Howdesign recently had a feature on Grow in Norfolk, Va.

The actual gift site is a pleasure to use, too.

Adapters suck, but staying up to date on new ports feels like the cost of doing business. To take the long plug that used to come in the box and take it out of the box and beat me with it until I come off another twenty. Unforgivable

Nice use of video. I thought those were programmed animations at first. The only downside is not having a fallback option for mobile so that those users could experience the animation, too.

I couldn't find the skip intro button? Why does Trump get Cushfield & Wakeman's link, too? At its core, I don't really think you benefit from the rainbow glow coming from within the soldier's helmet. It begins to stray off brand from the public perception of what a soldier is—which means you're already facing the wind trying to change the meaning of a word. As a user, this kind of confusion requires a payoff and there just isn't one. As with Flash, the strobe effect often times became a crutch for more meaningful animation, and I would challenge you to explore your transitions without it.

work.verhine.com

Decent people generally don't expect a kickback for referrals, without explicitly stating this to begin with. It goes without saying that you should show some gratitude however you see fit. But you ended up in your position because you put yourself there. If you're not sure of yourself, why should anyone else be? Labeling it as a "finder's fee" made him feel entitled to something, especially since you left it as an open-ended question. Secondly, you are not obligated to tell him how much you are charging a separate client, so he should not be in a position to accurately calculate whether what you gave him is 10% or 20%. In the future, write a hand-written thank you note to the referrer and gift them something if you feel that they are a valuable source of referrals, but you shouldn't feel obligated.

Focus on your strengths, not your weaknesses. We are moving into a winner-take-all world and to win, you need to differentiate.

Most people (including my ten-year-ago self) improved by focusing on their faults. People who focus on their faults can eventually improve them to a point where they are no longer obstacles, but doing so will not propel them to success. A better strategy is to focus on one or two of the things at which you excel and hone those skills or talents to the point of excellence. Working on your faults might help you make a living, but honing your talents may help you change the world.

The impulse to focus on your weaknesses is a vestigial remain of an outmoded era in our evolution. I'm writing this in January (2015) so it is a good time to review your New Year's Resolutions. My resolutions from 2005 were mostly about working on my flaws. And like many determined people, I did make improvement. But that improvement came at the expense of what could-have-been if I had worked on going from good-to-great on my strengths.

Suppose you are really good at developing computer algorithms and really bad at showing up on time. It might take an X amount of effort to become really great at computer algorithms and let’s say it takes X/4 effort to become average at showing up on time. Both are improvements that increase your value, but being great at computer algorithms will pay exponential dividends (even though it is harder to achieve). And even better for you, since you are already good at computer algorithms, it means you probably enjoy it and so that time improving will be really fun too.

Or let’s say you’re ugly but hilarious enough that strangers pay you to make them laugh. Working on your comedic skills will go a lot further than losing some weight. Being the funniest person in town is going to make you stand out.

Have you ever noticed that all the most successful people have massive, glaring weaknesses? Think of Bill Clinton’s well-known faults. But he has one or two traits in which he is world class. That’s all you need to be a superstar. Same thing goes for Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi, Steve Jobs, and any other person that has changed the world. What does Tiger Woods do great? He hits golf balls long and accurately . . . and that’s what he will be remembered for. People -- all people -- have very obvious flaws. Instead of spending massive amounts of energy on those flaws, spend it on making yourself great.

Taken from here: https://www.quora.com/What-advice-would-you-give-yourself-10-years-ago/answer/Auren-Hoffman

If you are good to your clients, they will be good to you. Many of them might not even know you're experiencing a decrease in income and are able and willing to drum up work for you. I felt intrusive the first time I asked, too. But you shouldn't. It is the essence of business.

Some nice details, but at times sluggish and counterintuitive.