In what might be the longest page on Flickr, a case of plagiarism inspiration has been the topic of discussion in the design world for the past couple of days. Dan Cederholm at Simplebits came across a logo that looked eerily familiar.

As we’ve seen in the past, blatancy tends to tug on the right strings of designers, resulting in blacklisting and lawsuit threatening.

So the tip of the day is: if you’re inspired by an existing piece of creative, acknowledge it. Seeing your work influence others is flattering. Seeing your work in other’s portfolios is infuriating.

It is said that having an ego isn’t an option when you are an entrepreneur… it is a requirement.

Ego
From Dictionary.com
e·go [ee-goh, eg-oh]
–noun, plural e·gos.
1. The self, especially as distinct from the world and other selves.
2. In psychoanalysis, the division of the psyche that is conscious, most immediately controls thought and behavior, and is most in touch with external reality.
3.
1. An exaggerated sense of self-importance; conceit.
2. Appropriate pride in oneself; self-esteem.

In any form of sales you need to have confidence. You have to convince another person in the value of the product you are trying to sell them. As an entrepreneur that product often isn’t a disconnected something, but your idea and a very personal part of who you are.

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A few Canucks have created and begun to complete a list of things to do before they die. Simply brilliant idea.

(video)

Add yours to the list here or there.

You can only be a Journalist (professional) or Hobbyist (personal) in blogging. Anything in between will fail.

Fail at making you rich or making you friends. Fail at making you famous or making you happy.

At some point, you’ll have to make the decision. You’ll either have more time on your hands than expected, or you’ll have no time at all.

As a journalist you’ll work around the clock. (Michael Arrington, Arianna Huffington, or Perez Hilton) You’ll have to research each and every one of your stories, be able to meet several daily deadlines, develop a process for copywriting, and establish networks for leads.

As a hobbyist you may only post once a week or once a month, but when you do, you make the day of all your readers. (Matt Brett, Sally Hogshead, or Veerle) There’s no pressure or deadlines. If a thought strikes you every now and then, you share it.

Obviously, the difference between the two financially is enormous. You get what you give. 40 hours of writing per week will generate more revenue and opportunities than writing 20 minutes every other week.

I will have to make this decision in the very near future. If you’re in a similar situation the question is, will you be a journalist or hobbyist?

“There are actually very very few business problems that can be solved with money.”

Saw this come across my RSS today and had to share it. It’s The realistic entrepreneur’s guide to venture capital by Seth Godin. It’s a 15 point list to get your head straight about venture capital. Great read.