Category Archives: Business

Introducing reMarkable 2

Template file for Creating PDFs for the ReMarkable 2 Paper Tablet

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I recently received the reMarkable 2 paper tablet and it is everything it promised. I’m excited to use it for work and personal adventures, but for work I wanted to create a document template that would allow me to always make content that is pixel perfect for the tablet. This way there is no scaling necessary and I can even leave in margins for the menu options to stay visible.

So, here it is: reMarkable 2 OTT Template

This was designed for OpenOffice or LibreOffice, but since it is an open format, I’m sure it can be opened by Microsoft and other document programs. Once you open the file, you can save it as a template using the File menu. After that, it’s simply a matter of selecting File > New > Template and selecting reMarkable 2 from the available templates! When you’re done, Export to PDF and transfer to your reMarkarable using their convenient applications.

Camera Ratio Reference Images for Social Media Sharing

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When you’re planning a shot, specifically in the case of food photography, framing is very important. However, usage is just as important of a consideration, because images can be used for print ads (portrait layout), social media (landscape and square), menus or websites (varies). Once you are aware of how the images will be used, the next step is figuring out how to frame your shots to accommodate not only cropping, but space for additional graphic design work (ads). To that end, it’s important to know how common social media sizes relate to your camera’s natural ratio.
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The Startup Guarantee – 3+ Years in Business

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The Startup Guarantee

We guarantee that our service will be operational for 3+ years, starting from the day that you signed up for an account. We stand behind this with a money back promise, for up to 1 year of service, if we violate this guarantee.

Why Offer a Guarantee?

Online services, especially for businesses, require more commitment and trust between the customer and the service. To that end, one of the top concerns of a potential customer is simply, “If I invest my time and money with you, will you still be here in 6 months?” This guarantee is about promising that the service will continue to run, but placing stakes on that promise, in the form of a refund for services paid for if the guarantee is broken.

If you’d like to use the guarantee for your online service (SaaS — Software as a Service), here are a few tools for you.

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How to Stop Email Spoofing in G Suite

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G Suite, formerly Google Apps, offers many tools, but most importantly it offers branded Gmail for your domain; critical for any real business. However, if you’ve had an established domain for a long time, it’s likely you have started to see bounces or spam responses with FROM addresses @yourdomain.com. However, the first part of the email is gibberish and not a real email address from your account.

This behaviour is called email spoofing and can be harmful to your brand and your email deliverability. However, removing this is relatively simple. It needs to be completed in 3 steps.

Login to the admin console got G Suite and adjust the following settings:

  • Disable outbound gateways (Settings for Gmail > Advanced settings)
  • Discard the email; Catch-all address (Settings for Gmail > Advances settings)
  • Authenticate email with DKIM (Settings for Gmail > Authenticate Email)

Tip: Use the search bar to quickly access Settings for Gmail. The DKIM setup is more involved, but Google’s help can assist you with those changes which need to be done with your domain name hosting company.

Change the Legal Name of Your S-Corporation in 5 Steps | USA, Colorado

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After recently selling all of the assets of Dice Candies, it was time to change the name of my umbrella S-corporation from Dice Candies Inc to Slowpreneur Inc. These steps are here to help ensure you don’t miss a step.

One quick note: While many of the links are specific to the state of Colorado, the steps are the same anywhere in the United States.

1) Articles of Amendment

The Articles of Amendment are an official document submitted to the Secretary of State’s office, where the corporation is registered, declaring the name change. Usually there is a small fee involved ($25 for Colorado). This first step is critical because the document is later used as proof for all other agencies and companies.
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Picky Mat Example

Picky Mat – Make Your Own Cat Food Dish Liner

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While I’m sad that the Kickstarter project failed for Picky Mat, I know the product works and I know it solves a real problem: cats who complain when they eat their dry food and suddenly see the bottom of the dish and consider their dish empty. Picky Mat solves this by removing the discouragement and in some cases retrains the cat to eat more of their food even after the mat is removed. All that being said, I didn’t want that work to go to waste, so here is a quick tutorial in making your own DIY Picky Mat.
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Slowpreneur: The Patient Startup Idea

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Slowpreneur <noun>:

  1. A person who organizes and operates a new business or businesses with a patient approach to profits and growth while taking a measured financial risk.
  2. A person who begins a new business or businesses as a side project until it becomes established, thus before operating the business in a full time capacity.

I stumbled upon this word by accident. I was sitting on the plane from Charlotte, NC to Orlando, FL and found myself sitting next to a psychologist, Tracy, reading some startup book on her tablet. We had been talking for the first third of the flight, but were currently on a break to do some reading. She nudges me and points to a word in the book: solopreneur. She says, “Ha, slowpreneur, that’s kind of like you!” I smile, read the word on the digital page, and reply kindly, “That says solopreneur.” Her embarrassment was palpable, so I quickly interjected, “But I do like the idea of a slowpreneur! I’m writing it down.”

I checked Google when we landed and, as of writing this article, when you search for slowpreneur Google suggests (and displays) the results for solopreneur. If you force it to use slowpreneur, there are a total of 3 results!
slowpreneur google search results 2012-08-30

Mind. Blown.

Is this really a phrase I could coin? Alright, I’m doing it (I’ve already bought the domain)! In this startup world of big money, explosive growth, the quick buck, and the desire to make a million dollars in a year (165,000,000 results), I want to do something different.

Slowpreneur Creed

I want to be patient. I want to grow within my means. I don’t want to incur debt. I will hold back the charging bull. I will continue to live my life. I will learn every day. I will let go of the reins when it’s ready. I will not be greedy. I will succeed.

So here’s to the slowpreneurs [raises glass in the air], who adventure into business with a slower pace, a balanced life, and the patience to see it through. Cheers.