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Ronalda Koster

Toronto, Canada

Business Intelligence Consultant, The Insight Effect Group Inc

Consulting

the Insight Effect

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Rebecca Thorman I'm excited; a project I proposed is really close to being approved. It involves a large sum of money and after a lot of discussion, my CEO & President like it a lot, but are putting the final decision back in my hands (& asking me to think about it over the wkend). They're asking, "Is this the best possible thing you could do with this money?" They'll go with whatever I decide. I've been gung-ho about the proj. from the beginning. But now I'm nervous. Thoughts on how to make the final decision?

92 weeks ago from Social Media Marketers, Generation Y Marketers, New Media Marketing, PR & New Media and Social Media 3 more

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josephine hanan: I think it's really important to look at the big picture of what you want to get accomplished and see if your project is most on target with the ...MoreI think it's really important to look at the big picture of what you want to get accomplished and see if your project is most on target with the critical drivers of success. Everything has pros and cons and just be ready to show how you've thought about the cons and what you can do minimize them to the best of your ability. I don't think there is a "right" answer and it sounds like it might even be a close call with other options, and this is your exercise in being confident in not only choosing an option but showing that you are 100% committed to making whatever you pick work. That's the person I'd want on my team; a person who knows what they're really dealing with and will make it work no matter what.
92 weeks ago

Rebecca Thorman: Thanks all - I've done many of these suggestions already, and I think you're right - I just need to be committed in whatever I decide to make it ...MoreThanks all - I've done many of these suggestions already, and I think you're right - I just need to be committed in whatever I decide to make it work. That's been my prerogative from the beginning. Thanks for the input - nice to have some back-up :)
91 weeks ago

Lindsey Sparks I'm helping Melissa Breau launch an online magazine for women ages 20-35 that is a female version of Esquire. I would like to start a column on being a married woman without children. A growing number of married women are choosing not to have kids & I don't really see this being addressed anywhere. I'm looking for ideas for a column name. Any ideas?

91 weeks ago from Blogging Ideas, I am Gen Y and PR & New Media 1 more

Melissa Breau recommended this

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Aiden Schade: I agree, DINK sounds too much like an onomatopoeia, like THUD, it's just a turnoff. I think you want it to be catchy and easy to say. Something ...MoreI agree, DINK sounds too much like an onomatopoeia, like THUD, it's just a turnoff. I think you want it to be catchy and easy to say. Something short and common like "A Table for Two," or something along those lines. I think you'll have more luck if you play off of the idea of "2" instead of filling your column name with "negative words" like "No" and "Not."
85 weeks ago

Lindsey Donner: I don't like DINK because I associate it with well-off white heterosexual couples who prefer money to hassles. ;-) I think that's just the spin it ...MoreI don't like DINK because I associate it with well-off white heterosexual couples who prefer money to hassles. ;-) I think that's just the spin it got, but that would be hard to shake, and you could make this column about SO MUCH MORE than your personal experience and interview others about not being able to have kids; about adopting; about choice; about not being able to afford kids; about the ethics of childlessness, etc.
85 weeks ago

peter yaworski Hi all, question for the networks - how does everyone price themselves, it is based on a project fee, hourly rate, etc.? What about projects that are indefinite? Do you work on a retainer and if so, how have you sold that to the client in the past?

89 weeks ago from Freelancing, Drupal and Web Development 1 more

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Ronalda Koster: I price based on the client, scope of work and duration of the agreement. My payment terms range from hourly rate, daily rate and retainer based. ...MoreI price based on the client, scope of work and duration of the agreement. My payment terms range from hourly rate, daily rate and retainer based. To ensure that I am not overworked with the daily rate - it caps out after 7 hours and then I flip to the higher hourly rate (I offer a 40% reduction in price on the daily rate). I really like the bundled approach Kate proposed.
@Kate I'm wondering how you determine your bundled rate - is it a percentage off the hourly rate or does it also depend on the number of hours purchased? If you don't work all of the hours does the client get a refund? Thanks in advance.

89 weeks ago

Kate Washut: @Ronalda - The bundled rate is a percentage off the hourly rate for a given number of hours. For example, for purchasing 100 hours up front, they ...More@Ronalda - The bundled rate is a percentage off the hourly rate for a given number of hours. For example, for purchasing 100 hours up front, they get 3% off the hourly rate. For 200 hours, it's 6% off, etc.

Of course, this only makes sense for clients who know they will have either a very big project with an undefined scope or lots of smaller projects. Generally, we put a time limit on the hours and, if they don't use them, they lose them.

So, for example, if the client knows they have 3 projects coming along that will total somewhere around 250 hours, they can buy a bundle of 200 hours at the discounted rate and then either buy another bundle when the first bucket runs out or pay the regular hourly rate for the rest.
89 weeks ago

Ronalda Koster I just finished the book "The Art of Racing in the Rain" and thought it was fabulous. The next two on my list are "Eat, Pray, Love" and "The 4 Hour Work Week". Has anyone read these? Which would you recommend reading first (if at all). Thanks in Advance.

91 weeks ago from Book Shelf

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Ronalda Koster: Thanks for your responses Cooper, Lindsay and Betty. I'm new to this group - but it appears to be an excellent place to scope out a new ...MoreThanks for your responses Cooper, Lindsay and Betty. I'm new to this group - but it appears to be an excellent place to scope out a new read.

@Lindsay, I'm sure if I attempted to compare "The Art of Racing in the Rain" I would fail miserably. It is a book about compassion, hope, and despair told from a dogs perspective. One of the reviews compared it to "The Alchemist", but I'm not sure I would do the same.

@All Sorry, there is one more book I'm wondering if anyone has read, "The Shack". Is there any easy way to find out if a discussion topic has already started on a specific book?
91 weeks ago

Terri Munro: I say read EPL first - it will inspire you and then 4HWW will train you on a strategy for lifestyle design to get you there!
90 weeks ago

Gauri Nawathe Hello everybody! I'm looking for some new blogs to add to my reader. Any reccomendations? (I'm looking not only for career related blogs but also humour, personal development, personal finance, advertising, social media and even well-written personal rantings!)

92 weeks ago from Blogging Ideas

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Paige Holden: You are most welcome! Happy reading!
91 weeks ago

Kate Wiseman: Hey Auri! Sorry for the late response--I didn't see your comment before! I don't think there's a secret... usually people just click "Follow" in ...MoreHey Auri! Sorry for the late response--I didn't see your comment before! I don't think there's a secret... usually people just click "Follow" in the box with all the faces. Otherwise, you can just copy and past the URL into an RSS reader like Google Reader. I don't know any other way! I hope this helps!!

90 weeks ago

Ryan Healy What do you guys like and dislike most about networking events or networking groups? Personally, I like engaging in intelligent conversation with people who are in my field or in a field that interests me. What I don't like is initially introducing myself without an intro from a friend or acquaintance. What else is a positive? Negative?

91 weeks ago from Personal Branding, Madison MAGNET, Entrepreneurs and Social Media Marketers 2 more

Rebecca Thorman recommended this

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William Bryan: I think whenever you meet someone for the first time is always a little awkward. The thing I love most about networking events is just knowing ...MoreI think whenever you meet someone for the first time is always a little awkward. The thing I love most about networking events is just knowing where people came from, what made them successful, and their passions. What I hate is the awkward walking away and the guy/girl that just talks about themselves all the time.
91 weeks ago

Elizabeth Marling: I am put off by lack of focus. Like, people who know each other hovering in groups not talking about anything related to the event--kind of like ...MoreI am put off by lack of focus. Like, people who know each other hovering in groups not talking about anything related to the event--kind of like a bad junior high dance. I get really into conversations about my interests, and it is discouraging when I go to an event and come out of it feeling like there was pressure to be more 'casual.'
91 weeks ago

Ronalda Koster joined the groups Book Shelf and Write a Book!

91 weeks ago

Ronalda Koster Watched an interesting TED talk claiming this is the decade of 'social' and the next decade is that of 'games'. He focuses on 4 key gaming dynamics with real-world examples -Appointment Dynamics example: 'Happy Hour' -Influence & Status Dynamics example: the black AMEX card -Progress Dynamics example: your completion status on LinkedIn -Communal Discovery example: DARPA Red Balloon challenge (find the balloons leveraging networks) http://tiny.cc/yh34o Do you think Seth is on to something?

92 weeks ago from Social Media and Social Media Marketers

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Phil Herrera: Thanks for the share.
91 weeks ago

Raquel Elle Bell: @Ronalda - Gaming has been used in strategic planning and development since the beginning of time. Look at how military trains. The business world ...More@Ronalda - Gaming has been used in strategic planning and development since the beginning of time. Look at how military trains. The business world has recently caught onto the power of gaming. I have a client that utilizes gaming and role reversal to see how teams and leaders act together.
91 weeks ago

TOP IDEA: Ronalda Koster Do you twitter? I get tired of the personal updates and rarely log on anymore. I'd love to see twitter build content communities. A place to go to get the latest buzz on a topic or subject. For example, if I'm planning a shopping outing, I would love to be able to put in my geo location and the types of brands or items I'm looking for. Then ogle in all the great deals that street spotters have found for handbags, shoes and trendy clothing.

92 weeks ago

Ronalda Koster Is there an ideal word or character count for a blog post? Tweets are limited to 140 characters. Texts are limited to 160 characters. Brazen posts are limited to 500 characters. So what is an ideal word-count for a blog post? I'm sure some of you will say it depends on the content, but surely there must be data-driven evidence to say the optimal post is x characters long. Thoughts?

92 weeks ago from Social Media, Social Media Marketers and Digital Marketing Consultants 1 more

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Will Marlow: I agree with Rebecca. I have been surprised that the longer posts tend to be the most popular. I do have some popular short posts (100 to 400- ...MoreI agree with Rebecca. I have been surprised that the longer posts tend to be the most popular. I do have some popular short posts (100 to 400- words), but if the quality of the writing is high enough, people have a real appetite for longer posts. Here is an unscientific but interesting post that studies the length of popular blog posts by industry: http://www.viperchill.com/blog-post-length/.
92 weeks ago

Ronalda Koster: @Rebecca I completely agree that content is key. That said, statistically speaking, I'm sure there is some data driven evidence based on a number ...More@Rebecca I completely agree that content is key. That said, statistically speaking, I'm sure there is some data driven evidence based on a number of factors: Niche, # of comments, # of visitors, # of referrals, # of new subscribers, time on post etc to support an 'ideal length' for a blog. I don't think this needs to be a hard rule - I'm just interested in what the data has to say. With 143 million blogs online, I'm sure there is something to extrapolate.

@Will, I follow Glen at ViperChill and enjoyed his analysis in Feb albeit not statistically significant.

Happy blogging (short & long) everyone and thanks for the comments!

92 weeks ago

Ronalda Koster joined the group Blogging Ideas

92 weeks ago

Ronalda Koster How often do you meet with data people / analysts in your organization? The problem with data is that in it's simplest form it isn't always actionable. Take web metrics for example: visits, bounce rate, referral source, ecommerce goals etc., while these may be interesting data factoids - they don't inspire change or action when displayed as simple numbers. Insight is about getting to the bottom line outcome and communicating, convincing and driving action. Do you regularly action data?

92 weeks ago from Digital Marketing Consultants

TOP IDEA: Ronalda Koster Count something... I’d like to think I’m an environmentally friendly individual. I recycle, I favor green products & brands and I carry a reusable SIGG water bottle with me. Irrespective of this, I decided to count the number of water bottles I used in a week. I could blame the hot weather but on 4 occasions in the last week I ran out of water and had to purchase a bottle to keep hydrated. We have an opportunity to reduce our carbon footprint. Read on for my solution http://tiny.cc/xqb5j

92 weeks ago

Ronalda Koster I'm a numbers person so naturally I love data. Recently I've started counting things in my daily life and have loved the changes it's driving. For example, two weeks ago I counted the amount of times I said, 'like' each day and by yesterday I've decreased that amount by 180%. Are you passionate about anything that you can count?

93 weeks ago from Digital Marketing Consultants, Management Consulting, Productivity & Time-Management and Freelancing 2 more

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EricHFriedman: If you really want to freak yourself out(!), count the times you blink (!) Academy award winner Walter Murch (ref his book 'In The Blink of An ...MoreIf you really want to freak yourself out(!), count the times you blink (!) Academy award winner Walter Murch (ref his book 'In The Blink of An Eye') holds we blink when we change our internal thoughts, context, sensory flow, etc. Think about your blinking, think about your thinking, and try and have a nice day anyway! -Eric!
93 weeks ago

Dr. Paul D. Giammalvo: Awesome TED talk, Ronalda, thanks for the link!! I have been a TED subscriber now for about 4 years, but never saw that specific talk. Thanks ...MoreAwesome TED talk, Ronalda, thanks for the link!! I have been a TED subscriber now for about 4 years, but never saw that specific talk. Thanks again for sharing.

BR,

Dr. PDG, Jakarta
93 weeks ago

93 weeks ago from Digital Marketing Consultants, Management Consulting, Productivity & Time-Management and Freelancing 2 more

Alessandro Machi: Interesting that I can connect to this topic and that we appear to have similar business focuses as well. I use numbers for baseball all the time. ...MoreInteresting that I can connect to this topic and that we appear to have similar business focuses as well. I use numbers for baseball all the time. I think it is the number one sport for studying trends and who well or not so well a ballplayer is doing.
93 weeks ago

Ronalda Koster: I have a friend that runs a SAS data mining algorithm on sports team to predict trades before they happen as well as which teams will win. If you ...MoreI have a friend that runs a SAS data mining algorithm on sports team to predict trades before they happen as well as which teams will win. If you are into sports it's a great past time.

P.S. Since I can't edit my post - the 180% should ready 80%.
93 weeks ago

Ronalda Koster Has anyone tried managing their time using Chrometa? Is it helpful to understand how you spent your day and where to minimize procrastination? Are there any other tools you would recommend that track the time you spend on your PC and online?

99 weeks ago from Productivity & Time-Management

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Carlee Mallard: Too bad they don't have a Mac version yet. It looks really cool though, so when they get a Mac version I'll definitely have to try it out.
98 weeks ago

Rebecca Thorman: I really like Chrometa, Ronalda because it's all automatic and when you're idle, it prompts you to tell it what you were doing. So smart!
98 weeks ago

Stephen Alred Aided by technology, pioneers and entrepreneurs alike are now converting the beach into a fully functional office. Want to know how that could be you? Read more here..http://bit.ly/9a7mlB

99 weeks ago from Shotgun Startups, Web Startups, Entrepreneurs and Social Entrepreneurs 2 more

Ronalda Koster: That's me! A few months ago I relocated to the Caribbean and opened my own company. I'm a firm believer that if you're driven you can be ...MoreThat's me! A few months ago I relocated to the Caribbean and opened my own company. I'm a firm believer that if you're driven you can be successful anywhere - my corporation is proof for me. I've also realized that once you take your corporate blinders off you open yourself up to fresh, creative ideas.... it's a beautiful thing! Good luck...
99 weeks ago

Ronalda Koster Can you multi-task with precision and focus? I’d love to coin myself a “super multitasker”, afterall I did have 6 applications, 8 browser windows, 12 queries, a phone call and several emails on the go while completing two quick multitasking tests. How did you do? http://theinsighteffect.wordpress.com/2010/06/13/are-you-a-multitasker/

101 weeks ago from Productivity & Time-Management

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Justin P Williams: That's a clear cut case of multitasking if you ask me.
101 weeks ago

Jeremy Tadman: The rule of thumb is if two things are related, then it's two actions but carrying out the same "task". It's clear that cleaning the house and ...MoreThe rule of thumb is if two things are related, then it's two actions but carrying out the same "task". It's clear that cleaning the house and participating in a conference call aren't related.

On the other hand, unless you're vacuuming, this would be a fairly limited and (mostly) harmless form of multitasking as the two activities use completely different faculties (conf call: speech and hearing. Cleaning: eyes and hands). You risk missing a spot or accidentally missing something the people on the call are saying, but depending on the situation this might not necessarily be all that bad.

As with most things, it's all about balance.
101 weeks ago

Vickie Elmer I'm researching and going to write about apps and tools that enhance our career - including those that make us more productive and provide valuable information or insights. So what works for you? And what hyped product / service is unworthy and should be skipped?

101 weeks ago from Work/Life Blur

Ronalda Koster: There are a number of data visualization tools that can simplify the interpretation of information. I recently wrote a blog post about leveraging ...MoreThere are a number of data visualization tools that can simplify the interpretation of information. I recently wrote a blog post about leveraging Wordle: http://theinsighteffect.wordpress.com/2010/05/30/you-had-me-at-wordle/
Other great tools (value may depend on your career focus):
Many Eyes: http://manyeyes.alphaworks.ibm.com
Insight Matrix: http://www.id.iit.edu/index.php?id=568
Wall Wisher: www.wallwisher.com
Notable: http://www.notableapp.com/
Collaboration board: http://www.imaginationcubed.com/index.php
UserVoice: uservoice.com
Project Management: basecamphq.com
Hope some of these are useful...

101 weeks ago

Raquel Elle Bell: Totally Low Tech, but my white board. I have them all over my office. The act of sketching or jotting things down helps my thought process. It's ...MoreTotally Low Tech, but my white board. I have them all over my office. The act of sketching or jotting things down helps my thought process. It's not something I can do on my computer either. I also journal constantly.
101 weeks ago

Ronalda Koster Do you have business uses for word clouds? I've been playing with Wordle, Tagul & Tagxedo http://theinsighteffect.wordpress.com/2010/05/30/you-had-me-at-wordle/

103 weeks ago