Variscite from the Lucin ghost town

When and Why you should Customize CRM

Built-in tools can make it easy to customize CRM, but it still takes effort to translate your business knowledge into fine-tuned Customer Relationship Management screens, workflows and analytics.  Take a bit of time to understand what you are trying to do before jumping into customization.  The effort you spend up front will pay off in […]

Is this the last word on Novell vs Microsoft?

A decision by the US Circuit Court of Appeals may be the end of the road for two decades of litigation between Novell and Microsoft.  After a 2012 jury deadlocked 11 to 1 in favor of Novell, there was speculation that Microsoft would settle, but a surprise decision by the judge in that trial led […]

Two choices for moving business to the cloud

Systems that are delivered on-demand over an internet connection are called ‘Software In the Cloud.’  These free business leaders from many technology hassles and offer flexible purchasing options.  Business software in the cloud can be delivered 3 different ways: Software As A Service Hosted Software Custom Development Platforms This post describes the top two Cloud […]

CIOConsultant.info adds Enterprise Best Practice Templates

A comprehensive set of enterprise-class IT Management tools are now available from CIOConsultant.info Our relationship with Janco Associates gives you a significant discount on: IT Infrastructure Policies to manage servers, networks and sensitive corporate assets Electronic Infrastructure Policies that inform users of their obligations and track their compliance Disaster Recovery Toolkits to set up, monitor and […]

Streamlined project management tools for SMB Information Technology

The high level tasks need to be listed in some kind of tool that tracks deadlines, assignments and other key information. People often think of Microsoft Project and enterprise-class software for this, and those are great tools.   However, MS Project and the competition take time to learn and might be too expensive for your […]

XRM: eXtend Customer Relationship Management

Use the non-technical customization tools in CRM to create entirely new applications for your organization in a fraction of the time that it would take with traditional programming.  And if you have software development capabilities, eXtended Relationship Management lets you fine-tune the business processes that drive customer, supplier and employee interactions. XRM takes advantage of […]

Gartner releases the Magic Quadrant for B2B Sales Force Automation

Business-To-Business (B2B) sales leaders will find some interesting reading in this Magic Quadrant from Gartner. The reviews and scoring focus on the productivity of sales teams, starting with the core capabilities of account, contact and opportunity management. Add-ons such as sales configuration, incentive compensation and territory management are also considered, as are mobile and deployment […]

Picking the Right Software

Searching for the best software for your business can be a daunting task. There are so many packages, with a dizzying number of features, that make it difficult to sort out the best. Here are some tips for finding and selecting the right software. Finding the products Personal References: It’s always a good idea to talk […]

Native American inspired Variscite pendant

The tomahawk and feather themes of Native American crafts are re-interpreted in this flowing Variscite pendant.  The bronze colored spiderweb matrix is very rare, I have only found a handful of this stuff and it’s quite fragile. The piece is quite large, suitable for one of the ample women in my life.

Variscite from the Lucin ghost town

Over a hundred years ago, the Transcontinental Railroad stopped at a tiny town on the West side of the Great Salt Lake.  The engine filled its boiler tank from the spring water here, and passengers got off to rest after the hot journey across the salt flats. The town is long gone, and most of […]

Mabe Pearl in Hammered Copper and Sterling

OK, not all of my stones come from Utah, this is a spectacular Mabe pearl from Tahiti.  The setting creates a contrast between the smooth flowing natural form and the rough hammered and stippled metal.

Tin Can Flat Agate in Geometric Setting

The strong Modernist lines in many of my pieces come from my childhood training in mid-century art and architecture. The material for this piece comes from Tin Can Flat, near the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers.  The “artifact” at this site is an enormous pile of rusted tin cans, left by the sheepherders […]