Tyler Jorgenson

We had a great day up in the mountains. I had to check on a couple of things for WrightwoodCabins.com and the kids love playing with their Grandma and Grandpa J so we piled into the truck and headed up the hill.

Tanya is always wanting to get a good family pic and the kids were in good spirits. While we were posing with the little red house behind us snow from the tree fell down on us.

I love spending time with the wife and kids. Especially when my Mom and Dad provide pizza and hot cocoa. Thanks!

I just read this article on Michael Phelps. I am truly disappointed. We need great role models today and they are getting harder to find.

In a public apology Phelps said:

I wonder how his endorsements will weather this little storm.

During church today the troubled economy came up 643 times. I’m exaggerating, it couldn’t have been more than 625. I know these times are tough and that they try the character of Men but I am confident that we will overcome and appear on the other end better and stronger than before. For the past year I have been working with some friends to create a sustainable financial services company. When other companies are shrinking we have been hiring 3-4 employees per month and look to pick up the pace through ’09. Our goal is to ensure that the company remains agile enough to adjust to market conditions. We believe that in any market there is an opportunity to make money and strive to be prepared for what may come.

One of the few magazines I get is FORTUNE and I enjoy the issue that comes this time of year spotlighting the top 100 places to work in the United States of America. It is my personal goal to have Ascension on this list by 2014. (I was going to say 2012 but according to some that’s going to be a tough year, and I didn’t want to be misunderstood for stating said year.)

We’re working on an updated purpose statement and ‘10 commandments‘ for our firm. I’ll share them when they’re done.

With unemployment up and the job market weak I knew that I would get a lot of responses to a recent post on Craigslist. We are looking for somebody that is tech savvy, detail oriented and sees things through to the end. Since every applicant lists at least one of those as their strengths I wrote the add to self filter. Here’s what I wrote:

“We are currently looking for another Assistant. The qualified assistant must be very task oriented, a planner, able to work in chaos and be skilled in the MS Suite and general computing. Applicants with experience in Finance, Real Estate, Mortgage Origination and/or telemarketing are desired.

To be considered please follow these guidelines closely (If your email does not meet these guidelines your application will not be considered complete):

1. Submit a resume in PDF format via email

2. In the email you send state why you feel you are perfect for the job

3. Include your cell phone number and times you can be reached

6. Point out what is wrong with this list, and include a photo of yourself

4. Include the date you can begin working (we need somebody immediately)

5. Please state in the email your favorite ice cream flavor

Following these application guidelines will help us weed out applicants. We will schedule interviews promptly.”

In 24 hours I have had 20 resumes sent over and only 5 of them have hit each of the 6 points. For the record, I don’t care if the applicant actually sends a photo or tells me their favorite ice cream flavor as long as they acknowledge that they read that part of the instructions.

Last time I posted a similar listing only 15% of the applicants got everything right. I guess things are looking up.

Don’t let the world get you down.

The world is full of people wanting you to have a bad day. Don’t let them.

I'm enjoying a nice breakfast here in Crystal Cove with one of my
business partners. This is a gorgeous part of the world, and perfect
for formulating some business plans.

Do you know of the man Thomas Paine? I’ll admit I knew very little other than that he was involved in early revolutionary politics and the author of some political pamphlets. On my Google Homepage I get a This Day In History snippet.

It was 233 years ago when Paine self published Common Sense, which convinced many colonists, including George Washington and John Adams, to seek redress in political independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain . Here are a couple great quotes from the 233 year old pamphlet:

“But where says some is the king of America? I’ll tell you friend, he reigns above, and doth not make havoc of mankind like the royal brute of Britain. … so far as we approve of monarchy, that in America the law is king.”

“. . . have every opportunity and every encouragement before us, to form the noblest purest constitution on the face of the earth. We have it in our power to begin the world over again. A situation, similar to the present, hath not happened since the days of Noah until now. The birthday of a new world is at hand, and a race of men, perhaps as numerous as all Europe contains, are to receive their portion of freedom from the event of a few months.”

It truly is wonderful that inspired men laid the foundation for the freedoms enjoyed today by so many.

As a final trivia piece it was Paine that first suggested the name The United States of America.

It may be time to re-take the quiz I posted early 2008.

Post your score in the comments. Don’t be shy.

While in New York last month my wife and I visited the Federal Hall where President George Washington was inaugurated as our first President of this great and free land. Standing on the steps of that great monument I felt for a moment the powerful strength of the Founding Fathers. They were men of Character and Valor. Standing on the tops of the steps one looks directly out at the New York Stock Exchange. It is an interesting juxtaposition of two of the great pieces of the United States. The last few years have seen what each the Federal Hall and the NYSE represent challenged, tested and beaten up. Our economy is in peril and the leaders in our government have in many ways let down the people they were asked to serve.

I came across the following quote from the magnanimous Thomas Jefferson:

“I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.”

My view from sitting on the steps of the Federal Hall was clear. It’s time to stand up. Literally, the steps were quite cold and I didn’t need my back side getting cold. In a more meaningful sense it was time to stand up and start acting.

I am so grateful to live in America. This truly is the land of opportunity, and now is the time to seek out those opportunities. Fortunes are made in the Bear markets, the profits are usually just realized in the Bull.

It’s not the proper roll of the Government to come in and save all of the companies or to bail each of us out. It’s our job to learn from our mistakes and grow stronger. We can grow stronger. We can get smarter. We can prosper again.

Another wonderful day with the family capped off with a perfect sunset.

Completing and Remembering 2008

Last year I shared a document that I borrowed from a friend of mine and it was well received so I thought it would be good to share again.

When you are setting your resolutions remember to set goals that are SMART.

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time Bound

An old adage: “A Goal Not Written is Merely a Wish” comes to mind. Print out this document and prepare to create some great goals so that 2009 can be your best year yet.

Happy New Year!

(and since I always like having a picture in each post. Make it a goal not to be a competitive jerk in 2009.)

One of the highlights of our recent trip to New York was visiting Wall Street. Many people asked me if I found it in ruins, but it was quite alive and bustling with activity. I carved out a few minutes to answer a few questions for a news team from a major national network. Yep, here I am with the reporter from TBS. They asked me questions about the economy, current monetary policies, housing and my choice of wearing jeans to the NYSE. Yep, TBS… Tokyo Broadcasting Service. I’m huge in Japan.

My oldest daughter thought that the Moose needed breathing
treatments. I guess with that big nose you could have a hard time
breathing.

I try to make an impact wherever I go. I enjoy networking, meeting new people, helping strangers, tipping cabbies, etc. Trying to make an impact in a city as impacted as New York was a fun challenge. This picture of me was up on Times Square on Dec 15, 2008 at 2:57pm. It isn’t ‘real’ in the fact that I’m not really TIME magazines person of the year, but it was really displayed just like the picture shows.

New York really touched me. I am inspired to be bigger. I am inspired to be better so that the ripples of my life’s work reach far and help many. The world has plenty of followers… I’m not one of them.