25 Key Points: Key Point 1

25 Key Points-Introduction

Over the next 25 days I will post a Key Point. Collect them, share them with friends and other people thinking about starting a small business, leave feedback and make sure you give credit. I appreciate you reading. If you'd like to read some of my fiction, look to the right and download a Kindle version of three of my works of fiction. Enjoy Point 1.

Christopher D. Burns, MFA

Key Point 1: Be Creative – There isn’t any such a thing as a stupid idea. If somebody tells you to create a fart catcher, sit down and think about if you can be passionate about it. I’m not kidding. Creativity is the realm of childhood and the dreams that you have when you are young, become the memories that dissipate due to inactivity. People forget how to be creative. Watch your child play with some LEGO Blocks. Children have the knack for creativity and they can sit for hours building bridges and playing in imaginary worlds. When we get older people tell us to stop playing games and get serious. The only thing getting serious does for us is make us overweight, tired, stressed and angry. I challenge you to keep a journal for a month and in that journal write down every odd idea you can think of that you can be passionate about. Write down the ones that you can’t get excited about as well. The goal though is to be creative.

25 Keys: Points to Stay Motivated in Small Business-Intro

I have been working on a book for 4 years and I recently finished the book. I was in the process of sending it to the printer and I had to stop because things changed in my business again. In other words, my small business is constantly changing and I have to adapt. I finally realized that I can't sit down and make things so cut and dry. I also can't sit back and not pass on information that has enabled me to keep moving forward. I have decided to share part of that book here on the blog. If you use any of this, please share my web address and give credit where it is due. I hope these 25 Keys can help you with something you are considering. Enjoy.

25 Keys:

Get Your Janitor On

I have lectured on building businesses and websites at the University of Memphis, Southwest TN. College, the YWCA and the Memphis Housing Authority. In each lecture I discuss the importance of entrepreneurship. I would like to leave you with these key points which are really for diving into your own business, but are for you since you are your own business. While the length of this book does not determine its power and potential, I do hope that you are beginning to think about how to build your own One Hour To Wealth program. Next are my 25 Key Points. A key is used to gain access and these 25 points will allow you to begin creating ideas. There isn’t a thing in the world that I can write that will make you rich. You will have to generate your own idea. Everyone has something they are good at, something they are passionate about, and something that occupies their mind. What I want is for you to actually do something about those dreams instead of letting others, or yourself, kill them. With that said I truly appreciate you reading this short book and I hope it has inspired you to do something. If it has, take a few minutes to visit any of my sites and drop me a note. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Christopher D. Burns, MFA

http://www.cbpublish.com/

http://www.centercourtbasketball.com/

http://www.arch-usa.com/  

Get To Know: Backpackramento by Mahtie Bush

Being an ex Cali representative, we knew we had a nice Underground Hip-Hop and poetry scene featuring guys like Mantis, Orko, Bennie Heron, Jahsun, but we rarely gave credence to people outside of San Diego. It wasn't disrespect, it was just a real focus on our work. Now that I'm 2000 miles away, and older, I'm discovering the power of the North, Bay Area (not quite), Sac Town. I lived there for a minute with my pops, and oddly enough I discovered Digable Planets in Sac (yep DPs og backpackers, spiddyocks, sun moon and star, planet of Brooklyn). Gives you an idea of how long ago that was. Anyway, I got this link from Lou Slugga of MLS and anytime I can get a Roots allusion it takes me another level. The video is dope and I have to say it: ANTHEM! Check out Backpackramento by Mahtie Bush. Like the ish out of this video.

Memphis Hi-Lites: The Memphis Chess Club

As I continue to find reasons to like Memphis, I also find reasons to actually like Facebook. It's not that I dislike Facebook, but sometimes my feed is cluttered and I miss out on information that I later complain about like some old, angry man. This past week Facebook worked. I recently wrote a comment on Facebook about the lack of a barber shop that I could take my son to that provided an atmosphere similar to R.Spot in San Diego. R. Spot is no longer in San Diego due to imminent domain. Damn local governments and their need to take over locations of interest in their gentrification process. Sorry, about that... What was great about R. Spot was the fact that we could play games of chess while we waited, read books, listened to music and enjoyed great conversation.

On Monday I recieved a message from Allan Bogle who had this to share:

MCC stands for the Memphis Chess Club. It is the second oldest chess club in the country. We have a wide spectrum of players, from absolute beginners to experts. Black, white, asian, male, female, every age from 9 to 90; we meet every Friday night to play. Some play rated games, some play casual pick-up games. Don't worry about being a novice, there are many there. It is free for casual games, the only fees are what the USCF charges for rated tournaments (about half the club are profesionally rated).

This is our website:

http://www.memphischess.com/

Nothing can improve your game like playing at the MCC.

AllanGary's Facebook

http://www.memphischess.com/

History, games, calendar, officers of the Memphis Chess Club

This is another great Memphis Hi-Lite so take advantage and check it out. It's on my to do list.

A Few Thoughts on Obama and Presidents in General

Wait a minute, you really think this is my fault?

I am not going to go into detail about the US losing its AAA credit rating with S&P. Although the fact that it happened on a Black President's watch is pretty darn funny, in the funniest unfunny way that I can approach it. (Insert random Black person and credit joke here.) When President Obama was elected I told a close friend that this was the only time in history that a Black man could get the job. The country was losing trillions on wars abroad, the home loan industry, which had become the backbone of the economy since the 90s was in the dumps and the crisis America faced/faces was paramount to walking in front of a firing range at Marine base Camp Pendleton. In other words, the country was literally going to hell in a handbasket with the devils singing Brittany Spears (Ooops I did it again) and eating copious amounts of gas inducing beans, blasting a stench that would linger for at least 4 years into the next presidency. In other words, if there was anytime to let a Black man take the fall for a country that has been falling for 30 years, why not now?

Memphis Hi Lites: Trolley Night July 29, 2011: New Stops on South Main



Kpreshas opening night



Trolley Night was great as usual. The turnout was solid and the stores were offering the standard varity of "spirits" and finger foods to guests stopping by. While we didn't jump on the Trolley, since we got a great parking spot on Beale Street for the Sade concert (I'm not talking about the concert here, it deserves its own post). We walked down to South Main checking out the various restaurants and galleries. We even found a door to nowhere. A giant wall saddled between two buildings with a door opening that lead to what looked a path into the television show Lost. As I stuck my head into the door, every episode of Supernatural and Lost kicked in and told me, "Watch out for smoke monsters." I pulled my head out stared at the door for a moment and we kept rolling. We only made two stops before turning around and heading back towards the Fed Ex Forum.

The first stop was KPreshas. Kpreshas is located at 323 South Main. This was opening night for the boutique and the store was packed. Chairs were arranged throughout the store. People were enjoying drinks and an ambiance that included music on the inside and a live band on the outside. People walked up and down the loft stairs and stood in front of shelves featuring wedge shoes and designer purses for women and a lineup of footwear for men called Pointer. The layout of the store was still a work in progress but the styling was a combination of rustic, fall and wood with a color pallette that will compliment the type of apparel that will be carried. While I couldn't figure out who Kpresha was in the mix, I am pretty sure I'll be dropping in to grab a pair of those Pointers for the Fall (If I don't make my own casual shoe again.)

The second stop was The Blues Foundation. Memphis is the home of the Blues, Rhythm and Blues, Soul Music, Rock and Roll, but Beale Street and Graceland are the only placards that are promoted in the city and those places have their own "culture". Graceland draws the Elvis fans and Beale attracts drinkers. Memphis isn't really about music anymore. If you ask someone what represents music now, it won't be WC Handy or BB King, it will be Three6Mafia and Yo Gotti. While this isn't bad, it does not cater to a promotion of the rich heritage that exists in the city. Memphis has at its core a foundation that should be promoted in the same way that Downtown Nashville has crafted the Grand Ol Opry into a huge portion of its economic development.

The Blues Foundation is one of several small pockets of information that you have to seek out to learn about the heritage of music in the city. Located at 421 South Main, the venue has wood floors, walls lined with photos of legendary Blues Artists, a resource area with books and and enough space to host small events. Joe Whitmer, deputy director, is pulling together a location that should become a part of Memphis' Music City Tour. Oh, wait a minute... Memphis doesn't really have a music city tour (shakes head and says driving past Sun Studios is not a tour). The Blues Foundation is completing their move to this new location and is definitely worth your time if you drop into Downtown Memphis.

Overall it was another great Trolley Night. I'm making the suggestion now that Trolly Night adds another date for the middle of the month. If you haven't done Trolley Night take advantage of it and get there. Don't wait to see South Main though, take a drive down today.

Chris B.