• Rules from the BABY’s Book on Becoming a Billionaire
  
  

  • Rule #172: Nothing, absolutely nothing good, can come from excess.

  • Rule #106: There is no excuse for blatant outrageous self-dealing. If your business behavior smells like shit, it is shit.

  • Rule #105: : Once a jerk does not always mean a jerk.

• Cheaper than tires: Benjamin Kuo solved his long distance commute by starting an online technology newsletter with sweat equity, $9 per month and a distribution list of 17 friends.

• Turning spending into giving: A real estate agent and a wedding planner team up to inspire young professionals about philanthropy through their unique cause marketing strategy.

• Virtual living in a material world: Has greed totally warped our society? Million-dollar birthday parties, CEO perks, and “wannabe” schemes crank up the BABY.

• In Deed, trust God: Creativity and a sense of humor short-cut a difficult bureaucracy.

• iPickle over iPhone: Brand clearing and protection are essential to businesses large and small. In our Ask the Expert segment, attorney Randy Broberg explains the battle between Apple and Cisco over the iPhone.

• Your cubicle or mine? When it comes to love in the workplace, “Be smart, discreet and professional,” advises psychologist Joel I. Kimmel, Ph.D.

Ellen Smoak and Jessica Johnson are co-founders of Consciously Social, a San Diego cause marketing agency that is setting new trends in philanthropic campaigns and creative productions. The agency uses strategic partnerships with corporations, non-profit organizations, media outlets, small businesses and individuals to produce innovative concepts and an imaginative approach to non-traditional marketing strategies.

Benjamin F. Kuo is the founder of SOCALTECH LLC, the publisher of socalTECH.com, a widely read newsletter and web site focused on Southern California's high tech industry. socalTECH.com tracks venture capital funding, high tech news, events, and runs frequent interviews with local entrepreneurs. The site also features a subscription venture database with lists of local high tech companies, venture capital firms, executive bios, and more. Kuo has served on the selection committee of the Los Angeles Venture Association's Annual Venture Capital awards, served as a judge on the Software Council of Southern California's Software Industry Awards, and is active in promoting Southern California's technology industry.

Kuo has a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California, and has worked in a variety of management and development positions at high tech firms in both Southern and Northern California.

Joel I. Kimmel, Ph.D., is a Florida psychologist who often consults to business on issues such as conflict resolution, family business conflicts, team building and employee selection. For many years, Dr. Kimmel conducted extensive executive level evaluations for Alamo Rent-A-Car. He has developed Violence in the Workplace prevention programs and has provided many Critical Incident Stress Debriefings. Dr. Kimmel developed and currently, manages the Threat of Violence telephone hotline for employees of the North Broward Hospital District. He has worked with several companies performing a Needs Analysis and then developing targeted strategies for change management. He also serves as a personal consultant to CEOs and CFOs on personal and business issues.

Randy Broberg, recently named one of the best transactional intellectual property attorneys by the San Diego Daily Transcript, is a partner at the law firm of Allen Matkins. His diverse clients have included representing General Atomics in a manufacturing agreement against a Korean company, representing tennis player Serena Williams to acquire the domain name, www.serenawilliams.com, and trademark representation of Directed Electronics which makes the Viper car alarms.