develpreneur podcast
Posted on Podcast

Top 3 Reasons to Use Lists To Improve Productivity

We have all fallen prey to clicking on a list article of some sort.  This is a well-known way to get readers to click on your post.  However, you may not know that you can use lists to improve productivity.  The same reason they have an attraction for us is a way to use them as research tools. Lists Are Everywhere We can all think of click-bait sites (and Facebook) that lure us into clicking on an ad or article link with the promise of a list.  Before we condemn lists as tools of Satan, it is worth looking closer at why lists appeal to us.  They promise a summary of information.  Not only that, they suggest that the items can be... Read more

develpreneur podcast
Posted on Podcast

Five Things To Take Off Your Plate and Streamline Your Work

This episode is the first in a two-part interview with Connor Gillivan of Freeeup.com.  We started out with a focus on what he has learned as an entrepreneur at a couple of businesses.  We discuss five ways to streamline your work that are easy to implement and highly cost-effective.  I had a great time talking to him and hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed the conversation. Spoiler Alert I am not going to spill the beans yet.  However, these steps have a cost associated with them.  We discuss the costs during the episode but I want to mention that the cost of not taking some of these steps is likely far more than the cost of doing so. ... Read more

Separate Developers from Coders
Posted on Become a Better Developer

Tools to Separate Developers from Coders

Critical Tools Some tools are better than others for a developer.  These are the ones that allow for significant gains in productivity, improvement in quality, and reduce our frustration.  Better yet, proper use of these applications can separate Developers from Coders.  There are a couple of areas where any good developer will have a go-to tool early on and get better from there.  These are the areas where you want to “choose your weapon” wisely. Editor/IDE Debugger/Tools Issue Tracking Document repository Version Control Group Communication Mail client Database Tools/IDE There are other tools you will use.  However, these are the ones you will use the most.  Thus, these are where the right tool will make the most significant impact, or... Read more

develpreneur podcast
Posted on Podcast

An Update on The Building Better Developers Podcast

  We have flown through the first seventy-five episodes of this podcast.  The website has also grown to over a hundred posts and articles.  Thus. it seems like a good time to review what we have to offer as well as what to look for in the future of the building better developers podcast. Embracing Apple Podcasts and Amazon Alexa We have always been hosted on Apple podcasts and now have added Amazon Alexa to our platforms.  For Amazon, just say “Alexa, Enable Building Better Developers.”  It is a great way to listen to podcasts around your home.  Of course, Apple podcasts is still an excellent way to find podcasts on your mobile device. A Tour of Our Offerings We cover the... Read more

develpreneur podcast
Posted on Podcast

Gain Wisdom Through Better Listening Skills

One of the most significant secrets to happiness is wisdom.  Even though knowing the right thing to do and doing it are two different challenges, knowing is half the battle.  There are many ways to gain wisdom.  However, the most prevalent source is the people around us. Listen Before You Leap A skill that often comes up in the improvement of career, relationships, and customer satisfaction (among many others) is the ability to listen.  It is important to remember that hearing and listening are two very different things.  The action of hearing is automatic; listening is intentional. An excellent example of this is in a class or similar situation where we are there to listen to a lecture.  We lean in,... Read more

develpreneur podcast
Posted on Podcast

Use Written Communication To Improve Your Standing And Career

Written communication is a significant part of how we work in business.  It is obvious when you look at how much of an MBA program includes writing.  Many companies even push business writing classes as part of their employee training. Let Us Count The Ways We write emails every day.  This is an excellent place to work on writing fundamentals.  These include spelling, grammar, vocabulary, and even flow.  Short form platforms like Twitter and text messages use a form of shorthand and do not emphasize spelling or grammar,  Nevertheless, try to stick to proper writing standards with these where possible.  It will serve as challenging practice to try to maintain these skills.  There will also be a marked difference in your communications... Read more