So many choices, so little time

As podcasts grow more and more popular, it has become increasingly difficult to sort through the sea of excellent options out there.

From interviews with business leaders to industry specific advice from experts, podcasts are an incredible free and convenient way to get a small dose of inspiration and knowledge.

Business podcasts for your listening enojoyment

This short list offers just a taste of the myriad of business podcasts available. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur looking for some tips on breaking into a new industry or a seasoned vet hoping to get some new inspiration, we hope you’ll find something here worth listening to.

How I Built This, hosted by Guy Raz.

Podcast fans will recognize Guy Raz’s name (and voice) from TED Radio Hour. While that show can be a great source of inspiration for businesses, one of the most consistently inspiring shows is his new project that shares stories and insight from some of the biggest business leaders in the world. In just four months, Guy has talked to everyone from Richard Branson and Mark Cuban to L.A. Reid and Suroosh Alvi. While there are plenty of excellent interview-driven shows with entrepreneurs, if you want to hear about the world’s best known companies, this is your best bet.

The Art of Charm, hosted by Jordan and AJ Harbinger.

The Art of Charm is a business podcast by definition, but the advice it provides will definitely help you in other parts of your day-to-day life as well. With over three million listens a month, the incredibly populat show provides advice, strategies and insight into how to network effectively and advance your career and personal life.

StartUp, hosted by Alex Blumberg and Lisa Chow.

If you’re an entrepreneur, there is no excuse not to be listening to StartUp, the award-winning business podcast from Gimlet Media. The show’s talented hosts come from incredible radio shows like Planet Money and This American Life and bring a top-notch level of storytelling to the show, which provides behind the scenes looks at what it is actually like to start a company. Now on the fourth season, StartUp is one of those business podcasts that even people not interested in business will get a kick out of.

The Whole Whale Podcast, hosted by George Weiner.

One of the best things about podcasts is the wide variety of niche shows available that go in-depth into fascinating topics. One of those shows is the Whole Whale Podcast, which shares stories about data and technology in the non-profit sector. You’ll get detailed analysis, expert knowledge and can hear from a long list of social impact leaders from Greenpeace, Change.org, Kiva, Teach For America and more.

Social Pros Podcast, hosted by Jay Baer and Adam Brown.

Navigating the surplus of social media guides online can be a nightmare, so look no further thna Social Pros. Recent episodes talk about reaching college students on social media, the rise of messaging apps, and making better video content for Facebook. Plus, there are great case-studies with companies doing social right, like Kellogg’s, Coca Cola and Lenscrafters.

Entrepreneur on Fire, hosted by John Lee Dumas.

One of the original entrepreneurship shows, Entrepreneur on Fire has logged over 1,500 episodes with successful business leaders sharing tips, lessons and advice learned from their worst entrepreneurial moments. Sometimes humorous, sometimes heartbreaking, always inspiring, this show is sure to have at least one interview with someone you can learn from.

The $100 MBA, hosted by Omar Zenhom.

Think of The $100 MBA as a full-fledged business program in snack-sized portions. The daily ten minute business lessons are based on real world applications and cover everything from marketing to techology and more. Cue this show up on your commute to or from work and watch your knowledge grow.

This Week in Startups, hosted by Jason Calacanis.

This is your audio version of TechCrunch, Gizmodo or dare we say The American Genius. Each week, a guest entrepreneur joins the show to talk about what is happening in tech right now. You’ll get news about companies with buzz, updates on big tech news and even some insider gossip.

The Side Hustle Show, hosted by Nick Loper.

This is the show if you want answers for the big question so many entrepreneurs face. How do I turn my part-time hustle into a real job? Featuring topics such as passive income ideas, niche sites, and self-publishing, host Nick Loper is upfront and honest about the tough world of side hustles. The show features actionable tips and an engaging energy, and may just be that final push you need to grow your gig.

Back To Work, hosted by Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin.
Focused on the basics that you don’t think about, Back To Work looks deep into our working lives by analyzing things like workflow, email habits and personal motivation. Somewhere between self-help and business advice, Back To Work takes on a new topic relating to productivity each week.

#LearnSomething

Semantics

A new debate is emerging in the web development world and it’s not about which framework is best, or which language is most marketable.

In fact the debate isn’t a matter of code, it’s a matter of words.

It’s Not Just About Experience Level

“Full Stack Developer” is the title developers both new and old often use to describe themselves. According to a Stack Overflow developer survey touted as the “most comprehensive developer survey conducted” the title is among the top five respondents used to describe themselves.

However, not everyone thinks newer developers should adopt the title.

It would be easy to distill the debate to a matter of experience level, veterans earned the “full stack” title, while newer programmers haven’t. However, there’s way more layers to this debate.

What Exactly is Full Stack

First of all, a simple google search reveals several different definitions of “full stack.” There’s general consensus when it comes to the high-level definition. CodeUp sums up this definition, “The term full stack means developers who are comfortable working with both back-end and front-end technologies.”

When it comes down to the nitty-gritty of what exactly falls under back-end and front-end, there’s some disagreement.

Mastery level also matters, but again there’s disagreement over what’s acceptable. In one camp, are the proficiency pushers who require not only a breadth of understanding, but also a depth of understanding in multiple areas.

In this camp, it’s not just good enough to have exposure to SQL, one must have proficiency in SQL.

In the other camp, are the generalist. They also require a breadth of knowledge, but are happy with a basic familiarity of each stack element. When it comes to debating whether newer developers should adopt the full stack title, the lack of clarity on what full stack means in the first place is a major stumbling block.

Why Full Stack?

Besides clarifying the what behind “full stack” some folks are also clarifying the why. According to Indeed’s job trends, the number of postings and searches matching “full stack developer” on average has trended upwards since 2012 . The title’s popularity causes some to believe that new developers are adopting the title as a buzzword with no real care put into understanding what “full stack” means.

Android Programmer Dan Kim from Basecamp warns, “Just don’t fall back to labeling yourself with a bullshit buzzword that everyone else uses.”

For others, adopting the full stack title is a matter of mindset. As Web developer Christian Maioli over at TechBeacon writes: “To me, a full stack developer is someone who has the curiosity and drive to test the limits of a technology and understand how each piece works generally in various scenarios. Having this mindset will give developers more value and more power in dealing with new situations.”

In both cases, understanding why a new developer adopts the full stack title is connected to understanding whether they’re overselling their skills and how valuable their skills are to a potential employer.

Beyond Job Titles

Finally, this debate about whether new developers should use the “full stack” title brings up the need for alternative methods of measuring proficiency. This need isn’t limited to the web development world, as technology innovates job titles become convoluted.

Quantifying what you’ve accomplished in the past, along with what tools you used will be critical in a time where job titles aren’t trusted.

This story was first published here on April 7, 2017.

Have a nice day

Good customer service can be a turning point in someone’s day. Even if the customer doesn’t end up purchasing something, having the right attitude can greatly benefit your business.

Customers need to feel like you care about them, or that you can at least convincingly execute that illusion.

Brand loyalty

If your customers feel comfortable with your business and employees, they’re likelier to keep coming back. Additionally, people spread the word when you provide good customer service.

This can mean better online reviews and more customers coming from word-of-mouth recommendations.

I work retail, so I get to experience both sides of customer service. I understand how difficult it can be to maintain your cool when someone is yelling at you. There are days when you feel like you might end up imprisoned for acting on your feelings towards customers. I try to keep this in mind on the rare occasion that I venture out into the world as customer.

Shopping is an extraordinarily stressful situation in my world.

For starters, I’m extremely picky about every little detail, down to barely noticeable stitching patterns, minute accent colors, and textures. I also have trouble finding clothes since most mainstream stores are very gendered in their options. Add in a generous helping of social anxiety and you’ve got a perfect recipe for never wanting to enter a retail space besides the one that pays me to be there.

Necessary evil

Unfortunately, I am not very gentle on my possessions. This means every so often I have to face the nightmare that is the mall. I realize online shopping exists, but I avoid shopping in general to such a degree that I have no idea what sizes I wear. Plus, it’s difficult to scope out everything through online photos.

But I had a mission: find a comfortable pair of shoes that don’t look like trash so I can wear them to work. Tragically, my heart was set on a pair that were sold out everywhere.

I thought I was willing to compromise, but I was wrong.

I set myself up for failure. But I still went around the mall in a stressed out frenzy, hitting up every store in sight and racking up my step count.

I was genuinely near tears because I was so frustrated, but one employee got me back to normal levels of publicly acceptable human emotion.

When I walked into his store, my defeat and desperation were pretty evident. He immediately greeted me and diffused my stress with humor and a willingness to help. Although I ultimately didn’t find what I was looking for, I now know there’s at least one store I can go to where I feel comfortable asking for help. I’ve even recommended the store to my friends.

Customers are people too

So what was it about this interaction that stood out? His attitude. Even with no end sale in sight, he still devoted attention to me. Typically, I avoid asking employees for help because I don’t want to annoy them. But if I feel welcomed by a business, I’m far likelier to stick around. I also don’t want to become victim of the dreaded hover, where employees trail you around the store, oblivious to your disdain.

Treat your customers as individuals with a problem you are not only capable of solving, but that you’re more than happy to solve.

Pay close attention to what they’re saying. If they ask to explore on their own, don’t continue pushing a product or suggestions. But keep an eye on them and jump in if you sense they’re a bit lost.

Make sure you’re greeting your customers, but be genuine. You’ll just end up sounding like a jerk if you’re obviously faking it. If you struggle with difficult customers or coworkers, I suggest playing a game I created called Uncanny Valley. Try to be the nicest version of yourself as possible, even if you’re raging inside. When someone comes into your business, they don’t know what’s going on with you. However, it’s your job to be attentive to what’s going on in the customer’s world.

Customer service serves

I don’t take it too personally if an employee is impolite, but it certainly doesn’t make a good impression. Ultimately, your business can’t succeed without customers.

Customer-facing positions must delicately balance the needs of customers without being overly intrusive or neglectful. Pay attention to your customers, treat them as individuals, and be as genuine as possible for best results.

#Smile