(GODIN): When asked about the next president, said it’s important to consider:
• How you live the Earth for kids and grandkids
• Amount of debt
• Level the playing field

(PETERS): Small Business leaders should focus in the personal financial issues and microfinance, NOT macro. Everything is ambiguous as hell. Most of the time you could be lying and don’t even know it.

(GODIN) Contract between leader and who is being led.
->Certain things a leader should NOT tell about stupid things said by a board member.

(PETERS) “The Manager’s Handbook of Decency” (Loves that word and word GRACE)
• Caring

(GODIN) Temptation to take a shortcut is so overwhelming because we feel like we deserve it, but we as Inc. 5000 entrepreneurs didn’t take that shortcut – so damaging for taking the easier path.

(PETERS) Engineer, Practical “The Dream Manager”
Everyone has a dream, and as CEO, we are the enablers of our people’s dreams.

(PETERS & GODIN) Great camaraderie, but not afraid to disagree.

(GODIN) There will always be a reason of some catastrophe on front page of Wall Street Journal for me not to reach my goals. We create our own destiny no matter what happens in the outside world. Must be aware of what’s going on, but it can’t change your character.

(PETERS) 100 year flood in financial world. Absolutely floored by crisis, but glad for our leadership in Washington.

(PETERS) HAS TECHNOLOGY KILLED CUSTOMER SERVICE? That’s Crap. Loves database marketing, Amazon.com. Wife loves salvage yards and web helps that.

(GODIN) The web gives everyone a voice and gives companies an opportunity to delight customers with customer service.

e-Prescriptions + e-Medical Records conf.: CIOs – You all are mass murderers
Standards are way too low. You deserve so much better than just being alive. AIRLINES.
I will take a middle seat in Aisle 37 the first class next to the entitled person to get a great flight attendant.

A loyal employee is more valuable than a loyal customer. TRUE.
SW Airlines Herb Kelleher: You do not have the right to abuse one of my employees.
New definition of loyalty -> Quality & Owner-Mentality.

(GODIN) Best employee will push you, make smarter decisions than you would make.

GenX-how do we manage people’s with life experiences fundamentally different than our own.

(PETERS) Starbucks in DC (people haven’t smiled in 235 years), but at Starbucks, employees smile because they hire (hiring process is key) people who smile.

(GODIN) Jobs are way different then 100 years ago. Got to be selective and open to independent personalities.
(PETERS) Hire people with:
A. Decency
B. Entrepreneurial Spirit

(PETERS) Blogging. The honor is when someone writes 1500 words to take him on. Brand is the QUALITY of the conversation. It’s impossible to fake it now. If you are not blogging, you’re an idiot.

(GODIN) Blog: Meta-Cognition

(PETERS) Changed his life, changed his perspective, intellect.

(GODIN) No one cares about you, I care about me (memai)

Social Networking – Godin cares about the real relationships. Networking online (scoreboard) is a big distraction when its fake friends. Real Friends – you go out of your way for one another.

(PETERS) “Small Giants” Bo Burlington, absolutely brilliant.

How can I have the most impact & lead the life I want to lead?

QUESTION ABOUT ENTREPRENEUR HAVE A TARGET ON THEIR BACK?

(PETERS) Bay Area loves it’s entrepreneurs.

Vermont tiny town Building Supply local store put Home Depot out of business.

(GODIN) Entrepreneurship is about change. Change can threaten people.

SIDE NOTE:
Peters = looks like Harrison Ford

Self-Identify with both:
-Peters like my Dad
-Godin – bald brother in online marketing

I just finished his book “Small is the New Big” which is a compilation of hundreds of his blog posts over the past 4 years. On a local level, I find that I learn from some small, entrepreneurial companies that specialize in a certain niche and share their learning with the world through their blog and with me at lunch or happy hour. Stephen Landau with Substance is one of those people. He and his business partner David have one of the best blogs I’ve seen on Flash and user experiences. Their idealism in truly changing the world is infectious and they are already making a difference. Check out their blog >>

Another blog that provides some creative inspiration as one of the smallest of the “big guys” (although they are the largest independent advertising agency in the country) is Wieden + Kennedy’s Portland blog and their London blog. Both of these blogs are either inspiring or so insanely obscure that it’s pretty funny.