So yesterday I decided to surf over net as I was a bit tired of doing all the “financial stuff”. Lately I go to digg.com and pick up some most popular articles. While some of them are quite crap - there are usually some good ones. For example, this post made me think that I might be better wife if I leave post it notes somewhere (especially after reading male comments). But I loved the comics and quiz site… I filled out two most relevant quizzes. See if you get more than me

If you were told that we have only 10 years left to live, would you try to change anything? See this amazing movie and learn what people did and will do so that we don’t end our world in short period of time

Click here to see it.

Spoiler : it has some really, really great movie fragments taken from helicopter. everyone has to see this movie!

There is another hub in creation - The dublin Hub - a flexible working space for startups, social entrepreneurs and creative businesses to come together to share ideas, experiences and resources, to participate in and build a new way of thinking about working. It will be made after model of Hub in London.

The last event discussing what should / shouldn’t be in this hub happened yesterday. Next one is coming up in August. Don’t miss your chance to tell your ideas and give your support.

If the hub like those ideas really exist - I would live there!

33 countries were presented today in Oatlands Primary School my daugher is attending. I find it very great way to learn more about different cultures and people. It was my first time participating in such event so my stand about Latvia was rather small.

Last 3 days was crazy networking stuff all over Dublin. I’m very tired now. I haven’t replied to mails, haven’t followed back on Twitter and haven’t done anything else than networking. I will back to you on Monday for sure. Please bear till then

Business blogging is great thing for Internet Social Marketing. Here is link to Podcast from Enterprise Ireland about it. Most important thing - it is presented by Damien Mulley, blogger, copywriter and trainer, and Roseanne Smith, the Membership, Marketing and Communications Manager for the Irish Internet Association.

When we get distracted from work - what do we usually do? We start searching over the Internet different things that cames into the mind.

Today I searched my own name and it brought over 3 pages of Google Results. From one point it seems quite impressive, but from other point - I haven’t been active enough in the net.

I have heard a lot of people that blogging is a good way to get publicity. Well, I’m writing a blog now - but there is not much publicity. Why? Because my blog isn’t mentioned anywhere except twitter and irish web awards.

How do I make my blog presence bigger into the web? I should post comments in other blogs! So simple and so time consuming. I’m really amazed for those people who do it daily.

And I don’t search for publicity.. I’m casual blogger.

I’m all exited over tomorrows Inspired IT Awards Gala Dinner 2008. It is very official black tie evening till late at night. I really hope I will get some award and I’m happy that we got short-listed. I went shopping today and bought the best coat in my life. I haven’t been shopping for ages as I’m always so busy with business stuff. Awards was a good excuse to buy something.

Wish me luck tomorrow and I will post some photos of evening later.

When I first entered “Start your own business” course provided by Enterprise Board, I was surprised about the person lecturing. She was marketing specialist for over 10 years, but she told us that she went through psychology course to understand marketing better. I was wandering - why would I need that in marketing?

Over the course I noticed a lot of psychological things around her. For example, she always wore something that made her to come out in crowd - mini red skirts, red shoes with high heels. She was always friendly and positive and challenging in a most of lectures. I learned a lot and let me share few of those things.

Today I received call at the door and received free candies, popcorn and sticker from Qo2 radio. The Principle of Reciprocity in business. This principle basically defines the human need and tendency to want to give something back when something is received. In this case they gave you sweets and (constant reminder) sticker for you to listen to the radio. Both guys who gave me that were so positive that it made me smile and laugh with them. So would I try to switch on Qo2 radio after this - probably, if I had a radio.

So in business people often give something maybe not so expensive to others, because they know - you will feel obligated to give them something back. Especially they love to give some constant reminders - stickers, small funny candy box you don’t want to throw out or very well thought-through advertisement paper.

It’s funny if you search for reciprocity in Google, you get a lot of bible stuff coming out. So people knew the principle even in ancient times.

Two other principles which even I sometimes use is reverse psychology and “good and bad cop”. People often think that Reverse psychology don’t work on adults and it is childish act that normal people won’t do. Well, they do. Very often you say reverse things to clients to get the right thing coming up. You lead them the way you want and make them believe that they came up with solution. Does it sound very tricky? It is business and you have to fight for the things you want.

“Good and bad cop” is thing that I often do with my husband. If some client doesn’t like me, I ask my husband to call him and be a “good cop”. And vice versa.

Those few tricks aren’t very much advertised to people. Because if they knew them, they won’t fall for them. But they fall anyway.

There is very few sites in Ireland, where you can search for new software projects. Even thought there is so much online stuff going around, it is hard to find new leads.

I have been looking at www.freelanceireland.ie for a while, but small jobs and projects appears there only once in half month. And there is not much alternatives for this site. Everything happens through connections so networking happens to be the most important thing for IT companies. It doesn’t matter how good specialist you are or how good sites you have developed. Unless you really don’t know somebody, you won’t get any projects.

Should I say that people won’t trust each other in Ireland?

I keep going to those networking events (though I’m more IT person and it really makes me nervous). It’s unbelievable how much networking events there are in Dublin. Even if you just look at Dublin Enterprise Board site, there is Link! and Plato and Enterprise Women etc. And people keep making events just to network… Does it do any good? Sometimes. But you really have to find the ones that suit your business best. It takes time and money. There is very few that doesn’t cost anything.

I found Open Coffee, Techludd, Irish Web Conference and Enterprise Women networking the best for us.