RichC | August 10, 2016
One of the great things about working with Digital Ocean is the ability to spin up a new droplet server based on a previously saved image/backups within a few minutes. Due to recent improvement of adding volumes in order to expand storage, currently only a couple of their data centers, I opted to image an […]
RichC | June 24, 2016
Customer Service. Sailrite does it right. Thank you … and many returns and referrals from me.
RichC | June 23, 2016
Follow up to previous post: Here’s the beef (long-ish winded) — I have a bunch of Craftsman tools and have always appreciated their "fair" quality and knowing that Sears stood behind them (and "use to be" in every town). As times change, Sears is no longer what it once was and the convenience factor as […]
RichC | June 8, 2016
As the second anniversary approaches of the downing of #MH17 by Russian missiles over the Ukraine, my brother-in-law Jerry Skinner is doing what he can to keep the tragedy in front of the public eye. Pressure on politicians for them to pursue justice, compensation and a admission from Russia and Putin (a long shot) is […]
RichC | June 4, 2016
Talk about “desultory” … who else blogs on Milwaukee Dill pickle “jars???” Like George Berdes (link), I love Milwaukee Midget Dill Pickles … although I’m not so sure about the corporate conglomerate brand Pinnacle Foods? I add “5” midget dills to my plate at every home lunch and have done this for years with […]
RichC | June 2, 2016
Kiplinger has long been one of the many websites who’s content, along with their magazine, that I’ve enjoyed reading. I follow several contributors to their content on social networks and complained recently that I disliked their multi short page approach for reading content. I’m sure they want to generate "clicks" and therefore break and article […]
RichC | March 23, 2016
Looking at the Finviz chart of the wild second half of 2015 slide for crude oil, one would think we Americans would be cheering since we love driving big cars. Unfortunately lower crude prices (and prices at the pump) are also indicators of a struggling domestic and world economy. U.S. companies need strong international economies […]
RichC | March 17, 2016
After using both Lyft and UBER quite a few times over the past year, it has been difficult to say one is much better than the other … they are pretty similar. From the consumers perspective, it is far better to have the competition as it spurs innovation, competitive pricing and better service. We riders […]
RichC | March 9, 2016
As we continue to drill down to select the best candidates to represent both the Republicans and Democrats in November’s presidential election, the process has been pretty disgusting … perhaps not the process, but the candidates ugliness. Here’s how I am coming to a conclusion before voting next Tuesday. As a long time Republican, I […]
RichC | March 2, 2016
Heard this interview this morning on SirusXM and glad Maria Bartiromo included it in one of her morning tweets.
RichC | February 7, 2016
I’d be jumping onboard for this Slick Kickstarter Backpack project if the $249 for the TRIP version didn’t frighten me away. Sure looks like the perfect traveling companion for my many trips — both for weekly work trips and those trips to the boat. It looks like they intend to keep the quality high … […]
RichC | October 31, 2015
While there is interest in the stock offering by Elio, most following this new American car company prefer to focus on the P5 prototype. I’m still amazed that they still are planning to their new “from the ground up” engine in the P5 and not something off the shelf. It will be interesting to see […]
RichC | October 29, 2015
Now that the popular social networking company Twitter has a “rudder,” Jack Dorsey, CEO, one would think confidence would be higher? That is difficult to tell when reading and monitoring those who are paid to research, have deeper insight and advise investors (graphic on right). The consensus is wildly split, both on the direction of […]
RichC | October 28, 2015
With a few connections in the drug store world, it is always interesting to see who’s next in the acquisitions and mergers. On Tuesday, the financial news filled up mid-day with the latest deal: Walgreens Boots Alliance seeking to buy Rite Aid Corp. This would merge the second and third largest chains together and reduce […]
RichC | October 27, 2015
Great memories of busy days logging the register cash deposits from the walk-in trade back in my Cuyahoga Falls office. It seems like a lifetime ago … and yes, I do kind of miss it. Keeping the business growing was challenging as the digital age matured, but those early days gave me a sense of […]
RichC | October 14, 2015
My old Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio office in 2015 and before moving in back in 1987 While calling on customers in NE Ohio last week, I had an hour to enjoy the sunny autumn weather and drove by to see my old building. RC Norman Construction has been in it a few years now and […]
RichC | September 18, 2015
As someone who has sold a handful of domain names over the past 20 years, it is interesting to see what prices are being generated (my highest sale was $10,000). In 2015 there are a few less impressive high dollar dot-com transfers (overseas) … due to them being “two-letters” I assume… yet they still garnering […]
RichC | August 5, 2015
If you are in Ohio and are looking for an interesting weekend drive now that gasoline prices are down (diesel too), take a drive to the Village Bakery and Café in Athens, Ohio. (of course that seems as counterproductive as Al Gore flying in a private plane if you are really thinking “green”?) They are […]
RichC | July 27, 2015
Small business owners who regularly collect sales tax on their goods and services might not be quite as enamored with the “economic rebound” being boasted about in Ohio. While I do support Gov John Kasich and realized he does not have direct impact on counties needing to find more tax revenue, the tax shifting in […]
RichC | July 22, 2015
Chuckling at the “miss” from Applefalling short of their guidance, but they continue to build their bankroll of cash … now above $200 Billion! Profit margins are so far above most tech equipment makers and they are still cranking out the iPhones (47.5 Million in the 3rd quarter). Unfortunately for shareholders use to $AAPL blowing […]
RichC | July 10, 2015
For the past few weeks I’ve been enjoying a quick read each morning summarizing the previous day’s news from theSkimm.com. Currently it is a free subscription and is delivered to your email box and worded in a light and easy to comprehend way. For those interested in more of a business news update, check out […]
RichC | July 8, 2015
Elio Motors issued a press release today on the crowd funding “non-binding” interest for equity in their new American start-up car company. Troy, Mich., July 8, 2015 – Elio Motors today announced it is off to a record-setting pace for its disclosed equity crowdfunding campaign, with more than $16 million in expressed non-binding interest from […]
RichC | July 1, 2015
Investing in startups outside of a business where I have been hands-on management has never panned out successfully for me … so I’m not sure why I think ElioMotors will be different? In other words, treat that last statement a warning and my skepticism beyond seeing a new car company as interesting and exciting IF […]
RichC | June 22, 2015
For those of you who are NOT Wall Street Journal readers, but have always wanted to try it out, here’s your chance. The $1 price is about as cheap as I’ve ever seen from WSJ.com … for a 3 month introductory deal. The yearly or normal monthly subscription is higher and can be hard to […]
RichC | June 11, 2015
Although I still own and wear an old pair of New Balance athletic shoes, this is a reminder post to myself (posted before) to consider the New Balance brand when replacing my current Sketchers (no complains as they are great shoes too). I liked the comments in the video (below) and article on CNBC about […]
RichC | June 6, 2015
In a 2015 look at cable companies, very few customers are happy with their providers, in fact the report indicates a couple of the biggest have lost ground (chart below). Barely half of Mediacom Communications, Time Warner Cable and Comcast customers indicate that they are satisfied with service … and the latter two above have […]
RichC | May 29, 2015
As some point in business, we need to know when it is time to throw in the towel. I’m not talking about going out of business, selling or retiring just yet, BUT “giving up” on competing when it comes to data storage. In my personal life, I’ve been using cloud based storage for years… be […]
RichC | May 28, 2015
It looks as if Twitter is getting a head start in taking social media into the publishing realm by going after Flipbook. Facebook is working deals with news organizations and consolidating into users streams, but $TWTR has decided to buy their way into the publishing business – undisclosed price but some speculate it is close […]
RichC | May 23, 2015
Being sentimental or overly reflecting on each day really is not in my nature, but because my prayer list growing for those who have health issues, I’ve spent a little more time “trying” to appreciate “the moments.” The focus this winter/spring has primarily been on my dad (and my mother-in-law), and I’ve made a priority […]
RichC | May 3, 2015
Brenda and I knew the good news when we were on vacation last week that Taylor received an offer from Clermont County, Ohio … although Taylor didn’t yet returned to Williston North Dakota to submit his resignation properly (therefore no public blog post). On Friday, Taylor submitted his letter and verbal resignation to his superiors […]
RichC | April 20, 2015
I spent Sunday afternoon with my son Taylor while he was back home visiting from North Dakota on a cloudy and rainy afternoon. He was my tour guide and gave me the updates on the projects and investment that is helping to revitalize Cincinnati. As a suburban guy, I was impressed to see “our home […]
RichC | April 12, 2015
Selling coupons on ebay is very entrepreneurial. While I’m not a regular ebay seller, I often check prices and buy parts for cars and the boat. When my search screen stated to display pages of ads “selling discount coupons,” it sounded crazy. But people must be finding a market for clipping and selling those unique […]
RichC | February 24, 2015
CEO Steven Mollenkopf spoke with Maria Bartiromo on Sunday Morning Futures this past weekend about his company Qualcomm Inc. ($70.94 -0.58 -0.81%) and dealing with taxes and low interest rates impact his business decision making. About taxes, Mollenkopf commented that the high current U.S. corporate tax rates (graph below) encourage investment and job creation overseas […]
RichC | February 19, 2015
As mentioned previously, I returned my “out of production” (Europe only) Victorinox SwissFlame knife in for warranty service, and although they could not repair it, they honored the lifetime warranty. Not only did they sent me the new SwissTool™ Spirit X as a replacement, but they return the defective knife – superb customer service. As […]
RichC | February 17, 2015
Vistaprint produced a great television commercial that is currently running on a couple national cable channels. Perhaps I like it because it is “printing” or “entrepreneur” related, but the passing down of a small business does tug at my heart strings. (here’s an additional video on the making of the commercial).
RichC | February 14, 2015
There was no love lost from customers of Intuit’s Turbo Tax software, and like many, I quickly looked to their competitors when I saw Intuit’s “money grab” in January 2015. Although the company responded with an apology and offered a $25 rebate to those who eventually figured out they needed to upgrade their Deluxe edition […]
RichC | January 8, 2015
The answer is YES if ProMedica’s President and CEO Randy Oostra has anything to say about it (video below). The company plans to move their corporate headquarters to the abandoned historic Toledo Edison Steam Plant property on the Maumee riverfront in a bold move which will play a significant role in boosting the local Toledo […]
RichC | December 5, 2014
It’s not entirely fair to blame President Obama for American decline and China’s rise in economic prominence, but his lack of inspiring American Exceptionalism and worldwide apology tour hasn’t helped. Words and attitude aside, his policies slowing our economic recovery are most to blame as we watch industry evaluate the best place to invest capital; […]
RichC | November 4, 2014
There is a populous push coming from Democrats and the Obama administration to increase the Federal minimum wage … instead of letting markets to set the proper levels. It’s understandable with all the negatives facing the Whitehouse and failing policies being pushed by Democrats to create jobs, that politicians resort to simpleton tactics that appeal […]
RichC | October 15, 2014
It’s October … why would anybody be surprised by the market heading violently in the down direction? I posted earlier this afternoon while watching the market selloff across the board and figured the end of the day deserved an update. At one point the Dow was down 460 points with most stocks moving sharply to […]
RichC | October 10, 2014
Investors have a love-hate relationship with the month of October. It is a volatile month and has had its share of stock market ups and stock market downs. Those of us who were around and investing in 1987, we mostly remember the “down.” In those days before Internet investing, hearing and seeing share prices drop […]
RichC | October 9, 2014
Volatile financial markets seesaw so far this week. From 2% down on Tuesday, to 2% up on Wednesday and now back down 2% on Thursday … Friday should be an interesting day and right in keeping with October trading. Here are a few thoughts from Jeff Macke (Yahoo Finance) concluding that the “stock market has […]
RichC | September 30, 2014
Residents and businesses in Ohio “choose” which companies provide the energy used by their utility company, which can in most cases reduce their bills. This competition should be a good thing, one would think, but each year consumers go through a multi-step process to confirm our energy provider choice … and each year it is […]
RichC | September 24, 2014
With the lower cost of domestic natural gas here in North America, the next couple of decades will continue opening the doors of opportunity for innovative companies who finding better ways to utilize this domestic and abundant clean fuel. Westport Technologies (WPRT), a leader in advanced natural gas engines and vehicles, has fallen flat as […]
RichC | September 19, 2014
Ting.com sent out an email blast update letting interested potential customers know that the new “older” iPhone 5s and 5c will be supported on September 29, 2014. I’m still weighing leaving Sprint, but they aren’t doing much to keep their long time customers in their Framily.They change their plans, promos, CEOs and marketing slogans way […]
RichC | September 15, 2014
Since visiting my son Taylor a couple times in northwestern (Williston) North Dakota, I pay closer attention to what is happening in his area and the boom growth as well as the politics around moving energy. Unless someone sees the train tanker cars lined up or drive on the roads which are packed with truck […]
RichC | July 27, 2014
The interesting Elio “personal vehicle” has interested me since I first saw the companies marketing some time ago, but recentely decided that I wanted to get my reservation (with the 50% promo) in before it expires. The car, if you call it that, is price much lower than one would expect and looks to offer […]
RichC | July 22, 2014
After my recent visit to North Dakota and the oil fields … AND seeing what has happened in one short year, I talked with my son ways of trying to invest in this oil boom (the “invest in what you know” philosophy). Of course I tried to look at what he sees from a “planners” […]
RichC | July 10, 2014
I listened to a debate on CNBC on Wednesday morning featuring Princeton economics professor Alan Krueger discussing the problems of long term unemployment which lead to Joe Kernen suggesting there are financial disincentives to taking entry level jobs … the kind of work the unemployed need to gain experience. Krueger discounted that people weigh the […]
RichC | July 9, 2014
Cable and phone companies generally get the bad rap for arranging questionable appointments and providing disappointing in-home service. Well a third company is in contention for the top spot: AE Door & Window. Last week we had another spring break in our garage door (different one) and since we could drive a different car, this […]
RichC | June 5, 2014
Be warned before you contact a company like Quicken Loans with a mortgage refinance request (rates are pretty low again) because they will be pumping your contact information to bunches of boiler room sales people who will send canned emails and make phone calls all day and evening (even different people from the same company […]
RichC | May 17, 2014
I’m usually pretty good at noticing price verse packaging size when it comes to items we regularly purchase … but I missed this one until opening the package at home. My Old Spice Deodorant that once was in a standard package size of 3.25 oz is priced the same but now packaged with 8% less […]
RichC | May 11, 2014
Fox Business anchor Stuart Varney comment, in between his entertaining persiflage with Don Imus, struck a chord with me as he highlighted the failures of the Obama administration’s big government policies — regulations that are killing small business entrepreneurs. Stuart Varney with Don Imus (MP3) – May 2014 As someone who started a someone “traditional” […]
RichC | April 30, 2014
Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs often offers some pretty solid commonsense advice that should be like the infamous NCIS Leroy Jethro Gibbs smack in the back of the head. I wonder how many asking Mike for advice ever bother to correct their mindset or change their actions when it comes to looking for work (or […]
RichC | April 5, 2014
Although only one of my ears is truly working as it is suppose to due to Ménière’s disease back in the late 1990s, I still enjoy “an” earbud in order to listen to music, news or the occasional phone call on my iPhone. Unfortunately the newer Apple earbuds do not fit my ears as well […]
RichC | April 3, 2014
As the U.S. continues to delay and “study” the Keystone pipeline as a way to efficiently move North American crude oil from east of the Rocky Mountains in both Canada and the Dakota Bakkans to Texas refineries, other options and pathways are moving forward. Energy pipeline company Kinder Morgan Energy Partners L.P. ($KMP) held a […]
RichC | March 1, 2014
I’m intrigued with marketing and advertising when it comes to what makes people tick. We see something and then decide to buy it. My education is not in marketing per se, but I know that I respond just as the advertising agency intended once in a while. Sometimes it is a newspaper or magazine ad […]
RichC | February 4, 2014
If business growth is the medicine for job creation and a healthy economy … how does the U.S., or more specifically, each state, encourage business growth and incentivize expansion? Companies need to have an attractive tax climate in order to put capital at risk (or at less competitive), although it is not the only criteria […]
RichC | January 23, 2014
Would you like to have an “aha moment” in understanding why and how we attempt to manage our economy? Then watch this 30 minute YouTube video by Ray Dalio, founder of the largest hedge fund in the world, Bridgewater Associates. If you prefer reading, visit economicprinciples.org and download the research paper … the light bulb […]