Takeaway #186 on what it is via @pharoahemonch

See this is not American Idol

This is me tryin’ to eat, human survival

Spit at your favorite rapper, take his title

Stick needles in his eyeballs ’til his signs are no longer vital

This ain’t that

I’m not them

These ain’t those rhymes, I’m not him

Pharoahe Monch What it Is

Takeaway #186:  Do you want to be loved or feared?  Machiavelli says feared.  You do not need to be the star, but be the last one standing.  Who needs to be the ace at the meeting, if you are bringing home the most bacon?

Takeaway #152: Unfair competition lessons from #Scarface

I take the code to the game that serious

The streets got rules, it’s certain shit you don’t do like

Saying it was me when you knowing that it was you

It’s not defamation if what I’m saying is true

Scarface ♦  Emeritus 

Takeaway 152:  Unfair competition at its worse – reverse passing off.  If you have knowledge of your complicity, do not taint your competitor with it.  In the end, this will leave your credibility in the market shredded with vendors, suppliers, talent and regulators.

Takeaway #43 compliance via #youngjeezy

I got million dollar dreams and federal nightmares . ..

We pop Cris’ . . ., and still drink beer . . .

Young JeezyAnd Then What

Comply, comply, comply….  You will grow and expand.  As you profit, your reporting obligations and regulatory obligations will also ratchet up.  If it is the IRS, then you better pay every last dime owed.  If it is Sarbanes-Oxley corporate reporting, then there is no room to skip steps.  The bottom line is that in most cases, good faith attempt at compliance provides some safe-harbor defense.  Failing to comply when you have a high-profile will not get you the benefit of the doubt when things go wrong.  Instead, people will seek to make an example of you.  Willie Nelson, ENRON, Wesley Snipes….the list goes on.

 Keep the profile in check.  A champagne celebration is a rarity.  Nine times out of ten, the work period deserves, at best, a cold beer.

BPM TAKEAWAY#43:

  •  GET IN COMPLIANCE

  •  GET WANTS VS. NEEDS STRAIGHT