Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

The SuN Forum has been operating since about April `06, I think (Joel will correct me if I am wrong). I have been a certified, rectified, officially profiled member since early April `06. No applause, please (no big deal - I serve at the pleasure of the President). This post is NOT about me ... nothing is about me, please. This is about the SuN.

I`m not a startup (as many of you here have probably figured out by  now). I have owned and operated my own business since the early nineties. I have ridden this old ball around the SUN many a time ... but when I discovered the SuN, I was glad.

The SuN (Startup Nation) is part of my daily life. I can not prove it, but I believe I have read every NEW post every made here. It is part of my day. Why?

SuN is energy. SuN is fresh. SuN is young people starting on a new journey. SuN is people that are where I was many years ago. SuN is the Internet and sharing knowledge that was hard to come by when I started. SuN is vibrant. Sun is knowledge available for FREE for the asking. SuN is old and young, experience and cocky, fresh and aged ... all rolled up together. It don`t get any better.

Why do you like Sun? What is the value you find in being a part of the SuN community?

SuN makes me feel alive. SuN allows me to give back ... many, many, many people helped me get started ... way before the Internet. SuN is new ideas and old ideas made new. SuN is communications at warp speed. SuN is FUN!

Why do you like SuN?

SuN is part of me. Why is it a part of YOU?

Take care - R@

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Richard Arnold · Key Concept Writers · Business Communication: The "Key" To Success· Law of Attraction Blog · Life Ain`t Brain Surgery Blog

Thanks Kathy - I appreciate your comments and know exactly what you are saying. - R@

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Richard Arnold · Key Concept Writers · Business Communication: The "Key" To Success· Law of Attraction Blog · Life Ain`t Brain Surgery Blog

Here I am checking in on the forums past midnight on a Friday night. Reading your post R@ explains why I can`t stay away either. I was on my own running my own company for 19 years before joining the Sloan brothers and the rest of the star StartupNation team on this magnificent journey. The energy and vision of the passionate people in the StartupNation community keep me dreaming of how to make StartupNation even more valuable to even more people every single day.

I can`t wait for tomorrow.

Joel

Joel - good to see you are up and staying on the job past midnight on a Friday night  You`re earning those BIG bucks the Sloan Bros. pay you.

Seriously - you guys have done a great job here at SuN. You are to be commended. As a CAB member, I do serve at the pleasure of the President ... however, this post is sincerely submitted to learn what other SuN members see as the Value of the SuN. Let`s hear it ... we have a lot of members ... sound off!

Sleep tight Joel,

R@ 

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Richard Arnold · Key Concept Writers · Business Communication: The "Key" To Success· Law of Attraction Blog · Life Ain`t Brain Surgery Blog

SUN is the time I spend these days learning things I never knew. SUN is a morning and a night time ritual, checking on friends and their wit, learning much about difficult battles won. Did the lady say 50? And I, just now 40, am propelled by hope to begin a new endeavor, anxious to begin the profitable journey. I`m finally moving away from dreams and closer to the reality of my first money making venture. Recently I purchased the trademark for the JavaCrunch candy bar. It will undoubtedly take some time. But I remember the Friendchips trademark was purchased by Frito Lay in 1969 and how they finally launched it in 2003. It will be my main focus for 2007. SUN has afforded me the curious association with some of the brightest `young` personalities with their specialized dreams of entrepreneurial wealth. I do thank Joel for his offer of teaming up to brainstorm the future of SUNcitizenship. I do thank Jeff for posting the question of a community startup. And there are the likes of Rich, Brian, Chuck, Lisa, and Stella, who shine their light here and there for our amazement and amusement. Well, it`s a new year. Sometimes we wait so long for things to break our way, posting to S.u.N.W.A. for comfort. Meanwhile on several threads, the thoughts and deeds of anti-stagnation, new frontier souls, cry out for every ounce of `see here now.` We are breaking ground every day. We are lifting each other to new heights with a multitude of tips and education. Toward the day.....of sales come a celebration. I  personally thank Mitey,Eric,Rachel,Steve,Leah,Craig,Kathy,Vincent,Richard, and everyone, both irritated and inspired by my posts, for the best last 4 months of my start up life. May SUN kind everywhere join together in this place to honor the achievements of the best damn group of visionaries this side of Entrepreneur.com - I only say that because they have super articles. StartUpNation is not just for the people. StartUp Nation is first and foremost the very heart of the people and forever will blaze the entrepreneurial trail in to a new age of realization - That a large group of people set on giving their time and wisdom to each other without restraint, will also cross-link their encouragement to this end, that one day....we all will have an awesome quality of life! To new posters one and all...The worst that ever happens when you you share your personality with your smarts, is somebody will cut you to the quick, cursing your naivity. But iron sharpens iron, and we never look back. To 2007 and video avatars, hmmm. ~daniel~  

Richard –

You’ve said it all. Just as the Sun is a source of energy, growth and sustenance for all that lives and grows on planet Earth – our SuN community continually bathes us in rays of light, energy, ideas, perspective and hope. The simple act of checking in every day reminds us that we are not alone – that the entrepreneurial universe may be vast with potential and opportunity, but even its furthest reaches can be charted and reached “with a little help from our friends”.

And fortunately for all of us – this SuN never sets!

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Michael Zucker - Strategic Planning, Marketing & Communications info@zuckerconsulting.com · www.zuckerconsulting.com “Helping You Over The Hurdles – Keeping You Focused On The Finish Line”

If I were comparing SuN to a restaurant, SuN is the one and only high-end buffet with the best qualities and countless varieties of selections.

It operates 24/7.

And once a customer enters, he/she would not want to leave.  

 

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Life isn`t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.

Just yesterday I was washing some dishes, listening to the radio. The past few weeks, what with the holidays, I guess I would`ve thought there`d be some retrospectives, some inspirations, and at least 1 story about something good that happened, somewhere. Anywhere!

Instead, it was all depression, nausea, pain, suffering, and misery. It was disgust, anger, and insanity. Everywhere people turn these days, they hear about the worst that can happen, did happen, will happen, or is likely to happen. Nothing will work, nothing will succeed, and if it does, it`ll break, fail, be stolen, wiped out, or collapse.

Not on Startup Nation!

Instead, it`s an ongoing celebration of reason, ideas, imagination, inspiration, problem-solving, success, taking action, making decisions, and searching for a better way to do things.

Startup Nation is the enclave of optimism, hope, and the belief that things will work out in the end. Regardless of the disasters, setbacks, problems, and confusion we face in life, these threads and postings always spark an interest in helping someone out, giving advice, providing solutions, developing inspiration, and hoping for the best.

Maybe someplace else does the same thing, but having found this place, I don`t feel like looking someplace else. Anyone can figure out what`s wrong with just about anything. It takes real thought to figure out what`s right with something. And that`s what SuN is all about, from my perspective---people who want things to work the right way, not just complain about stuff. :-)

Craig - I agree.

That is the main reason I keep coming here. Seems like everywhere you turn, there is such negativity. The newspapers, tv, radio... of course, most news is doom and gloom anyway. But not just that. There are forums I have been to where people just seem to latch onto a negative perspective and can`t let it go. Not here!

Another great thing about the SuN is that there`s so much intelligent discussion going on everywhere. Cyberspace is a unique place to find all sorts of people, but it can be challenging to find a forum full of people who are discussing interesting topics, in-depth, and without getting into shouting matches. That`s the key to a good forum, for me. How deep into a discussion can you go without anyone getting upset with anyone else and starting a big name-calling game? It happens all too often on many forums, and gets old very fast. In my experiences here, people may not agree with each other, and they might even get a little upset, but it doesn`t degrade into a mindless war of words.

My brain can`t just be idle. I love to learn new things and talk with interesting, friendly, and inspired people. SuN is a good place for that.


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keycon... What a great post. I spend many hours of my day on SuN. I don`t read a lot of articles, although I do listen to the occasional pod cast here and there. I certainly am like you keycon! I think I have read every post since the beginning of my membership in April of `06.

I have also learned about myself with the use of reading posts by other SuN members. I have learned what topics I have a fair amount of knowledge about as well as the topics I have an interest in. It has helped define my life plan.

CraigL... As always, I think you are like family. Maybe an older brother? We seem to have similar views on many subjects... including the comments you made in this post.

frndchps... Thank you for placing me in your recognition list... (at least I hope I am the same Vincent you are referring to). It really makes me feel great to know my comments and thoughts have helped or taught someone else. That is truly the greatest goal in life for me.


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Vincent Wilcox (a.k.a. KRAKR)
Drummer
My band: Letters Make Words