SXSW 3rd Floor Panels – What’s up with that?
I really would like to know why in the world the Austin Convention Center is laid out the way it is. It’s kind of fun going to a usability panel in a building that left the third floor off of the...
View ArticleSXSW schwag bag = the “big bag” is competition for your creative eye
Everything is bigger in Texas. This includes the official “Big Bag.” I wanted to share with our team when I got back to the studio so I thought it would be fun to put up the contents of the “big bag”...
View ArticleGoogle Alerts
As a small business monitoring what is being said about you or your competition is very important but it can be tricky. Typically each person wears a lot of different hats so staying on top of it can...
View ArticleHonest self examination
Treehugger.com has a useful section on How to Green Your Work. What’s the Big Deal? A greener workplace can mean a lighter ecological footprint, a healthier and more productive place to work, and good...
View ArticleThe non English Internet continues to grow
Myspace just launched a Spanish version of its popular social networking service. At Pelago, we have seen a strong push in the last year to localize web sites and applications for our clients. We have...
View ArticleStringing along programs and APIs?
The idea of a mashable web, a woven strand of APIs, is a good one, and we’ve seen a lot of great projects as a result. But how well does this idea translate to running a business? Is it effective to...
View ArticleManaging Intervals, with Intervals
We built Intervals for two reasons. First, we need a web-based project management service to track time and tasks, as well as overall workflow. And second, we tried a few of the web-based services and,...
View ArticleBusiness Lessons for Graphic Designers
I was fortunate to have studied graphic design at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where I was educated and trained in several areas of design. I spent quarters at a time devoted solely to the disciplines of...
View ArticleAll Things To All People
Our company’s eight-year history and experiences with web development have taught us many lessons about running a small business. One of the most important lessons learned was that we can’t be all...
View ArticleValuing Time as a Business Resource
An interview with Curt Finch, CEO of Journyx, Inc., on why tracking time is a necessary business practice. Here are some excerpts from the interview on task and time tracking, Software as a Service,...
View ArticleStartup New Orleans
Home to some of the best jazz, zydeco, and voodoo gris gris music, the Crescent City is experiencing a rebirth of business. Entrepreneurs are finding ideas and opportunities in the wake of Katrina,...
View ArticleThe 80-20 Rule and Client Drama
The 80-20 Rule, AKA the Pareto Principle, states that “for many events, 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.” This can be observed in any volunteer organization, for example, a church, where...
View ArticleThree ways to simplify your small business
When you stop to consider the amount of responsibilities required to run a small business the conclusions can be overwhelming. It turns out the only thing ‘small’ in a small business is the number of...
View Article5 Lessons Learned from 9 Years as a Web Development Agency
This month, Pelago celebrates its ninth year of life as a web development agency. In those nine years we’ve worked on 339 projects for 105 clients. We’ve built everything from basic brochure web sites...
View ArticleHow to Accurately Estimate a Web Design Project
Whether you flat-bid or bill hourly, the ability to accurately estimate projects is crucial for delivering within budget and avoiding client disappointments. While completing over 300 projects for more...
View ArticleStress Management Tips for the Small Business Owner or Freelancer
The role of the small business owner, or freelancer, is a loosely-defined amalgam of time, tasks, projects, and nine million other responsibilities to pull you in every direction manageable. There are...
View ArticleLet Someone Else Manage The Distractions
It is an unavoidable fact that anyone working for a small business, or freelancing, will be required to wear multiple hats. You will be responsible for many aspects of the day-to-day workflow outside...
View Article2009 is going to be a good year for creative small businesses
According to a survey of 209 creative service firms posted over at functionfox.com, 2009 is expected to be a good year for creative small businesses. It is rumoured that small businesses in general are...
View ArticleSuccessful niche firms will help economy rebound
The ongoing successes of small businesses is being overshadowed by the media’s heavy focus on the failings of corporate giants. The latest news about this economy doesn’t seem to bode well for anyone....
View ArticleWhat Saturday morning cartoons taught me about small business
Memories of Saturday morning cartoons are the strongholds of nostalgia and pop culture for us children of the 80s. Sure, they were thinly veiled, half hour long commercials, but they also gave us at...
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