buckle-up

  How often have you heard this expression, in-between? Usually it is said when we are deep into a task and don’t want to be interrupted. Or possibly too ducking a task we promised to do. When it comes to this time of year there is a tinge of guilt mixed in with the need to relax but even so, it is hard to ignore that so much of what keeps us engaged hits the pause button. Is that necessarily bad? As those of us who continue to work as consultants or who enjoy a gig lifestyle, this time of year brings with it opportunities to simply lay back and recharge. For us there are no weeks off for vacation or time set aside to enjoy a sabbatical, but rather, days snatched here and there where we can leave well alone the instruments of interaction. Put to one side are the laptops, tablets, smart phones and even pens and pads. Time to kick back and enjoy that coffee or ice cream! Perhaps we’d head to the beach or the ski slopes. Maybe a short cruise to wherever. Yes, we are in between; Christ...

There is a strong case to be made that Margo, my wife, partner, editor, co-conspirator and I continue to deliver surprises as we write about our mix of business and vacation. We have both concluded that we can neither prosper nor remain in touch with our faculties if we don’t take advantage of opportunities to enjoy a little downtime. As we look to reset our expectations for 2023 we have taken time to look back at what drove us throughout 2022 and the single word that routinely surfaces is spontaneity. Yes, more than once all it took was a brief conversation and we turned our plans upside down. Given how we had already begun filling in the calendar for 2023 we realized we had money in the “Bank of United” Airlines that, given the Thanksgiving Holiday looming large, we may as well spend it on tickets to Hawaii. Flying nonstop from Denver to Maui seemed even more reasonable. Being able to afford first class travel once again, priceless. Well first class to Maui, then Polaris class ba...

  Last month we mixed business with leisure in yet another of our “bleisure” outings. Sometimes called “bizcations”, but either way it has become our regular practice as we squeeze in downtime in between meetings.   No surprises here, but as we continue to build our client base, as sole proprietors, there is no official downtime for the team at Pyalla Technologies, LLC. Then again, the flexibility this affords us with all the plans we make, we wouldn’t have it any other way. You may recall in last month’s post that the focus of our downtime was the fall colors of north eastern America. Starting in Canada and then tracking down the coast all the way to Florida was considered the best way to see the deep reds of maples contrasted with greens and golds of adjacent forests. However, it was hard to become excited by the vista as a wet summer delayed the onset of fall. Only patches of red were on display and for the most part, they were anything but spectacular. On our return to C...

  There has been so much written about the fallout from the global pandemic becoming a time to rethink work – life balance. A time to think whether the drudgery of the daily routine was really worth it! One hour commutes? Unhealthy meals and rushed coffee breaks. Meetings, Bl**dy Meetings! Once the taste of working from the confines of our homes was how we saw our working future took hold, perhaps there was a different path to go down; one that catered more to real productivity gains. For Margo and me, 2009 was the turning point. Together we made the decision that I was not going to return to corporate life. Instead I was going to do something for myself. Having participated in four startups only to see the time spent working with the corporations that acquired each startup proving less than challenging perhaps even boring, why not launch our own start up. Yes, wherever I could set up shop was where I was going to work and as we head into our fourteenth year, Margo and I have p...

I still have to pinch myself that my working life is far from over. The time that I descend to my office and sit in front of a blank screen contemplating what I need to write next is always a source of concern. However, whatever the topic I still find ways to write something sufficiently fresh, enough that my clients welcome the story telling that comes with each finished article or blog post. In so doing, I have been able to attract an eclectic group of clients that then gives me the opportunity to push boundaries just a little. For now, however, what is occupying my thoughts has to do with coming to terms that I have based Margo and mine business mostly on storytelling and have been doing so for quite some time. Yes, I also help my clients create a strategy (and tactics) as needed, when asked we create data sheets and even modernize websites, but at the heart of our business is storytelling as we come up with creative ways to promote our clients business. As September comes to an...