series.  Can’t wait to get started on all the great episodes for 2013.  If you have any ideas for upcoming videos, let me know.  Who knows, you may just earn some laser engraving goodies.  Have a great day

Thanks for reading Can You Etch It – A look back at 2012. I would like to know what you think and get your feedback on this post, so please leave a comment. If you like the post, be a hero and share it with your Facebook friends. If you would like to stay up-to-date with new blog posts, subscribe to the RSS feed. Have a great day.

The post Can You Etch It – A look back at 2012 appeared first on Book Worm Laser & Design.

Have you read these posts?

1. Can You Etch It – Toothpicks
2. Can You Etch It – Most Popular
3. Can You Etch It – Walnuts