Facebook is at the forefront of Tech news today (what else is new). Elevation Partners, a Silicon Valley private equity firm, just gave the social networking behemoth a valuation of $23 billion (yes billion) after it’s secondary market purchase of 2.4 million shares for $120 million dollars.

23 billion dollars. Wow. What’s funny is Facebook’s ad revenue last year was only $800 million. How exactly you get a valuation of $23 BILLION is beyond my mathematical skills. But still, with 500 million users (double what they had last summer) and exponential growth patterns in both India and Russia (and the rest of the world for that matter) it seems the sky is the limit for Facebook.

Bottom line, social media and networks are big business, and here to stay. The largest economic players in the country have definitely put their money where there mouth is.

Looks like we are along for a long, long ride.

All my best,

Jay Kubassek

Goal setting is as natural to our everyday lives as eating. Because of this very reality, I won’t bore you with a long winded explanation about the virtues of goal setting. It’s importance, necessity, constructive uses… etc etc. You already know that. It’s impossible to achieve “something” if you don’t decide what that “something” is!

However, the process of how you set goals is an often ignored, but crucial element. I’ve often found that most challenges in my life came from knowing how to begin and how to end, but not the steps in between. Below is a little blueprint I’ve developed for myself, a methodology of sorts, that I’ve found useful to help me develop and adhere to my personal and professional goals.

S.M.A.R.T.

Specific: The more clearly you define what it is you’re driving to achieve, the more clearly you can define what steps need to be taken to reach your goal. The key is to be bold, audacious even (within reason of course, as I’ll get to later).

Measurable: You can’t improve, if you don’t know where you failed in the first place. Measurable’s allow for accountability and analytics. True humility and growth stem from searching with equal vigor for our greatness and our shortcomings. Both can always be improved upon.

Attainable: Set realistic objectives. If it’s your second day, you should probably expect second day results. Why invite unnecessary disappointment? If you are truly mentally prepared for whatever ambition is to come, you won’t hesitate to begin with.

Relevant: “Stay in your lane.” I say this to myself probably twice a day. If its not relevant to the task at hand, or a larger goal, it usually not needed. Streamline.

Time Bound: Why do we always perform best when the deadline inches towards us second by second? We’ve all done it. I still do from time to time. But, it seems human beings often need a little fire under our rear to get going. So be it. We all know it works!

At the end of the day, only one person can hold you accountable, YOU.

“Procrastination is the bad habit of putting off until the day after tomorrow, what should have been done the day before yesterday.” –  Napoleon Hill

All my best,

Jay Kubassek

Larry King hosted a telethon last night to raise money for the Gulf oil spill recovery effort. Teaming up with FACEBOOK AND TWITTER, King was able to raise $1.81 million, in just 2 hours! Yes, just 2 hours. Further proving that social media continues to the be the soup de jour of philanthropy. Proceeds will go to the United Way, National Wildlife Federation or The Nature Conservancy.
CNN’s telethon for Haiti relief in January raised a record-breaking $5 million.

Robert Redford, a maverick defender of environmental efforts, hit it on the head: “had somebody been connecting the dots and ignored the propaganda that was coming out of the company and the consequence of the collusion between government and the oil companies that has been going on for decades, we would have seen this thing coming. It would not be a question of whether this would happen, but when.”

Exactly.

TEXT COAST to 50555 to donate $10 to the recovery effort.

All my best,

Jay Kubassek

Mike Allen’s Politico Playbook is the must read morning newsletter for all those who love to be first. Allen, described as a rambunctious former Eagle Scout, distills the Nation’s business (and sometimes dirty laundry) in the form of what looks like a rather kitschy high school newsletter. A bin candy assortment of predawn news, talking-point previews, insider scoops, and often pretty funny inside jokes.

Back in April, when the New York Times featured a 11 page article on the man “the White House wakes up to” — Playbook received over 6,000 new subscribers before noon that day (New Yorkers hate to be “out of the loop” I guess). Today, piggybacking The Playbook’s success, POLITICO debuted MORNING TECH — a Playbook for technology, covering lobbying, Silicon Valley, Telecom and Social Media.

I checked it this morning and you know what, it’s pretty good. Great coverage of the ins and outs of what is the new economic frontier. An important and useful resource for any web related entrepreneur. After all, you can’t dominate an industry if you’re not willing to know where it’s going, and why.

I hope everyone has a great start to the week.

“It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” — Harry S. Truman

All my best,

Jay Kubassek