Jack of all Trades, Master of some?

Jack of all Trades, Master of some?

I read somewhere that the average person has three careers in their lifetime.

I don’t know if that is true, but I’ve done a lot of things in my working lifetime.

I’ve…

Worked as a full service gas station attendant

Farmed

Cowboy (yes that means I rode a horse and raised cattle)

Tire Truck for the local Co-op

Maintenance for apartments

Plumber and Electrician

Casing Crew in the Oil industry

Window decorator

Recess Monitor for an elementary school

Professional Santa

Teacher

Photographer

Graphic Designer 

There is probably a couple of things in there I forgot, and you might think this guy just can’t make up his mind what he wants to do. You would be mistaken. I did many of these things because they had an experience that I wanted to have. I always wanted to know what it was like to be a full time cowboy, very hard work, developing the skills as an electrician has saved me a ton of money over the years. Farming showed me that I don’t have the patience for farming.

When I got into college I discovered my true calling. I love graphic design. The first time I manipulated type, I was hooked. I love putting things in order where they best communicate a message. It makes me feel good and I’ve done it for over 27 years.

Now that I’ve found my calling does that mean I’m done trying new things?

Of course not!

With the current pandemic, business has been a little slow and I have had some free time lately so I decided to enhance some skills I learned when I was younger.

I have started woodworking. Like many men my age, I took two years of shop class in high school. I had some fence repairs that needed to happen around the house and I took some of the old wood and created something new.

It amazed me how much of my skills came back to me as I worked from project to project.

It has sparked my creativity and my desire to make stuff and my wife with surprise, says I have skills! (not sure how to take that, so I’ll take it as a compliment)

My point to all this rambling is, don’t stop learning new skills. Just because you do one thing, doesn’t mean that is the only thing you can do.

Learning how to do new things gives you experience and stimulates your brain. Also it’s FUN!

Get out there and do something new today!

What happened to basic Leadership?

My best scout and I were talking about leadership and he wanted to know what makes a good leader. Since I'm old and wise (quit laughing) I came up with 10 practices that make a good leader. I've pulled many of these from different books and articles I've read over the years.


10 things that make a strong leader.




1. Lead from the front not the rear: People need to see you’re confident not arrogant.

2. Be well informed: If you don’t know what you’re talking about people will notice.

3. Surround yourself with people better than you: Listen to them, they can only make you look better.


4. Golden Rule: Treat people the way you expect to be treated.


5. Be Trustworthy: If your people don’t trust you, you’ve already lost.


6. Helpful: Don’t be afraid to roll up your sleeves and get dirty. Sometimes you have to do the grunt work.


7. The buck stops with you: If something gets screwed up admit it’s your responsibility and move on.


8. Learn from the past: Leaders who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.


9. KISS: Keep it simple stupid!


10. You’re the Leader, LEAD!: There is a big difference between managing your people and being bossy. People will respond better if they know you’re there for them.




It seems that some of the people who lead have forgotten basics of leadership.




Maybe they will read this blog...










© copyright 2020 Michael Burke







Technical Schools Vs. College

I was listening to a conversation between two sets of parents not too long ago and they were talking about higher education for their children. They were debating Vocational Technical Schools and 2 or 4 year colleges.

One parent was saying that college was not as necessary anymore and that the wold needs more welders, construction, mechanics and manual labor workers than it needs business majors.

The other argued that in order for the construction worker to have a business they needed a business degree to be successful. They would also need accountants and financial planners to save for the long term. These jobs require college education.

I thought both sides had a point, but I also though both might be a little short sighted.

When I was in high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I was already a farmer/rancher and could have continued to do that and been able to make a living. That’s not really what I wanted to do. My mom and dad wanted me to be a veterinarian and I went to a year at OSU didn't want to be a Vet, and didn’t like college so I left college and didn’t have any direction.

I decided at that point, I would enroll in a Vo Tech school. I took classes in residential wiring and construction. Then got a job as a journeyman electrician. I was proud of my accomplishments and had a great job that paid a pretty good salary. Then the bottom dropped out of the Oil industry and it affected everyone. Work was still there, but new construction dropped to nothing and I decided I needed options.

Close by my home town was a Junior College. I went to check it out and ended up enrolling. I still didn’t know what I wanted to do. but I thought by the time I got the general education out of the way, I’d figure it out. I did, and went on to get a degree in Fine Art and then Visual and Graphic Design at a 4 year college.

I’ve worked for almost 30 years in the Advertising and Graphic Design industry and have had my own business for over 16 years. I have been lucky that I’ve been able to do what I love and make a living. However I also am comforted by the fact that I have always had manual skills that I can fall back on if I needed (it also helps around the house).

My advice is, think about letting your kids do both. Put some time into Vocational Technical schools to learn a trade, then go to college and continue education. Both are worthwhile, both can provide you with skills and employment for the rest of your life.

Both give your kids options, they don't have to pick one or the other, they can do both! You can’t prepare them for life any better than that!

© 2020 Michael Burke

The importance of planning and setting daily goals!

Good day! I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy.

Most of us are having to stay home and work right now, so it's more important than ever to have a clear set of goals to help plan your day.

Some, have had a home office for years and have a routine to make their day productive. However, with our families at home with us, we are having to switch things up a bit.

If you don't already, I would suggest setting a long term set of goals and a daily set of goals.

Most successful people already know and understand the importance of setting goals, but I've found in the last few weeks my goals have had to change a little.

Some people call them lists, some call them daily goals but the end result is the same. The following examples are how I set up my daily tasks. While at home with my son right now, I'm teaching him to do this as well.

A.    I have a journal that I work in and at the first of the year I write down my long term goals for the year. I can go back to the front of the journal at any time and make sure my daily goals are getting me closer to my long term goals.

B.    Every night I try right down the date and my goals for the next day. I could say list, but goals mentally tells me its a challenge and not a chore. By doing it at night, it means I don't have to take time out of my morning, I can sit down and get started first thing.

C.    I try to right down at least 10 goals for my day. Don't worry if you can only think of 8, that's fine. If you have 12 that's fine. I've found for me, 10 is a manageable number. The following is a sample of a normal set of daily goals. Except the coffee, they can be done in any order.

1. Get up and have coffee. ( No goal is too small. I try to make my daily goals manageable)
2. Check and respond to e-mail
3. Network
4. Finish any work I didn't get done the day before (this is a goal that will vary from day to day)
5. Get any billable projects that need to be done today (this also will vary from day to day)
6. Get 30 min of exercise ( can be as simple as going for a walk, just something that gives you a mental break)
7. Invoicing
8. Clean office space
9. Write goals for tomorrow
10. Tell my family I love them!

These are a simple sample of daily goals I use almost every day. They change up from time to time, but they are totally customizable and when I check them off, I feel a sense of accomplishment which helps with stress.

Now, with the current situation in place I have my family at home and that creates a whole new set of challenges.

My son now has to do virtual classroom, so I have become teacher, lunch monitor and recess monitor (making sure he doesn't recess all day!). My wife is also working from home and needs the dining room as an office to do calls and virtual meetings. All of this changes my work dynamic.

My daily goals have had to adapt to the new situation. Here is how my day goes now.

1. Get up and have coffee (that will never change!)
2. Make sure my son gets to work on school and be available to answer questions or give any instruction as needed. This could take an hour and a half to two hours out of my day.
3. e-mail
4. Network
5. finish work that is undone and do any new work that needs to happen (many times individual projects will become separate goals)
6. Take at least 30 min to do something active with my son
7. Read a book
8. Update my LinkedIn page
9. Write my blog.
10. Tell my family I love them! (this will always be on my goals list)

My goals list has always been moveable and the difference now is it has to be very flexible and I need to remind myself that some of the goals just wont happen. I have to take into account the kid needing snacks and drinks (he's still figuring out he can do that on his own) and every so often I hear "MICHAEL" which always seems to require me to get up and go where ever my wife is to find out what she needs!

Even in the unusual circumstances we find ourselves in, I still manage to write down a list of goals that help make my day manageable and as profitable as it can be.

Making goals you can check, helps keep you mentally fit and helps keep better track of your day. Making your goals flexible is important  if you want to accomplish anything especially with your family at home and if you want to keep your sanity!

Stay safe and be well.
Michael Burke




© Copyright 2020 Michael Burke

That will do!

That will do, or that's good enough. I dislike both of those phrases and I hear them far too often these days.

Perhaps I have a little OCD when it comes to design, but I feel its my job to give you the absolute best designed piece that I possibly can!

That means when I design something for you I take the best photography, illustrations, and content and put it all together into a design that best communicates whatever product or service you are trying to sell.

Sometimes it's expensive and sometimes less expensive, it depends on many different factors.

Far too often I get photography or illustrations that someone took on their smart phone or pulled off the internet (which is copyright violation, it you didn't take it or create it) and asks me to use it on the cover of their brochure or on their website. I usually have to tell them its poor light, quality or resolution, and the comment I get back is; "that's good enough" or "that will do".

Good enough, should never be good enough for your business! Imagine having the contractor only put three walls on your house and saying, that's good enough or trying to do your job with both your hands and feet tied. You might be able to do it, but it will be incredibly difficult to get it done and take double or even triple the time.

It is our job to give you a product that communicates the best way possible. We have an expertise, I assume that is why you hired us. As the saying goes; you wouldn't hire a mechanic to do your brain surgery!

When you tell us, "that will do", you do your business a disservice. What we want to hear is, "That's the best designed piece our company has ever had!" and then of course hire us to do it again!

I want to say thank you to all of my clients! I appreciate your business and all the time you've stuck with me!

Michael Burke




© 2020 Michael Burke/Gotham Advertising and Design