Very intriguing for a couple reasons! I’ve set up a few businesses, two LLCs, one S-Corp, and now one non-profit. As an average Jo, I had no idea how — so I took the lazy way out and used LegalZoom and still do….So far so good, but I will say it has been one heck of a journey. So I will be interested in how you structure your service!
What was really intriguing was your comment about “What you can spreadsheet on the cheap”!!! I just created the most awesome spreadsheet for people that are exiting their 50’s (aka me) that received a letter from social security suggesting we think about when we should start collecting. They give your information and monthly amount if you start anywhere from 62-70. I tell you - the answer is very surprising. There are many factors considered including cost of living increases and so much more included in the spreadsheet. I was going to post it for $5.
I also have another elaborate gardening spreadsheet to help plan out your planting a schedule (seedling or direct sow) that considers zones and frost dates etc. My garden plan has 39 different plants!! So much fun! Maybe I’ll post that too.
That's a super open-ended question, and it comes down to what you're doing. The art and science blend together according to the circumstances and the tool.
One thing I talked with a friend about on the phone was how for small companies, stock amounts among a few investors (and I'll likely have two silent investors, and some employees with varying amounts of stock) are of a certificate and a spreadsheet unless/until the company goes public or there is a dispute.
Far more often I use spreadsheets for any task where I want organized computation, or self-updating computation.
Thank you!! I liked the “spreadsheets on the cheap”.
I just left IBM (for so many reasons) but laughed at how they run their business on spreadsheets. Everything - at least in the division I was in. So I have a love/hate relationship with em. Can’t wait to hear about your venture!
As an obsessive gardener, tail-end boomer (don’t hate me), and spreadsheet formula-challenged individual, your spreadsheet tease interests me. Let us know if you decide to post your tools! I might be tempted to make a modest investment for a little help :-)
There are many free videos, or low cost courses on using spreadsheets, found online. Maybe MetaPrep will host such a class, though I don't have "How to Operation a Spreadsheet" in mind for an article. Maybe I'll collect some videos for those who are interested and just make an article out of that.
Mathew – thank you for your reply! Please let me clarify, though. I don’t I want to even remotely imply that your rounding up videos on creating spreadsheet tools is good use of your time and effort, or that you should do the search engine work that I should be doing. I was responding to PjoDube's comment that he had created spreadsheet tools for Social Security retirement and garden Planning and that sparked my interest for something ready-made that could be useful for those specific topics. You are absolutely right – there are already a plethora of courses and free videos (some of which I have started). It’s just that the older I get and the more removed from office life, the slower I learn and the deeper and dark at the rabbit hole and time vacuum that becomes. I was responding to a shortcut to that route that PjoDube's had mentioned.
On the other hand, if you can see a spot in your MetaPrep curriculum or an article for spreadsheet tools, i’m not trying to discourage you either! I just didn’t want you to think I was presumptuous enough to be asking you to provide information that I can be looking for on the Internet! Your time is more valuable than that and I appreciate so much the education and topical discussions that you offer a regularly! Excited to see how MetaPrep develops and appreciate you sharing the process with us.
Well, feel free to email me @ pauladube@proton.me and I’ll clean up the gardening spreadsheet and send you a copy. Would be great to get your feedback!
I was just cleaning my resume, and realizing that I've built 10 companies in 30 years, and created a fair amount of educational curricula. I would be more than happy to open my extensive files to you, sir.
Lately I have taken to creating project planners to help friends get organized
Maybe we should have a conversation about leveraging educational materials via MetaPrep. I have two people working to reformat thousands of pages of my math curriculum, and we're going to start building community around that and expanding topics.
All of a sudden I am intrigued by something besides “everything else “ we have been focusing on for three years! I didn’t know it was possible - and I’m not even young enough to start again. I am not rich, but I would help you if needed. Much gratitude, Mathew with one t.
That’s going to be a valuable and informative journey, count me in.
Maybe I will advance the project i wanted to work on before this whole Plandemic began 3 years ago. It’s even more relevant now, but I’ve been taking so many hits, I feel disoriented.
Mar 16, 2023·edited Mar 16, 2023Liked by Mathew Crawford
My travels led me to expatriate to Colombia, and its a whole different (but similar) bundle of worms. Like learning a new language, all of reality is the same, just broken up into different boxes.
Living in the mountains, we often think, how much respect really is due to the far away capital?
Final thought, maybe for an article in this series: Is paying taxes to the US government (im)moral?
Edit: actually no, definitely don't answer that one
I could not resist the idea of following your journey for a couple reasons. One, after running 2 niche retail businesses in 2 different states, I have never, ever laid eyes on a spreadsheet. Paying someone else and getting a collated bottom line was the only way for me. Secondly, for having read some of your work, I am imbued with a curiously different mindset-- appreciating your approach and rethink of the business method, much in the way I believe the rethink of retail is required. I am happy to be here.
My interest really depends on the business. I guess I might be somewhat old school I look to keep everything as simple as need be. Us farmers tend to first rig up something and assess how it works before re designing it for the bigger capital investment .
Sometimes I can see how it’s reasonable to get all the ducks in a row before pushing out . Really just depends on the business .
Sometimes I don’t have the time for the long writings you post . Good as they are . I am sure I missed a few goodies.
My sense for the future has me more looking at bush craft videos then crypto stuff. Seems everyone in the big cities are chasing the next Ponzi scheme .
Always good about business ventures . I’ll see what I get to see . Good luck with it Mr. Crawford
One of the things I plan to document is taking Bitcoin as a payment system. Simple use. I will document the address so that people can follow the cash flows. Too many entreneurs are stuck on making yet another new coin. What we need is the practice of simple usage.
I’d appreciate some value literacy. Like when at the Amish auction I watch these men scratch their heads and stroke their beards as they calculate the value of capital put up for auction. These days people tend to simply have some blind idea about price as it’s listed. They don’t really know it’s worth relative to their lives. I find that a lot of tools I can have custom manufactured and still be cheaper then what the price is listed by retailers . That just should not happen. But it is a reflection of where society is that we are so illiterate . So I would not even begin to consider working with a crypto without first a very sound base in the everyday economies of exchange .
That said , I still think that the value is really in the block chain more then the currency . Because the value of the currency is mostly speculative where the block chain is the real utility. And utility has clear value . I imagine that all commodities and commodity trading can be represented in block chains and will enabling limiting fraud in the trading world as there is a ledger and enable abstract ideas like GDp to be directly related to gross commodity valuations of economy . But your the pro.
Sounds very interesting and helpful to those trying to start a business. People need all the help they can get, especially with all the roadblocks purposely set by bureaucrats.
Cool. Ready for the wormhole here, as we experience the blessing of Biblical amounts of rainfall here on the Left coast. My garlic crop seems to be pleased, although cats are a bit disgruntled.
Yes, feedback loops are governed by the physical limitations and resources of the universe.
And profit should be measured both individually (if I'm not better off, I shouldn't do it) and to the community (if the profits are asymmetric, the community grows ugly) and to the future. Often these are ignored platitudes. In this case, the business I'm building may reduce resource consumption as a net result, so I'm mostly not worried about having to think too hard about it. But maybe I will at some point write an article that attempts to estimate reduction in resource consumption per some form of unit of production or economic unit.
Sigh. I can't believe the typo was in my title this time. Fixed.
Dont sweat the small stuff..only the grammar spelling nazis care.
Very intriguing for a couple reasons! I’ve set up a few businesses, two LLCs, one S-Corp, and now one non-profit. As an average Jo, I had no idea how — so I took the lazy way out and used LegalZoom and still do….So far so good, but I will say it has been one heck of a journey. So I will be interested in how you structure your service!
What was really intriguing was your comment about “What you can spreadsheet on the cheap”!!! I just created the most awesome spreadsheet for people that are exiting their 50’s (aka me) that received a letter from social security suggesting we think about when we should start collecting. They give your information and monthly amount if you start anywhere from 62-70. I tell you - the answer is very surprising. There are many factors considered including cost of living increases and so much more included in the spreadsheet. I was going to post it for $5.
I also have another elaborate gardening spreadsheet to help plan out your planting a schedule (seedling or direct sow) that considers zones and frost dates etc. My garden plan has 39 different plants!! So much fun! Maybe I’ll post that too.
What was your intention for spreadsheets???
"What was your intention for spreadsheets???"
That's a super open-ended question, and it comes down to what you're doing. The art and science blend together according to the circumstances and the tool.
One thing I talked with a friend about on the phone was how for small companies, stock amounts among a few investors (and I'll likely have two silent investors, and some employees with varying amounts of stock) are of a certificate and a spreadsheet unless/until the company goes public or there is a dispute.
Far more often I use spreadsheets for any task where I want organized computation, or self-updating computation.
Thank you!! I liked the “spreadsheets on the cheap”.
I just left IBM (for so many reasons) but laughed at how they run their business on spreadsheets. Everything - at least in the division I was in. So I have a love/hate relationship with em. Can’t wait to hear about your venture!
As an obsessive gardener, tail-end boomer (don’t hate me), and spreadsheet formula-challenged individual, your spreadsheet tease interests me. Let us know if you decide to post your tools! I might be tempted to make a modest investment for a little help :-)
There are many free videos, or low cost courses on using spreadsheets, found online. Maybe MetaPrep will host such a class, though I don't have "How to Operation a Spreadsheet" in mind for an article. Maybe I'll collect some videos for those who are interested and just make an article out of that.
Mathew – thank you for your reply! Please let me clarify, though. I don’t I want to even remotely imply that your rounding up videos on creating spreadsheet tools is good use of your time and effort, or that you should do the search engine work that I should be doing. I was responding to PjoDube's comment that he had created spreadsheet tools for Social Security retirement and garden Planning and that sparked my interest for something ready-made that could be useful for those specific topics. You are absolutely right – there are already a plethora of courses and free videos (some of which I have started). It’s just that the older I get and the more removed from office life, the slower I learn and the deeper and dark at the rabbit hole and time vacuum that becomes. I was responding to a shortcut to that route that PjoDube's had mentioned.
On the other hand, if you can see a spot in your MetaPrep curriculum or an article for spreadsheet tools, i’m not trying to discourage you either! I just didn’t want you to think I was presumptuous enough to be asking you to provide information that I can be looking for on the Internet! Your time is more valuable than that and I appreciate so much the education and topical discussions that you offer a regularly! Excited to see how MetaPrep develops and appreciate you sharing the process with us.
Well, feel free to email me @ pauladube@proton.me and I’ll clean up the gardening spreadsheet and send you a copy. Would be great to get your feedback!
LOVE!!
Fantastic format idea Matthew. Thanks for sharing your knowledge 👊🏻⚡️
YES! Agreed.
I was just cleaning my resume, and realizing that I've built 10 companies in 30 years, and created a fair amount of educational curricula. I would be more than happy to open my extensive files to you, sir.
Lately I have taken to creating project planners to help friends get organized
Maybe we should have a conversation about leveraging educational materials via MetaPrep. I have two people working to reformat thousands of pages of my math curriculum, and we're going to start building community around that and expanding topics.
What do you build curriculum about?
Cool. Looking forward to learning from the process
All of a sudden I am intrigued by something besides “everything else “ we have been focusing on for three years! I didn’t know it was possible - and I’m not even young enough to start again. I am not rich, but I would help you if needed. Much gratitude, Mathew with one t.
Are you too old to offer yourself to some young small venture builder as council?
If Maerica has a big economic hiccup, passing on knowledge and experience will once again become more important.
That’s going to be a valuable and informative journey, count me in.
Maybe I will advance the project i wanted to work on before this whole Plandemic began 3 years ago. It’s even more relevant now, but I’ve been taking so many hits, I feel disoriented.
Maybe this is what I needed.
Thank you!
Much love, as always.
❤️
If one single person builds a business they would not have built, this will be worth it.
Feel free to share what stalls you, and I'll take that into account as I write.
Narco! Glad to find you here. I am in the same boat and actually starting my own site. Maybe it’s best we get behind Matthew!
My travels led me to expatriate to Colombia, and its a whole different (but similar) bundle of worms. Like learning a new language, all of reality is the same, just broken up into different boxes.
Living in the mountains, we often think, how much respect really is due to the far away capital?
Final thought, maybe for an article in this series: Is paying taxes to the US government (im)moral?
Edit: actually no, definitely don't answer that one
Sounds interesting
❤
I could not resist the idea of following your journey for a couple reasons. One, after running 2 niche retail businesses in 2 different states, I have never, ever laid eyes on a spreadsheet. Paying someone else and getting a collated bottom line was the only way for me. Secondly, for having read some of your work, I am imbued with a curiously different mindset-- appreciating your approach and rethink of the business method, much in the way I believe the rethink of retail is required. I am happy to be here.
Mingling mindsets is one of the keys to learning, so I hope you continue to share more about yours.
I wrote a couple preschool math teaching books for parents. I'll send you an email.
My interest really depends on the business. I guess I might be somewhat old school I look to keep everything as simple as need be. Us farmers tend to first rig up something and assess how it works before re designing it for the bigger capital investment .
Sometimes I can see how it’s reasonable to get all the ducks in a row before pushing out . Really just depends on the business .
Sometimes I don’t have the time for the long writings you post . Good as they are . I am sure I missed a few goodies.
My sense for the future has me more looking at bush craft videos then crypto stuff. Seems everyone in the big cities are chasing the next Ponzi scheme .
Always good about business ventures . I’ll see what I get to see . Good luck with it Mr. Crawford
One of the things I plan to document is taking Bitcoin as a payment system. Simple use. I will document the address so that people can follow the cash flows. Too many entreneurs are stuck on making yet another new coin. What we need is the practice of simple usage.
But that will be 5% of the writing.
Cheers.
I’d appreciate some value literacy. Like when at the Amish auction I watch these men scratch their heads and stroke their beards as they calculate the value of capital put up for auction. These days people tend to simply have some blind idea about price as it’s listed. They don’t really know it’s worth relative to their lives. I find that a lot of tools I can have custom manufactured and still be cheaper then what the price is listed by retailers . That just should not happen. But it is a reflection of where society is that we are so illiterate . So I would not even begin to consider working with a crypto without first a very sound base in the everyday economies of exchange .
That said , I still think that the value is really in the block chain more then the currency . Because the value of the currency is mostly speculative where the block chain is the real utility. And utility has clear value . I imagine that all commodities and commodity trading can be represented in block chains and will enabling limiting fraud in the trading world as there is a ledger and enable abstract ideas like GDp to be directly related to gross commodity valuations of economy . But your the pro.
Sounds very interesting and helpful to those trying to start a business. People need all the help they can get, especially with all the roadblocks purposely set by bureaucrats.
Thanks Mathew for your hard work and willingness to help others. Great admiration.
Cool. Ready for the wormhole here, as we experience the blessing of Biblical amounts of rainfall here on the Left coast. My garlic crop seems to be pleased, although cats are a bit disgruntled.
When you start a fire.
Remember you need to fetch dry wood to feed it.
And the larger the fire gets,
the more wood you need to fetch.
If your fire is small, you don't have to go too far.
But turn that fire into an inferno and after a while you'll be marching miles to find fuel to keep that fire alive.
At a certain point, there won't be any timber left to burn anywhere.
Nor trees standing anymore.
And then what?
Yes, feedback loops are governed by the physical limitations and resources of the universe.
And profit should be measured both individually (if I'm not better off, I shouldn't do it) and to the community (if the profits are asymmetric, the community grows ugly) and to the future. Often these are ignored platitudes. In this case, the business I'm building may reduce resource consumption as a net result, so I'm mostly not worried about having to think too hard about it. But maybe I will at some point write an article that attempts to estimate reduction in resource consumption per some form of unit of production or economic unit.