Mark Evans over at the Maple Leaf 2.0 blog points out that a web site offering a free service can indeed make money. PlentyofFish.com, and on-line dating service apparently makes $10,000 a day through Adsense. Incredible! The owner reports that he has the largest website run by one person.

Stephen Walli has a fine post titled "Startup Mechanics: Security, Responsibility, and Equanimity"  on his blog Once More Unto the Breach. He talks about the myth of security in a big company, and of the responsibility an entrepreneur must take in his or her own venture. Here's a snippet:

In a startup you need to be very comfortable constantly making decisions with less than perfect data that will fundamentally effect the course of a small company. Some of those decisions will be wrong.  Everyone on the team will know it.  How you behave about such mistakes will define your personal success more than the bad decision ever could. How you behave when others on the team make their mistakes will fundamentally define the success of the team.

Some sound advice for anyone attending Entrepreneur Week this year :)

Communitech is hosting another Entrepreneur Week this year, and it just keeps getting bigger. You should visit the website at:

http://www.entrepreneurweek.ca/

... for all of the details, but here's a bit from the homepage:

Entrepreneur Week in Waterloo Region, Canada's Entrepreneurial Capital
Canada's Biggest Innovation Event Dedicated to Entrepreneurial Spirit

September 29th – October 6th, 2006 – The third annual Entrepreneur Week creates a unique opportunity in Waterloo Region for entrepreneurs of tomorrow to form rich connections with mentors, professional services firms, investors, government and business organizations. Acknowledging a rich entrepreneurial history, a strong and diverse economic sector, the week celebrates the entrenched spirit of entrepreneurial spirit in Waterloo Region.

Speakers include many local and international entrepreneurs and businesspeople including:

•  Jim Balsillie (RIM)
• Dave Caputo (Sandvine)
• Jim Brickman (Brick Brewery)
• The fine folks from Tech Capital Partners
• Guy Kawasaki (CEO Garage.com)

Some events are free and others you need to pay for. Register now, before all the spots are taken.

The Timeless Material Co. has just made a new addition to their website. They now feature incoming items one their "What's New" page. I've spent many a lunch hour wandering their spacious showroom (a huge 3-storey barn) standing in awe of the craftsmanship found in the reclaimed architectural salvage pieces that they sell. Now I can take a quick peek to see new items before wandering down to their store on Northfield Dr. in Waterloo.

The "What's New" page features a running list of items as they come in, and also provides categorized lists based on several categories such as doors, furniture, hardware, mantels, and structures. They also have a "Unique" category that currently lists an oak cooler unit among other items.

The main page and the category-specific pages also feature web feeds, the same technology many people use to read blogs. If you use a feed reader, you can subscribe to these lists and watch for changes. Some sites like the Google Homepage and my Yahoo! let you add a feed. Bloglines and Google Reader are good web-based choices for subscribing, and there are also applications that you can install on your own computer.

Check out the new items at: http://www.timelessmaterials.com/incoming/

Disclosure: I helped the folks at Timeless set up the web site software for their incoming items.

I just finished reading Eric Giguere's book "Make Easy Money with Google: Using the AdSense Advertising Program". According to the introduction, the book is somewhat of a departure in writing style when compared with author's previous books which were technical in nature. This book reads like a narrative from the perspective of someone having conversations with non-techies interested in setting up web sites with Google ads to earn some extra cash.

The book is clear and well written, outlining the basics of the AdSense system such as how ads are tailored for each web page and how to go about setting up your own web site. Eric, a Waterloo-local author, has done a great job with this book. I especially applaud his advice not to "game the system" and to honour copyrights on the Internet.

Even if you are not interested in using Google AdSense or other ads on your web site, Make Easy Money with Google is good primer to understand what happens when you click those ads.

I've just posted a survey here on my site at:

http://mghiemstra.com/local-internet-ad-survey

... soliciting input from small businesses in southwestern Ontario on how they spend their advertising dollars. If a significant number of people respond, I'll post the results here. I'm hoping for a lot of replies, but I'm not really expecting that many. I'm hoping to use the results in a column, and to add to my knowledge on how local businesses are using the Internet.

If you are reading this and know someone with a small or medium sized business, let them know about the survey.

Update 2006-09-17: It's been close to 3 months since I posted this survey. Two business have replied so far (thanks!), and that's not nearly enough many results to make public. I'll keep the survey open for response for now, but might end up closing it off at a later date.

Update 2007/02/24: Only one response to the survey in over 6 months. I've closed the survey.

You might notice the new banner ads at the top of every page here at MGHiemstra.com, or you might not if I decided to remove them at some point. I'm experimenting a bit with advertising on the Internet, and I'm starting with my own site. Not that I get many hits here mind you, but it's a site that I have control over and can keep an eye on the stats as banners are clicked. I'm focusing on local businesses, charities and non-profits and am offering the ads at no charge. There's no guarantee that the ads will remain, and there's certainly no guarantee that another site will get any more hits due to ads here, but I'm giving it a try just the same. If you know someone who might benefit, point them to my ad information page here. Only local (i.e. Region of Waterloo, ON) ads will be considered, and I retain the right to refuse any ad... it's just an experiment and it's my site after all.

Update 2006/05/04: I've upgraded the software that runs my site, and it turns out that the banners module was not updated to the new version. Looks like those ads are offline for awhile.

Update 2006/05/31: Looks like work is progressing on the new module, with the addition of some new features. That's good news.

Update 2006/11/14: The banner module is available now, and I've installed it on the site again. Time to do some more experimentation :)

Specifically, put your business on Google maps. Google has been beta testing local text and image ads on local.google.com for a bit. Check out the details here:

https://adwords.google.com/select/localbusinessads.html

Paying for an ad makes your ad appear as a "sponsored link" and shows a small bit of text about your business. If you don't feel the need to purchase an ad, don't forget to add your business to Google Local. That's free, and it will help people using Google Local to locate your business.

Update 2006/06/20: I stumbled on a good article at SmallBusinessComputing.com that covers this information and more. Read "Google Maps: A Primer for Small Business".

Jakob Nielsen presents his top three design priorities for websites. He stresses that sites need to communicate clearly, provide information that users want, and offer simple, consistent page design with clear navigation.

A snippet from the article:
Content rules. It did ten years ago, and it does today. People don't use things they don't understand. Writing for the Web is still undervalued, and most sites spend too few resources refining the information they offer to users.

I just stumbled on Jakob's Alertbox and it looks like it contains a wealth of information for business and non-business sites alike, dating all the way back to 1995.

If you follow local business in the area, you are likely aware of the Exchange Magazine for Business brought to you by John Rohr. Now there is a new mag in town called Rex. Their first issue has a good mix of stories and a little irreverence. Rex covers the region of Waterloo and Guelph. Here's a bit from the introduction to the magazine:

Why launch a new business magazine?

Because your success demands it. Like a powerful blast furnace, our regional economic growth radiates such heat and light, the rest of Canada stands amazed. The fiery machine gets energy from new talent, new services, new ideas. It calls for a higher level of thinking, wittier writing, more incisive analysis. Into this crucible of excellence strides Rex, ready to heat up the competition.

Competition is a good thing in a free market, strengthening all who survive it, and leading to more and better choices for customers and consumers. The business community wins. You win.

Mr. Rohr, you'll need to keep your eyes and ears open from here on in!

Awhile back I decided to write a book on nurturing your customer community. It's a good idea, and I've actually made some good progress. Then I stumbled on a link off Steve Garfield's Squidoo page on video blogs. Steve pointed to a lawyer's site that had a downloadable flyer listing a photographer's rights (useful if you're getting hassled when snapping photos or shooting some video footage).

This got me thinking. Small business owners (especially the successful ones) are busy, busy people. They're often too busy to even consider setting up a website or doing any web surfing. So, how would such a business person have time to read a lengthy book on something they don't have time to do anyway? What's needed is a short run-down that makes a compelling case as to why they should invest some time into using the Internet to promote their business.

So, the book idea has morphed into a flyer or brochure-sized publication. Now don't think I'm taking the easy way out. Someone confided in me recently noting something similar to the fact that it's often easier to write ten thousand words than one thousand. I'm guessing that this won't be much easier, but I think it will be even more valuable.

What do you think? Drop me a comment.

2006/04/10 Update: I've started a page to track my progress, where I'll post the content as it evolves. Check it out here.

Awhile back I posted that I was considering writing a book on small business use of the Internet. Well... I've actually put fingers to keyboard and got a start. So far, I have the outline and the basic premise of the book written up (suitable for an "about this book" cover line). Here's what I've got so far, comments anyone? Would you read/recommend such a book to anyone you know?

Nurturing Your Customer Community
The Small Business Owner's Practical Guide to the Social Internet

About this book
If you operate your own business, you already know that successfully attracting and keeping customers is essential to your survival. But did you know that satisfied customers, properly cared for, can become a powerful force in helping your business to grow? The Internet is changing the way consumers research competing products, locate vendors, suppliers and services, and share both positive and negative business experiences. This book offers tips and strategies for helping you, the small business owner, harness the connectivity and interactivity that the Internet provides today while keeping an eye on future developments. You will learn how to "tune in" to network conversations regarding your business, how to identify and distribute information that customers will find beneficial, and how to foster strong relationships with key customers. The goal is to build up your customer base into a thriving community of advocates, ready and willing to tell the world about your business.

I'm considering tackling the (most-likely) herculean task of writing a book on small businesses and how they can utilize the Internet to better connect with their customers. I'm planning on including topics such as monitoring and writing in blogs, e-mail/newletter distribution, web applications, research and the like, with a Cluetrain-like focus.

If you had a friend who was a small business owner and you wanted to tell them one thing about the Internet, what would it be?

New York Magazine has a story titled "The Rise of Craigslist and How It's Killing Your Newspaper" describing some of the history behind the makings of Craigslist.org and some insight into its creator Craig Newmark. It's an interesting piece and a good read for anyone that wants to understand more about the site and the motivations that lead to its creation back in 1995.

The piece also hints at Craig's future endeavors in the area of citizen journalism. Should be interesting to see what he comes out with, or more importantly what the world does with what he comes out with.

It's almost unbelievable... Jane Siberry is offering a downloads of her music at name-your-pain prices, including a $0 per song "Gift from Jane" price. Go to the Sheeba website to check it out.

I remember when I first heard "Mimi on the beach" (apparently her first hit in Canada). I had just inherited my father's old stereo and had hooked it up in my bedroom and in the wee hours of the night was exploring the wonders of FM radio beyond the country twang of CKNX that usually filled my home. Jane's voice and lyrics were surreal and yet real.

It took me a minute to figure it out, but once you're signed up on the site and you're checking out, you need to click on a song title to download it. I just gave it a try and am re-living old memories as I type! And... if you wait a bit longer, the confirmation e-mail also has a link to your order where you can download.

Daring move Jane. Best of luck! You've already been featured on Boing Boing.

The Wall Street Journal's Startup Journal has a recent article on how many new Internet technology companies are saying "No" to venture capital funding and are doing it on their own. It mentions companies like Flickr (started by a Canadian couple and recently sold to Yahoo!), Smugmug and Box.net as examples. Here's a snippet:

... a two-tiered start-up market is now developing, with some Web companies focused on long-term expansion with venture money and others looking to a quick sale -- for perhaps $20 million to $50 million -- to big Internet brands like Yahoo, Google, AOL, or Microsoft Corp.'s MSN service. Indeed, many of the modest Web start-ups operating today offer products and services that seem more like Web-site features than standalone businesses.

I stumbled across the Stone Brewing Co.'s website today. Stone is a brewery in southern California that employs some unique marketing tactics. First off, they're not afraid to ask their customers for some (free) help in spreading the word. Secondly, they're publishing short video clips (vblogs) on their website that (amoung other topics) chronicle the building of a new brewery. This isn't something they simply did to enhance their website. They have no fewer than 118 clips there right now, and new clips are added regularly.

I wanted to watch as many videos as possible to get a feel for their quality, but on my slow connection from home it took forever to watch just one. It would be good if they put a size or duration along with the video so I could tell how long I might have to wait.

A recent Wired article introduced me to eMachineShop, a personal fabrication company. They take a CAD drawing as input and ship you a physical copy of your own design, provided that your design is actually possible given current fabrication techniques and that it doesn't break any of the known laws of physics.

Neil Gershenfeld, a professor at MIT claims "Toddlers today will grow up in a world where using 3-D engineering software to make a custom object will seem as routine as formatting a term paper in Microsoft Word or posting to a blog." I'm not sure if the time scale is accurate, but who knows with the way technologies advance? It seems to me that the real issue fighting against such a future is the fact that not everyone is (or can be) a good designer. Not having a knowledge of the materials used or the fabrication techniques will certainly put some bumps on the road to everyone building their own thing. The Wired columnist can attest, as he describes the guitar body he produces on the site as having "the heft of a weapon."

I like the idea of Open Source designs that the folks at Squid Labs mentioned in the article. One of the lab's co-founders, Saul Griffith mentions that one way to get personal fabrication integrated into our culture would be to get "hobbyists to carefully document their plans and share them online."

Paul Graham, author, essayist and programmer spoke at the Open Source Convention this year. He has distilled his speech into an essay entitled "What Business Can Learn From Open Source". The first lesson he reveals is "people working for love often surpass those working for money." Note his use of the word surpass, as in "build better products". Amateurs pour their heart and soul into something because they want to, and are driven to do something right. It's harder to find people on a payroll that are as dedicated as the amateurs that produce open source software, but business should do all they can to encourage that same level of intensity and commitment.

Paul goes on to note that open source developers and bloggers most often work out of their homes and can be highly productive. His picture of the corporate world isn't so rosey...