July 7, 2010

I went to McDonald’s this morning for breakfast and I thought to myself: What A Wonderful World. I find it amazing that they are so efficient. I want to operate my business exactly like that. My ideal is to inspire others. It’s why I started this blog. I want to give other the opportunity that I did not have. I also want to inspire others vicariously through my repertoire. I want to become something else entirely an archetype. I want to focus on every aspect of design and own my own studio. With this being said, I would like to give a brief insight into the McDonald’s franchise and how they became one of the world’s largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving nearly 47 million customers daily.

McDonald’s is a huge multi-national restaurant chain. There are restaurants all over the world that are willing to sell you a Big Mac and fries. Indeed, you would probably be hard-pushed to find a country that does not contain a few McDonald’s restaurants somewhere within its borders. The company is now so big that you could be forgiven for thinking that it has always existed. But it hasn’t. It was started in the first half of the 20th Century by two brothers – neither of whom was named Ronald.

The First Burger

Reports differ about when Richard and Maurice McDonald opened their first restaurant. Some would state that the Airdrome in Arcadia, California was the very first, opened in 1937. Others claim that it all began in 1940 with the McDonald’s Barbecue restaurant in San Bernardino, California1. What is not in dispute, however, is that both of the above were false starts. They were both the kind of American restaurant where cars park around a central hub (where the food is prepared) and it is delivered to the waiting customers by ‘car hops’.

In 1948 the brothers became disaffected by this style of restaurant, the pressures of a full menu, and the hassle of managing staff, and so decided to scale down the operation. They developed the idea of an ‘assembly line’ whereby a reduced menu (consisting only of hamburgers, cheeseburgers, french fries and drinks) could be cooked cheaper and quicker, which would hopefully lead to a higher turnover of customers. And so it was, on 12 December, 1948, that the new revamped McDonald’s Restaurant opened, and Richard McDonald cooked the first McDonald’s hamburger.

During the next few years, the restaurant went from strength to strength, and the building had a slight redesign. The brothers had a slender yellow arch built at each end of the building, looping over it but not yet joined together to make the now famous ‘M’.

The First Franchise

In 1954 Ray Kroc was a salesman for a company that made milkshake mixers. He noticed that the McDonald brothers had bought eight of the company’s mixers for their restaurant. Believing that, if he could persuade the McDonalds to open more restaurants, he would be able put eight mixers in each of them, he paid them a visit. Again, reports differ about what happened when he talked to the McDonalds. Some believe that he presented the idea of franchises to Dick and Mac, others argue that franchises already existed, and that Kroc merely managed to talk his way into running the franchising operation. Whichever was the case, the end result was the same, and Ray Kroc managed the franchising of the McDonalds’ restaurant concept.

The organisation of the franchise was this: anyone who wanted to open a McDonald’s restaurant would pay Kroc around a thousand dollars for the honour of doing so, and then 1.9% from the annual takings of the restaurant. He would then pass 0.5% of the takings onto the McDonald brothers, keeping the other 1.4%. Kroc opened his first franchise in Des Plaines, Illinois in 1955. Whether or not this was the first franchise of the McDonald’s restaurant, it was definitely the first opening of the McDonald’s Corporation.

The Buy Out

By 1961 Ray Kroc was running the whole show. The only thing the McDonald brothers did was run their one restaurant, and receive their 0.5% from the larger company. The greater expansion of the McDonald’s brand was not something they were really interested in. Ray Kroc, on the other hand, was. He wanted to put a McDonald’s restaurant in every state in America – which he would eventually do, and much more. He wanted to created a Hamburger University where potential restaurant managers could be taught how to manage a McDonald’s restaurant2. He measured every product, weighed all the ingredients, and tasted burgers in every outlet to ensure that precisely the same food was served in every McDonald’s restaurant. But Dick and Mac McDonald were happy as they were, and had no concern for the company Kroc had formed from their restaurant. So Kroc offered to buy them out, which he did at a cost of 2.7 million dollars. It is estimated that if the McDonald’s had continued to receive their 0.5% it would have been worth around two hundred million dollars by the year 2000.

The Clown

In the early 1960s, Kroc decided that the chain could make more money if it appealed to children, and so the company sponsored a kids’ TV show called Bozo the Clown. When that show got cancelled in 1963, the actor that played Bozo, Willard Scott, was hired to appear in three adverts as the McDonald’s restaurants new mascot: Ronald McDonald. Though the adverts were a success, Willard was less so, and appeared in no more adverts after the first three. But the character was established, and many other actors have donned the wig since.

The Expansion

The McDonald’s chain continued to grow. The Big Mac was created in 1968. Having covered the States, the franchise expanded overseas, with the first restaurant opening in Australia in 1971. The Egg McMuffin (the first breakfast product from McDonald’s) was invented in 1973. The three thousandth restaurant of the chain, the first in Britain, was opened in London in 1974. 1979 saw the creation of the Happy Meal, which continues to sell well to children, and adults who want the promotional toys, to this day. A restaurant was opened in Russia, and hailed as an emblem of the new friendship between the two superpowers, in 1990.

The Charity

The McDonald’s Corporation’s charitable efforts started in 1974, when the first Ronald McDonald House was opened in Philadelphia. It was originally the brainchild of Fred Hill, a member of the Philadelphia Eagles American football team. The house is a place for parents of severely ill children, who have had to travel a distance, to stay while their child is being treated at the nearby hospital. Since then, Ronald McDonald Houses have been established in several countries, and the Ronald McDonald Houses Charity has funded efforts to help children around the globe. It also provides scholarships for under-privileged students from ethnic minorities.

The Problems

The McDonald’s chain has not been without its problems. There was the famous McLibel case – the longest running libel case in British legal history. And Jose Bove dismantled a restaurant in France, in order to make a point about globalisation, of which McDonald’s has become a prominent symbol. Also the discovery that some beef products were used in the preparation of their french fries, which resulted in the company paying compensation of 10 million dollars to Hindus, sikhs, and vegetarians. There have been various criticisms of the McDonald’s Corporation, ranging from the source of their meat, to the treatment of workers in the restaurants, the fact the RMHC scholarships are not available to Native Americans, and some concerns about the healthiness of their food. There is also the occasional accusation that in order to keep all the cattle for the hamburgers, McDonald’s has to tear down vast chunks of rain forest; however, McDonald’s insist that all their produce is sourced locally, and that there is not a single massive herd that would require the removal of rainforests.

The Future

McDonald’s has, so far, weathered all of these problems, and continued to expand into more and more countries. No doubt, barring any major set-backs, the McDonald’s Corporation will continue to grow, finding ever more remote locations to place franchises. Only time will tell if they continue to adhere to Ray Kroc’s four guiding principles of quality, service, cleanliness and value.

© BBC UK http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A3816740

June 28, 2010

The Key to Financial Freedom for Artists, Actors, Writers & Musicians
Author: Valery Satterwhite

Copyright (c) 2009 Valery Satterwhite

Well-meaning, yet woefully misguided, advice from parents, teachers and other loved ones such as “You’ll never make a living as an artist” has become the foundational belief and mantra of the artist’s Inner Critic. What’s worse is that this also woefully misguided Inner Critic loves to be right and will serve up proof and evidence of this belief and beat you up with it day in and day out to make sure that you do, or not do, what it takes to keep this foundational belief in place. Acting upon the Inner Critic mantra of “You’ll never make a living as an artist.” your thoughts and actions create the outcome of the starving artist. And the Inner Critic is pleased. This supreme inner entity, this ‘knower of all’, is doing its job of keeping you safe and small and right!

Except for one thing…….he’s WRONG!

Think about it. Look around you. Instead of focusing upon your lack of desired financial resources look to all the actors, artists, writers and musicians who are making boat loads of money! Julian Schnabel, Bono, Annie Leibowitz, Steven Spielburg, Rita Ackerman, Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Stephen King, Dave Barry, Mick Jagger, Dave Matthews – the list of wildly successful and wealthy artists of every kind can easily go on and on and on.

What’s the difference between the abundantly rich artist and the starving artist? One thing and one thing only: Self-Mastery.

Self-Mastery as the key to financial freedom is not some airy fairy metaphysical woo-woo concept. From the ancient Greeks to modern day philosophers to modern day celebrity icons, all have recognized that the key to whatever you want in life, including wealth, comes from within. How you show up in your life, what the foundational beliefs that motivate you are based upon, deliver the outcomes you experience.

From Socrates:

- “Know thyself.”

- “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

- “Give me beauty in the inward soul; may the outward and the inward man be at one.”

From others throughout the centuries:

- “If money be not they servant, it will be thy master. The covetous man cannot so properly be said to possess wealth, as that may be said to possess him.” – Francis Bacon, British Philosopher

- “All riches have their origin in mind. Wealth is in ideas — not money.” – Robert Collier, American Writer/Publisher

- “I have about concluded that wealth is a state of mind, and that anyone can acquire a wealthy state of mind by thinking rich thoughts.”- Andrew Young, Civil Rights Activist

- “Wealth is the product of man’s capacity to think.” – Ayn Rand, Russian Writer, Philosopher

- “All the breaks you need in life wait within your imagination, Imagination is the workshop of your mind, capable of turning mind energy into accomplishment and wealth.” – Napoleon Hill

And:

“Wealth is the ability to fully experience life.” – Henry David Thoreau

Where you hold back your fullest expression of your potential as an artist of any kind is where you struggle. Where you doubt your self, your dreams, your worthiness is where you create your poverty. Where you resist your purpose in life, the special gifts that are your birthright, is where you suffer your anxiety.

You are as free, financially and otherwise, as the extent of your ability to acknowledge, honor and master your authenticity and take full responsibility for all of your experiences, good and bad, rich or poor. Those who do not govern themselves are condemned to find other masters to govern over them, including their own Inner Critic.

“I stand for freedom of expression, doing what you believe in, and going after your dreams.” – Madonna

About the Author:

Valery is an Artist Mindset Mentor who helps creative people get out of their own way so that they can overcome the struggles that often come packaged with the life of a visual & performing artist. Clients learn how to express their full potential deliberately & responsibly to create more passionately, profoundly, productively and profitably. Empower the Wizard Within to actualize full creative potential. http://www.InnerWizard.com Free tips!

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The Key to Financial Freedom for Artists, Actors, Writers & Musicians

June 28, 2010

There are many available options to take in the “design” field. Graphic Art is the term I use to describe my work. There’s often a fine line to distinguish the difference between graphic art and graphic design. Graphic art is more centered on visual development and graphic design focuses more on typography and layout. One of the fastest growing fields for graphic artists is Motion Design (aka – motion graphics). The exhilaration that comes from seeing your art come to life is indescribable. I have taken it upon myself to focus on learning After Effects, Maya & C4D specifically for this purpose. Ringling describes Motion Design as the following: “You see it everyday, but you probably didn’t know it had a name. You see it when you go to the movies, or watch TV, or surf the web, or even go shopping. It is the mysterious title sequence that sets the mood for the latest sci-fi movie. It’s the beautiful animated graphics that introduce the events for the Olympic Games. It’s the cool interface on that website that you use to make your own snowboard designs. It’s the fun, colorful interpretation of music and dance to interest you in the new iPod at the Apple store. Anywhere there is a screen, you’re probably seeing creative work called Motion Design.” Fundamentally, you should have an understanding of all aspects of design whether it’s web, print or motion. Ultimately, you’ll find your niche but you’ll need an underlying base in design principles first.

School is a great option, but it is not always necessary. It’s an amalgamation of motivation, knowledge and ability. All three are essential and rely on each other. There is no one without the other. One of my favorite quotes comes from Henry Hazlitt who said, “A strong passion for any object will ensure success, for the desire of the end will point out the means.” -Henry Hazlitt School will provide the knowledge to improve your ability. The advantage of school is that you can learn cardinal design principles and be critiqued by professionals in an acknowledged environment, but you will always augment when you are surrounded and challenged by others who are in the same field. This is where inspiration comes from. There are also numerous advantages to learning on the web for anything especially when it involves specific software. The people that you meet while in school will go on to be in your industry and can prove to be an invaluable resource when seeking recommendation for employment or verified integrity to establish with clientele. School can also help you form discipline, but if you are not disciplined enough to be motivated without someone else then you should revise and make certain that this is what you intend to do or else you will fall short of your goal and abdicate. Another one of my favorite quotes is from Walt Disney who said, “The difference in winning and losing is most often… not quitting.” — Walt Disney, Animator, Film Producer If you have a strong desire to achieve an ideal then you must focus and maintain.

You could have all the knowledge available to you, but that may not necessarily mean that you are a great designer. Motivation is the key to gaining knowledge. Not school. If anyone has seen Ratatouille then you can attest that not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere. “You must be imaginative, strong-hearted. You must try things that may not work, and you must not let anyone define your limits because of where you come from. Your only limit is your soul. What I say is true – anyone can cook… but only the fearless can be great.” Chef Gusteau You can also improve your ability by participating in online art communities and blogs. You do not have to go to school to be in the “design” industry, but it will be much more difficult. No one said it was easy. It is my personal conviction that you have to put in work in order to get anywhere in this world. This is the advantage that we have with competition in an open free market. I know people are successful without having gone to college, but it was not an overnight process. There are designers that have generated a substantial income for themselves without an art degree. Albeit not attending college is probably not the norm or what may be suggested, going to school does not necessarily guarantee success either. Like any major, people often graduate and do not find jobs specifically related to the field in which they graduated. I know people who have BA and a steady work history who are complacent with earning an average wage simply because they can not find work in their field.

I was enrolled in classes in school first at a private unaccredited college and then at a public uni. I learned everything from values to Illustrator. My experience, however, was that I learned principles in class; but not really the software. Learning software on your own or with the aid of tutorials will be essential even after you have graduated. The classroom was more about giving me projects and critiquing them. If you intend on being a designer then I would recommend you find your niche and then focus on what it is that you love to do. To have a future in web, which is always evolving, you will need to constantly gentrify the current knowledge that you have. “You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” Eleanor Roosevelt Software is constantly expanding so even if you find your classroom setting practical it will not assist you in the long term without constantly learning. You’ll need to learn how to keep up with software on your own. There is no rest when technology is involved.

Overall, there are accredited colleges like Ringling and Art Institute which I would say would be well worth the time and experience for anyone who has the time and value. However, due to finite resources this option may not available to everyone so it is best to learn on your own. A strong portfolio will speak louder than a résumé or degree.

June 12, 2010

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Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

by

Dr. Seuss

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets. Look ‘em over with care.
About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.”
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you’re too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

And you may not find any
you’ll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you’ll head straight out of town.

It’s opener there
in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.

And then things start to happen,
don’t worry. Don’t stew.
Just go right along.
You’ll start happening too.

OH!
THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!

You’ll be on y our way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed.
You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.

I’m sorry to say so
but, sadly, it’s true
that Bang-ups
and Hang-ups
can happen to you.

You can get all hung up
in a prickle-ly perch.
And your gang will fly on.
You’ll be left in a Lurch.

You’ll come down from the Lurch
with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then,
that you’ll be in a Slump.

And when you’re in a Slump,
you’re not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself
is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked.
A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!
Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And IF you go in, should you turn left or right…
or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?
Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find,
for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused
that you’ll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles cross weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place…

…for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or the waiting around for a Yes or No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for the wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

NO!
That’s not for you!

Somehow you’ll escape
all that waiting and staying
You’ll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing.

With banner flip-flapping,
once more you’ll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. There are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You’ll be as famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don’t
Because, sometimes they won’t.

I’m afraid that some times
you’ll play lonely games too.
Games you can’t win
’cause you’ll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
you’ll be quite a lot.

And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance
you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.

But on you will go
though the weather be foul.
On you will go
though your enemies prowl.
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl.
Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike,
And I know you’ll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.

You’ll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You’ll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life’s
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never foget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU’LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So…
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea,
You’re off the Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

*** The above text was copyrighted in 1990 .