Business Cards Do Not Work. You Should Stop.

business cards are obsolete

Heart check here: Have you considered whether business cards are actually hurting your business? Your nonprofit? Your side hustle? 

No I'm serious. 

Here are my top 5 thoughts why these cheap little pieces of cardboard should go the way of dial-up modems:

1. WHERE DO YOU PUT THEM? No one has a Rolodex anymore. Just use your smart phone, ask for their number, and immediately send them your contact card or text.

Bonus: You just got THEIR contact info too, instead of just a one-way information-giving scheme.

business cards suck

2. TODAY THERE’S THIS THING CALLED THE INTERNET. In the west (not Asia), business cards are discarded or forgotten about within seconds of handing them over. Think about it: When you need to contact someone, where do you go? Perhaps Facebook? Their website? There's even a new tool called "Google" that I've heard can be used to find people's contact info.

BONUS: When they search for you online, they can actually copy/paste or quickly click on your email and instantly send you a message. No need to physically read tiny text on a business card and manually input it.

3. THEY GIVE A FALSE SENSE OF CLOSURE. Ever notice that handing a business card to someone is the END of a conversation? Ever notice a smug bit of triumph as they hand you their business card, as if they just closed a deal? It's so sad. The point of a sales call is not to hand someone your contact info... it's to close the deal.

4. THEY TELL PEOPLE YOU’RE DESPERATE. If you must hand out a business card, please, please, please... only give ONE.

- A salesman's thinking when he gives more than one business card: "This person will distribute these for me."

- What people really think: "This salesman is so desperate, he has an oversaturation of business cards that he's trying to deplete."

business cards are old

5. EVERYONE DOES IT. A major key to being a good communicator (the #1 skill for being a good salesman) is being different and memorable. When everyone is using business cards, it essentially tells everyone that you’re exactly like everyone else. Seek to be different. Pursue innovation.

share_contact card knok studio

There are so many other physical objects you can give in place of a business card. We at Knok Studio love giving custom-designed stickers. Even if they don't use the contact info on the back of the sticker, at least they walk away with a sweet piece of memorabilia to put on their water bottle. Sure they’re more expensive, but at least they don’t get thrown away.

Sometimes I even physically write my information on a napkin or sticky note, along with a little cartoon drawing. Some people give magnets. Buttons. A flash drive... Really anything but a tiny piece of paper cardboard with information that they can freely get online.

It's okay to recognize that business cards are obsolete.


knok studio marketing stickerKnok Studio among other brilliant lil' marketers on top of Mailbox Peak

The quote that I live by…

beau chevassus in nicaragua revolution square

"LET'S GO!"

- Beau Chevassus

*yes, I just quoted myself on my own blog.  If it looks weird, then we are in agreement... it feels weird too.

Passport Photo Women’s Clothes Transparent Template

passport photo make white background lightroom

Creating Virtually Free Passport Photos:

  • This is the best iPhone Passport photo maker: (opens iOS App Store)
    https://apps.apple.com/us/app/passport-photo-id-photo/id917389447?mt=8 
  • This above app is free, but you can buy additional features to ‘unlock’ different sizes. Honestly I just needed the 2×2″ photos.
  • After I took the photo, I emailed it to myself and ‘painted’ the not-so-white background with the brush in Lightroom (cranked up the exposure all the way):

 passport photo make white background lightroom

  • I then made a 4×6 image in GIMP and lined up all of my passport photos. (below example)
  • I then sent my 4×6 photo to Walgreens where they printed it off for $0.33 + tax.
  • This certainly beats paying $10-15 at Rite-Aid or Costco for a passport photo. Now it’s safely on my computer, and I can send this image to the print-shop whenever I need more ID photos.

Hope this helps and safe travels!

-Beau w/ Knok.org
Knok Studio
Seattle, WA, USA

Example:

USA to print passport photos

Use this transparent PNG file (pant suit) for Passport Photo Women’s Clothes Transparent TemplatePassport Photo Women's Clothes Transparent Template

 

 

 

Emmons Glacier Route from Camp Schurman, Mt Rainier summit trail

Descending from Camp Curtis, Mt Rainier

Mount Rainier/Emmons Glacier

Climbing Mt Rainier Summiting via Camp Schurman

As of July 28, 2019, excellent, clear conditions up to the summit.

Little Tahoma and Emmons Glacier from Camp Schurman (photo by Beau Chevassus, BEAU LLC) Descending from Camp Curtis, Mt Rainier The helicopter pad at Camp Schurman, Mt Rainier Camp Schurman Ranger Station

Our team turned around at about 13,000 feet due to feeling nauseous (altitude sickness). This is even despite spending an entire day at Camp Schurman to adjust to the altitude. But it’s just one of those things that you can’t “push through“ without dire consequences.

 

camp schurman map route from inter glacier summiting mt rainierGoodies

Use at your own risk. Conditions change HOURLY on Mt Rainier.

The goal of the trip is not to get to the top of the mountain but back to your car.

“Getting to the top is optional. Getting down is mandatory.“

A few tips:

– The White River Ranger station opens at 7:30 AM. Be there early, especially if you are planning to camp Friday, Saturday, or Sunday night. We were there at 7:25 AM, and there were already 10 people ahead of us in line. Plus there was no internet at the station, so they had to manually call in every single reservation to verify them. There appeared to be very little interest in attempting to fix this issue or find a solution. (ah the efficiency of the federal government… It’s a good thing they’re not responsible for something really important, like our healthcare.)(oh wait)
– Wear/bring trail shoes for the hike in.
– There is a bear box that you can put food in. Absolutely use it. There are mice everywhere throughout the camp, and they will climb in your bag. We even had a team who unzipped their tent and a mouse actually jumped all caps into the tent. It took them quite a bit to get the little guy out.
– Melted glacier water is available at Camp Schurman. No need to melt snow. Just purify it.
– Super windy at night (both nights we were up there). Be sure your tent is stakes down tightly. The wind folded our tent flat, but dang the REI Half Dome is amazing.
– Conditions of the trail up the Emmons glacier are good. Of course there will be collapsed ice bridges, so be sure to have an experienced team who knows who crevasse rescue skills.
– If it’s sunny, snow will get slushy at or before 10am. If you’re still on your way the mountain at 8:30am (our turnaround time), I wouldn’t suggest it. Have a turnaround time and stick with it.
– There are crevasses on inter glacier. No need to rope up, but just watch your step, ESPECIALLY when glissading down. There’s a big enough one to break both your legs if you fall in it.
– Plenty of water along the trail, all the way to inter glacier.
– if you lost a black, lightweight Marmot glove… It’s up there at Schurman, sitting on a rock.
– Rope up on Emmons. Always. Even on the way down. Odds are you won’t feel like it, but just do it.Overall it’s a fantastic route, and probably even safer it than DC considering the experienced climbers on this route and no rock fall being pushed on you from the Cleaver.

Just keep in mind within the next two weeks the route will be dramatically different, especially with all of this sun. Things are opening up and the climbing season for this route is on the downward trajectory in terms of popularity/safety.

Rock on, friends! Hope this helps!

Top 4 Lightweight Items that makes
(or would’ve made) my trip better

Awesome climber gift ideas too

  • 3.4 oz blow up pillow on Amazon – Increasing your sleep quality increases your energy. Take care of your sleep.3.4 oz mountaineering pillow
  • best instant coffee on amazonItalian Roast instant coffee on Amazon. Caffeine is a natural way of decreasing altitude-caused headaches. This instant coffee tastes great and is lightweight. Just drink plenty of water because coffee is also a natural dryadic.
  • Backcountry Access Shaxe Speed Shovel two in one axe shovelBackcountry Access Shaxe Speed Shovel. You’ll need a shovel. You’ll need an ice axe. Why not combine the two? Use the ice axe’s intended shaft, right? This thing is a brilliant way to cut weight.
  • MSR Dragonfly stove. This things just keeps running and running. Case in point: I left the fuel bottle out all night long, sitting in the snow, and yet still it fired right up the next morning. JetBoil? Heck no. I’ve had to sleep with those JetBoil canisters to keep them warm, and even then they only last a few minutes in the cold temps. The Dragonfly stove is amazing. For the 3 day trip, we heated water for a party of 3 using just 1 bottle of white gas fuel. (and even then the bottle wasn’t completely depleted)  Note: If we had to melt the snow, we’d have needed an additional bottle. Melting snow takes forever, but with the fresh supply of melted snow up by the Camp Schurman helicopter pad, there was only the need to heat it up for our freeze dried MSR Dragonfly stove best stove for mountaineeringmeals.

Summiting the Emmons Glacier Route, Mt Rainier from Camp Schurman

Warning Disclaimer

Technical rock climbing and mountaineering is inherently dangerous.  Any person using our recommendations, routes, maps, or gear in any manner is personally responsible for learning the proper techniques and good judgment. We strongly recommend that every climber seek instruction by a qualified professional. You are responsible for knowing and respecting our products capabilities and limitations. Always know the maintenance and use history of your equipment and destroy retired gear to prevent future use. The use of secondhand equipment is strongly discouraged. You are responsible for your own actions and decisions. Failure to follow these warnings can result in severe injury or death. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. All the photographs and illustrations on this web site are protected by copyright and should not be used without Beau LLC’s expressed or written permission: Reachout@chevassus.com

Epic new Kickstarter, just launched: Camo Tactical Hair Clips (Tacticlip)

camo tacticlip kickstarter

Tacticlip on Kickstarter

Newest variation: since our last successful Kickstarter (previously the black one, now on Amazon), we have been working hard to implement your ideas. In this new & improved Tacticlip® you’ll find a powder-coated finish with a specialized AU (arid/urban) camouflage pattern. We’ve designed a pattern that utilizes various shades derived from the toughest arid and urban environments on the planet.

Right here on Kickstarter.

The original was featured on Geekologie.

 

SPECS

Official specs: 

  • Hair clip
  • Raptor Claw point tip
  • Serrated Edge (does not cut hair)
  • Wick Holder
  • Mini-Screwdriver
  • Wire stripper

2 Steps: How to build a fanbase

My 2 rules for building a fanbase:

  1. Deliver quality content
  2. Deliver it consistently

Follow these two rules and no matter what industry you are in— it doesn’t matter whether it’s nonprofit or real estate—you are absolutely guaranteed to cultivate genuine advocates and supporters.

Just because you work hard doesn’t mean you’ll be successful

mechanic hard working

Remember: Just because you work hard doesn’t mean you’ll be successful.

“But she works 60 hours a week among three jobs, and she’s barely making ends meet. She deserves more. The system is not fair.”

Despite what politicians, Nike, and Disney promises you…

Hard work ≠ Success

This is a very difficult lesson. It’s something most adults don’t grasp, even up until their death bed.

Yes “hard work” is important, if not vital, but there are a lot of other factors.

Among many factors that lead to success, there are:

  • construction hard work does not equal successRaw skill/talent
  • Demand/how rare that skill is
  • Experience
  • Consistency/dependability
  • Teachability (my personal favorite)
  • Creativity, ingenuity, & innovativeness
  • Integrity
  • Communication skills
  • Passion
  • Initiative & drive
  • Autonomy & independence
  • Standards (quality of results)
  • Connections
  • Ease-of-replacement
  • Temper
  • Patience, grace, & adaptability
  • Love (both for his work and people)
  • Good hygiene
  • Geographic placement
  • And sometimes just dumb luck. (“Providence” for us Jesus-followers ?)

But ultimately one thing mattersGod himself. Is He opening up doors for you to be “successful” by our culture’s standards?

“So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
– 1 Corinthians 10:31

Tacticlip – Multi-tool Snap Hair Clip ‘Knife’ for Survivalists – New Gadget

shooting with tacticlip tactial hair clip, seattle wa wholesale

tacticlip® logo

Tacticlip: Improve, overcome, & adapt

The Tacticlip® design was inspired when I realized many women don’t have a pocket for a knife. But they still have one place of innovative storage that is readily accessible: their hair.

Thus Tacticlip® was born. After over a year of research, field-testing, and drawing on the best design elements from the most highly rated keychain multi-tools on the market, Tacticlip® was established.

The most common question I get is, “Will Tacticlip cut hair?” Answer: No, Tacticlip does not cut hair.  It is not a “razor edge,” which is why it is not classified as a knife.  It operates just like a conventional hair clip (e.g. Tacticlip® does not snag hair), only there’s a raptor claw tip integrated into the design.

If you want to see how we’re doing on Kickstarter, feel free to: See Tacticlip® on Kickstarter

Love,

-Beau
Designer of Tacticlip®
Launched 2018
Seattle, WA, USA

tacticlip multi tool keychain on a cat kitten tacticlip hair clip on girl tacticlip hair clip

tacticlip hair clip features blow apart map