ralxz

Cool typography on a rusting sign seen in Seville, Spain. Check...

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 13:07:50 -0500

Cool typography on a rusting sign seen in Seville, Spain. Check out my abroad blog to follow my adventures!

Three Important Factors for a Successful Team

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:57:00 -0400

Strong leadership
Ideally, there will be a natural leader in the team. He or she will send out emails, organize meeting times, prioritize tasks, and delegate them appropriately throughout the team.
The leader should be sensitive to allow other members to take responsibility and control of their own work, as well as recognizing them for their achievement. This will motivate them to take the task in as their own and accomplish it to the best of their ability.

Commitment
There should be unanimous commitment from each and every team member: to be successful with the project or mission at hand. Commitment means putting in a fair share of time and work, and going above and beyond if it so requires. A team should accept no less from its individual members to perform efficiently.

Rapport
A team should have a comfortable level of social rapport to work together. This reduces team friction, and allows members to let down their shell. With this, members should be more comfortable speaking out on matters and critiquing others’ work or ideas. It’s important to create an environment where people won’t be judged for difference of opinion. Also, a bonded team can push the bounds of their creativity together during group brainstorming.

On Business School and Exams

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 00:23:00 -0500

Why do college professors at business schools design exams in a way that encourages memorization instead of application? College is supposed to prepare us students for the real world, and many of the techniques used in classrooms today have remained unchanged despite the internet revolution that changed the world of education. With the current age of instant information (via Google, Wikipedia, etc.), there is no need for extensive memorization of facts. A working accounting professional can quickly and efficiently search an official online source if he or she has forgotten a certain rule or principle. However, the “newly designed” accounting and finance curriculum at Bentley University requires Freshmen and Sophomores to do exactly the opposite, opting for strict reading and memorization of the textbook, rewarding students who have superior memory skills rather than the skills that define successful professionals.

Luckily, there are some that have embraced this new way of learning; my statistics teacher, Professor Ortmeyer, nailed it on the head. Students are allowed to bring and use one sheet of notes and the class textbook while taking the exam. This enables the students to have a quick reference in case of a doubt to double-check a concept, rule, or equation. Students still have to sufficiently prepare for the exam beforehand, as they won’t have time during the assessment to read the textbook, learn and absorb the information, and then apply it to the problems.

Our academic IT department here at Bentley University pretends to be “cutting-edge” and “up-to-date” by administering multiple-choice exams via laptops. They shut down the internet in the classrooms, restricting access just to the test-taking website. Students are only allowed to have their browser open and cannot use any notes or resources. What is the point of taking an exam on the computer if you essentially dwindle down the machine to the same functionality of a pencil and paper? Why are they making it even easier for students to cheat behind a Professor’s back?

Dear Colleges and Universities: take a tip from my man Professor Ortmeyer and re-think what your objectives are as you design your lectures and exams to prepare your students for the real world.

My new watch

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 01:01:05 -0400

My new watch

Information Overload

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:47:00 -0400

I’ve had the fortunate opportunity of having an hour-long commute to and from work this Summer. Alright, so it doesn’t sound so stellar at first, but these are two solid hours I have every (work)day that I can devote toward something. Six weeks into my internship, with this free time I’ve had, I’ve read The 4 Hour Workweek by Tim Ferris, Rework by the 37signals guys, Purple Cow by Seth Godin, and am currently half-way through 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back by Esther Gokhale (no, I don’t have back pains — however this is an amazing book on posture which was recommended to me by my brother).

Over the last few years I have been overloading my brain with information to an extreme which, eventually, just stopped being constructive. I’ve endlessly been reading blogs, articles, and books during my spare time without ever giving myself time to think.

Tim Ferris opens a chapter in the middle of his book with a quote by Albert Einstein. It resonated so strongly with me that it was motivation enough to change my ways:

“Reading, after a certain age, diverts the mind too much from its creative pursuits. Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking.”

-Albert Einstein

After this realization, I’ve started carrying a simple notebook and several nice pens with me. On the train rides back home, I put on some music and brainstorm about anything and everything, usually trending about my current venture or other start-up ideas.

I’ve written about 30 full pages thus far, and I’ve come up with an impressive amount of ideas and insights. I’ve also noticed a significant boost in my creativity and brainstorming abilities, which also encourages me to continue this as a daily exercise to keep my creative self in tip top shape.

750words by developer Buster Benson is an awesome project, and is similar to what I’ve been doing. The goal is to write 750 words every morning as a method to clear out your head:

I’ve used the exercise as a great way to think out loud without having to worry about half-formed ideas, random tangents, private stuff, and all the other things in our heads that we often filter out before ever voicing them or writing about them. It’s a daily brain dump. Over time, I’ve found that it’s also very helpful as a tool to get thoughts going that have become stuck, or to help get to the bottom of a rotten mood.

I used 750words for about two weeks straight during Spring break after hearing about it on Lifehacker, but it became increasingly difficult to budget the time on a regular basis once school started back up. I think it’s a great tool for someone who has a lot going on in their everyday life — fortunately for me, I haven’t really reached that threshold of tipping on the brink of insanity yet.

I hope this post has given some insight on why I’ve started decreasing the seemingly unlimited load of information that I’ve been consuming, and how I’ve been increasing my mental ouput. I also hope this motivates you to put some time away, at least several times a week, to just think and write.

"When you want something bad enough, you make the time—regardless of your other obligations. The..."

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 20:20:51 -0400

“When you want something bad enough, you make the time—regardless of your other obligations. The truth is most people just don’t want it bad enough. Then they protect their ego with the excuse of time. Don’t let yourself off the hook with excuses. It’s entirely your responsibility to make your dreams come true.”

- Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson — Founders of 37signals

A subtle yet intricate design which maintains an authentic feel...

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 13:16:00 -0400

A subtle yet intricate design which maintains an authentic feel for a vintage brand. Love the use of neutral colors and bevels.

I feel like it would be a worthy first post to explain why entrepreneurship is important to me and...

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 21:06:00 -0400

I feel like it would be a worthy first post to explain why entrepreneurship is important to me and why I want to start my own business.

Over the last two years, I have gone from being slightly interested in entrepreneurship to wanting to start a successful business before I graduate college. A big leap, I know, but entrepreneurship has always been a desire of mine burning deep down, although until recently I haven’t come to terms with how that would incorporate into my own life. The dreaded thought of slowly climbing the corporate ladder over decades has never seemed appealing to me.

It all started with design and development. Freelancing since my high school years, I have created web and print graphics for both clients and myself. I even developed and marketed my own website, which I successfully sold half a year later. For the last four years I have been working as my own boss, and this experience has given me a delicious taste of the freedom as an entrepreneur.

Interning at Box.net this Summer, I have seen the unique culture that startups can cultivate, and I can’t see myself working in any other type of environment after this experience. Talking to the many brilliant employees at Box who came from Google, their reasons for leaving one of the hottest companies to work for were due to the uncomfortable growth of their respective departments and the company as a whole. They articulated that the amount of stress and effort of dealing with the chain of command and corporate hierarchical structure was sometimes greater than the projects themselves.

However, despite all I’ve just said above, I would love to intern at a corporate (500+ person) company for the unparalleled experience and skills working in such a setting can offer, which I would adjust to apply at the smaller scale.

College is also arguably the best time to start a company with close to zero risk beyond personal investment of time and money. No rent, no family, and no real responsibilities. Why not now?