Chris Nadeau Stream

Chris Nadeau Stream

Chris Nadeau  //  Sharing my life experiences as a dad, husband, web entrepreneur and hockey dude. I would love to hear from you.

Feb 8 / 9:24am

My 3 Favourite 2010 Super Bowl Ads

Isn't it crazy how ads for the Super Bowl have become an event themselves?  Every year everyone talks about how they can't wait to see what the ads will be this year.  Being in Canada and on old school cable, I never see the ads, so I decided to check out Mashable post on YouTube's promise to cover the ads once they were aired.

Here are my 3 favs from the ones that aired:

1.  Megan Fox Motorola Ad - The ad is funny, but so true.  Twitter would be off the hook :-) 

2.  Monster.com Fiddling Beaver Ad - Maybe this is because I am in the fiddling mood lately. 

3.  Google: Parisian Love Ad - The ad made me think.  How do we live without Google?  That's usually a good sign. :-)

Honourbale Mention - Dave is still the king in my books.

Which ads did you like the best?  Oh, the game wasn't to bad either.

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Feb 4 / 7:29am

Lead Like Lady Gaga

I have to say I have a ton of respect for Lady Gaga and how she is managing her career.  Even if you don't like her music, she is leading without title.  As Robin Sharma states it in his recent post. 

You can do the same, in your work and within your life. Starting today.
I recommend reading the post and thinking about how you can take Lady Gagas' methods and make your life extraordinary.
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Filed under  //  Lady Gaga   Leadership   Robin Sharma  

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Feb 4 / 3:07am

3 Quick Tips for Facebook Ads

Photo Credit: joiseyshowaa

So it's been close to 3 years since I signed up for Facebook.  Over those three years Facebook has added a lot of functionality to their platform.  One of the real game changers that I think they added in the last year was the Facebook Fan Page.  In the U.S. alone, about 100 million unique visitors flock to the social network every month. Many business owners are among them, using Facebook Fan Pages to promote their companies and create customer communities.  However, when you have a fan page, you have an opportunity to promote your page with an ad in Facebook.  (you can also promote a website outside of Facebook).

Over the last year I have been experimenting with them and I must say I am very impressed with how affordable the ads are compared to Google's related keyword ads.  Now I am not saying it is a piece of cake and everyone will flock to your page, however I think if it is done right you can get some very nice results.  Here are 3 quick tips on getting started.

1.  Pick your target

Just like taking a shot on net...pick your spot, take aim and fire.  Facebook has a huge advantage on Google and other networks, because for some unknown reason users are willing to share huge amounts of personal information on Facebook.  Therefore, when you use Facebook Ads it lets you pick your target by Location, Age, Sex, Keywords etc.  Because of this you can really drill down to exactly what niche you want.

2.  A picture is worth a thousand words

The picture you use for your ad will literally make it or break it.  We just launched a new ad for The Hockey Zen with a new photo.  We are using what we think is a great photo of fans celebrating a goal at a hockey game.  only time will tell if this works.  We had great results with just using our logo.  It's important to use something that definitely does not blend in with the facebook site.

3.  Keep your ad simple

Create your ad so that it is as simple and easy to read as possible. Avoid long sentences or complex punctuation. Use simple, grammatically correct, complete sentences and language. Use proper punctuation, punctuate the end of sentences, put spaces after periods and commas, and don't use hyphens in place of periods.

Don't try to fit every detail about your product or service into the ad. Make it clear what your product or service is so a user can tell what your website will be about, but save the details for your landing page.

Bonus tip: It costs $0 to create an ad. So what are you waiting for?  Give it a try and you might be surprised.

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Filed under  //  Facebook   Facebook Fan Pages   Small Business  

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Feb 1 / 11:13am

Ashley MacIsaac Is Back!

Saying that you don't have time to improve your thoughts and your life is like saying you don't have time to stop for gas because you are too busy driving.  Eventually it will catch up to you. -- Robin Sharma, Daily Inspiration
I read this quote today in my Daily Inspiration book and it really hit home after attending the Ashley MacIsaac show last night at Imperial Theatre with my wife and 6 year old son.  Heading into the show we were a bit unsure on whether or not we should bring are little guy, since Ashley has had a reputation of being somewhat of a loose cannon.

Ashley MacIsaac kilt flash 1997

Now, it's been 13 years since the kilt flash and this was one of many negative stories that did not portray Ashley in the best of light.  So as parents, you can see why we were wondering what Ashley might do during the show.   Our son has being asking to play the violin since he was 3 and we thought this would be a great way to introduce him to one of the greatest fiddle players in the world and he is from Atlantic Canada.  So we decided to take a chance.

I am very glad we took that chance.  I think Ashely decided to "stop for gas" as Robin mentioned in the above quote.  At least for last nights show.  His performance was amazing, he was very down to earth, shared some great stories about his visit to Saint John and invited some locals to perform with him on stage.  One of those being Michael Hall from Saint John, NB, Michael's father and a 15 year old phenom fiddle player from Fredericton. 

The entire show seemed to shoot straight from the hip.  While Ashley often referred to his set list, he wasn't afraid to go with the flow during the entire show.  It was great to watch.  He even threw in some good jokes.

Overall I was very impressed with the show and I think Ashley is back and looking forward to seeing what comes next.  I know there was a particular 6 year old who thought playing the fiddle was very cool.  Here are some clips from the show.

Performing My Mother

 

 

Jamming - Some good old fashion Maritime music

 

 

Performing with 15 year old phenom from Fredericton

 

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Filed under  //  Ashley MacIsaac   Imperial Theatre   Michael Hall  

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Jan 29 / 6:00am

THZTV #38: Is the game of hockey at a cross-roads?

via thehockeyzen.com

If you get a chance, check out our latest episode about "the game" and it's culture. Is it at a crossroads?

One of our most discussed episodes to date. Some amazing comments by our viewers!  Thanks for watching and let us know what you think.

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Filed under  //  The Hockey Zen  

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Jan 27 / 6:46am

Have you tried a Vook?

What the heck is a Vook you ask?  Well, to be honest I have not tried one yet, but it looks pretty darn cool.  

A vook is a new innovation in reading that blends a well-written book, high-quality video and the power of the Internet into a single, complete story -- all on one screen, without switching between platforms.

Vooks are available in two formats: As a web-based application you can read on your computer and a mobile application for reading on the go. With the web-based application you don't have to download programs or install software. Just open your favorite browser and start reading and watching in an exciting new way. You can also download and install the mobile applications through the Apple iTunes store and sync them with your Apple mobile device.

As I was checking out the Vook website, I began thinking how rich of an experience this would be and how I would of loved a Vook for some of the books I read in the past.  Now some books would just not work as a Vook, but most of the self-help, inspirational, business books I have read would of been awesome.   For example some books I have read that I think would of been great Vooks:
  1. Crushit by Gary Vaynerchuk.  Oh wait it is a Vook, check out the preview
  2. The Greatness Guide by Robin Sharma
  3. Anything Seth Godin.  I have read most of them.  Rumour is, his new book Linchpin will be available as a Vook
  4. The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell
  5. A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle.  Eckhart had a Vook like set up with Oprah, which was awesome.  
  6. Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner.
  7. Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris
Of the books you read, which ones would make for a great Vook?  Or just share a great book if you want.  I am looking for something new to read. :-)

Are you going to try out a Vook?

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Filed under  //  Crushit   Gary Vaynerchuk   Reading   Vook  

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Jan 22 / 12:52pm

Where do you get your inspiration from?

 

Photo Credit: Andrew Stawarz

We all have our own niches and things we do.  And with those where do we look for inspiration?  Being a web entrepreneur a lot of my inspiration comes from the Internet.  However, I am not a 100% geek and I do have some offline things that inspire me: family, close friends, books, nature etc.  For today though, I am going to be all geek.  I will share my offline inspirations with you for another day.

So here are some of the things I do in my life.
  • Father and Husband
  • Web Entrepreneur
  • Hockey Fan
  • Balance/Leadership
  • Music
Now what I wanted to do was share with you some of the places I gather inspiration online for these topics.  I was hoping you could share yours and we could create an awesome resource for topics we are passionate about.  If no one else shares, then at least you can all see where a draw inspiration from online. :-)

Well here they are:
  • Father and Husband
    • Zen Family Habits -  Is a blog written by Leo Babauta and Sherri Kruger. Zen Family Habits is all things family. It’s about living simply and with presence of mind.  I have gotten some great tips from this blog.
    • Facebook - Ya, I know it sounds crazy, but I love learning from other parents in FB.  The things they do with their family, photos etc.  Great resource.  I think :-)
  • Web Entrepreneur
    • Mashable - One of the most visited blogs in the world.  Great resource for what's hot in the social media space.
    • Gary Vaynerchuk - I love his no non-sense approach to using the Internet to have a positive impact on your biz.  Love his passion!
    • Seth Godin - Seth Godin makes things sound so simple.  He really has a great way of explaining marketing in laymen terms.
  • Hockey Fan
    • NHL - I go to NHL.com a lot for stories and Gamecenter.  I have to say their Gamecenter web package is awesome.
    • Puck Daddy -  Great hockey blog with a great sense of humour.
    • Kingscast -  As you know we have our own hockey web tv show over at The Hockey Zen.  For show ideas and tips we learn a lot from the guys over at Kingscast who produce an awesome show on the LA Kings, called Overtime.
  • Balance/Leadership
    • Robin Sharma - If you have read my blog at all you would know I am a huge fan of Robin Sharma.  Lead Without Title says it all.
    • The Journey - A blog written by my bro Adrian.  Check it out.  Adrian shares some really great information.
    • Zen Habits - Leo Babauta first blog.  Awesome information on being present, productive, fit and following your passion.
  • Music
    • Grooveshark - The best Internet radio website going.  Just love it.
Well there you have it.  I have others, but I didn't want to overwhelm you.  What sites do you use for inspiration?  Please share.
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Jan 18 / 6:54pm

My 3 Biggest Lessons in 10 Years as an Entrepreneur

A lot can happen over 10 years and that is exactly what has happened since my brother Adrian and I started Evolving Solutions.  During that time frame we have learned a ton at the "School of Hard Knocks" for entrepreneurs.  While attending the "School of Hard Knocks" over the last 10 years we have had many friends ask us how we got started, what have we learned and why we did it?  So, I thought it would be fun to share with you the three biggest lessons I have had since we started our business.  Maybe Adrian will swing by with some comments on what he has learned.

3.  Follow your passion and do what you love.  This could easily be number 1, because if you don't have this, then I personally think you can't achieve the personal greatness you are looking for.  Once you have found your passion, the world we live in now makes it easier then ever before to build a business around something you love.  Lets take the Internet for example.  You can now pick a specialty you love, build your reputation as an expert, pump out content online, and eventually make money by selling advertising, niche products, or services such as consulting or speaking.  Wouldn't that be cool?  You might not be rich with money, but if you truly are doing what you love, haven't you already won?  If you are an entrepreneur or want to be one, create extraordinary value for others and the money will follow. Focus on being great at what you do. 

2.  Just F'in do it!  Now that you know what you want to do, just go out and do it.  Put together a simple plan, but please do not spend to much time planning or you will never get off the ground.  Get an idea or concept, know where you want to go and go for it.  If you fail, it's ok, we will love you for trying and be there for you when you are ready to try again.  Don't just do it, just F'in do it!

1.  Be yourself.  We are now at a time when transparency is one of the most important characteristics you and your company can have when operating a small or big business.  People want to do business with real people.  So don't be something your are not.  Don't wear a suit and tie if that is not you, don't rent an office if you don't need one, sell locally if that is what your business calls for.  Be you, you are your own brand and as Gary Vaynerchuk would say, understand your own DNA.

What sort of lessons can you share?
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Jan 15 / 7:42am

Daily Inspiration - How Can I Help You?

One of the timeless truths of life can be stated simple:  When you shift from a selfish compulsion to survive into a heart-felt commitment to serve, your life cannot help but explode into success.

I read this quote yesterday in Robin Sharma's Daily Inspiration book and it got me thinking about how I have recently got away from this thinking and it is time to get back on track.    So I leave the floor to you.  Feel free to ask any question and how I might be able to help you.  I will do my best to get back to you within a reasonable time, but I will help you.  

I truly think this is one of the most important questions you can ask anyone.  Try it.  Thanks for reading!
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Jan 11 / 5:27am

Location, Location, Location

How many times have you heard that phrase?  Whether it is your banker or Donald Trump telling you, location is one of the most important things to remember when investing in real estate or opening a storefront business.

Well guess what?  That phrase is now coming to the Internet and mobile phones.  I know, you are saying, Chris, what the heck are you talking about.  How can location be important when I am on my mobile phone.  Well it is hear and it looks like it is the next big thing.  Remember Facebook?  Remember Twitter?  Well remember this name....Gowalla.

Gowalla is a location-based social networking game that launched in March 2009. Gowalla uses a large catalog of virtual goods to encourage its users to go places and meet people.  Here is a quick video on how Gowalla works.

Over the weekend I watched a video by Kevin Rose, founder of Digg and WeFollow. Rose also co-founded Revision3, and Pownce (acquired by Six Apart).  Kevin goes into great detail on how he sees the power in apps. like Gowalla and Foursquare

Here is the video.

A few things I picked up from his video:
  1. Location based tools are very hot with early adopters right now.  Just like Twitter and Facebook were.
  2. Building a massive CRM database for all businesses, with a very power referral engine.
  3. Gowalla uses GPS, so you don't even have to type in the location, it knows you are there.
  4. Great way to see where your friends are without even calling or texting.
  5. Businesses can really promote special deals and reward people who visit their location often.
  6. Unlike Twitter where you share knowledge, Gowalla you actually share physical locations with friends.
Now, being from little old, Saint John, NB, I have to admit I have not tried Gowalla or Foursquare yet.  But, I will definitely give one of them a whirl.

Will you or do you use one of them?  Do you see one of these being the next Twitter?
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Filed under  //  Gowalla   Kevin Rose   Location   Social Media  

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