Went to Sugarbush on Saturday and opted for trail running today. So much fun with the dog. Ready for snow and more skiing though

My wife and I went to Sugarbush yesterday for some turns. Like many of you, we have been itching to get out and ski but the weather hasn't quite been good (or bad) enough to get us to buckle our boots. Instead, we've been hiking in shorts and running in short sleeves. Sugarbush had a couple of trails open. It was interesting skiing under a beautiful blue sky. We have opted to not head back today in order to share some trail space with others. Here is a photo from the chairlift ride up. I hope to see you out there.

So my new craze is fly fishing. Im completely obsessed. Tonight was a great night as I landed 4 beautiful rainbows and lost 2. I had two come right up out of the water for flies. Amazing!

Yesterday I went to the Vermont Business Expo in Burlington.  When I first walked in, I saw a QR code on the wall to get the Expo layout, well done!  I immediately grabbed it and made my way to the booth that I was working after getting my badge.  When I had some time to float around, I noticed the obsurd amount of paper that everyone passes out, collects in their bags and puts it in their "will read someday" pile.  I'm sure it's happening in certain areas and trade shows, but how cool would it be for the Expo folks to give a demonstration on how businesses could use QR codes to share their information? 

Maybe you don't feel like talking and just want the information? Well, don't mind if I grab it on my phone and put it in my "will read someday" pile.  At least we would save the paper. 

*I received a tweet about this post from Curve Trends Marketing and learned that their booth was paperless.  Nice work!

I am currently attending Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont working to get an MBA (I have two courses remaining).  Each year, the graduate studies department host a graduate student summit.  This annual event brings graduate students together from all of the various programs for workshops, guest speakers, lunch and networking.  This was the first time that I have been able to attend and I couldn't have been happier that I did.  Alan Newman, the founder of Magic Hat Brewing (along with other notables like Seventh Generation and Gardener's Supply) opened the summit with a discussion and then gave an entrepeneurship workshop. 

He highlighted some of his lessons or rules that he lives by.  While this list is not complete, these were a few of the things that stuck with me from his presentation:

- Peope are more predictable than you think.

- We are all a genious at something.  Those that find that something are the most successful. 

- The law of more-so.  As we get older, our quirks get "more so". 

- If you don't like the road that you're on, find another road. 

I must say that I didn't know what to expect in this workshop but his thoughts really got my small brain spinning.  These thoughts, while they might not make that much sense to you, make perfect sense to me.  They are easy to digest and are completely applicable to our everyday lives. 

I posed a question to Alan.  Are entrepeneurs born or bred?  That question, while somewhat difficult to answer as we are all different, at least got him thinking for a second.  He didn't give a definitive answer but did say that his father was quite entrepeneurial.  What do you think?  Are entrepeneurs born or bred? 

This morning I went to my first Burlington Vermont Social Media Breakfast (#bvtsmb).  The morning session was hosted by some local firms, PMG and Digalicious.  The topic was community management and there were two guest speakers brought in.  They were from "fast casual" burrito company Boloco (@boloco) and NBC News (@anthonyquintano).  I will be the first to admit, I am by no means a community management expert but I do dabble and enjoy it. I also see its value. 

When I attend events like this I feel that I rarely get information that is completely new.  It's more of, well thats pretty obvious or I should totally do that!  What I gathered from both of the guest speakers is that you have to try new things and not dilute the power of meeting in person.  The online world does not replace but rather compliments our relationships and brand power.  

Will I attend another? Definitely .  Here is my only minor suggestion.  When people show up, have people greet and welcome them.  I'm not yet as integrated into the social media scene in Burlington as others, so when a "newbie" shows up, welcome them.  Don't just let them grab their name tag and run off to hit keys on their iPhone. Engage them and thank them for coming.   

1. You’re VERY comfortable with three digits in your checking account

2.  You cook breakfast in sweaty long underwear 5 days per week
3. A VERY nice dinner is a burrito
4. You’ve heard the term “freegan”
5. You have buddies that vicariously live through you from Boston
6. You have quit a desk job to ski powder
7. You own a throwback corduroy hat
8. PBR is considered a micro brew, not a hipster item
9. The duct tape on your ski pants is actually covering a hole, not just trying to look like you ski a lot
10. You cringe when getting asked “so where’s the powder here” on a chairlift. 

Have some others?  Share them. 

This morning I couldn't help but take a couple hours off to get in some turns.  I arrived at Mad River Glen as the lifts just started to spin and I was greeted by thus photo.  How about seeing that on a Thursday afternoon?  The parking lot was full (with Vermont plates I might add, which is rare) but once you got on the trails it was bottomless Vermont skiing all to your lonesome.  I took run after run until the lactic acid screamed "STOP" which let me know that I should drag myself to the office for some more productivity. 

I have quit very good jobs in the past to chase powder dreams (I quit working in the investment world to live in a place called the "Dirt Ranch" in Jackson Hole).  Today was one of those I want to quit my job days.  The powder was plentiful, everyone around you has a smile on their face and amidst the chaos that we are hearing this week, all forms of people are coexisting and talking to each other.  There is something magical that happens at ski resorts (unless your in New Jersey).  Everyone respects each other and knows that regardless of how hard they ski, we're all there for the same reasons. 

I don't have an addiction to the usual vices that we hear about, but I will say that powder is like a drug.  I want more when I don't have any, I feel my best when I do have it and gosh darnit I can't live with out.  See you there.