04/21/16

Growth – CEOs Only – The Personal Cost

Big Red Car here in a slightly rainy ATX. Rain makes the green grass grow and startup companies are focused on growing, also. They call it scaling, growth. But it just means getting bigger and stronger and more powerful. Growth, it’s not for sissies.

So, the Big Red Car is eavesdropping on a couple of The Boss’s conversations with some of his brilliant CEOs and the discussion wanders into the personal costs of growth.

CEOs will find themselves changing their relationships within the company as they grow. It is inevitable and you cannot change it. It is hard work. It can get messy.

Italy 2010 Computer 020

That co-founder? The one who could not scale with the company?

You have to deal with it. Here’s how.

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04/18/16

Oil, Keep An Eye on Oil

Big Red Car here with gasoline prices in the ATX now at a low of $1.69/gallon at Sam’s Club in South Austin where it was about $1.49/gallon less than two months ago. It’s all about the price of oil. Wow!

Still, that is historically cheap.

Big news in the last few days out of Doha — the OPEC + Russia countries were unable to agree to freeze oil production at current levels through the end of 2016.

Saudi oil pic

The fly in the ointment?

You guessed it — Iran.

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04/12/16

Changing CEOs — What Is The Process?

Big Red Car here in the ATX waiting on another dawn and another great day cause this is Austin by God Texas. On Earth as it is in Texas!

So, today, we chat about the orderly change of command when you get a new CEO. This is really targeted on current CEOs and to be new CEOs.

Nobody ever talks about how CEOs hand companies over to new CEOs because it is often accomplished at the end of a plank when a CEO is unceremoniously deleted — no, I meant “fired” or “terminated” or sent to “pursue other interests.” No, I meant fired. Sorry.

It happens.

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04/11/16

Financing Donald Trump’s Wall — EASY!

Big Red Car here in the ATX on a lovely day. Got a call from Donald Trump, who said, “Big Red Car, you’re handy with numbers, right?” Before he said anything else, I knew he was talking about the WALL.

“Yes, Donald, I am,” says I.

“How would YOU finance the WALL, Big Red Car?”

To which I reply, “Well, Donald, I’d put a little tariff on imports and exports. That’s what I’d do.”

“Will that work, Big Red Car?” asks That Donald.

“Of course, it’ll work, Donald.”

“Thanks, Big Red Car.”

“Best to Melania, Donnie. See you when the WALL is finished.”

[Melania loves the Big Red Car. Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuge!]

Melania Trump pic

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04/10/16

Beclowning the Presidency

Big Red Car here in the 66F early morning looking for a few clouds and an 84F high. Ahhh, the last vestiges of winter are very nice in the ATX. [What does beclowning mean, Big Red Car? Forget the weather report, beclowning?]

So, enroute to the morning news shows and then church the Big Red Car is torn by the current nature of the American presidency and the hunt for the next President.

It is only eight months until election day. It is happening, y’all. New President, y’all. Can’t wait!

We are engaged in what can only be described as a circus of a primary season. Netflix is complaining that their viewership is being diverted to the media coverage of the campaign.

Others are just adapting and getting into clown costumes to go with the flow. [Who says Hillary won’t do anything to get elected?]

Hillary clown nose pic

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04/7/16

The Curious Reality of the Minimum Wage

Big Red Car here on a glorious ATX day. On Earth as it is in Texas, y’all. Today, we turn our focus on the minimum wage.

The current Federal minimum wage is $7.25/hour.

Individual states may have legislation setting another standard within their states. As an example, California has a $10.00/hour minimum wage which will increase to $15.00/hour by 1 January 2022 (1 Jan 2023 for businesses with 25 or fewer employees). Thereafter, it increases annually with inflation and the Governor of California may suspend increases if economic conditions suggest such a course of action is prudent.

Note that for all of California’s goofiness, it takes six years to get to $15.00/hour.

You may be tempted to suggest that the new California law feels like a head fake. Maybe so?

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04/6/16

Democracy v Delegates

Big Red Car here on the morning after a shellacking by Ted Cruz on Donald Trump in Wisconsin. Well played, Lying Ted.

Lying Ted took 36 delegates while Bombastic Donald was left with table scraps of 6 delegates. Donald can’t be happy with that, can he? Hell, he even brought Melania to stump for him. Strong. Very strong!

All this talk of delegates. I thought we were a democracy and just “electing” a nominee. Right? Hey, Big Red Car, right?

Haha, so charming you are. Let me catch my breath and carsplain this to y’all.

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