Currently browsing category: Business

FileMaker Virtual Training Program “Jump Start” Your Career as a Developer

It's official! I'm going to be offering my FileMaker Junior Developer training again. The class runs June 3-June 27, 2013. Who should attend this class? I originally designed the course to help companies onboard new employees who had little to no FileMaker experience. The idea was the company saw potential in this person but didn't have the immediate resources to train them. My goal was to help these junior developers develop skills that they could use to immediately assist their organization with useful (billable!) work. By "earning their keep" they would then free up additional resources within the company to continue to ...

How to hire and train a Junior Developer

Since I'm typically talking about business topics at Devcon--as opposed to technical issues--I usually have a small crowd. This year for my session on "How to hire and train a junior developer" I was surprised to have a packed room. I've known that hiring and recruiting is a huge issue in the FileMaker community and has been for years, but I was surprised at how many people (consultants, business owners, in-house developers) were interested in the topic. It's obviously a top concern at FileMaker as well. This is the first year I looked out into the audience to see top FileMaker ...

FileMaker Product Conference in Chicago

I just returned from Devcon and was thrilled to find so much interest in having a short, 2-day conference focusing on the needs of business owners who develop products using FileMaker as a platform. We are currently negotiating the hotel rates but the dates are set and registration is open. FileMaker Product Developer Conference October 23-24 Chicago, IL http://fmproduct.eventbrite.com I'll be posting more information on content and speakers but wanted to give advance notice to anyone who is planning their busy schedules this fall.

Think big, start small and the success of Baconfest

Occasionally, I'll get together with a group of friends to share ideas and opportunities. After our meetings I would often call up fellow collaborator Seth Zurer and say, "Big things Seth! It's going to happen! The BIG idea is on its way!" and I remember him saying, "How's about we start small?" During one of our meetings, Seth mentioned he and a few friends had an idea of hosting an event centered around indulgence in eating bacon. We all thought that was a great idea and laughed at how fun it would be to have an "all bacon all the time" ...

Apprentice Series: Bullet Proofing by Dave Knight

Today we had the pleasure of having Dave Knight, President of Angel City Data talk to our group about how to bullet-proof your systems by using great testing and development procedures. As Dave says, "If your boat springs a leak, you don't want it to sink." Given the you can never anticipate all the variables that could affect your system, Dave's suggestions really give everyone a great starting point for making sure they've identified and ferreted out any key problems, before a solution is released. General tips that are great both for the novice and as reminders for the experienced user include: 1. ...

Molly Connolly to speak at 2012 Devcon

I'm looking forward to speaking at FileMaker Devcon in Miami...

When to Hire, Who to Hire

One of the biggest challenges in a sole proprietor or small business owner's business growth is determining when to hire a new employee. And once you've decided you need to hire, how do you decide WHO to hire? Here are a few quick thoughts from recent discussions. Most people who come to me looking to hire are in triage mode. They are overwhelmed with work that may or may not be profitable work. They are concerned about their ability to deliver high quality work to their clients when they are so overloaded. At the same time, they are worried about bringing ...

Understanding and Presenting Options

One of the hardest things to teach consultants is how to listen for what the client needs versus what the client says they need. Clients base their wish list based on information that is available to them. This means there may be a myriad of options they have not considered because they don't even know those options are available to them. It is therefore our responsibility to help clients understand their options in order to make the best decisions. For example, I told my painter I only wanted him to paint my basement one color because I assumed he would charge ...

Context, context, context!

I'm training a new intern and she's exceptionally good at letting me know when she doesn't understand. I know that sounds like a funny quality to be excited about--but usually my biggest problem teaching adults is getting them to admit they don't understand. After all, how can I help you if I don't know what the problem is? If you've had the opportunity to train kids and adults the difference is glaring. When kids don't understand it is YOUR fault. They say, "HUN?" "What are you talking about?!" and "I don't get it!" When adults don't understand, they assume it is their ...

What is Success?

Why does every small business resource I see start with something along the lines of “How to be Rich” or “How to make Your First Million”? I guess “How to Work for Yourself and be Happy” doesn’t sell as many books. I also think the “get rich quick” pitch appeals to a larger audience because it appeals to the risk averse. It's a lot easier to switch careers for something that guarantees more income. Working for yourself is not for everyone. But for those of us who appreciate the opportunity to try new things, are relatively comfortable with financial risk, and enjoy ...