Develpreneur: Become a Better Developer and Entrepreneur

We start the new year with a look at moving forward from our past mistakes. There is value in a retrospective and learning from mistakes. However, we can then drop those past burdens. There is no need to keep returning to them or have too much fear of repeating them. Our goal is to learn and advance, not get mired down in the past. Moving Forward Requires Change There is no phrase more indicative of being tied to the past than "We have always done it that way." This phrase tells the listener that you are happy where you are and have no desire to move from that position. Nevertheless, the world moves on, and businesses continue moving forward. Technology makes that advance even more apparent as systems come and go. The applications and systems you relied on even ten years ago likely no longer exist outside of museums or businesses trapped in the past. Look For New Solutions We can get caught in the trap of focusing too much on change and thus never finding enough consistency to be productive. However, that is an easy trap to avoid. We must set aside some time once or twice a year to pick our heads up and look around. Ask yourself if your tools are still doing the job properly, and do some research in case a better solution is available. Useful Articles And Episodes Change and moving forward from past solutions are lessons many of our guests have learned. Here are a few examples. Starting a consulting business from scratch Start a Developer career Grow Your Passion Into A Business

We start a discussion with Donna Dube of the CEO Amplify podcast and how to be a better CEO whether you are a company of 1 or 1000. It is easy to get lost in all we need to do as a CEO or even as an entrepreneur. Donna talks to us about ways to be better by avoiding common pitfalls. Your Company Deserves A Better CEO Every company deserves a leader that is focused on the things that help it grow. That focus must include the things that really matter, and then the lesser things should be delegated. We want to put each task on the plate of the person best suited to handle it. That is where the best leaders show their value. They find a way to get everything done without doing it themselves. We become better when we focus on the tasks that we do best. About Donna Donna is a certified Director of Operations, business growth strategist, and host of the CEO Amplify podcast.  She works with established online service-based business owners who are ready to make a bigger impact and maximize their profit. She is passionate about helping business owners work smarter, not harder. That helps them escape the hustle and grind culture and go from stressed out to confident CEO.  With several years of experience in project planning and strategic growth planning with 6- & 7-figure businesses, she has seen the momentum that can happen in a business when the CEO leverages their time, talent, and tactics. Amplify Yourself Learn More At: https://ceoamplify.ca/powerhour Unlock the CEO's secret to working smarter, not harder, with a weekly CEO power hour! This comprehensive toolkit will empower you to maximize profits, optimize operations, and make impactful decisions that drive long-term success. Get ready to harness the momentum of the CEO Power Hour and take charge of your business destiny! .

Artificial intelligence is a hot topic recently and we take this special focus episode to look at how we can leverage AI. There are some very popular ways to use this new tool that have to do with content generation. However, there are so many fuzzy logic problems out there to solve it seems that is a logical focus for better gains. Think Out Of The Box To Leverage AI A new technology provides us with a ew way to solve problems. That opens the door to productivity gains but, more importantly, there will be new areas to explore. We may have a solution that has always required manual intervention that now can be automated. There is a whole world of possibilities when we look for solutions that were never automated before. Those areas are where the most incredible advances in technology have come from. Limit Your Variables We can leverage AI in many ways. However, it is still new and can be a wild card for our solutions. Rather than double-down on the risk and challenges by using this new approach to solve a new problem, limit the variables. Use AI to tackle an existing problem in a new way. The productivity and efficiency gains might be game-changing. Useful Articles And Episodes Here are some AI discussions that might help jumpstart your new product or service. Better AI Prompts Gen Z Traits Use Cases For AI

Our interview with Chris Barkhurst concludes with how he has built a company you would work for in a heartbeat. It is one he would want to work for. There are benefits that make the company one that forces a work-life balance. However, they also make sure they get the job done. He has created a perfect example of how healthy and happy employees can do more in less time. Why Build A Company You Would Work For? There are many reasons to set this goal. Chris found his motivation in talking to his father. We can lose sight of the important things in life as a business grows. Thus, it is best to build a company you would work for from the very start. That is when you can set the rules and build habits that will carry that goal through the life of the company. About Chris Chris Barkhurst is not your everyday CEO; he is a visionary leader and innovator at the helm of BBCE, Inc. He is driving ventures that testify to his diverse interests and forward-thinking approach. With a keen eye for technological potential, Chris ventured into the AI landscape, founding Barky AI. This groundbreaking initiative launched an app that paved the way for AI communication. It was ahead of the curve in making its presence a year before the advent of ChatGPT. Under Chris’s leadership, Barky AI refocused on B2B engagements and diverse products, projecting a robust turnover exceeding $19 million this year. Chris’s innovative journey continued with establishing Benson-Lloyd Card Grading, a venture revolutionizing security standards in card grading. With an AI-driven, counterfeit-proof system, it has set benchmarks that exceed even those of the U.S. Mint, amassing impressive revenues since its inception. His Next Big Venture What sets Chris and his ventures apart is the organic growth and buzz they’ve achieved without reliance on extensive marketing or social media presence. BBCE, Inc. thrives on its reputation, creating a natural buzz and accumulating a dedicated following eager for the company’s next move. Chris’s podcast appearances have historically sparked excitement and engagement, reflecting the impactful resonance of his story and BBCE, Inc.’s story. The industry is abuzz with anticipation as Chris gears up to tease a new product. His story continues to inspire and intrigue, embodying a journey of innovation, perseverance, and success. In the world of Chris Barkhurst and BBCE, Inc., the next chapter is always around the corner, and it promises to be as engaging and revolutionary as the last. Learn More at: HTTP://www.barkyai.com This is the website listeners can visit on their phones to download the app, learn more, or send Chris' team a message.

One of the things we have seen through many interviews is the idea of success through perseverance. It is more than not quitting; it is driving forward. Obstacles are a part of life, and we can either let them stop us or find a way through them. It is an over-simplification to focus on not quitting. We also can not succeed by simply treading water.   We All Stumble But Can Find Success Through Perseverance Every success story seems to have numerous setbacks that have to be addressed. In fact, taking a step backward seems like a regular occurrence as we grow. We have to balance that with two or more steps forward after we regress. Those who succeed share that view of a step back as a sort of preparation for growth rather than some loss or negative. The step backward does not count as a true setback if we can work through it and advance. It's sort of like taking a step back to go around an obstacle rather than beating our heads against it. Set Your Course Pick your path, choose your goals, and march. You can assume that there will be challenges and times that you can quit. However, you will not fail if you keep striving and driving forward. Persevere! Useful Articles And Episodes We all can use some motivation, and here are some past episodes that can help. Personal Motivators And Drivers - Find The Right Approach Self Care For High Performers - Shaunna Lee Side Hustle Success Through Perseverance

Our interview with Chris Barkhurst is one of those that everyone needs to hear as it delves into use cases for AI. This field has so much buzz and conjecture that it can be overwhelming. However, Chris breaks it down so that you can understand where his companies apply this new technology. New And Unique Use Cases For AI It should not surprise us that some incredible use cases for AI go beyond the content creation we often hear about. Chris shares some niche yet fascinating areas where AI can make a difference. They range from the almost scary voice on the other end of a support call to the game-changing evaluation of baseball collector cards. The broad range of solutions he mentions means we will surely see this industry explode in the years to come. About Chris Chris Barkhurst is not your everyday CEO; he is a visionary leader and innovator at the helm of BBCE, Inc. He is driving ventures that testify to his diverse interests and forward-thinking approach. With a keen eye for technological potential, Chris ventured into the AI landscape, founding Barky AI. This groundbreaking initiative launched an app that paved the way for AI communication. It was ahead of the curve in making its presence a year before the advent of ChatGPT. Under Chris’s leadership, Barky AI refocused on B2B engagements and diverse products, projecting a robust turnover exceeding $19 million this year. Chris’s innovative journey continued with establishing Benson-Lloyd Card Grading, a venture revolutionizing security standards in card grading. With an AI-driven, counterfeit-proof system, it has set benchmarks that exceed even those of the U.S. Mint, amassing impressive revenues since its inception. His Next Big Venture What sets Chris and his ventures apart is the organic growth and buzz they’ve achieved without reliance on extensive marketing or social media presence. BBCE, Inc. thrives on its reputation, creating a natural buzz and accumulating a dedicated following eager for the company’s next move. Chris’s podcast appearances have historically sparked excitement and engagement, reflecting the impactful resonance of his story and BBCE, Inc.’s story. The industry is abuzz with anticipation as Chris gears up to tease a new product. His story continues to inspire and intrigue, embodying a journey of innovation, perseverance, and success. In the world of Chris Barkhurst and BBCE, Inc., the next chapter is always around the corner, and it promises to be as engaging and revolutionary as the last. Learn More at: HTTP://www.barkyai.com This is the website listeners can visit on their phones to download the app, learn more, or send Chris' team a message.

The start of a new year can be the best time for cleaning your task list. Nothing says a fresh start like an entire new year ahead. However, we need to make sure we complete those year end tasks that can easily be forgotten. Some things on our to do list are too important to forget, but maintenance and accounting tasks can be glossed over. That can cause problems big and small. Cleaning Your Task List Items From Last Year An oil change is an example of those tasks that we can push off to another day or week. It will not make much difference for a short time, but if we forget it can cause major problems. There are many business tasks like this. They range from process activities like catching up documentation to preemptive tasks like testing fire alarm batteries and doing software audits. These are the things we do that can be overlooked because they do not immediately cause us pain. On the other hand, they can be crippling over time. Clear The Decks Get those tasks caught up before they get lost in the busyness of the near year. Then you will be set up for executing your plans for the year ahead. You have a nice long runway of twelve months ahead to execute and make this you best year yet. Useful Articles And Episodes If you need any motivation or fresh ideas as you get to work after the holidays then here are some past interviews and articles. Use High Energy Time To Improve Productivity Productivity Habits To Start Your Day Right Side Hustle Ideas

We wrap up our Bryan Clayton interview with his stories and suggestions for building and vetting your team. He has built up an organization by overcoming a lot of obstacles. Those may seem unique to his company. However, there are a lot of common problems faced that he has addressed to build a trusted community of resources. Learn From Others For Building and Vetting Your Team Running a business can seem like a simple task. You find customers, sell products or services, and build a team. However, that is rarely the case. Bryan shares the trials any organization faces and how he researched ways to handle them. He even looked at the competition and walked a mile in the shoes of reliable and unreliable workers. There is a lot to gain from this episode, so buckle up and get ready to take notes. About Bryan Bryan Clayton is an entrepreneur, author, and speaker. He has built a successful career through hard work, perseverance, and innovation. He is the co-founder and CEO of GreenPal, an online platform that connects homeowners with local lawn care professionals. Under Bryan's leadership, GreenPal has grown into a multi-million dollar company with over 200,000 active users. Furthermore, it has been featured in publications like Forbes, Inc. and Entrepreneur. Before starting GreenPal, Bryan founded Peachtree Inc., a landscaping company he grew to become one of the largest in Tennessee, with over $10 million in annual revenue. LUSA Holdings, a national company, eventually acquired Peachtree. Bryan has also been recognized for his leadership and entrepreneurial spirit. That has come from organizations like the Nashville Business Journal, which named him one of its "40 under 40" honorees. Bryan's entrepreneurial journey is a testament to the power of hard work, determination, and a willingness to take risks. He is passionate about helping others succeed and continually seeks ways to give back to his community. Learn More at: https://www.yourgreenpal.com/ If you're a homeowner or property manager looking for reliable and affordable lawn care services, then you need to check out GreenPal. With just a few clicks, you can easily find and book lawn care professionals in your area who have been vetted and approved by GreenPal. Plus, with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, you can rest assured that you'll get top-notch service every time. So, whether you're looking for weekly lawn mowing, seasonal yard clean-up, or even tree trimming, GreenPal has got you covered. Head to their website now to learn more and start booking your lawn care services today. Your lawn will thank you for it!

We can leverage some times of the year to create longer vacations and mini-retirement experiences. There are fixed holidays and slow times that can provide a foundation for our time off, and then we tack on a day here and a day there. Likewise, we can work partial days and get things done. That can free up our days to get more things done we enjoy. You Have Earned Longer Vacations And Mini-Retirement Stretches Your side hustles and long days should be for more than just getting the job done. There must be a "why" that you look forward to. Some of that may be free time. Some may be time with family. Whatever your reason for working, it helps to take some time for yourself along the way. Embrace even the little periods off to walk away and recharge. You will thank yourself for it. Embrace The Holidays You can use the slower time of the year to catch up and prepare to launch into the next year. On the other hand, you can use this time to rest and reflect. In either case, we want to wish you and yours Happy Holidays from all of us at Develpreneur and Building Better Developers. Useful Articles And Episodes We have covered the cost of burnout and how to avoid it more than a few times. Check out some of these to help you use your time wisely and avoid burnout. Detecting And Beating Burnout - Victor Manzo Three Signs Of Burnout Detecting And Avoiding Burnout

The holidays can be a great time to catch up and get ahead with our hustles, or we can take advantage of the time to avoid burnout. While there is much to be said for the former, the latter can be far more valuable in the long run. We were not made to run at 100% all the time. Just like any machine, we need time to cool down. That is what vacations and holidays are all about. Avoid Burnout To Maintain High Productivity The calculations around continuing to work and "getting ahead" compared to taking time to recover can be deceiving. There is a short-term gain when we work through the slow times. However, that reduces our ability to recharge, and burnout will cause us to lose progress. We must realize how costly burnout is to our overall goals and productivity. That is where a little time resting starts to look like the wise choice. Embrace The Holidays You can use the slower time of the year to catch up and prepare to launch into the next year. On the other hand, you can use this time to rest and reflect. In either case, we want to wish you and yours Happy Holidays from all of us at Develpreneur and Building BEtter Developers. Useful Articles And Episodes We have covered the cost of burnout and how to avoid it more than a few times. Check out some of these to help you use your time wisely and avoid burnout. Detecting And Beating Burnout - Victor Manzo Three Signs Of Burnout Detecting And Avoiding Burnout