Jason Unger

3 Mistakes I Made in 2008

Posted by junger - 12/31/08 at 09:12:51 am

You know how pretty much every look-back-at-the-year-that-was post generally remembers the highlights of the last year?

Well, in order to start the new year on the right foot, it's worth looking back at some of the mistakes I made in 2008 and will try not to repeat in 2009.

Here are 3 mistakes I made in 2008.

I Tried to Do Too Many Things at Once

This has generally been my problem ever since I started working and launching side ventures.

Since I'm the creator-type and tend to look for instant gratification in my work, working online is a blessing and a curse.

I started way too many sites and considered ideas for others and tried to run them all — at the same time. I consistently broke my own rule of maximizing product development, not number of projects.

I Communicated Poorly

One of the things about working at home is that your communication needs to be extremely clear.

I can't tell you how many times an email or an IM has come out the wrong way or been misinterpreted because of the word choice. More often that not, this leads to a mountain being made out of a molehill.

The biggest thing missing from online communication is a person's visual clues. If only we all had video cameras and Skype …

I Lost Focus

The only way to get where you need to be is to know where that is. Too often, I didn't.

This year, I went through phases: setting goals, managing work and removing distractions, then the complete opposite. Keeping focus requires structure, and too often I left myself roam free.

It's not like I can't hit goals: cepro just hit its yearly goal on the nose. But in my own ventures, I couldn't keep the focus long enough to succeed. And that hurt.

Why I'll Probably Make These Mistakes Again in 2009

Reality check: I'm not going to be perfect in 2009. That I know. I'll certainly make these mistakes again.

But that won't stop me from trying. My goal? To cut down on these mistakes as much as possible.

For Financial Media, It's All About People

Posted by junger - 12/30/08 at 06:12:18 pm

I've never held back my disappointment in the financial media, who constantly provide their audiences with some of the worst advice possible.

While outlets like the Motley Fool aggressively cover stock picking — a stupid practice for 98% of the population — they target the masses.

I'm not even out of bed by the time I've heard about the Dow Futures twice on the local news and on the Today show from CNBC updates. If I want to know what the Asian markets did last night, I'll turn on Fox Business, not News 4 Today in Washington.

The financial media don't provide useful information to the masses because, well, they wouldn't make much money doing it. Personal finance is a pretty cut-and-dry subject: once you learn the basics, you're pretty good to go.

As we know, the media needs something to talk about. And there are only so many ways you can say "spend less than you earn."

So What Should Financial Media Do?

Responsible financial media outlets need to spend more time focusing on their audience and not recommending mutual funds from their advertisers.

Instead of coming up with "the one stock you must buy" — which you probably shouldn't — they should tell the stories of real people and their money situations.

This is one of the reasons Dave Ramsey is so popular. It's not like he ever says anything new — he just applies it to his listeners' situations.

One of the leading personal finance blogs, The Simple Dollar, publishes a reader mailbag weekly. It's always my favorite post to read, because it's real people sharing their real stories.

This was probably one of my biggest issues running the Online Savings Blog. I didn't have the experience or authority to tell you how to buy a house (I've never done it), but I was (and still am) passionate about my personal financial situation.

I can share my story and talk about yours. And in the end, isn't telling stories what media is all about?

Your Blog Needs You, Not Just Your Words

Posted by junger - 12/29/08 at 11:12:03 pm

There are just some blogs I hate reading. Specifically, ones written by people who write like

• they have authority, but don't.
• they're experienced, but aren't.
• they've perfected the system, but haven't.

Somehow, the blogosphere has turned in to a world where people have to find a niche and they have to be a leading voice in it, even if they come off as complete phonies.

Don't waste your time. It's not worth it. I've tried.

You can learn all you want about a particular subject, re-package and relay that information to an audience, but if there isn't a piece of you in it, you're unlikely to succeed.

Are You Opening Up to Your Readers?

While the Internet is truly an amazing way to learn, it's even better at connecting with people.

Blogging gives you a way to share your stories with a community of readers. It gives you a way to connect with people across the world. And it gives you the opportunity to show a different side of your personality.

There are a number of things I've written in this blog and others that I don't normally share offline. It's not because of any particular reason — it's just that the medium allows for you to organize, manage, and edit your thoughts.

My goal here is to share my experiences, pass along what I've learned, and interact with you. I won't sit here and tell you that you should do the same, but you at least need to be honest with yourself — and your readers.

You can't truly connect with your readers if you are not sharing your experiences in your posts. If you have no experiences or thoughts, what are you writing for?

Your blog needs you, not just your words.

With Every Transition Comes a New Opportunity

Posted by junger - 12/24/08 at 11:12:34 am

It's been a mind-boggling week for me.

Last Saturday, I found out that my biggest client was having a much harder time raising the cash needed to pay for my services and needed me to stop working.

Last Tuesday, my day job had its first layoffs ever in 14-plus years. While I'm still there, we were all given reduced working hours and had some benefits cut back.

On Monday, I sold the Online Savings Blog.

As you can imagine, a lot has changed — quickly.

Where Do You Go From Here?

This is the question most difficult to answer.

Two weeks ago, I offered a service, had a big product, and security at my day job. Today, I've got a lot less.

It's a lot of change in not a lot of time. It feels difficult — at least it feels like a big transition — but in reality, it's not a bad thing at all.

If you step back, you can see that now I have the opportunity to re-work, re-define and re-apply myself.

This sounds a lot like what you tell people who have just lost their jobs. It's not a loss, it's an opportunity. But saying it to yourself takes a lot of confidence — something that this kind of transition eats away at.

What I've Learned and Can (Hopefully) Apply

Now that I've got a fresh start, here's what I'm working on:

• Not overextending myself with too many commitments
• Not starting too many Web sites that I can't keep up with
• Not letting my constant flow of ideas overwhelm my current project
• Focusing on my strengths, not my weaknesses
• Not trying to do it all, especially if someone else can do it better

In a way, it's great timing that all of this has happened as the year comes to an end. With the calendar flipping around to the top, we all have a chance to start over and make 2009 better than 2008.

Remember: the next time transition hits you, consider it an opportunity.

What's in Your Wallet: Cash or Credit?

Posted by junger - 12/15/08 at 09:12:22 am

With a recession officially upon us, a lot of people are starting to take a harder look at their financial situation.

While I'd normally ask a question like this over at the Online Savings Blog, it's your answer I'm interested in.

When it comes to shopping, spending and saving, do you carry cash and use it or pull out your debit/credit card to make purchases?

Leave a comment and share why you use one or the other.