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Greg Johnson – Personal Update 201603

March 31, 2016May 15, 2022 by Greg Johnson, posted in news

Personal Update 201603 | 31 March 2016 | Thursday

Greetings,

I hope you’re doing well. Thanks for taking a moment to read my latest update.

Career News

For the past three months I’ve been keeping very busy with my consulting business providing technology services and developing websites for individuals, organizations, and businesses. In December, Bevel & Co. asked me to do some work for them. So, I’d been busy with that for the past few months. For more details, you can read my update about working for Bevel and Company.

Websites Launched

Here are a few of the websites I’ve been working on recently:

CoinSalesUSA.com – This is a site I’m excited to launch. It’s an information site as well as a sales portal to eBay. Next week is the Grand Opening, at which point the eBay sales will begin showing up on the site. You can see the basic site right now. It’s a good template for other similar sites.
CombinedEfforts.org – The website for Combined Efforts recently underwent a major renovation that I was able to assist with. Mary Vasey envisioned much of the visual design and layout of the new site, and I provided some technical expertise to make that all happen.
CommunityVisionHealing.com – This is a site that I helped launch a little while back, but I’d not mentioned it yet. It’s the website of Jamila Tharp, a minister who supports individuals, families, and communities through various services.
FriedmanAssociates.net – This is a consulting group that helps non-profit organizations get the funding they need to improve our communities. I worked with Jason Friedman to create a site that explains their group and services.
PetersenIronMetalRecycling.com – This is a recycling center in our area that partners with other local materials recycling centers. I enjoyed working with their office staff to develop a site that would convey more about what they offer.

With most of the websites I help create, it’s really a co-labor endeavor. I typically train people to design and manage their own website. I like this approach because each site is uniquely designed with creative input from the site owner. My online web design portfolio has some of my other recent work.

Time With Greg

I’ve started using an online scheduling system which makes it much easier for people to schedule time with me. The web address is TimeWithGreg.com and that forwards to the service I’m using.

The Apple iPad Pro

This month’s update was written using the Apple iPad Pro. I’ve been doing more of my work on the iPad Pro since it’s the only laptop/desktop replacement from Apple with a Touch Screen. Also, the iOS apps are often more efficient than the desktop or web equivalents.

Thanks!

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

~ Greg

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Want More News? For additional news and updates you can subscribe to the Resources For Life Newsletter by sending an email to resourcesforlifenews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Origins. For those of you who are new to these monthly personal updates, they began about 15 years ago out of a desire to share from my personal life about topics of lifeways (faith), health, career, finances, relationships, effective living, and activism. This is based on the life map presented on the Resources For Life website.

Career Update: Working with Walker & Company – Bevel

March 29, 2016May 15, 2022 by Greg Johnson, posted in announcements, Career, news

On 17 December 2015 I announced a big career change. After 15 years at the University of Iowa, I planned to return to consulting as of 1 January 2016 and begin working with a mystery company that I planned to reveal in January. Due to some delays in HR processing, I wasn’t ready to make the announcement until now.

So, this is the story I’d hoped to write two months ago.

In May 2015, I learned about Walker & Company through their online magazine BevelCode.com which has articles on culture, style, and personal grooming with a focus on people of color. The magazine offers exceptional photo journalism with great pictures and articles. So, I began reposting and sharing their content.

In recent years I’ve been enhancing the content on my own websites and social media channels to depict positive portrayals of Black people. I’ve been doing this because with the recent rise in racism, it seems like mainstream media and news networks generally propagate an inaccurate and derogatory portrayal of Black people through images that are disproportionately negative. Positive stories help offset the negativity – inspiring people of color, and re-programming those with bigotry.

After several months of promoting the BevelCode content, I decided to try out the Bevel Shaving System which is one of the Walker & Company products. I wanted to learn more about the company, and figured becoming a customer and using their products would be a great way to do so.

On 30 September 2015, after receiving the Bevel products and using them, I wrote “Bevel – A New Tradition in Shaving” as a review of the company and products. That article got the attention of Tristan Walker, the CEO and founder of Walker & Company. Tristan wrote a nice response to the article via Twitter.

I wrote a few more articles and had a lot of positive social media interactions with prospective and current Bevel users.

In early December, Tristan and his staff reached out to me asking if I’d like to work formally with the company. I didn’t need too much time to think over the offer. Having seen Tristan in various YouTube videos and having already studied the company fairly thoroughly over the previous months, I knew it was a move I wanted to make.

The initial offer was for 1-2 hours of work per day. Which doesn’t seem like much, but my job at the University had expanded to 60+ hours per week. Fitting in an additional 10-hour-per week commitment just wouldn’t be possible without dropping the University job.

I’d already begun feeling the financial impact of cutting back on my outside consulting work to take on additional responsibilities at the University. The Walker and Company work would be a perfect fit for me. I could expand my consulting work, and enjoy working for a company that I believed was doing some good work.

By mid-December, I put in my two weeks notice at the University. This would provide about 30 days over winter break (while classes would not be in session) for some reorganizing needed to find people who could cover for the work I’d been doing. My job was eventually delegated among four or five people. I had a chance to offer some transitional support and training after my last day, which I enjoyed doing.

I’d imagined that my consulting work would slowly ramp up, but on January 1 which might have otherwise been a holiday, the consulting work started pouring in. I’ve had steady work since then, which is great.

After getting the offer from Walker and Company, I decided to ramp up my work for them — the work that I’d already been doing voluntarily at that point. I was told I’d be officially on-board by mid-January, so I figured I’d give them a few weeks of free work as a good faith expression of appreciating for getting hired on.

Over the next two months, I was given some fun assignments to do, and had a chance to connect with top leadership in the company. From the consumer perspective, I’d been very impressed with the Bevel brand as well as Walker and Company. So, it was nice to get a more complete understanding of the company.

Heading into April, given the abundance of client work that keeps coming my way, I’m going to focus my attention entirely on my consulting business as well as the public interest work I do.

Many thanks to all those who continue supporting my work.

Greg Johnson – Personal Update 201602

February 29, 2016May 15, 2022 by Greg Johnson, posted in news

Personal Update 201602 | 29 February 2016 | Monday

Greetings,

I hope you’re doing well. Thanks for taking a moment to read my latest update.

Career News

For the past two months I’ve been keeping very busy with my consulting business providing technology services and developing websites for individuals, organizations, and businesses.

Websites Launched

This past month I’ve designed and launched many websites. Here are a few that I’m really pleased with:

My online web design portfolio has some of my latest creations.

Time With Greg

I’ve started using an online scheduling system which makes it much easier for people to schedule time with me. The web address is TimeWithGreg.com and that forwards to the service I’m using.

Brand Loyalty Case Study

I’ve been a fan of Bevel for a long time, and recently I’ve begun doing more research examining the company and their products. I recently wrote a short case study on brand loyalty using Bevel as an example. As a business owner, studying Bevel has been a good grounding and engaging experience. Another Bevel related article I wrote was an product evaluation and comparison of the Bevel Trimmer. I’ve been pleased with the response to the Trimmer article. In just 24 hours it’s had readers from coast to coast, as shown in the map below.

Thanks!

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

~ Greg

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Want More News? For additional news and updates you can subscribe to the Resources For Life Newsletter by sending an email to resourcesforlifenews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Great News: Business is Expanding

February 17, 2016May 15, 2022 by Greg Johnson, posted in announcements, news, technology

In December 2015, I received an unexpected offer to work for a business I really admire. The new job would allow me to return to doing more consulting and public interest work. It seemed like an appealing option. I decided to take the offer, and make a change.

I wasn’t sure how long it would take to build-up the consulting business. Surprisingly, in less than 24 hours, I was busy with all the work I could handle, and it’s been busy ever since. Many thanks to everyone who has been calling and requesting services.

Recently my wife Makur, also a technology support person at the University of Iowa, decided that she also would like to do more consulting work, so she decided to leave her job at the University and in March will join me in providing technology support through Iowa City Technology Services.

Makur has a broad range of experience in expertise in small business and enterprise-class computing, as well as an array of other skills. So, we’ve launched MJIowa.com as a website for her to bring in additional business. Over the years she has developed a following of people who specifically ask for her, so the new site is a great way to connect with those clients.

I look forward to the coming months, and appreciate everyone’s support.

Thanks!

Greg Johnson – Personal Update 201601

January 1, 2016May 15, 2022 by Greg Johnson, posted in news

Personal Update 201601 | 1 January 2016 | Friday

Greetings,

Happy New Year! I hope you’re doing well. Thanks for taking a moment to read my latest update.

Career Change News

As I shared in last month’s update, I recently accepted a job offer. Yesterday was my last official day at the University of Iowa. The new job won’t start for a few weeks. In the meantime, I plan to expand my tech support and other consulting work, as well as the public interest work I do. I’m thankful that the new job will not be taking up the 50-60 hours I’d been working at my old job.

Yesterday evening, a few short minutes after finishing up at the University, I was grateful to have computer work to do for someone. This morning and this afternoon, on the first day of the year, I was also busy with tech support. As of this evening, I have enough support requests to fill next week. I’m looking forward to spending more time on my technology services business.

Also this morning, I received an email from a supporter of the advocacy work I do relating to small houses. They wrote to let me know in the year ahead, they will be doubling their monthly donation.

So, the year is off to a good start.

A Focus on Public Interest Work

About 25 years ago, when establishing my technology services business, the name I chose was Public Interest Computer Consulting (PICC).

My intention at the time was to support those who serve the public interest working with non-profit groups or their own personal outreach. Sometime later I named the business PC DOC, yet the same mission to support those in public service remains today.

By providing a sliding scale for services, volunteering when possible, and offering other in-kind and financial donations, my hope has always been to have a hybrid business model that functions much like a self-funded non-profit organization. The income I make from traditional computer support helps fund the public interest work I do.

In the months ahead, I hope to share some inspiring stories about some of the work I’m doing in the Iowa City area and beyond.

Small House Event

On January 23, from 2-3 PM, I’ll be giving a presentation at the Marion Public Library about small house living. The presentation will hopefully be just a part of a larger gathering of small house enthusiasts. Click here to learn more about the event.

Thanks!

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

~ Greg

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Want More News? For additional news and updates you can subscribe to the Resources For Life Newsletter by sending an email to resourcesforlifenews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Greg Johnson – Personal Update 201512

December 27, 2015May 15, 2022 by Greg Johnson, posted in news

Personal Update 201512 | 27 December 2015 | Sunday

Greetings,

I hope you’re doing well. Thanks for taking a moment to read my latest update.

Career Change

Earlier this month I announced an exciting career change. As you may know, I’ve been working at the University of Iowa for a long time. Over the past year, with expanded duties, the workload increased significantly. Although I enjoyed the work, I was putting in 50 to 60 hours a week, cutting into the evenings and weekends when I do some outside consulting. This month, a company approached me with a job offer, and I decided to accept it. I’m feeling good about the decision, and sleeping better at night.

Beautiful Iowa City Video

This month I discovered a locally produced video on YouTube about the Iowa City area. It had about 80 views a few hours after it launched. Today it has over 27,000 views. I think you’ll agree it’s quite magnificent. Take a look.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMmykFeF1-Y?rel=0]

NPR Interview

In case you missed it, last month on Thanksgiving I was surprised to learn that a radio interview from earlier this year was airing again on NPR, apparently nation-wide. Since it was originally recorded live, it convincingly seemed to be happening on Thanksgiving day. I wouldn’t have known about the interview except that friends and family were texting me to let me know about it. I’d neglected to put the interview on my website, so I took the opportunity to create a post of the interview.

Thanks!

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

~ Greg

__________

Want More News? For additional news and updates you can subscribe to the Resources For Life Newsletter by sending an email to resourcesforlifenews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Career Change

December 17, 2015May 15, 2022 by Greg Johnson, posted in news

I first started working at the University of Iowa in 1983 as a student in a computer lab. Over the past 30 years I’ve had the pleasure of working at the College of Law, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC), and the central IT group. In 2001, I returned to working for the same department (and boss) that employed me as a student, and I’ve been there for the past 15 years. I always imagined I’d continue at the University until retiring.

Those who follow my writings and social media posts know the that I’m often writing about and promoting various companies and products. I’ve had friends and family ask me if the writing and promotions work I do is paid advertising. I take it as a compliment, but explain that it’s just something I enjoy doing.

Last week on Wednesday, I received an email from a small startup company that you’ve likely never heard of. My previous interactions with the CEO had been nothing more than a few short informal tweets. He’d appreciated what I had to say about their company and products. The email last week, with him copied, was from a member of their team asking if I’d like a job with the company.

After considering their offer, I decided to accept it.

I think their company is doing some really innovative work in an important niche market. They’re not just following best practices, but establishing best practices and creating new approaches to doing business. This has the potential to positively influence how other businesses operate — creating better workplace environments and positively impacting consumers. So, it’s exciting to have at least some part in helping them grow.

In my new role, I’ll be able to stay in Iowa City, have flexible hours, and work from home or while mobile. The initial commitment will free up my schedule to do more of my own consulting work, as well as the public interest work I enjoy doing. My work at the University had at times been taking 50 to 60 hours per week. I’m eager to get back to a more livable schedule.

My last day at the University of Iowa will be December 31. I’ll miss everyone, but I’m also looking forward to the opportunities ahead.

I’ll share more details as they unfold, but today I wanted to let everyone know about this big change.

Facebook Comments

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Greg Johnson – Personal Update 201511

November 29, 2015May 15, 2022 by Greg Johnson, posted in news

Personal Update 201511 | 29 November 2015 | Sunday

Greetings,

I hope you’re doing well. Thanks for taking a moment to read my latest update.

NPR Interview

On Thanksgiving I was surprised to learn that a radio interview from earlier this year was airing again on NPR, apparently nation-wide. Since it was originally recorded live, it convincingly seemed to be happening on Thanksgiving day. I wouldn’t have known about the interview except that friends and family were texting me to let me know about it. I’d neglected to put the interview on my website, so I took the opportunity to create a post of the interview.

Fitness & Wellness

I’ve been spending more time walking and biking these days, and looking forward to getting outside throughout the winter months.

Bevel

This past month I continued promoting Bevel and having a good time doing that. My original article about Bevel has had 50 shares on Facebook and many readers from coast to coast. This past month, I’ve spent time responding to some prospective customer questions that are showing up as comments in the Bevel Facebook posts. These days, companies need loyal customers to help participate in various discussions on social media. Company employees can talk about their products, but there’s no substitute for a positive review and feedback from a happy customer. When anyone uses my personal Bevel link and signs up, they get a month free, and so do I.

Tile App – Find Your Lost Stuff

If you’ve ever had the frustration of losing or misplacing something, you’ll see the value in the Tile tracking system.

The Tile App is a brilliant system that uses crowd sourcing to find lost items.

Put a ‘Tile’ on your keys, in your wallet, or on anything. Then, when it’s misplaced, lost, or stolen, you can track the item. Click here to learn more.

Thanks!

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

~ Greg

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Want More News? For additional news and updates you can subscribe to the Resources For Life Newsletter by sending an email to resourcesforlifenews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Greg Johnson – Personal Update 201510

October 18, 2015May 15, 2022 by Greg Johnson, posted in news

Personal Update 201510 | 18 October 2015 | Sunday

Greetings,

I hope you’re doing well. Thanks for taking a moment to read my latest update.

Bevel

Earlier this year I learned about a company called Bevel through their ads on Facebook. I was impressed with their product design, advertising, photography, and also liked the interesting articles on their website. In September I started using their unique shaving system. I wrote an article about Bevel and was surprised to get a nice response from the company CEO minutes after posting the article. [Read Article]

Career

As I mentioned in last month’s update, I’ve been very busy with my work at the University of Iowa — which has required putting in some extra time beyond normal hours to cover some expanded duties and additional responsibilities this semester. My expanded worked included an additional 20 to 30 hours a week of work supporting several departments (for someone who took a job elsewhere). It’s been an enjoyable challenge to take on an additional workload because it gives me an opportunity to figure out more efficient ways to do things. After 8-weeks into the Fall semester, the work load has tapered off and I’ve been able to have some evenings and weekends again — which is good since we don’t get paid for overtime work.

Email Efficiency

Like everyone, I receive hundreds of emails every week, and it doesn’t take long for thousands of emails to pile up in the inbox. Over the past two months I’ve been trying to keep my inbox empty by responding to every email. Some requests that come by email may take more than one day to accomplish. For such requests, I have a task list to prioritize various requests that come in by email, phone, Facebook, and other means. The system has helped me keep my inbox empty (a great feeling) and prioritize my day-to-day work.

Technology

As a consultant and small business owner, I’ve had to take care of all aspects of the business, and the wide variety of requests that come in. I like this diversity. My work at the University of Iowa also involves various areas of responsibility. In a larger institution or enterprise, usually there are separate positions for these roles because for most people it can be challenging to attend important meetings, keep up with administrative paperwork, respond to urgent support requests, and keep up with the repair or setup of computers. This month I wrote an article about the four quadrants of technology service and support and how larger organizations provide technology services and support. [Read Article]

Remembering Paul

In August, my stepdad Paul in Maryland passed away. There was a celebration of life event for him this month, but I was unable to attend. So, I shared some memories about Paul in a writing that could be read at the event. [Read]

Thanks!

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

~ Greg

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Want More News? For additional news and updates you can subscribe to the Resources For Life Newsletter by sending an email to resourcesforlifenews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Paul Carter – Celebration of Life

October 18, 2015May 15, 2022 by Greg Johnson, posted in news

Growing up, my stepdad Paul was a positive influence in my life. In August he passed away. A celebration of life event was held on October 4, but I wasn’t able to attend so I wrote the following message to share at the event.

Paul Carter
Celebration of Life

I’m sorry I couldn’t be with you today for Paul’s Celebration of Life. Whenever I meet someone who knew Paul, I learn something new about Paul, and I grow to respect, appreciate, and love him more. So, I really wanted to be there today.

Paul was in my life at an important time during my pre-teen and teen years as I was growing into who I would be as an adult. Because we had a family business, with the dog kennel, Paul wasn’t just a parent who I’d see in passing. We worked together at the business after school and on the weekends, and he was there in the evenings at the dinner table. That’s a rare experience for a kid to have these days unless you’re Amish.

The lessons I learned about hard work and genuinely caring about people and their animal companions have stuck with me and continue to shape my own business that I began in my early 20s and still have today.

As a parent, Paul wasn’t one to lecture. The most important lessons he taught me weren’t spoken, but lived out, and those are the things that have stuck with me through my entire life. His daily examples of kindness and caring had an impact on me.

Paul was concerned that I be brought up right. I remember at the dinner table, if I was resting my elbows on the table Paul would gently correct me. Sometimes with just a thoughtful glance. He wanted to make sure I was becoming a young gentleman with proper manners. It was a little bit like being in finishing school, but I appreciated it. He instilled in me the little things that shape who I am today.

In my adult years, after going to college and starting a career, it was nice to continue to have Paul in my life whenever I’d go home to Maryland for a visit, and to keep in touch with the occasional phone call.

As is typical in families that are spread out, we’d often hear news second hand. I was thankful that my brother Sherman stayed in Maryland to be close and keep that connection and give us news of how everyone was doing.

I was awake in the early hours of the morning the day Paul passed away. When I heard the news, I wasn’t sure what to say or share with others. I posted a photo online from my last trip to Maryland with these words:

Looking back, we also look forward. Then we know what really matters. Sincerity. Laughter. Smiles. Kindness. Caring.

Today as we celebrate Paul’s life, I’m reminded of so many things to be grateful for.

Thank you, Paul, for everything.