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​COLLABORATIVE CREATORS
  • Home
  • Media Strategy
  • Content Creation
  • Be a Creator
  • Collaborative Connections
  • Create Amusement Store
  • Contact Us
  • Collaborate To Create
  • Creator Articles
  • Heart of Collaborative Creators
  • Online Business Presence
  • Create Amusement PodCast
  • Book-contest
  • Engagement Course
  • Blog

Creator Articles

Promoting the Dream is Committing to It: Stories of Success based on Your Commitment to Your Purpose are Requested.

1/28/2020

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Business owners often want the same thing. The highest rate of return for their service to make the easiest sale. This type of contractual relationship requires committing to the benefits of the value that is provided by the product. It takes knowing what you sell and being able to say it clearly and with purpose. It is essential to plan the projections of your next steps beyond the research. 

We all stop and dream of island living... of creating a mark on the world that doesn't just demonstrate wealth, to create a legacy in the way you live and the mark that you have on the world. Your message and how you promote it becomes clear  from focused intention to the deals and opportunities that are sought after. 

People always want to know how to negotiate the deal to their benefit. Do your research on who you are speaking with and know their background. Engage with them. Often people wander, hoping to catch the next sale or deal. Trust me, coupon clipping can take a weird twist when you start buying things you don't even like or need because you "think" you are saving, you think you are connecting with the best deal because it lands in your lap. You know you are crafting the best deal when you research your market and who you desire to work with and why.  

Know what you want and take it. Make the ask and in the moment, add value along the way. Know that being you in the moment is valuable. Your purpose is defined by what best lights your journey. We help by leading others by first leading ourselves, it can seem like a never ending circle of service. When you act in service you often serve yourself. There comes a time when there is balance and alignment flows. 

Define what you offer and go after it everyday in a strategic method. Pursue the desires that light you up and celebrate the wins along the way. In my journey I learn from some amazing mentors, coaches, strategists and creators as I offer virtual assistance to further their mission. They take leaps in the areas of their life that they want to attain and reach out to those individuals directly to make the deal. 

When you know what you want, you have the option of focusing your output to produce on the level that you desire with ease. There will be times in your life that your brand will represent 1 contract. Sometimes those are the best contracts because you can lean into it and readily create at a high level. There are also times that when you know what you want, operate under a brand and seek out multiple contracts within that brand. Go after the highest return for your energy that aligns with your purpose, vision, mission. When you fly in success you capitalize on knowing that what can be done once, can be done again, make sure you feel good doing it.  

You know what you sell, you know who needs it, you explain the benefits and lead with service consistently. Listen to those around you to hear what they need and become good at referring others. 

Collaborative Creators, is here to refer creators to one another to benefit their mission and vision. When you know your story, brand, mission and how to share it, you are practicing your ability to market with ease. There are so many things that can be done when creators work together in their markets and stay in their lane. 

Marketing your mission isn't something that is done on an island. It is done locally, seek out the people who benefit from your service. Do it at a high level everyday. 

Show off the dream that you have committed to and promote it.




  

REQUEST FOR ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS FOR THE COLLABORATIVE SUCCESS LIFE QUARTERLY

Do you walk have a purpose driven mission that you want to share with the world? Well, we want to hear about it. So many authors want to start writing a book. They don't know where to start. Well, this is your chance to start writing have it part of a quarterly digital magazine that is promoted by Collaborative Creators, Success Life and Skinny Brown Dog Media. Let's shift how we are introducing our content to the world and join us in the mission to connect people to your message. 

Each story should be between 300-1800 words. We will review each story for interest, content quality and will send you a response on when and how your work maybe published within our network of opportunities. Thank you for taking action! 
Submit Your Story For Review
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Nonprofit Formation Basics: From Thought to Action

8/29/2019

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People have pain-points. The hurdles that they have to climb to achieve basic necessity and then the ability to thrive. When organizations are able to touch someone  and improve their life they continue to give back. The direct connection is what provides the culture benefit and gives organizations the ability to know what their community needs to be prosperous. 

Each organization starts with a mission and vision statement. It is doing something that is needed to bring joy and touches the heart. Determine if there is a need for the service provided. What do the people around you say that they "need". Sometimes a person will know and sometimes they won't, it is OK to keep space open and allow time to plan and think. 


Understand that starting a Nonprofit or any large NGO requires a group of people. It may be one of the hardest ways to start a "business" venture that provides a paycheck and steady income. Grants take time to get and newly formed nonprofits have to demonstrate that they offer a product and service long before they qualify for government funding.

The time that an organization takes to develop their services and demonstrate a positive result allows for interest to build. Let's be honest, it takes time for people to know, like and trust you before they fully invest or commit use that time to build momentum in the products you create. Although there is always a need for basic human services and development, if funding is not incorporated into the business plan of any organization it will fail to meet the objectives everyone intended to meet. 


Don't let the need for a board stop you from acting within your passions to gain clarity on how to best serve in the bigger mission to create a nonprofit. Creators have to lean into themselves to understand how they can give to others. That is why you have to know your offer, what do you serve, how do you serve it and how does it provide a positive benefit for both you, clients and the sponsors involved. 

Now, I won't lie, getting sponsors all the time can be difficult, even when they are purchasing a product like the ability to go to a Gala, or a Sip and Paint, Fun Run, Fair, Pageant, Festival, and oh so many more creative options for raising money. One of our Collaborative Creators who operates on the Board of the YMCA revealed that fundraising was very much like selling and getting investors to understand the benefits of the products that they offer. Serving on the board of a nonprofit is labor intensive, but it will often times not bring in a paycheck unless you have the ability to align with the nonprofit, program creators, and other organizations because you are then the one who is giving. 

Everyone has their strength, and so does each organization. Nonprofits can thrive when they work together, in fact, if organizations come together they can collectively offer a better product. There are nonprofits that offer everything from housing, to medical care, farming, transportation and so much more. It all takes micro-actions and incorporating the premise that the activities that the nonprofit engages should have a cost benefit analysis. What does it cost and what is the return in investment?

From those investments, again understand that everything is managed by the board and then all money gained is spent on business expenses and reinvested into the organization to serve the population in need. Understand which population you want to serve and how to serve them. What is the long term investment and the benefit from all parties? 

Non-profits are impressive when they can invest in the products created by the people involved and share them to reach the benefit that the organization intends to provide. Organizations for Children and Adults in Need can do this when they create collaborative programs. What products are you putting in your donation bags... where do they come from? Who contracts to maintain and promote the organization?

Now, nonprofits cannot enrich the people that run them. But, the board can agree to pay people for the unique services they provide, outside of participating on the board, so long as the party who provides the service is not part of the vote to authorize payment. It is also important to keep in mind that the board of a nonprofit cannot just be family members because family members are also disqualified from such votes for other family members. It is truly a collective of unrelated people who share a similar mission, goal and focus. 

After finding the people and creating, testing and continuing to create products, knowing where and how you administer services will be the next task and an upcoming post.  

 

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Equipment Options for Podcasting: Microphones, Earphones, Pro-set vs. Consumer Pro

8/28/2019

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Knowing what to use while you are recording your voice and hearing audio for the first time online can be daunting, you go on amazon and see thousands of choices and set-ups. To be honest most of them look like they would hurt my ears because I don't personally like earbuds. Therefore, I use a Wired CORSAIR VOID PRO RGB USB Gaming Headset - Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound Headphones for PC - Discord Certified - 50mm Drivers, it was simple, in my price range and gets the job done comfortably while on direct calls and meetings. Do you use google voice for your business? I know I do, it keeps my already Low Ting phone bill in check because I take the call on my computer and don't use my minutes. The USB wireless CORSAIR headphones and mic are also easily used for the PC. 


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Ready to learn and teach ESL online after lots of class practice to breath and say less to add clarity,
​ I shot a photo to get ready for the fun. 
But what if you don't want something over your head... mind you the micro cushion is nice on my headphones but I know options can be fun. That is where earbuds with a microphone will do nicely. A Bluetooth Wireless Splash proof Earbud and Microphone Option that pairs with android and IPhone devices with ease when just starting and testing out the waters. If you want to use this with your computer make sure the computer is bluetooth compatible.  

Then there are those who want to record and have a studio sound quality when they speak. A Pro-set for audio recording would include a Shure SM58-LC Cardioid Dynamic Vocal Microphone with Knox Gear Boom Arm, Pop Filter and XLR Cable Bundle paired with the Focusrite Scarlett Solo (2nd Gen) USB Audio Interface with Pro Tools . The interface is a cool device because it make it so you can hook up speakers and keyboards as you rock out!

Some will ask, "but what if you don't want an audio interface and I just want a USB microphone?" The solution for that is the consumer pro-set with the 
Blue Yeti USB Microphone and a Wired Sony MDR7506 Professional Large Diaphragm Headphone  or a wireless headphone as suggested earlier.
There are even more expensive options to rock your recording abilities but we all have to start somewhere and it is good to remember that you can just start. Wanna know a secret... Some of my vocal songs are recorded just from the recording app on my iphone. There are times when you just have to use what you have and jump in to get going. After you get comfortable then you can rock it out and add additional recording equipment. Please keep in mind that headphones are incredibly helpful when on online calls because it cuts down on the noise and allows focus. Also take advantage of the mute button on your mic so the sound is focused on the person talking. It takes some practice but for people with kids in the background it can make it seem like silence is around you even when a kid is close and having some fun, 
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Try Ting
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Farewell to Google+: The Damage of Data Breaches

1/31/2019

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What happens when the data of individuals is attacked repeatedly on the commercial online market?

The online market thrives on the exchange of personal information, buyer data, pictures, documents, books, ultimately anything we create online can be turned into a product that can be tracked and exchanged for a benefit. Users willingly give over personal information for the benefit of services. Online services that users will take to be "free", all come with a cost: an email address, a profile set-up, a credit card on file for a future purchase, a picture of you using a product or even a review, the list is endless... what was the last thing you uploaded to any major social site for free? 

In an industry that previously self-imposed date protection, robust sites with limitless data and even small sites are increasingly being held to new standards. The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the most inclusive data regulation that protects their citizen data and the penalty applies internationally. The failure to comply results in a hefty fine of 20 million Euros or 4% of the company’s global revenue, whichever is larger. Here is a Forbes check list to help you comply.  

As governments attempt to catch up in the codification of online data or just ban the service, individuals and businesses are having to contort their creations to comply. While Facebook continually tries to adapt and change to meet outside standards, others are throwing in the towel and revamping completely.  
 
Google+, a social media service that was aimed at collecting your data and marketing it in the form of pages, groups and more, suffered a data breach of over 500,000 accounts that was not disclosed to the public, and later revealed that over 52 million accounts were breached. These breaches have sever consequences for companies and users.

Google+ will be shut down in April 2019 instead of August. Users will not be able to set-up new accounts and it is imperative that current users download and save their content somewhere else because they are going to lose access as the service shuts down. Want to know how to download you Google+ profile?
Click here.
             
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Outsourcing, Non-Disclosure and the Benefits of Long-Term Relationships

1/4/2019

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There is a lot that goes on in a day. Big business requires more than one person working towards the success of the collective whole. For small businesses to grow they must think about and work towards expanding their workforce to take on more contracts efficiently. Building  a network of contractors and outlining future employee positions and responsibilities is what starts a business's human resource department.

Contracts are the way of the world and people must know what they are agreeing to in order to mutually benefit. It is heartbreaking to hear someone say that they just signed up to be a distributor for a new company but then they cannot tell me their rate of return from their favorite product. To successfully contract with a marketer or freelancer, a business has to be able to tell them what they want to sell and the specific goal of the relationship. People are not good with guess work when it comes to assisting someone else in business. Employees become employees because they represent the company and benefit from consistent direction based on company standards and goals. Independent contractors, on the other hand, work on very specific agreed upon projects based on the contractors expertise and businesses. Companies can greatly benefit from the contractors work product and do not have to worry direct oversight of the project.  

Collaborative creation between contractors and businesses or individuals still requires a consensus among the team. Having the same mission, goal, intentions and interests is helpful in a team. That doesn't mean everyone is the same or has the same skills, in fact, everyone on a team is uniquely gifted and being able to diversify interests makes for broader opportunities and insights. Ultimately, teams focus on creating products and services that benefit each other. Clear directives with a motive/mission that pushes everyone to their potential and builds upon each others creations is what completes projects. Team focus comes from clear working agreements that mutually benefit. When working on and exchanging proprietary information, non-disclosure agreements can protect company interests when looking to take on an employee or contractor and there is a desire to discuss a project openly.

    Get a Copy of a Template Non-Disclosure Agreement

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The online market features personal assistants that range from AI voice boxes to people across boarders working for pennies on the dollar. Take advantage of the resources that can make your life easier but don't settle for one quick fix after another when it comes to creating consistent quality work. Businesses and contractors have to put the work in and get really good at what they do. That is what makes the businesses definitive from one another. When seeking out these strategic collaborative connections envision the type of person you want to represent your brand and seek them out. Creative licenses allow for people to express themselves, however, if a product is created for your business specifically, you will want your contractor to release all rights to you.     

    Get a Copy of an Independent Contractor Work Product Release Template

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Independent Contractors can help businesses flourish with innovative ideas and unique perspectives. They can also provide an outlet to grow relationships built out of mutual benefit and respect. Because the businesses are different from one another, professionals have the capacity to learn a great deal from the work that they do together. With every project there is a deeper level of understanding. The work product breakdown between the business and contractor can also become easier to negotiate with each subsequent contract. Collaborative creators is here to encourage long-term relationships between contractors and businesses. Of course, not all relationships can or should be long-term but if it is possible to match a creator, mentor or coach with a business or individual who share similar mission statements and long term goals we aim to facilitate the growth of those types of teams. 
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5 Ways to Connect, Stay Organized and Profit

12/28/2018

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Do you offer a free consultation to potential clients? Do you give people 10 different ways to contact you or connect with you? What about that focused funnel that everyone raves about... 

There is more than 1 way to crack an egg and we are not here to tell you how to best connect with people, we all have our own technique and level of comfort. However, as creators we can get overwhelmed with creating more opportunities for people to discover and connect with us and then forget to streamline those methods into our calendar or master contact list. 

What happens when you open up all these avenues of connection without some sort of way to organize how all the calls, emails or messages come in? Opportunities get lost in the sauce. We ask ourselves, did I sign-up for this mailing list or is this an actual person talking to just me??? Facebook messages go 2 weeks without a reply, "Man, I didn't realize you had to approve of new messages on Facebook Messenger when I am not friends with a person", what happens when your Bot Assistant is asked something that isn't programmed yet ..., or, You wake up and there are 100's of email notifications because on a recommendation post you asked for suggestions on how to fix your d*ck instead of your deck in a mom's group. Things can blow-up when you put yourself out there but that doesn't mean you have to get lost in it or ignore the people you don't know.   

Let's Get Organized with Connections: 

1. Each platform has settings that allow you to control how notifications are sent to you. Check them out and control them. For example, I only want notifications between 8-9 am, 12-1 pm and 4-5 pm. Phones also has a do not disturb option that you can set for when it is time to rest or focus on something besides your online following. You are not a slave to each message. Own your day and posts, schedule your time for focused responses to emails, media messages and direct texts or calls. Use a posting scheduler for social media to free up your day for more focused interaction. Recognize that people can agree to disagree and not everything needs a response if it doesn't serve you.    

2. Have a business email. We like google but the options are endless. In fact, it is recommended that different parts of your business have different email addresses. The caveat is to forward all of the email into a master email box so things don't get lost in the internet void. Again, check out the settings, ask for help. From there you maintain a master .cvs contact list, write notes about people so you can remember them, separate your lists so you can focus your messages to each specific audience. Integrate your email with your preferred calendar app. Use a mass mailer like Mailchimp to make email campaigns that track your analytics, don't spam or add people who have not signed up. When you write focused emails with valuable content on a regular basis to your audience you are offering a service, know who is benefiting from it to understand your strategic alliances or even who your next client is with a little direct interaction. 

3. Stay focused with who you are working with, old, current and new connections. There is only so much time in a day, if you can talk to 20 people in a day or more that is great, if you can't, you don't have to. It is important to always maintain a level of comfort when you are engaging, if talking to 1 or 2 people is all you can do, that is also great! Love yourself for who you are and so will others. There are gurus out there who have a 5-5-5 list. You reach out to 5 old contacts, 5 current contacts and 5 new contacts. It is truly up to you. It is about the relationships you build from these contacts, it isn't a race to the biggest contact list. You also have the ability to have a business that doesn't require daily interaction with clients like a drop/ship store that is promoted via paid ads. Focus is not repeating yourself, it is creating a deeper and deeper connection each time you engage with someone. Here is a contact worksheet to help you stay organized for today.  

4. Don't overload your audience with ways to contact you! Direct them to your preferred method. Remember, providing valuable content on the platforms that serves you is better than spreading your message thin. You have a tribe, envision your ideal client avatar and market directly to them. Focus your ads and make it easy for clients to buy what you want to sell. If you are an artist, public figure, or coach don't under estimate your audiences desire to participate in a tiered membership site. 

5. Pay attention to affiliate marketing opportunities, branch out, see who you can collaborate with that shares your message and offers something different. Be willing to work with others to diversify your possible income streams. Remembering that we can't do it all and asking for help is OK. In fact, it is really important in taking control of your time, schedule and ability to grow in business and in your personal life.     
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Net Neutrality No More... Internet Regulation and the FCC

12/14/2017

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Net Neutrality is no more after today's vote by the FCC. Net Neutrality was the principle and standard that internet service providers must provide service to all web users equally. This made it so the companies that provide internet service and the government cannot limit access to internet services. The internet connection in the U.S. was regulated by Net Neutrality standards and companies could not limit access to websites that they may not like, such as a competitor or a website that doesn't support their desired message. It made it so average blogs had the possibility of having the same exposure and usage as any other major corporate site. Imagine, Amazon was once a small website that was created by a guy who wanted to share books. 

Let's face it, the internet is owned by corporations and corporations are driven by making a profit and blocking competitors. Now that the standard is removed by the FCC, businesses who control internet access will be able to manipulate the websites that people can access. Some examples of companies that already limited access in the past are Comcast and Verizon. Comcast secretly throttled peer-to-peer downloads until they were court ordered to stop and Verizon limited access to Facebook FaceTime because it competed with their own service. 

These examples are just the tip of an iceberg that could wash away fair and equal internet access as Net Neutrality standards are not enforced and removed by the FCC. Without these standards, the internet service providers (ISPs) will be able to pick and choose what sites and users get the best access to the net. Click here for a list of cases and violations that ISPs were making before Title II Net Neutrality standards were implemented in 2015.     

The history of regulating the net starts in 1966 when the FTC and FCC began investigating and regulating AT&T as a monopoly that was providing both telecommunication services and information services to their customers. The telecommunication services is proactively regulated by the FCC while information service standards are enforced by the FTC. For a more in-depth history of the development of Net Neutrality click here. 

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The battle on how to regulate the net and who should be doing it is still going on. The FCC changed Title II protections on December 14th. Here is their projected plan.  Although the meeting was open to the public the FCC building is not open access and any visitors must check in and be screened by the FCC on 12th Street at the main entrance. For more information check out the FCC site directly.  Do not be fooled by the title of the proposal to "Restore Internet Freedom". Although treating internet service providers like utility companies that must provide equal services to all may seem like a burden to those companies, the regulation truly helps the average user and other companies that use the service or provide competing services. The companies that run these services are driven by profits, not rights and liberties for all equally. 

What does this mean for your business... lots. Businesses must communicate with customers. There are a multitude of ways to communicate and as stipulated earlier ISPs have previously tried to block other providers services like FaceTime or Skype to dominate the market and control data sharing. This makes it hard for companies to compete and can rise prices for the average user and business. Say for example, your internet service is provided by Verizon but instead of making calls to clients, you only FaceTime. Verizon may not like this type of competition because now instead of paying for their phone services you are only using your data and have stopped using landline calling. This type of thing has already been called out and stopped but if Title II does not stand then companies are likely to try these sneaky tactics again if they can.  Keep an eye on your bills and accounts over the next couple of months and report any over charges or usage problems. 
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There are Free Tuition Programs Throughout the U.S. and They All Come With Restrictions

4/12/2017

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Tuition free college education initiatives are not just in New York. San Francisco approved a transfer tax on properties selling for more than $5 million to fund an education program that allows all city residents to attend the City College of San Francisco tuition-free at $46 a credit, no matter what their income level. The tax would also provide the college with nearly $5.4 million annually and would offer full-time low-income (125,000 annual) students, who have lived in the city of San Francisco for at least a year, $250 per semester for books. The souring costs of living in San Francisco requires a six figure income and the need for higher education is essential.

The National Conference of State Legislators created a list of the States that offer tuition assistance programs or have bills that could offer free tuition programs. Tennessee already offers tuition free programs and so do other colleges throughout the U.S. The fine print of these deals is what applying students must be aware of before they sign the doted line.

Berea College in Kentucky offers free tuition and requires students to work on campus for 10 hours a week while earning only 4.65-6.80 to pay for room, boards and books. The Webb Institute in New York is an engineering school with 1 course of study that offers free tuition for a duel bachelors degree in naval architecture and marine engineering. 

Then there is the Airforce, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine, Military and Naval Academies throughout the U.S. that offer free tuition but require post graduate service and other requirements.

Throughout the U.S. there are programs that help students pay for college but they all come with requirements and restrictions. Even the NY Excelsior Program will require students to stay in NY and work for 4 years after graduating. Students can leave the state for graduate studies but the free tuition agreements with SUNY and CUNY schools will only remain free if the student returns to NY after their graduate studies and work for 4 years in the State. 

Higher education is changing, colleges and universities must be able to afford students an opportunity to attend to stay open, focus studies and programs so resources are not wasted and help students gain employment after graduation. The requirements that come with "Free" tuition or tuition assistance keep all parties focused on their main objectives: educate students for practical industry employment based on a students passions and skills.  

Some of the most helpful programs for students are the ones that integrate higher education and industry application at the high school level. Although dual enrollment offerings vary widely by state, research has shown that program participants are more likely to persist in post-secondary education and accumulate more college credits than comparison students. Some programs even offer enough courses to allow students to earn an associate’s degree upon high school completion.

Career and technical education (CTE) programs are offered in every state with the purpose of aligning secondary and post-secondary education which leads to industry recognized credentials. In NY, the Boces program provides this mixed industrial and higher education credits.

The benefits of a well prepared workforce are causing some businesses get directly involved with creating opportunities for students to gain credentials through industry partnerships. IBM’s Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools (P-TECH) and Toyota’s Advanced Manufacturing Technician program (AMT) are just 2 of them.

P-TECH, a public school, that combines four years of high school with the two years of college (grades 9-14). The school collaborates IBM Corporation, the New York City Department of Education, the City University of New York and New York City College of Technology to give students a high school diploma, as well as, a no-cost associates degree in a technology field of their choosing.



Toyota’s (AMT) program is a partnership with Kentucky’s Bluegrass Community College that combines classroom instruction with on-site training at a local Toyota manufacturing facility, resulting in an associate’s degree in Applied Science. Students receive paid work experience along with an intensive high-tech curriculum, general education skills, and workplace culture and behavior.


Do you think the requirements that come with these "free" tuition programs are too restrictive on graduates? If all colleges were "free" would state work restrictions still be necessary?

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Toshiba NAND Flash Memory Chip Up for Sale... Will Japan Rise to the Bidding Occasion or will Foxconn and International Bidders Gain a Crown Jewel?  

4/11/2017

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Fujio Masuoka, an engineer at Toshiba invented the technology behind its chip business, known as flash memory after joining the company in 1971. That innovation would become one of the critical building blocks of the modern electronics industry. Toshiba’s microchips, a type known as NAND flash memory, are seen as a more valuable asset than TV screens. Japan — despite having pioneered liquid crystal displays — has lost most of its market share in screens to South Korea and China.


Flash memory chips have become an essential part of smartphones and other gadgets and have proved a profitable technology for Toshiba, one of industrial Japan’s stalwarts in their postwar rise as a global industrial giant. Unfortunately, Toshiba is financially struggling after losses associated with Westinghouse Electric, its troubled nuclear power arm that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in may 2017 after writing off 6 Billion in February. Toshiba announced that it hoped a sale of its microchip business, its crown jewel, could alleviate the uncertainty of their financial security.


The chip sale is still in the very early stages and their are many predictions on who could purchase the technology. One of the better-known suitors is Hon Hai Precision Industry, also known as Foxconn, the assembler of Apple iPhones and other electronics. Other potential investors include the American microchip makers Western Digital and Broadcom, and SK Hynix of South Korea. Most potential buyers are foreign to Japan.


For Foxconn, an investment in Toshiba would be the second recent foray into the often politically fraught world of corporate Japan. Last year the company acquired control of Sharp, the maker of flat-screen television displays, for $3.5 billion. In doing so it overcame a rival bid from an investment fund backed by the Japanese government. In an effort to keep the development of such innovative technologies within Japan, in the past, smaller companies have teamed with the Japanese government to invest in tech companies with dicey financials.

Japanese politicians and industry leaders have fretted over Chinese investors’ buying advanced chip production technology; semiconductors and memory are a major priority of China’s industrial policy because they can fabricate the technology at a lesser cost and go after market share, which would hurt other international tech industry players. Such a move could drive down pricing for memory, a boon for Apple and low-cost Chinese smartphone makers. It would propel China forward in its long push to become internationally competitive in semiconductors.


A global bidding war would at any rate be good for Toshiba, especially since bids are ranging between 2 and 3 trillion Yen. Although the company still has a relatively strong position, competition in NAND chips could create the possibility of oversupply and put more pressure on Toshiba’s ability to put in effect next-generation technologies.

Although tech development requires collaboration the divide in politics causes developers, manufactures and their homeland governments to keep international companies at bay. However, some of the biggest tech companies consistently drive to become global giants that break boundaries and contract deals that expand their company reach in the international market, not just a product. 

When creating a business and a product it is essential to keep the global market in mind and use it for positive benefit, our world reach is forever expanding.

Would you sell the production of your most valuable product to a competitor?

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New York State Passes Budget that Provides A Free Public College Education for Students

4/10/2017

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New York will be the first state to make tuition at public colleges and universities free for students under a state budget approved by lawmakers on April 9, 2017. A $153 billion state budget proposal that passed the state Senate late Sunday after being endorsed by the Assembly a day earlier includes the tuition plan that will be phased in over three years. State residents making up to $100,000 annually in the fall of 2017, increasing to $110,000 in 2018, and reaching $125,000 in 2019 will qualify. 

Cuomo's office says some 940,000 families will be covered under the program. The initiative also includes $19 million for a new tuition award program for students at private colleges. New York’s tuition-free degree program, known as, The Excelsior Scholarship, requires participating students to be enrolled at a SUNY or CUNY two- or four-year college full-time.

The Excelsior Scholarship program will ensure that students statewide, regardless of their socio-economic status, have the opportunity to receive a quality education and gain the skills they need to succeed in our global economy.

"A college education is not a luxury – it is an absolute necessity for any chance at economic mobility, and with these first-in-the-nation Excelsior Scholarships, we’re providing the opportunity for New Yorkers to succeed, no matter what zip code they come from and without the anchor of student debt weighing them down," Governor Cuomo said. "New York is making a major investment in our greatest asset – our people – and supporting the dreams and ambitions of those who want a better life and are willing to work hard for it. I am honored to have the support of Senator Sanders, who led the way on making college affordability a right, and I know that together we can make this a reality with New York leading the way once again."

By leveraging New York State’s generous aid programs like the Tuition Assistance Program or TAP, which provides nearly $1 billion in grants to college students statewide the initiative will start. Under the program, eligible students would still receive TAP and any applicable federal grants. Additional state funds would cover the remaining tuition costs for incoming or existing eligible students.

With an average annual tuition ranging from $6,470-$6,330 at SUNY and CUNY for a bachelor’s degree and $4,350-$4,800 for an associate’s degree, the more time a student spends in college, the higher the level of debt. By mandating that students be enrolled full-time, New York’s free tuition program will work to improve graduation rates and alleviate the heavy burden of student debt by encouraging more students to graduate on time in two to four years.

Studies show a person with a bachelor’s degree, on average, will earn about 66 percent more over his or her lifetime than a person without a college degree. Those with an associate’s degree can expect to earn 24 percent more than a person with a high school diploma. Moreover, a college education is increasingly becoming a necessity, not a luxury. According to projections by the New York State Department of Labor, approximately 3.5 million jobs statewide will require an associate’s degree or higher by 2024. As the landscape of the global economy continues to shift, investing in a highly-qualified, highly-educated workforce has never been more important.

This program offers an empowering opportunity for the residents that surround CUNY and SUNY colleges throughout the state. Students will have to maintain full-time status, a passing GPA and will not receive aid for room and board. This encourages students to stay local and focus their studies at the community level. It will have a positive impact on CUNY and SUNY institutions providing increased and evolved services for their local communities.


What are your thoughts on local CUNY and SUNY Institutions participating in local communities and fostering innovation and sustainability?

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Google Makes Nik Photo Editor Free

3/30/2017

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Google continue to focus long-term investments in building incredible photo editing tools for mobile, including Google Photos and Snapseed. As a result, you can now download and create the photos you’ve imagined with seven powerful desktop plug-ins for Photoshop®, Lightroom®, or Aperture® using Google's Nik Collection for FREE.

It is comprised of seven desktop plug-ins: Analog Efex Pro, Color Efex Pro, Silver Efex Pro, Viveza, HDR Efex Pro, Sharpener Pro and Dfine. These offer a powerful range of photo editing capabilities -- from filter applications that improve color correction, to retouching and creative effects, to image sharpening that brings out all the hidden details, to the ability to make adjustments to the color and tonality of images.

If you purchased the Nik Collection in 2016, Google sent out automatic refunds.

The collection is compatiblewith Mac OS X 10.7 through 10.10; Windows Vista, 7, 8; and Adobe Photoshop through CC 2015 and can be downloaded here.

Only doing a little photo editing and want a free mobile option... try Canva. Custom size options or standard post sizing for social and print media.

    Want a guide of free photo editing resources?

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Copyright 2017 Collaborative Creators
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How Clients Find You

11/26/2016

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Learn how your clients find you using online social platforms. The importance of your social media profiles is discussed along with a breakdown of who statistically uses which platform and what types of content does well on them. It should be noted that Collaborative Creators does not advocate the use of one platform over another and believes that each one has their own utility. Successful use of a platform depends on the creators posting consistency, purpose and presentation. 

Which platforms do you prefer using and why?

Copy Right 2016 Collaborative Creators

DISCLAIMER: Collaborative Creators does not give legal or professional advice. We discuss topics and learn together. 
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Collaborate for Success

10/30/2016

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As a solo entrepreneur, partnership, corporation, LLP, or LLC collaborating, learning and creating with one another facilitates business success, particularly when engaging with the same audience. Gaining industry recognition and networking are fundamental components of becoming an expert in a field. This requires being willing to reach out to your audience but also people that may seem like the "competition". These connections become strategic alliances.

Technology is ever changing, the communities that develop tech collaborate to become innovative and find reward in collectively achieving success within multiple projects. This innovation generates creations that go beyond local backyards but instead transcend through the viral world of information. It is the age of open source software and content (www.blender.org, www.github.org, https://liquidspace.com/Terms/DASH-License, www.wordpress.org). It is campaigns that promote free learning for everyone, forever, check out www.khanacademy.org. It is a time when humans crave engagement and creation so much that they spend hours making, liking and sharing cat videos and funny memes on social media.

It is essential for humanity to take hold of their use of technology and control the input it dominates in life. It requires inter-generational collaboration of industry life learning and technological learning. Although using technology for entertainment is fun and down right pleasurably distracting, the mind craves engagement that leads to self-betterment and advancement to feel purposeful and truly satisfied. That satisfaction comes from doing acts that positively affect surroundings and the future.

Unfortunately, the age of information is fraught with misinformation. Unverified sources, studies that are bought for corporate benefit and biased information is readily shared among tribal audiences that are not necessarily cooperative collaborative communities of diverse learning. Everyone has a voice and a drum to beat, it is possible to beat our drums and lead bands of diverse scholarly information in harmony and still be profitable without scaling back our integrity.

Creators, people who have something to teach and share, need to take ownership of their intellectual property. The internet business market is not just for marketers and people who sell tangible products. It is also for people who provide educational services. There are multiple forums that educators can use to share their information, like www.academia.edu, www.udemy.com, youtube, personal websites, blogs and Amazon e-books, just to name a few. The caveat is the ability to make money when sharing educational creations. Academia allows educators to upload their content for free and it is shared freely. Udemy gives creators the option to charge for their courses or offer them for free; Youtube, websites, blogs are profitable with ads attached and a self-published Amazon book price is controlled by the creator. The more creators share their intellectual property the more likely they are to become recognized experts in their field of interest. This recognition is best propelled by collaborating with others in the same field.  

The collaboration of field experts brings a system of checks and balances in information and professional credibility. But is collaboration enough to stop viral mass information and identity theft? How do we know who to begin collaborating with and what is the standard of citation and study when creating information that can potentially be shared on a mass scale?
         
These are all questions that creators have the power to answer together and hold each other accountable. There are codes of conduct, professional ethics boards and a multitude of precedent for creators to self-regulate in different fields. It is up to us to take hold of our public professional personas, own our intellectual property and collaborate with one another to positively create for global prosperity using tech, industry expertise, and creative shared spaces. Join Collaborative Creators to take hold of your online persona, have us evaluate your creations so we can grow your community together and assert your expertise with us.      
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Thank you Maialisa for the Graphic. Check out her Pixabay profile at: https://pixabay.com/en/users/Maialisa-905513/

What do you think helps spark creation for positive benefit? 

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The Philosophy: Evolutionary Learning

10/27/2016

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The age of technology is changing how we engage, learn and create everyday. The need for knowledge is never ending and humans crave to evolve, prosper and progress. Unless someone is in the middle of the woods completely off-grid (something we highly recommend from time-to-time) the mind is surrounded with information that can only be processed if focused and engaged. Although passive learning does occur, the retention of it is minimal and quickly becomes fuzzy. As a result, the desire to absorb quality content increases along with the need to connect with others positively.

Historically, learning took place in homes, local school buildings and in local communities. There are still parts of the world where students travel for miles on foot and in dangerous circumstances to learn and better themselves.  
Thank you www.therichest.com for sharing this eye opening video about the dangers of traveling to get an education!

Learning does not have to be a death defying adventure! Yes, it will take time to complete the infrastructure to have e-learning all over the world but such a goal is being tackled everyday by community initiatives and corporate sponsors who strive to have technology reach all the corners of the world. All motivated with good and bad intentions.

As technology lands in laps, there are 2 choices: be overwhelmed and easily consumed... let technology control the influence it has with advertisements and entertainment or become empowered by possibility and control the tech for personal  betterment and social positive progress.

When in control of the possibilities that technology offers, learning can be taken to a whole new evolutionary level. No more with long journeys, costly tuition bills and the need to devote thousands of hours and dollars on topics that only meet general education credits. The ability to focus on niche fields of study that suit passionate goals and missions is now at fingertips. The value of standard degrees seem to have fallen to asterisks at the end of a resume after a complete review of content profiles and professional highlighted accomplishments achieved with experience. The debt associated with becoming a full-time student is a mark of shame on credit reports and "hey, can't we just google it or ask siri anyway!"

But really, education is still at the forefront of personal progress and merely relying on whoever can pay the most to show up on the top search feeds is not necessarily the best way to get information. As a result, professional backgrounds, degrees, content sources and who authors collaborate with is important. Merely giving away tons of information and intellectual property in an effort to prove merit and scholarship is not as financially beneficial. When brains are processes and retaining information it is quality over quantity that sooths the learning pallet.  

The mission of Collaborative Creators is to improve e-learning, increase profitability for mentors, tutors and coaches, as well as, revolutionize the ability of scholars to navigate and utilize the platforms and technological advancements that are available to scholars, information leaders and learners.

This is just the beginning of a  journey that encourages the production of quality self-published content that gains monetization by collaborating with e-learning giants. Work with us to change how society educates and start building your community of virtual learners.

A video, rhythm and heartfelt lyrics brings this concept to life more than any words in written post. Thank you Prince Ea for sharing this inspirational case against how society treats education. With love and passion we can change our world!     ​    
Subscribe to Prince Ea's youtube channel:
www.youtube.com/channel/UCDgUAAHgsV2fFZQm2fIWBnA
Thank You John Hain for the Image at the top of this post!
​Visit his page at www.builtforlove.com

How do you think we can change education using mixing industry experience, technology and the youth of today?

2 Comments
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