February 17

I love the written journal but a lot of my readers on my PF Blog have been asking that I continue to write about this experience. Maybe it will help and it only takes me about 10 minutes a day to bang out a quit post of what's going on.

No matter what, I still have debt that I need to address.

Up at 6:30AM. Today I need to update my resume. I need to find out about going in to the office downtown - a terrible commute but given the state of things, I need to be closer to the action (assuming there is any.)

I want to create a business flyer for OAG just in case nothing pans out on the job front. I hate to have one foot in the court of entrepreneurship and one foot in the court of job security, but I know how hard it it to get your own consulting business going in a good economy, nevermind this rotten economy.

Create an email database. Send out inquiries. The other big risk of self employment is health insurance expenses. My COBRA will cost over $1000 per month. The upside of running your own business is, there is no one who can lay you off.

February 16

Up at 7:45AM - happy President's Day. Need to read the "package" that came in the mail on Saturday. Today is Day 1 of my 10 weeks. I need a haircut.

I also need to call one of the Partner's in the old business to find out if there are opportunities to move back over. In addition, I need to blast my network. Start with personalized emails - phone calls are a bit too much.

Here's my list for today:

• Call the Partner
  
• Read the package
  
• Make a list of Networking events I want to attend this week
  
• Call the technical writer recruiter who contacted me, ironically enough, Friday
  

I decided to reach deepr in to my old previous firm network. I have some very promising leads with my old team. Very. I think it would be folly in this economy to ignore this.

I called a couple of graphic design people about the layout of the print edition of Peach State Soccer. I'm going to stick with the magazine as an online ezine for now. Big investment to turn it in to print.

I have my big idea running as well - but need to prioritize for near term survival and long term growth.

February 15

Rise at 7:45AM - start research and create list:

• Venture Capital
  
• Tech incubators
  
• Software developers
  
• Lawyers
  
• Angel investors
  
• Prototyping software
  
• Find old friend: CEO
  
• Find old friend: Co founder of successful software start up
  
• Update list of contacts
  
• Technology Association of Georgia
  
• accounting company
  
• Find old friend: salesman
  
• Find angel investor
  
• Talk to friend in private equity
  
• Talk to friend in corporate accounting
  

I'm sure this list will grow, but it's a start. Time to research, it's Sunday. Tomorrow will be busy.

Research went OK, learned I probably need to look at angel investors first. Also learned I need to have a working prototype of my idea before I can get real venture capital. My idea is to develop it as a tool within OAG. I only know Cold Fusion, so I'll try to cobble something usable together, most likely just the evaluation piece.

Plan B: Worked late on getting my personal resume and writing portfolio site on wordpress up and running, now it's time to advertise!

By the way, soccer was painful today, gorgeous weather but the girls were overwhelmed.

February 14

Long day of soccer. Soccer tournament kept my quite busy. My wife is ok but scared. After soccer I was exhausted (Daughter did well and hung out with a friend after the matches) so I got in bed - clothes on - I think this was my post lay-off depression. It lasted 3 hours!

I got up, took the daughter's spend the night clothes to her, ordered Korean food. While driving, the old idea for my Software Tool popped back in to my head. The lay off has re energized the area in my brain for entrepreneurship. But this idea is something bigger. I truly believe this is a multi billion dollar idea. Tried to explain it to my wife when I was in the shower. She didn't understand it really - it is a unique business application so I've got to refine my elevator pitch.

My list of things to do is growing rapidly. My goal is to get this application built and sold in three years. Bouncing around names for the environment - probably will stick with my original name. Tomorrow is research day. Today is Valentine's Day. Happy Valentine's Day.

February 13

1:30PM. Conference call with the senior partner on my team. I know what this Friday afternoon call is about. My position at my current company as been eliminated. I've been laid off.

10:30PM. I ordered business cards for Outsourcing Advisory Group - my back up consulting company just in case I can't find another employer quickly. Earlier this afternoon I got back on Facebook, finalized an article on the Professionalization of IT Outsourcing I've been wanting to publish, created an application for Peach State Soccer that will help writers post High School Soccer match summaries.

I was kind of in a daze most of the afternoon, I knew it was coming but the reality was still a bit of a shock. It is the first time that this has happened to me, I almost wish I had had that happen earlier in my career, so that I may have been better prepared and less risk averse.

KDB is on the Ropes

Sorry the long delay on posts folks – but KDB is officially on the ropes.

My snowflake melted this month as I found out my position has fallen victim to the overall demise of the economy. The family has transitioned in to survival mode so no debt pay down for the time being.

As a result, I have obviously needed to refocus all of my energy on recapturing a significant revenue stream. Whether that stream is in the form of another job, my own consulting company, or another venture remains to be seen.

I’m going to be spending all of my free time attacking opportunities on all fronts so regrettably I’m going to put Kick Debt’s Butt on the back burner. I’ll come back with periodic updates as they happen.

February KDP Poll is up: What will jump start the US economy?

This is a topic that is front and center on everyone's mind. From the President of the United States to the young high school kid who bags groceries down at Publix, from the richest of the rich to the folks barely hanging on, this is a biggie.

So I was wondering, what do you think - if anything - will jump start the US economy? The poll is live for the rest of this month. Thanks for participating,

Where do you get most of your financial information?

The polls have closed on Kick Debt's Butt's second ever KDB Poll, making it an official fixture now on KDB! The question, "Where do you get most of your financial information?"

Here's what you said:



Websites and Blogs combined to make the internet the definite winner. But there were still some old school TV, newspaper, and radio fans as well. Thanks for participating!

10 Ten Referrers of January 2009

I saw this on Beach Girl's blog back at the beginning of the month when I first started to take Kick Debt's Butt a little more seriously and thought it was pretty cool.

Basically, I use Google analytics to see where most of you are coming from and so here you go - my top 10 referrers from January 2009. Thanks for providing the roadmaps!

1. Blogging Away Debt
2. PF Blogs
3. NCN Blog
4. Frugal
5. MyCrazyDebt
6. NCN Network
7. Beach Girl’s Budget Blog
8. I’ve Paid For This Twice Already…
9. Stacking Pennies
10. Hedonic Adjustment