I am sick. This is good for you because I write better when I’m sick. I don’t give a shit if anybody likes what I have to say, so I just say it. Like Chris Rock, but whiter. Or Johnny Truant, but prettier.

So how did the seminar go?

I did my first ever in-person seminar the other day and it was killer. I won’t tell you what I talked about because then I can’t charge you to come to the Canadian version later, but I will say that the intrepid souls who braved the trip and the risk made me very happy indeed.

I met Mark Benjamin who is brave enough to be honest about not having been born passionate about selling widgets on the internet. He’s about to launch a new quit smoking mp3 download and is using the proceeds to travel the world. Pretty cool, huh? Read More

So today, I thought it might make sense to talk about the very first thing I tried in my online commerce fiesta, and also the thing I’ve had the least success with: selling a physical product. Because it was my first large venture, I have a fair amount to say about it. But, because it hasn’t been a runaway hit, you may not care if I say it.

Meh. You might as well read this anyway, because otherwise you have to get back to work. Or maybe surf for porn. (If it’s the latter, go ahead. I’d make the same choice.)

So here’s what happened. Read More

I am writing this for you today because my husband Jamie, the best husband in the history of marriage, has taken Jack away. I don’t know where he’s taken him and I don’t care. All I care about is that he’s gone.

Because Jack has become three. He’s not actually three until September but in his head, he’s totally three. If you are a parent, you understand that THREE IS ALWAYS WORSE THAN TWO.

Why? Because nobody fucking WARNS you about three. Three is “why?” Three is “whasSAT for?” Three is “whassat MEAN?” Three is “what does G mean?” Three is “what time is it?” Three is “what time is it?” Three is “what does time mean?” Three is “what does nine cocks mean?” Read More

I know a guy who lives in northern Ontario. The economy kind of sucks up there and for a variety of reasons, he can’t get a conventional job. His skill set is limited, he doesn’t have a lot of spare time to work and competition for traditional small town ittybiz options (lawn cutting, snow shovelling, that sort of thing) is high.

He does, however, have one particularly unique skill.

He has freakishly good luck when he hunts. I don’t know a whole lot about hunting, but I know you don’t score a dead deer every time you take a walk. It’s an art and a science, and not every buffoon with a rifle gets to take home venison steaks.

So this guy decides to create a business as a hunting guide. He comes with you when you hunt. He finds them, you shoot them. Read More

Ten minutes ago as I write this, I was begging to spend $60 for a service that I didn’t really, on any normal level, need or want at all. It was a surreal demonstration of the power of urgency-based purchasing.

Wait.

Wait, before you start expecting me to write something all deep and shit.

Let me be honest. I’m sort of on vacation here. I hope you’re okay with this being a laid-back sort of post, with a laid-back sort of point to it. I’m going to tell a story, and it has a moral, but I’m going to kind of saunter up to it slowly while holding a beer. Hope you’re cool with that.

Let me explain. Read More