<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>Newly Corporate &#187; Work</title>
	<atom:link href="http://newlycorporate.com/category/work/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://newlycorporate.com</link>
	<description>Work, life and the pursuit of happiness for the young professional.</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:39:35 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1</generator>
		<item>
		<title>Guest Post: The Grad School Debate: Back to School or Not?</title>
		<link>http://newlycorporate.com/2012/02/07/guest-post-the-grad-school-debate-back-to-school-or-not/</link>
		<comments>http://newlycorporate.com/2012/02/07/guest-post-the-grad-school-debate-back-to-school-or-not/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:04:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brandon Henak</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[School]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[B School]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business School]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grad School]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Graduate Degree]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://newlycorporate.com/?p=998</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Amanda Green is a guest blogger that has written extensively on the subject of education and business. Many young professionals live in a fluid phase between the worlds of work and school. By definition they are employed and hold jobs, but they also are only years removed from college or grad school – and, for [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2012%2F02%2F07%2Fguest-post-the-grad-school-debate-back-to-school-or-not%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2012%2F02%2F07%2Fguest-post-the-grad-school-debate-back-to-school-or-not%2F&amp;source=bhenak&amp;style=normal&amp;service=bit.ly&amp;b=2" height="61" width="50" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<p><em><a href="http://newlycorporate.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/SchoolOfBusinessEntrepreneur2011-Audience1.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1000" title="Back to School or Not?" src="http://newlycorporate.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/SchoolOfBusinessEntrepreneur2011-Audience1-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a>Amanda Green is a guest blogger that has written extensively on the subject of education and business.<br />
</em></p>
<p>Many young professionals live in a fluid phase between the worlds of work and school. By definition they are employed and hold jobs, but they also are only years removed from college or grad school – and, for many of them, there’s a definite <a href="http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-08-09/strategy/30127256_1_young-professionals-job-market-education">chance that they’ll go back</a>. Some young professionals begin their careers with this mindset, planning to work a couple years after college and then returning for a masters or advanced degree. For others, this decision comes after they have experienced career dissatisfaction and a desire to seek out new opportunities.</p>
<p>The decision to go back to school is not one that should be taken lightly. After all, it often involves quitting your job, suspending your earning potential, and generally putting your career on hold for a degree that may or may not pass off. It also may involve packing up your apartment, filling up uHaul trucks and <a href="http://www.storage-mart.com/">self storage facilities</a>, and moving halfway across the country to attend school. For young professionals with spouses, significant others, or strong geographic ties, such a move carries with it considerable ramifications.</p>
<p>So what should you do? Return to school or stay in the workforce? How can a young professional decide? While the factors that inform this decision are often highly individualized, here are a few Dos and Donts of going back to school:</p>
<p><strong>DO </strong>go back to school if:</p>
<p>-Your current employer is subsidizing the cost or has promised a job upon return<br />
-The degree could either (a) help you concretely in your current career or (b) help you jump start another career<br />
-You have the flexibility to pick up, move for a few years, and then move again<br />
-Workers in your current or intended field are stronger applicants and better employees with a graduate degree<br />
-You know you can commit the time and the effort to succeed<br />
-You can afford making minimal money for a period of time</p>
<p><strong>DON’T </strong>go back to school if:</p>
<p>-You are simply dissatisfied with your current job or career and see school as the best option<br />
-You can’t expect improved job prospects upon receiving the degree<br />
-Money is tight and you would have to take out loans (unless you can be highly confident of getting a quick salary boost after finishing your degree)<br />
-You’d have to uproot a young family and potentially suspend two careers<br />
-You aren’t fully committed to the specialty of the degree or the <a href="http://www.petersons.com/graduate-schools/graduate-school-going-back.aspx">time commitment required</a> to finish it successfully</p>
<p>Ultimately, going back to school will determine a new path that informs the next era of your employment career. If you are unhappy with your current path, see a graduate degree as offering a more promising one, and have the money and flexibility to make it happen, by all means go ahead and get that second degree. But make sure that you are doing so for the right reasons and with the right considerations in mind.</p>
<div id="facebook_like"><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2012%2F02%2F07%2Fguest-post-the-grad-school-debate-back-to-school-or-not%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=500&amp;action=like&amp;font=segoe+ui&amp;colorscheme=light&amp;height=80" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:500px; height:80px;" allowTransparency="true"></iframe></div>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://newlycorporate.com/2012/02/07/guest-post-the-grad-school-debate-back-to-school-or-not/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The iPad Impact: 5 Effects on Work and Leisure</title>
		<link>http://newlycorporate.com/2011/04/20/the-ipad-impact-5-effects-on-work-and-leisure/</link>
		<comments>http://newlycorporate.com/2011/04/20/the-ipad-impact-5-effects-on-work-and-leisure/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 20 Apr 2011 15:24:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brandon Henak</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[apple]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[email]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[information]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[iPad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[news]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[organization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[technology]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://newlycorporate.com/?p=982</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; Yes, I was one of the recent iPad 2 purchasers waiting in line to get the latest technology out of Cupertino. I admit, I said I wouldn&#8217;t but, after experiencing the original and trying the new one out I decided I would make the investment and give it a try.  I couldn&#8217;t be happier [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2011%2F04%2F20%2Fthe-ipad-impact-5-effects-on-work-and-leisure%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2011%2F04%2F20%2Fthe-ipad-impact-5-effects-on-work-and-leisure%2F&amp;source=bhenak&amp;style=normal&amp;service=bit.ly&amp;b=2" height="61" width="50" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="http://newlycorporate.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/20110420-102404.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-981" title="NewlyCorporate iPad" src="http://newlycorporate.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/20110420-102404-300x224.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="224" /></a>Yes, I was one of the recent iPad 2 purchasers waiting in line to get the latest technology out of Cupertino.   I admit, I said I wouldn&#8217;t but, after experiencing the original and trying the new one out I decided I would make the investment and give it a try.  I couldn&#8217;t be happier with my purchase and I&#8217;ll share with you why.</p>
<p><strong>Which iPad Model?</strong></p>
<p>When most people start to consider an iPad the first question that comes to mind is which model do they need.  As it&#8217;s still a relatively new device and I don&#8217;t have enough specific designated uses in mind, I decided to go for one of the cheaper models (16GB, WiFi) to evaluate how I could use it. I decided against the 3G because I don&#8217;t need another recurring cost in my <a href="http://newlycorporate.com/2008/02/07/3-fast-and-easy-budgeting-methods/">budget</a> and if it came down to a situation where I needed it, I would just use the new, cheaper hotspot option on the iPhone. In the end, the base model just made sense.</p>
<p><strong>When to Buy?</strong></p>
<p>I waited for 2 weeks after launch and still had to wait in line.  There are still shortages out there so I would just say call your local Apple store when you&#8217;re ready and see what they have for stock.</p>
<p><strong>Impact So Far</strong></p>
<p>After about a month of usage, here are the areas I have found where the iPad has made a difference:</p>
<p><strong>1. Inbox Zero</strong><br />
I am usually pretty good at staying on top of my inbox but, I rarely get to zero. Before the iPad my inbox count, both personal and work usually hovered between 50 and 100.  The iPad&#8217;s superior and frankly fun to use interface helps me keep it closer to 10 and enables me to read and respond easier than on the iPhone without having to lug out my laptop.</p>
<p><strong>2. Better Information Consumption (Google Reader Zero)</strong><br />
With work and the challenges of <a href="http://newlycorporate.com/2011/03/28/power-gmat-study-plan-for-young-professionals/">the GMAT</a>, my <a href="http://newlycorporate.com/2009/01/16/dont-miss-a-thingcreate-a-personal-re-search-engine/">news reading</a> had suffered for awhile before the iPad.  It was just tough to find the time to work my way through the pile of unread articles, even though I enjoy it and find it enhances my career specific knowledge. The iPad is a great way to consume this kind of information quickly and effectively.  Using apps like Flipboard and Zite, anyone can interact with a wide variety of their personal news feeds all in one great looking, easy to browse place.</p>
<p><strong>3. More Open and Dynamic Computer-Aided Person to Person Interactions</strong><br />
When opened, laptops become a barrier between two people. It&#8217;s only a partial wall but, it has the same effect and the other person either has to wonder what you&#8217;re up to, or try to look over your shoulder.  With the iPad&#8217;s bright, crisp screen people can layout information in front of each other and still effectively interact with it and each other.  It works great for budget reviews, trip planning or anything that requires computing on the fly. No partial walls, no isolation or shoulder peeping.</p>
<p><strong>4. Fast, Engaging One on One Presentations</strong><br />
I recently did a project for an executive where I work and showed up to an update with the iPad. It was a great way to demo the tools involved live and let her actually interact with them by touch. No need to waste time plugging in a projector, no clicking intermediary or waiting for a laptop to turn on/work. Just boom, it&#8217;s right there at their fingertips.</p>
<p><strong>5. Better Meeting Etiquette<br />
</strong>We all know what it&#8217;s like when someone get&#8217;s pulled into a conversation on their laptop when you are in a meeting.  iPads discourage in-meeting distraction by being flat on the table.  Everyone can see if you are taking notes or doing something else.  This transparency actually helps promote focus on what is at hand for everyone involved.</p>
<p>I am still discovering new iPad impacts as it really is a new way to interact on many levels.  What have your experiences been? Please let us know in the comments.</p>
<div id="facebook_like"><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2011%2F04%2F20%2Fthe-ipad-impact-5-effects-on-work-and-leisure%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=500&amp;action=like&amp;font=segoe+ui&amp;colorscheme=light&amp;height=80" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:500px; height:80px;" allowTransparency="true"></iframe></div>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://newlycorporate.com/2011/04/20/the-ipad-impact-5-effects-on-work-and-leisure/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Book Review: How to Get Your Point Across in 30 Seconds or Less</title>
		<link>http://newlycorporate.com/2010/04/23/book-review-how-to-get-your-point-across-in-30-seconds-or-less/</link>
		<comments>http://newlycorporate.com/2010/04/23/book-review-how-to-get-your-point-across-in-30-seconds-or-less/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Apr 2010 20:51:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Zachary Henak</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Book Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Career Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Young Professional]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://newlycorporate.com/?p=936</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A great way to get a head start when you start your professional career is to absorb business-related knowledge from the wide variety of business books available. But which ones are the best? And when should you read them? Are some better to read right away or after you have some experience? Here at Newly [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2010%2F04%2F23%2Fbook-review-how-to-get-your-point-across-in-30-seconds-or-less%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2010%2F04%2F23%2Fbook-review-how-to-get-your-point-across-in-30-seconds-or-less%2F&amp;source=bhenak&amp;style=normal&amp;service=bit.ly&amp;b=2" height="61" width="50" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<p><em><a href="http://newlycorporate.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Books.jpg"><a href="http://newlycorporate.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Books.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-944" title="Books" src="http://newlycorporate.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Books-300x263.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="263" /></a></a>A great way to get a head start when you start your professional career is to absorb business-related knowledge from the wide variety of business books available.  But which ones are the best?  And when should you read them?  Are some better to read right away or after you have some experience?  Here at Newly Corporate we will do our best to focus our book reviews on these questions.  This post is by a new Newly Corporate blogger, Zachary Henak.<br />
</em></p>
<p><strong>Author</strong>: Milo O. Frank<strong><br />
Target Audience</strong>: All Communicators<br />
<strong>Scope</strong>: Any industry or field from management to IT, Oil to Day Care.<br />
<strong>Book Type</strong>: Quick read/reference<br />
<strong>Purpose</strong>: To hone your communication skills for everything from your elevator speech, to writing letters of recommendation, to giving a key note address.<br />
<strong>Primary use</strong>: A tool to focus your objective in any mode of communication.<br />
<strong>Cost</strong>: <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=fRlrHSGeFn4C&amp;printsec=frontcover&amp;dq=How+to+get+your+point+across+in+30+seconds+or+less&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=_dwrQKG-SU&amp;sig=Jh8pSDlEecw-gEHs3CoHPsevp9c&amp;hl=en&amp;ei=qfnRS6-1J9Sc-Ab4u_3EDA&amp;sa=X&amp;oi=book_result&amp;ct=result&amp;resnum=3&amp;ved=0CBQQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false">Read it for Free on Google Books</a>!</p>
<p><strong>My opinion</strong>:<strong><a href="http://newlycorporate.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/howtogetyourpointacross.jpg"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-937" src="http://newlycorporate.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/howtogetyourpointacross.jpg" alt="" width="163" height="250" /></a></strong><br />
The book is a quick read, (a matter of hours), it gives lots of good examples and expanded examples.   However,  its message is simple and best used for developing and improving your planned communications    projects in an &#8220;on demand&#8221; fashion.</p>
<p>I would not suggest it as nightly reading, but more as a tool for presenting requests or ideas to those around you. When you’re looking to quickly make progress, this is a proven system to produce results!</p>
<p><strong>Cliff Notes for the process</strong>:</p>
<p>How to develop a communication piece, a simple but powerful checklist:</p>
<p>1. Know your Objective, Listener, and Approach</p>
<p>2. Ask yourself:</p>
<ul>
<li>What am I talking about?</li>
<li> Who is involved?</li>
<li>Where is it?</li>
<li>When is it?</li>
<li> Why is it?</li>
<li> How do I do it?</li>
</ul>
<p>3.  Check your answers against these questions:</p>
<ul>
<li> Does it reinforce and/or explain my objective?</li>
<li> Does it relate to my Listener?</li>
<li> Does it correspond to my Approach?</li>
</ul>
<p>Start with a hook and end strong with a dramatic call to action.  Give them something tangible to do,<strong> and never take more than 30 seconds</strong>.</p>
<p><strong>Professional Development Timeframe </strong>(The time period one should read this book in after starting their career.): 3 Months</p>
<p>For more great books for young professionals, check out <a href="http://newlycorporate.com/2007/10/03/15-books-for-young-managers-and-how-to-read-them-fast-and-free/">15 Books for Rogue Professionals and How to Read them Fast at No Cost</a>.</p>
<div id="facebook_like"><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2010%2F04%2F23%2Fbook-review-how-to-get-your-point-across-in-30-seconds-or-less%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=500&amp;action=like&amp;font=segoe+ui&amp;colorscheme=light&amp;height=80" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:500px; height:80px;" allowTransparency="true"></iframe></div>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://newlycorporate.com/2010/04/23/book-review-how-to-get-your-point-across-in-30-seconds-or-less/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>3 Tips on Avoiding the Dark Side of Working Weekends</title>
		<link>http://newlycorporate.com/2010/02/03/3-tips-on-avoiding-the-dark-side-of-working-weekends/</link>
		<comments>http://newlycorporate.com/2010/02/03/3-tips-on-avoiding-the-dark-side-of-working-weekends/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:29:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brandon Henak</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Career Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Generation Y]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Weekends]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Young Professional]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://newlycorporate.com/?p=922</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This guest post was contributed by Shannon Wills, an avid reader and contributor to a number of other professional blogs. There are some people who swear that their job is their life, and then there are others who try their very best to prevent their jobs from becoming their lives. It’s different strokes for different [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2010%2F02%2F03%2F3-tips-on-avoiding-the-dark-side-of-working-weekends%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2010%2F02%2F03%2F3-tips-on-avoiding-the-dark-side-of-working-weekends%2F&amp;source=bhenak&amp;style=normal&amp;service=bit.ly&amp;b=2" height="61" width="50" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<p><img class="size-medium wp-image-923 alignright" title="home_office" src="http://newlycorporate.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/home_office-300x222.png" alt="home_office" width="300" height="222" /></p>
<p><em>This guest post was contributed by Shannon Wills, an avid reader and contributor to a number of other professional blogs.</em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">There are some people who swear that their job is their life, and then there are others who try their very best to prevent their jobs from becoming their lives. It’s different strokes for different folks, but no matter which category you belong to, there will come a time when you have to work harder than ever, stay long hours at the office, spend your weekends cooped up in your cubicle, or have to forsake your holiday because an important project just cropped up. Whatever the reason for you to work on a weekend, here are a few things you must remember:</p>
<ul>
<li> <strong>Don’t expect bouquets for it</strong>: While it may prevent you from getting brickbats, don’t assume that working weekends or longer hours is going to get you any kind of appreciation from your boss or supervisor. Rather, your efforts could boomerang on you – if you work a few weekends consecutively, they may even feel disappointed in you when you don’t show up at the office the following week. So if you’re doing this just to get into your boss’s good books, forget the whole idea. I’m not totally dismissing the fact that your efforts will be appreciated, but you have to be prepared to not receive kudos for the extra time you’re putting in.</li>
<li><strong>Don’t use the weekend to catch up on your week’s work</strong>: If you’re working weekends because you’ve goofed away the whole week, then you’re not a hard worker as other people perceive you to be. Rather, your methods are shoddy and inefficient. You’re a regular procrastinator who keeps putting away today’s work for tomorrow, little realizing that tomorrow will come with its own share of work. So get your work done during the week and leave the weekends free for friends, family and yourself.</li>
<li><strong>Working longer hours does not mean you are a better worker</strong>: If you stay all of Saturday and Sunday at the office, from early in the morning till late at night, it doesn’t automatically prove that you’re a good worker. Rather, it shows your inefficiency and your tendency to procrastinate and waste time. When you spend all day at the office doing nothing worthwhile, it is equivalent to not going in to the office at all. Gauge your value as a worker using the amount of work you manage to complete within a certain period of time, not by the amount of time you spend at your desk.</li>
</ul>
<p>Working weekends does not matter unless you’re able to prove to your superiors that you’re worth your weight in gold, that you’re a sincere worker who is responsible towards your work and the company, and that you’d go the extra mile if the need arose.</p>
<p><em>This guest post is contributed by Shannon Wills, she writes on the topic of <a href="http://toponlineengineeringdegree.com/">Online Engineering Degrees</a></em><em> and other professional education topic areas.  She welcomes your comments at shannonwills23@gmail.com or in the comments on this post.</em></p>
<p><em>Photo Credit: <a href="http://super-ivo.com/!sales_copy/images/!resized%20images/home_office.png">Office</a><br />
</em></p>
<div id="facebook_like"><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2010%2F02%2F03%2F3-tips-on-avoiding-the-dark-side-of-working-weekends%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=500&amp;action=like&amp;font=segoe+ui&amp;colorscheme=light&amp;height=80" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:500px; height:80px;" allowTransparency="true"></iframe></div>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://newlycorporate.com/2010/02/03/3-tips-on-avoiding-the-dark-side-of-working-weekends/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Fit Professional Secret 1: A Mid-Day Workout</title>
		<link>http://newlycorporate.com/2010/01/11/fit-professional-secret-1-a-mid-day-workout/</link>
		<comments>http://newlycorporate.com/2010/01/11/fit-professional-secret-1-a-mid-day-workout/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:27:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brandon Henak</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://newlycorporate.com/?p=915</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As young professionals, or any age professionals for that matter, we often struggle to balance heavy workloads with the right amount of exercise to keep us physically fit and focused.  Although we aren&#8217;t perfect here at Newly Corporate, we are going to share which &#8220;secrets&#8221; or strategies have worked best for us, we welcome your [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2010%2F01%2F11%2Ffit-professional-secret-1-a-mid-day-workout%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2010%2F01%2F11%2Ffit-professional-secret-1-a-mid-day-workout%2F&amp;source=bhenak&amp;style=normal&amp;service=bit.ly&amp;b=2" height="61" width="50" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<p><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-916" title="fitness_center" src="http://newlycorporate.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/fitness_center-300x232.jpg" alt="fitness_center" width="300" height="232" />As young professionals, or any age professionals for that matter, we often struggle to balance heavy workloads with the right amount of exercise to keep us physically fit and focused.  Although we aren&#8217;t perfect here at Newly Corporate, we are going to share which &#8220;secrets&#8221; or strategies have worked best for us, we welcome your feedback and additional suggestions as well.</p>
<p>The first &#8220;secret&#8221; is a mid-day workout.  Many workplaces have in-house or nearby gyms with discounted memberships for employees (and showers), especially in this healthcare-sensitive environment.  Taking advantage of these, while sometimes challenging time-wise, can be an easier way to stay in shape than an evening workout.  Here are a few of the benefits:</p>
<p><strong>Mid-Day Workout Benefits</strong></p>
<ol>
<li><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">Working out at noon raises your metabolism for the rest of the day rather than just the evening hours when you work out after work.</span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">A mid-day workout can help you clear your head and take a fresh look at work place challenges in the afternoon.</span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">By choosing to workout in the afternoon you are less likely to shorten your workout due to the desire to go home quickly or do something else.</span></strong></li>
</ol>
<p>There are many benefits to employers too, a healthier workforce is more productive, has fewer sick days and less stress on the job.  If you normally work through lunch, it may mean coming in earlier or staying later but, it makes a huge difference in terms of productivity and well-being. This strategy may not be possible in all positions, jobs or employers but, it comes highly recommended by many health professionals and corporate productivity specialists.</p>
<div id="facebook_like"><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2010%2F01%2F11%2Ffit-professional-secret-1-a-mid-day-workout%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=500&amp;action=like&amp;font=segoe+ui&amp;colorscheme=light&amp;height=80" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:500px; height:80px;" allowTransparency="true"></iframe></div>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://newlycorporate.com/2010/01/11/fit-professional-secret-1-a-mid-day-workout/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>2009 Holiday Gifts For Young Professionals</title>
		<link>http://newlycorporate.com/2009/11/19/2009-holiday-gifts-for-young-professionals/</link>
		<comments>http://newlycorporate.com/2009/11/19/2009-holiday-gifts-for-young-professionals/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:39:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dan</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://newlycorporate.com/?p=905</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It is getting to be that time of year again. It can be hard to shop for twentysomethings, but the team here at Newly Corporate does an annual brainstorm to identify great products for generation Y professionals. We try not to break the bank with our recommendations, but we don&#8217;t discriminate against more expensive objects [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2009%2F11%2F19%2F2009-holiday-gifts-for-young-professionals%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2009%2F11%2F19%2F2009-holiday-gifts-for-young-professionals%2F&amp;source=bhenak&amp;style=normal&amp;service=bit.ly&amp;b=2" height="61" width="50" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<p><img class="size-full wp-image-912 alignright" title="giftcenter-gifts" src="http://newlycorporate.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/giftcenter-gifts.jpg" alt="giftcenter-gifts" width="300" height="300" />It is getting to be that time of year again. It can be hard to shop for twentysomethings, but the team here at Newly Corporate does an annual brainstorm to identify <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&amp;location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Frichpub%2Flistmania%2Ffullview%2FR37V0BWCRFULKW%3Fie%3DUTF8%26redirect%3Dtrue%26ref_%3Dcm%255Flm%255Fpthnk%255Fview%26lm%255Fbb%3D&amp;tag=algomu-20&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957" target="_blank">great products for generation Y professionals</a>. We try not to break the bank with our recommendations, but we don&#8217;t discriminate against more expensive objects of desire either. Everything we link to goes to amazon.com, so feel free to investigate the suggested products as well. We&#8217;re confident you&#8217;ll be able to find something nice for that young professional on your list!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&amp;location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Frichpub%2Flistmania%2Ffullview%2FR37V0BWCRFULKW%3Fie%3DUTF8%26redirect%3Dtrue%26ref_%3Dcm%255Flm%255Fpthnk%255Fview%26lm%255Fbb%3D&amp;tag=algomu-20&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957">See the whole list!</a></p>
<p>1. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001UQ6F4S?tag=algomu-20&amp;camp=213381&amp;creative=390973&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=B001UQ6F4S&amp;adid=1WFY5TJYDN5J666BECQV&amp;">LG Blue-ray player</a> &#8211; It also connects to the internet for Netflix streaming and YouTube viewing.</p>
<p>2. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VBLF7K?tag=algomu-20&amp;camp=213381&amp;creative=390973&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=B000VBLF7K&amp;adid=1AAYP8JKFZ38JDS2YYYG&amp;">Mouse Cushion</a> &#8211; This was so popular last year that we added it again this year. It is a great product for the cubicle warrior!</p>
<p>3. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002FEK400?tag=algomu-20&amp;camp=213381&amp;creative=390973&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=B002FEK400&amp;adid=164VTGQGVHKX13492CFD&amp;">Nike Fit iPod Accessory</a> &#8211; Most of us already own ipods/iphones, and this has to be the #1 accessory. Note: you don&#8217;t need special Nike shoes for this to work. You can just attach it to shoe laces on any shoe.</p>
<p>4. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001F51G1Q?tag=algomu-20&amp;camp=213381&amp;creative=390973&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=B001F51G1Q&amp;adid=0DX5X035BRRTH5B0P2N0&amp;">Logitech Harmony Universal Remote</a> &#8211; Because we need to de-clutter and simplify.</p>
<p>5. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002DN928S?tag=algomu-20&amp;camp=213381&amp;creative=390973&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=B002DN928S&amp;adid=01GKMKW1WD2986Y746ZS&amp;">Garmin GPS With Traffic Info</a> &#8211; GPS units are cool, but they become an everyday need if they can help you avoid traffic!</p>
<p>6. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0024IG906?tag=algomu-20&amp;camp=213381&amp;creative=390973&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=B0024IG906&amp;adid=0316PD2PAY7VDY4DJPQJ&amp;">Big Buck Hunter Home Game</a> &#8211; This is just plain fun, and you don&#8217;t need a console. Just plug it in to your TV.</p>
<p>7. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001UHNRMK?tag=algomu-20&amp;camp=213381&amp;creative=390973&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=B001UHNRMK&amp;adid=1NFW6ZGTATXSJG3VYT7K&amp;">Timbuk2 Laptop Bag</a> &#8211; These are the best! And now it looks a little more &#8220;business like&#8221; with its handle.</p>
<p>8. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/8883701127?tag=algomu-20&amp;camp=213381&amp;creative=390973&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=8883701127&amp;adid=0M1KQJ6X0QG3WHYGHGZ8&amp;">Moleskine Notebook</a> &#8211; A good, high-quality notebook still has a place in this digital world.</p>
<p>9. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001O9ARDG?tag=algomu-20&amp;camp=213381&amp;creative=390973&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=B001O9ARDG&amp;adid=033H2VHW0AZV7ARE2KMC&amp;">Sony Digital Camera</a> &#8211; This is a versatile little pocket camera at a great price. I own this camera and love it.</p>
<p>10. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RI6AE0?tag=algomu-20&amp;camp=213381&amp;creative=390973&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=B000RI6AE0&amp;adid=0TMNQWZP2AYER5DDPREM&amp;">Sigg Water Bottle</a> &#8211; Be eco-friendly with your water drinking.</p>
<p>11. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001OMGCJG?tag=algomu-20&amp;camp=213381&amp;creative=390973&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=B001OMGCJG&amp;adid=0HFT7Q306J85SS4RRECN&amp;">Clothing Steamer</a> &#8211; Never iron again!</p>
<p>That concludes our list. What&#8217;s on yours?</p>
<div id="facebook_like"><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2009%2F11%2F19%2F2009-holiday-gifts-for-young-professionals%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=500&amp;action=like&amp;font=segoe+ui&amp;colorscheme=light&amp;height=80" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:500px; height:80px;" allowTransparency="true"></iframe></div>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://newlycorporate.com/2009/11/19/2009-holiday-gifts-for-young-professionals/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>10</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>10 Lessons from Creating an iPhone Application Start Up (Part 2)</title>
		<link>http://newlycorporate.com/2009/09/30/10-lessons-from-creating-an-iphone-application-start-up-part-2/</link>
		<comments>http://newlycorporate.com/2009/09/30/10-lessons-from-creating-an-iphone-application-start-up-part-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:18:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brandon Henak</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Application]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Entreprenuers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gen Y]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Generation Y]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[iPhone]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Startup]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Young Professional]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://newlycorporate.com/?p=895</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This is the second of a two part series (click here for part one) from a friend of the Newly Corporate bloggers, Eli Gratz.  iPhone Apps and Start Ups are two of the most fascinating things for young professionals today and Eli has done both during his spare time (see http://www.drinkspecialsapp.com)!  I asked him to share [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2009%2F09%2F30%2F10-lessons-from-creating-an-iphone-application-start-up-part-2%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2009%2F09%2F30%2F10-lessons-from-creating-an-iphone-application-start-up-part-2%2F&amp;source=bhenak&amp;style=normal&amp;service=bit.ly&amp;b=2" height="61" width="50" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<p><em>This is the second of a two part series (</em><a href="http://newlycorporate.com/2009/09/28/10-lessons-from-creating-an-iphone-application-start-up-part-1/"><em>click here for part one</em></a><em>) from a friend of the Newly Corporate bloggers, Eli Gratz.  iPhone Apps and Start Ups are two of the most fascinating things for young professionals today and Eli has done both during his spare time (see </em><a style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; color: #005fb2; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" href="http://www.drinkspecialsapp.com/"><em>http://www.drinkspecialsapp.com</em></a><em>)!  I asked him to share some of his experiences creating the Drink Specials App for the iPhone (</em><a href="http://itunes.com/apps/drinkspecials"><em>available in the app store</em></a><em>) and recieved 10 great lessons for young professionals looking to start their own businesses or develop mobile applications!</em></p>
<p><strong><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-896" title="Drink Specials App 1" src="http://newlycorporate.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/IMG_0403-200x300.PNG" alt="Drink Specials App 1" width="200" height="300" />6. Be flexible on your vision, hold to your mission</strong></p>
<p>Any project is a journey, and Drink Specials was no exception.  I origninally pictured only a map-based navigation of a static list of bars and specials sent on iPhone.  Not exciting, not novel, but certainly something.  When I began development (before the iPhone 3.0 release) on the first project that eventually turned into the Drink Specials App, you couldn’t use maps the way you can today because the SDK wasn’t available for maps.  So it was back to the drawing board, or in my case notebook and PowerPoint slides to try and think of new ways to present the information.</p>
<p>It was when I kept thinking through those problems of how I can get to that end state, that I got the idea for the “Verify” button, that let’s users let others know that a special is accurate.  Same with the “Strike” concept, that if 3 users say a special is wrong, it can be removed.    This changed the concept.  This turned a static list into a platform.  This made the specials live and change.  This made the concept something to chase.</p>
<p><strong>7. Input’s important, but it’s not gospel </strong></p>
<p>Through the many, many revisions I have gone through of designs for the application, graphics, business models, and application features, I received tons of feedback from family, friends and vendors on how the app should work, look and feel.  Many of those features ended up in v1.0 which is available now, and many more will be in new versions which are under development.  But I was flush with ideas, and didn’t always have the time to deal with them.</p>
<p>I started a list.  Anything people told me went on the list.  Good, bad or ugly, it got put on the list.  I kept a running note on my iPhone of anything that came to mind.  It’s a long, long list with some immediate updates, and some longer term changes.   The thing to remember is that it’s your concept, not a critic’s.  Be respectful of others ideas, but stick to your guns.  Test your ideas but be flexible.  This process has gotten me to where I am today with Drink Specials, but still, there is a lot to improve, much of which has been brought to me through new sets of eyes on the same problems I see everyday.</p>
<p><strong><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-896" title="Drink Specials App 1" src="http://newlycorporate.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/IMG_0403-200x300.PNG" alt="Drink Specials App 1" width="200" height="300" />8. Know your customer…and it’s not always the user</strong></p>
<p>I always admired great apps that make their developer millions and let them quit their jobs and just think app all day.  Yeah, that’s not most people.  75,000 apps in the App Store, and only a few examples of run away hits, many of whom began with the introduction of iPhone and the SDK when there were very fews apps out there at all.  Cutting through the noise, and the speed of success change with competition.</p>
<p>In my case, I quickly realized my customers were the application user (the <a href="http://itunes.com/apps/drinkspecials">Drink Specials app</a> is available worldwide, but is $1.99 in the US App Store) but also the bar owners.  I think the application will save the users more than the price of the app, but many users just don’t buy many apps.  But dedicated users, who are going to try and find bars to be customers at mean that bars and restaurants now become customers too.</p>
<p>We made offerings for bars that we felt were novel.  Bars can lock their specials from editing by users, and ensure 100% accuracy through private updating (otherwise all specials can be update by users as they change).  This adds value to the bars, the users and to Great Time Apps, which can manage and charge a subscription fee for this.</p>
<p>We also thought that Featuring, like a Google Ad placement, would be great for a bar to show up at the top of the list for a city (while most users sort bars by distance from current location) can draw attention to a bar and it’s specials without disrupting user experience like an ad.</p>
<p>The real gamechanger is our analytics offerings.  We spent time, lots and lots of time, to build in reporting and analytics capabilities into our system so a bar can get details about how popular their bar is.  Imagine that a bar can now see how it measures up to it’s competition for Tuesday Night beer specials within 3 miles by number of user views?  Well now they can.</p>
<p>These synergies, where bars, users and Great Time Apps can all benefit from one another are what make killer products, and also what reinforces the fact that the user isn’t always the customer.</p>
<p><strong><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-898" title="Drink Specials App 3" src="http://newlycorporate.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/IMG_0406-200x300.PNG" alt="Drink Specials App 3" width="200" height="300" />9. It’s a project, not your full-time job!</strong></p>
<p>Anything you are passionate about can consume your time, money and life.  Drink Specials certainly has for me, but it’s something I really enjoy.  It’s something I make sure stays after 5 and doesn’t conflict with or impair my work, besides being a little sleepy sometimes after a long night up with India, but that’s nothing a little sugar free red bull can’t fix.</p>
<p>For a side project, remember the side part.  Don’t use your full-time employers computers, printers, networks, e-mails etc…use your own.  It’s easy to let your thoughts drift, but it’s important to let your hobby be a hobby.</p>
<p><strong>10. You’re not Tim Ferris, don’t move to Rio on Launch Day</strong></p>
<p>This leads me to my last point of the article.  It’s a project (for now), don’t go crazy.  You’re not<a href="http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/"> Tim Ferris</a>.  Give it love and attention, and if it can make sense for your future work/life style jump in and commit to the project as your calling.</p>
<p>For me, the <a href="http://itunes.com/apps/drinkspecials">Drink Specials App</a> is a hobby.  I have most pieces managed independently of me and my time so they can grow and scale without me.  Becoming an app millionaire isn’t likely, and is unlikely to last.  This is important to keep in perspective.  But don’t let that stifle you.  There is a lot to learn through a large side project, lots of skills that make you a better person and even a better employee at a full-time job.  And who knows, your concept might just be one of those lucky few that really takes off, and then you’re pet project becomes your pet full-time, rent dependent gig.</p>
<p>Best of luck, feel free to check out the <a href="http://itunes.com/apps/drinkspecials">App for iPhone</a> or <a href="http://www.Drinkspecialsapp.com">Drinkspecialsapp.com</a>, and let me know if I can do anything to help with your side project: <a href="mailto:Eli@drinkspecialsapp.com">Eli@drinkspecialsapp.com</a></p>
<p>Eli also put together this video of the app, enjoy!<br />
<object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="425" height="344" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6B8hCQIfEII&amp;color1=0x402061&amp;color2=0x9461ca&amp;hl=en&amp;feature=player_embedded&amp;fs=1" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6B8hCQIfEII&amp;color1=0x402061&amp;color2=0x9461ca&amp;hl=en&amp;feature=player_embedded&amp;fs=1" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></p>
<p><em>Come back to </em><a style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; color: #005fb2; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" href="http://www.newlycorporate.com/"><em>NewlyCorporate.com </em></a><em>later in October for an update on the effect of the Drink Specials App Lite! And if you like content like this, don’t forget to </em><a style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; color: #005fb2; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/NewlyCorporate"><em>subscribe</em></a><em>!</em></p>
<div id="facebook_like"><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2009%2F09%2F30%2F10-lessons-from-creating-an-iphone-application-start-up-part-2%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=500&amp;action=like&amp;font=segoe+ui&amp;colorscheme=light&amp;height=80" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:500px; height:80px;" allowTransparency="true"></iframe></div>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://newlycorporate.com/2009/09/30/10-lessons-from-creating-an-iphone-application-start-up-part-2/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>10 Lessons from Creating an iPhone Application Start Up (Part 1)</title>
		<link>http://newlycorporate.com/2009/09/28/10-lessons-from-creating-an-iphone-application-start-up-part-1/</link>
		<comments>http://newlycorporate.com/2009/09/28/10-lessons-from-creating-an-iphone-application-start-up-part-1/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:14:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brandon Henak</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Application]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Entreprenuers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gen Y]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Generation Y]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[iPhone]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Startup]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Young Professional]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://newlycorporate.com/?p=881</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This is the first of a two part series from a friend of the Newly Corporate bloggers, Eli Gratz.  iPhone Apps and Start Ups are two of the most fascinating things for young professionals today and Eli has done both during his spare time(see http://www.drinkspecialsapp.com)!  I asked him to share some of his experiences and [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2009%2F09%2F28%2F10-lessons-from-creating-an-iphone-application-start-up-part-1%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2009%2F09%2F28%2F10-lessons-from-creating-an-iphone-application-start-up-part-1%2F&amp;source=bhenak&amp;style=normal&amp;service=bit.ly&amp;b=2" height="61" width="50" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<p><em>This is the first of a two part series from a friend of the Newly Corporate bloggers, Eli Gratz.  iPhone Apps and Start Ups are two of the most fascinating things for young professionals today and Eli has done both during his spare time(see <a href="http://www.drinkspecialsapp.com">http://www.drinkspecialsapp.com</a>)!  I asked him to share some of his experiences and got 10 great lessons for young professionals looking to start their own businesses or develop mobile applications!  Lessons 5-10 will be posted this Wednesday.</em></p>
<p><a href="http://itunes.com/apps/drinkspecials"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-888" title="Drink Specials App" src="http://newlycorporate.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/dsa_app.png" alt="Drink Specials App" width="185" height="400" /></a>A lot of people ask me about my experience as a first time application developer and new business owner.  They wonder how I got the concept for the <a href="http://itunes.com/apps/drinkspecials">Drink Specials App</a> and I get near constant questions on sales and revenues for the business, Great Time Apps LLC.  For some background, visit <a href="http://www.drinkspecialsapp.com">www.drinkspecialsapp.com</a> or to view the application in iTunes, <a href="http://itunes.com/apps/drinkspecials">http://itunes.com/apps/drinkspecials</a>.  This article will focus on the process and lessons learned so far (a month after product launch and 9 months after initial concept creation) and not on the application itself.<br />
Lesson’s I’ve learned:<br />
<strong>1.  Solve a real problem, and it’s best if it’s your own</strong></p>
<p>This has been very important to me since day 1.  I have lots (and I mean lots) of ideas of varying worth, scale and likelihood of existence, and this is the first question I ask of them: Does this actually solve a problem?  How many people have this problem? (the market)  Is this something you can be the one to solve.</p>
<p>With the Drink Specials App, I am out to solve a simple problem: find accurate, local drink specials quickly.  The problem is that there are lots of lists, but few are up–to-date and/or are easy to navigate when you are out.  Using the power of the iPhone and wireless connectivity, the problem of verifying information is solved by users around the world who can update the info right from the handset…not sitting at home on their computers.</p>
<p><strong>2. Do one thing, and one thing only</strong></p>
<p>This lesson was taught to me by a very successful internet entrepreneur I met who has made his mark in information products.  He said to do one thing.  I hear a lot about how new products and web 2.0 ideas are “craigslist meets facebook with some twitter-like concepts…but about helping people go green”.  It’s too many things!  Only do one thing!</p>
<p>The <a href="http://itunes.com/apps/drinkspecials">Drink Specials App</a> does one thing: helps you find drink specials.  That’s it.  Doesn’t sing to you, doesn’t dance, just does it’s job.  The average time a user will have the app open at any one time is under 2 minutes because it’s a utility.  There when you need it, not there to bother you when you don’t.</p>
<p>To me this is important because it gives you scope, definition and a niche you can play and excel in.  Originally, I had thought this could also be great for live music, event and concert data…but when you would stack it up against something like Eventful.com, it can’t hold a candle.  That’s where it would make sense to partner, not a competitor.</p>
<blockquote><p>The Drink Specials App has a simple mission: Create the World’s largest and most accurate drink specials platform, updated by users</p></blockquote>
<p><strong><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-883" title="bar_special" src="http://newlycorporate.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/bar_special.jpg" alt="bar_special" width="144" height="300" />3. Use experts who do one thing, and one thing only</strong></p>
<p>iPhone has a robust, although often hamstrung, software developer kit (SDK) to allow independent developers to make apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch.  I am not an expert in programming, and if I was going to make an application designed to pass not only Apple’s standards for the App Store but also thousands of users, I would need to consult experts.</p>
<p>I found a group that does only mobile application development (iPhone, Blackberry, Android, Windows Mobile etc…) based in Bangalore, India.  I found that they had expertise in this niche, and began working with them because of it.  Many other companies who I showed the specification to said they knew many, many other technologies, but I wanted people who only did one.</p>
<p>If you need surgery, why go to a general practitioner if you can choose a specialist?</p>
<p>I then needed graphics, so I found an artist out of Vladivostok, Russia who had great work.  And guess what?  She and her partners only do mobile icons and web graphics.  They are niche players and damn good at it.  The team at HookieTookie.com understood my needs and delivered wonderful icons and web art, and they will be my future go to for all application art.</p>
<p><strong>4. Accept the things you cannot change for the sake of the relationship</strong></p>
<p>Often we forget that negotiations are not a one-time-deal.  When I dealt with my development firm in India, we often differed on expectations and interoperations of requirements.  Some was due to language, some was due to time difference (one group was usually tired while meeting), but also, it’s just the natural business exchange between two parties with often opposite interests.</p>
<p>I expected a lot out of the application, and some things are just not possible on the iPhone platform, or I had not included in the original scope of work.  In this case, you need to get creative to solve your problem, given constraints.  I learned that “you never create without constraints” because you don’t have to.  With fixed scope and deadlines, you need to compromise on certain points because the relationship that you need to maintain, for potentially a very long time, is an important fact.  If you drove the letter of the law home everyday, no one is happy.  Who really likes it if you enforce speed limits?</p>
<p><strong><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-884" title="city_list" src="http://newlycorporate.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/city_list.jpg" alt="city_list" width="144" height="300" />5. If you can’t talk about it because others might do it first, it’s not that good of an idea</strong></p>
<p>This is so important.  I found myself thinking of concepts for websites, apps or businesses, but not wanting to talk about them because someone might steal them.  Guess what, if it’s that simple to steal, once it’s successful, someone with more time, more money, more experience will steal it.  Then what for your great idea?  It’s not the quality of the idea; it’s the quality of the execution.</p>
<p>People have created drink directories before.  People will after the <a href="http://itunes.com/apps/drinkspecials">Drink Specials App</a>.  My spin was using the iPhone device, the power of the crowd and committed individuals who share the vision to create something great that is always living and being updated.  It’s not a static website that you can submit changes via e-mail for.  If something isn’t right…fix it…you’ve got the internet in your hand.  The time seems right for this application, and that’s why I was happy to talk about it and share my goals for the application.  I think the network effect of so many users, updating the app constantly create something that is difficult to recreate, and it gets better everyday.</p>
<p>Think about Facebook.  At the start, it wasn’t that exciting.  Even now, it’s fine, but nothing shocking happens on the website itself.  It’s the fact that all your friends are there.  It’s the fact that you can’t really leave, and wouldn’t really want to.  It’s the fact that it’s worldwide, always updating, always current that is the reason it’s a killer app.  Taking those concepts, and applying them to a niche (drink specials), is the reason that this app will reach its goal of being the World’s Largest and Most Accurate Drink Specials Platform, updated by users.</p>
<p><em>Come back to <a href="http://www.newlycorporate.com">NewlyCorporate.com </a>Wednesday for the final 5 lessons! And if you like content like this, don&#8217;t forget to <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/NewlyCorporate">subscribe</a>!</em></p>
<div id="facebook_like"><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2009%2F09%2F28%2F10-lessons-from-creating-an-iphone-application-start-up-part-1%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=500&amp;action=like&amp;font=segoe+ui&amp;colorscheme=light&amp;height=80" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:500px; height:80px;" allowTransparency="true"></iframe></div>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://newlycorporate.com/2009/09/28/10-lessons-from-creating-an-iphone-application-start-up-part-1/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>9</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Friday Amusement: Office Pranks</title>
		<link>http://newlycorporate.com/2009/08/28/friday-amusement-office-pranks/</link>
		<comments>http://newlycorporate.com/2009/08/28/friday-amusement-office-pranks/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:01:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jennifer Robinson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://newlycorporate.com/?p=859</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s Friday!  Hells yeah! TGIF. Have you had a long week?  Do you need something to laugh about in your cubicle?  If you&#8217;re in a prankster mood, here are some classic office pranks and some things you can do to rile up office zombies. Staple your reports in the wrong corner Swap the regular and [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2009%2F08%2F28%2Ffriday-amusement-office-pranks%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2009%2F08%2F28%2Ffriday-amusement-office-pranks%2F&amp;source=bhenak&amp;style=normal&amp;service=bit.ly&amp;b=2" height="61" width="50" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<p>It&#8217;s Friday! <span style="text-decoration: line-through;"> <em>Hells yeah!</em></span> TGIF.</p>
<p>Have you had a long week?  Do you need something to laugh about in your cubicle?  If you&#8217;re in a prankster mood, here are some classic office pranks and some things you can do to rile up office zombies.</p>
<p><img class="size-medium wp-image-862 alignleft" title="Got Foil?" src="http://newlycorporate.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/foil1-300x168.jpg" alt="jo3designs masters the art of office pranks" width="300" height="168" /></p>
<ol>
<li>Staple your reports in the wrong corner</li>
<li>Swap the regular and decaf coffee &#8211; <strong>This is EVIL!</strong></li>
<li>Play with the auto-correct on your co-workers computer.  Configure the word &#8220;and&#8221; to change to &#8220;It&#8217;s 5 o&#8217;clock somewhere&#8221;</li>
<li>Put tape over the mouse optics</li>
<li>Cut your fingernails or toe nails</li>
<li>Unplug a co-worker’s monitor</li>
<li>Talk to sick employees while wearing a dust mask</li>
<li>Turn your earphones up all the way</li>
<li>Turn your speakerphone up all the way</li>
<li>Burn popcorn in the microwave</li>
<li>When your co-worker is out of down, cover their office in foil, plastic wrap or post-its (and then send us the picture!)</li>
<li>“Forget” to put your tuna sandwich in the fridge</li>
<li>Leave your tuna sandwich in the fridge</li>
<li>Empty the paper out of the main printer/copier</li>
<li>Empty the ink or toner out of the main printer/copier</li>
<li>Hang up the phone before they say, “good bye”</li>
<li>Slurp hot coffee during meetings</li>
<li>Chew ice during meetings</li>
<li>Walk around the office barefooted</li>
<li>Empty out a co-workers office on a Friday afternoon</li>
<li>Glue their mouse to the desk</li>
<li>Turn down or turn up the contrast on their monitor</li>
<li>Use goofy event sounds for your programs</li>
<li>Send flowers from one co-worker to another</li>
<li>Leave hole punches all over</li>
<li>Leave your lunch garbage in other people’s cans</li>
<li>After each sip give a refreshing, “Ahhh”</li>
<li>Set a password on someone’s screensaver</li>
<li>Carry on a conversation with someone two cubes down</li>
<li>Smirk when a co-worker walks by</li>
<li>Eat half of someone’s lunch</li>
<li>Swap co-worker’s chairs</li>
<li>Take all the ice out of the community freezer</li>
<li>Hit all the floor buttons when you leave the elevator</li>
<li>Make hissing sounds into the phone and insist you have a bad connection</li>
<li>Flip the left and right mouse button defaults</li>
<li>Take out the ball in the mouse</li>
<li>Tell a long story without a point</li>
<li>Tell a co-worker you liked their hair better last week</li>
<li>Bring Cheetos for food days</li>
<li>Drag your feet when you walk down the halls</li>
<li>Exclaim your co-worker didn’t wash his hands when leaving the restroom</li>
<li>Set your mobile phone to an obnoxious ring tone</li>
<li>Forward chain letters and other spam to co-workers</li>
<li>Express your political views at length</li>
<li>Whisper loudly</li>
<li>Drink the last cup of coffee without making a new pot- <strong>Raise your hand if you&#8217;re GUILTY!</strong></li>
<li>Answer your mobile during meetings</li>
<li>Stand over someone while they are on the phone</li>
<li>Sneak up behind someone</li>
<li>Mess with the thermostat</li>
<li>Recycle other people’s print jobs</li>
<li>Be overly nice to people</li>
<li>Leave fingerprints on the copier glass</li>
<li>Type loudly</li>
<li>Give everyone a nickname from a TV show- <strong>&#8220;Intern&#8221;</strong></li>
<li>Peer over the cube and wait for a co-worker to look up and notice</li>
<li>Use the intercom and page yourself</li>
<li>Hide the sugar and creamer</li>
<li>Type emails in uppercase and excessive punctuation</li>
</ol>
<p>Some steps compiled from <a href="http://www.nerdden.com/101-ways-to-irk-your-co-workers/" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/humanresources/article176430.html">here</a> .</p>
<p><em>We accept no responsibility for encouraging you to have fun on Fridays.  We would love to hear your cube farm adventures.</em> And, on a more serious note, if you need this post to add some sort of value, be self-aware of your actions.  It&#8217;s good to be mindful of how your actions affect your co-workers.  But, have some fun too <img src='http://newlycorporate.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<div id="facebook_like"><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2009%2F08%2F28%2Ffriday-amusement-office-pranks%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=500&amp;action=like&amp;font=segoe+ui&amp;colorscheme=light&amp;height=80" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:500px; height:80px;" allowTransparency="true"></iframe></div>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://newlycorporate.com/2009/08/28/friday-amusement-office-pranks/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Office Humor Video: Stack the Memory</title>
		<link>http://newlycorporate.com/2009/07/16/office-humor-video-stack-the-memory-video/</link>
		<comments>http://newlycorporate.com/2009/07/16/office-humor-video-stack-the-memory-video/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:31:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brandon Henak</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Computer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fun]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[humor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Office Humor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Young Professional]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://newlycorporate.com/?p=853</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A Newly Corporate reader, Scott, passed this video my way and I had to share it.  Guaranteed to promote office productivity&#8230;]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2009%2F07%2F16%2Foffice-humor-video-stack-the-memory-video%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2009%2F07%2F16%2Foffice-humor-video-stack-the-memory-video%2F&amp;source=bhenak&amp;style=normal&amp;service=bit.ly&amp;b=2" height="61" width="50" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<p>A Newly Corporate reader, Scott, passed this video my way and I had to share it.   Guaranteed to promote office productivity&#8230;</p>
<p><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="425" height="344" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FNXe_3gVz6I&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FNXe_3gVz6I&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></p>
<div id="facebook_like"><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fnewlycorporate.com%2F2009%2F07%2F16%2Foffice-humor-video-stack-the-memory-video%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=500&amp;action=like&amp;font=segoe+ui&amp;colorscheme=light&amp;height=80" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:500px; height:80px;" allowTransparency="true"></iframe></div>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://newlycorporate.com/2009/07/16/office-humor-video-stack-the-memory-video/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>

