westernization

Mind Your Own Business (Your Business Plan)

Posted on by Tim Kuefler

You ever have someone tell you to mind your own business, dear readers? It’s a fairly common saying in our western culture. It’s supposed to be a direct way of telling others to stop meddling in that which does not concern them.

The expression started out innocently enough.

It came from the Christian bible and in particular from the New Testament. I’ll share the verse with you for reference –

…and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,

1 Thessalonians 4:11

As time passed it slowly entrenched itself into our culture more and more, and even had a place on the first official 1 cent coin of the United States when it was designed in 1787.

By the 1930s a slang version of the phrase came up, which stated “mind your own beeswax.” Author Eric Frank Russell shortened the phrase into Myob!, and various comedians like Kevin Hart and Eddie Murphy have used it in their standup. My personal favourite is, of course, from pop culture.

Will Smith’s Fresh Prince persona has a solid point.You have to stand up for yourself and if it comes to it, tell people to lay off. Now, what does that have to do with today’s Wisdom Wednesday? Well, if you recall there was a time, roughly two months ago, when I wrote about the importance of marketing. And it just so happens that one of the associated points on marketing for a professional was developing a business plan.

Your reason to be, or as they say in french, votre raison d’être.

Writing you business plan may seem stressful at first glance, but it’s not that difficult to do, which is why we will start with the framework of your business plan –

http://www.canadabusiness.ca/eng/page/2753/

Business plans come in all shapes and sizes, but every business plan needs to consider its audience, the business goals, and especially the mode of delivery. I took this layout directly from the Canada Business Network section of the Government of Canada website, so you know that we’re not messing around on timotheories.

Here are some sections that you could POTENTIALLY include in your plan:

  • Executive summary
  • Business strategy
  • Marketing strategy
  • Operational plan
  • Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis
  • Human resources plan
  • Social responsibility strategy
  • E-business strategy
  • Financial forecasts and other information
  • Business exit strategy
  • Additional resources

But now you’re probably wondering how to get started in filling out those sections. Well, I went to another website to dig up some info on example business plans and get you art makers and art shakers some tips.

And here are a few tips to get you started on your own business plan –

  1. Look at other industries that already do what you do, for inspiration. But you need not worry about looking for a duplicate match. The reality is that even if another business functions similarly to yours, every business has a different location, team, and business strategy governing it. Just like individuals.
  2. Emulate their plans at the first draft, and scour other sources with each revision. Good artists copy ideas, and great artists steal them. I think some guy obsessed with apples said that once. You’ll get over your initial fears, learn something about your business, and potentially gain new ideas.
  3. Remember to write your business plan, avoid the copypasta. Professionals like lawyers and accountants can see through this and because your vision isn’t there, you only hurt your businesses chance of success in the long run.
  4. Like art, the real joy and growth comes from the process. You are creating a business plan. And like any creative pursuit, questions arise and insights are gained. You’ll be forced to answer questions you didn’t know you had, and you can then share your vision with stakeholders and anyone you think should know about it.
  5. Build a better business by using your plan every day. Put it on the wall, and keep it there so that any time you have questions about growth, strategy, and costs, you can stay on target and grow your business the right way.

All of it comes down to this, if you mind your business, people will mind their own and you’ll get a innumerable amount of monkeys off of your back. But that’s just a theory.

Tim!

Flunkies, Lackies, Toadies (Minions review)

Posted on by Tim Kuefler

It’s a common theme in our westernised lives to look out for ourselves and think about what we want out of life. Heck, I think that’s a global phenomenon, though parents and most leaders understand that thinking of someone other than yourself is for the greater good.

In other words, if someone were to tell you that they can’t think for themselves and they need to be led, even if it’s by a classical evil person, you’d probably tell me that person was nuts, right dear readers?

Well this week’s film review examines the perspective of the followers, the hangers-on, the servants, also known as the…

 

 

 

Minions (2015)
Cast: Pierre Coffin, Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Allison Janney, Geoffrey Rush, Steve Carell
Director: Kyle Balda, Pierre Coffin
released on blu-ray December 8, 2015
****** 6/10

Minions-Movie-Poster-2

IMDB: 6.5
Rotten Tomatoes: 55%, Audience Score 51%
The Guardian: ****/*****

Camille Delamarre is a French animator, director, and voice actor. He is best known for co-directing the Despicable Me franchise with Chris Renaud, and as the voice of the Minions.

I am a huge fan of the original Despicable Me and I enjoyed the second film almost as much, while anticipating the next sequel, which is expected to come out in 2017. Did Coffin reach to far with this offshoot movie that focuses directly on the Minions or is it a solid entry in the legacy?

We are about to find out and as per usual, I will give you a bit of background on the story first. Well, actually I am going to tell you most of the plot, because it’s not that complex of a story.

 

The movie is narrated by Geoffrey Rush and starts by telling a story of how the minions (all voiced by Pierre Coffin) came into existence. They have been around since the dawn of sentient life, and have always sought out a master to serve, preferably an evil one.

We are treated to a sequence that shows the minions serving a number of masters over history (usually resulting in the accidental death of the master), until the minions meet up with Napoleon. This relationship ends pretty terribly and as a consequence the minions are exiled from France and end up in Antarctica where they build a community. It goes well for a time until the minions become agitated, lethargic, and eventually give up hope.

In the 1960s, one minion, Kevin, decides enough is enough, and recruits Stuart and Bob on an adventure to find a new master. They arrive at New York and after some time wandering around they found a secret villain TV channel advertising for Villain Con in Orlando. The trio hitch-hike a ride from a family of villains called the Nelsons (Michael Keaton and Allison Janney).

At Villain Con the minions meet Scarlet Overkill (Sandra Bullock), an infamous villain, who is also looking for henchmen. Bob wins the contest unintentionally and wins the job offer. Scarlet will let all of the minions become her henchmen on the condition that Kevin, Stuart, and Bob steal the royal crown from Queen Elizabeth II (Jennifer Saunders. Scarlet’s husband Herb (Jon Hamm) supplies them with tools for the heist, but when they break into the Tower of London they almost get caught, which ends up in a chase that has Bob crash in the Sword in the Stone, pull it free, and become King of England.

Scarlet is visibly upset by this, but Bob doesn’t want to be king and happily hands over the crown to her. Scarlet then goes back on her word and tortures the three minions. Which doesn’t work. So the minions leave the torture chamber and go back to apologize, just in time for Scarlet’s coronation, where they crash a chandelier on her head by accident.

 

 

And I’m gonna pause it right there.

Pros: The comedy is physical and silly and there is enough cultural content there to keep adults interested too. It’s a nice break from the typical fare of Despicable Me, and gives us a fix until the next one is due.

Cons: It feels a little long for what it is, which isn’t very much. I think this is because there isn’t enough punch to the story.

Runtime: 91 minutes

Points of Interest: Pierre Coffin voices ever single one of the minions in the movie. The leading three minions are supposed to be allusions to Gru’s three daughters. Bob’s bear Tim is similar to the one in the Mr. Bean stories.

If you are a fan of animated films in general, I think you will enjoy this one and it will be great for children, but there are definitely more interesting choices out there.

 

 

 

“Following” is a documented behaviour, and one which many people are prone to, because it can be scary to stand alone. But that doesn’t mean that solo work or working in a group are automatically good or bad behaviours. The Minions movie proves that three individuals can work well together and independently for the the greater good, and have fun doing it. Have a good night dear readers, and I’ll see you tomorrow with some wisdom.

Tim!