Monthly Archives: April 2018

04/24/18

James Shaw Jr — American Hero

James Shaw Jr. is an American hero. Let me tell you about him, may I?

On this night, this man refused to die in a Waffle House at 3:30 AM. He refused to accept his fate. He took matters into his own, capable, strong hands. His actions saved lives, most importantly, his own. He is a great American.

The Antioch Waffle House shooting was an enormous tragedy, but from it emerged an interesting story – that of James Shaw Jr, an unlikely hero who went mano-a-mano with the gunman and wrestled his weapon from him, throwing it behind the Waffle House countertop thereby stopping the killing spree. At 3:30 AM in a Waffle House in Antioch, Tennessee this man found out who he was and he let us in on the secret.

James is a reluctant hero who makes no bones about the proposition that he was acting in his own self-interest. Faced with the highly likely proposition of death, James refused to go quietly into that dark night. If the gunman was going to kill him, it would not be without a fight. It is a strikingly American thought. We Americans will not go without a fight.

What did he do? He attacked the gunman when the gunman was dealing with his weapon – not clear whether the gunman was dealing with a jam or re-loading. James was smart. James picked his moment and acted.

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04/23/18

Revenue, the Essential Nature of Revenue

Revenue. Big Red Car here to talk about revenue. Y’all love revenue as much as the Big Red Car loves revenue?

I think you do.

If you whip out your accounting text, you will read first about operating and non-operating revenue. Scratch a little harder, you will learn about sales, rent, dividends, and interest.

If you are really on your game, you may stumble on “contra” revenue. Contra revenue is discounts and returns.

For what we are doing — startups — the revenue picture is slightly different. Let’s bring it into focus, shall we?

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04/23/18

Building a Fundraising Database

Building a fundraising database, a perfect subject for an incredibly lovely Monday morning in the ATX. Cool, crisp, sunny — ahhh, on Earth as it is is Texas!

So, you are ready to begin fundraising. You need a target list, a database of potential investors. This is true whether you are in the family & friends, angels, syndicated angels, seed funders, or venture capitalists arena. You need to identify the funders.

So, how do you do it?

In our example, I will build on ten such campaigns I have assisted entrepreneurs in the last year.

Remember, you are dealing with people whose job is to invest money. If they don’t invest money, they don’t keep their job. You, dear entrepreneur, are helping them keep their job.

 

It is hard work, but it is not a difficult task.

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04/20/18

Trump on Oil

Trump on oil, Big Red Car?

We woke this morning to a Tweet from our Tweeter-in-Chief picking a long overdue fight with OPEC. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries was formed in 1960 by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.

Currently, it is composed of Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emerates, and Venezuela. Sudan has applied to join. Indonesia was once a member.

[See what odd bedfellows a bit of oil and money creates?]

There is an “observer” class consisting of Egypt, Mexico, Norway, Oman, and Russia.

OPEC produces about 44% of the world’s oil while holding 73% of the world’s proven oil reserves.

OPEC exists to manipulate the price of oil by controlling the level of production thereby driving prices up through artificial scarcity.

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04/19/18

CEO Shoptalk – Setting Standards

There is much to be learned about setting standards by looking at how successful companies do just that.

OMG, it is so damn beautiful in Austin By God Texas, y’all.

Today, we talk about CEOs setting standards taking our inspiration from the recent Amazon shareowner letter which revealed that Amazon Prime had surpassed 100,000,000 members (Big Red Car is one of them).

Here is a link to the Amazon Shareowner 2017 Letter. Read it after you finish this post.

There are a number of interesting things to focus on, but today, I want to focus on the issue of setting standards.

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04/18/18

McDonalds & President Trump

McDonalds? Yes. There is nothing like hearty Scottish food, eh?

So, it is a cloudy, but brilliantly sunny day in the ATX wherein we consider the eating habits of our President to which the Big Red Car protests: “Fake news!”

The Big Red Car does not believe that President Trump actually eats what he is reputed to eat. You be the judge.

The MAGA President Trump reported diet: two Big Macs, two Filet-o-Fish, and a chocolate shake. But is it true or a myth?

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04/16/18

Wrecking a Brand – Mexico

If you live in Texas, as does the Big Red Car, you have an affinity for Mexico. You love Mexico, Mexicans, breakfast tacos, and fajitas. Margaritas get some love also. Texas used to be part of Mexico until that unpleasantness at the Alamo.

It was once fun to go to Mexico until the drug cartels ruined everything. Now, you can only go to an all included resort and never leave the property.

Mexico? Why, Big Red Car?

Because Mexico is the murder capital of the freakin’ world, dear reader.

This is a cartel hit dead body which washed up on the beach in Acapulco. Does this make you want to visit Mexico? Do you love the gawkers?

I read that last year there were 25,000 murders in Guerrero state (home state of Acapulco). That number is so large as to be beyond belief. I am honestly skeptical that it could be correct. It appears to be right, but how can that be? As a frame of reference, there were 17,250 murders in the US in 2017.

There is a war going on in Mexico. Know this. Act accordingly. Be safe. Vacation in Cleveland.

Read this article about murder in Mexico.

But, hey, what the Hell do I really know anyway? I’m just a Big Red Car. Stay home and eat fajitas at Matt’s El Rancho.

04/16/18

Making the Right Decisions v Making Decisions Right

Decisions. Decisions. Decisions. Are you making decisions right? Are you taking the right decisions?

OK, y’all, Big Red Car here on a crisp, sunny Texas spring day. On Earth as it is in Texas!

Today, I am pondering a conversation I had last week with a seasoned CEO who I have known for several years. We worked together and I watched him become an extraordinary CEO. It was a wonder to behold.

Early in our relationship, I sent him my standard “beginning a relationship” questions. It’s called the Startup Company and Small Company Checklist.

The way it works is I want the CEO to read the questions to see whether he can answer them. Not to assign homework, but to give him an idea of how others view the framework of a startup. It is always illuminating to have the first discussion after they read that document.

You can find it and other useful stuff here: FREE STUFF

Just scan it, don’t answer it.

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