Prof Bruce's definitions

Money wrangler

A money wrangler is a company, usually large, that has found myriad ways to fleece its clients.

My cell phone company provided me with an ‘all you can eat’ one price, all inclusive deal that turned out to have numerous exclusions. They sure know how to wrangle money out of their clients with service level agreements that no one but a lawyer understands. That firm is a money wrangler, for sure.

by Prof Bruce March 15, 2010

Intricated

To intricate someone; to bring people on board or to get them onside with an idea or a proposal or an initiative of some type by getting them intricated into the process bit by bit, almost without their noticing that they are making a commitment.

When a group was trying to Bring Back the Ottawa Senators in 1990, a team that had not played in the National Hockey League for nearly 60 years, one of their key advisers, former US Attorney General, Elliot Richardson (now deceased) said: "First we'll get the League’s Board of Governors intricated then we'll get the (expansion) franchise!"

by Prof Bruce March 5, 2009

Intricate

To bring people on board or to get them onside with an idea or a proposal or an initiative of some type by getting them 'intricated' into the process bit by bit, almost without their noticing that they are making a commitment.

When a group was trying to Bring Back the Ottawa Senators in 1990, a team that had not played in the National Hockey League for nearly 60 years, one of their key advisers, former US Attorney General, Elliot Richardson (now deceased) said: "First we'll intricate the League then we'll get the (expansion) franchise!"

by Prof Bruce March 5, 2009

Startup Whisperer

A Startup Whisperer is a person who has a natural feel for what it takes to build a successful new enterprise.

“Thinking of starting a new business and not too sure what you need to do? Then call in the Startup Whisperer.”

by Prof Bruce September 13, 2010

mystevious

A combination of mystery and devious. Used to describe a person whose actions and plans are both mysterious and devious, especially as it relates to business matters.

"Rick's corporate organization is so complex that the only word I can use to describe both it and him is mystevious.

Here's the way it appears to work: he owns all of Acme 1 Inc. in which he has invested $25,000. Acme 1 owns 51% of Acme 2 which has outside investors that invest $25,000 less a dollar in Acme 2. Acme 2 then invests all of the proceeds in Acme 3 in return for 51% of Acme 3. Again Acme 3 has outside investors that put in cash equal to the amount Acme 2 has invested less a dollar.

By the time Rick has incorporated Acme 12, he controls (absolutely) a company that has $51,197,953.00 of cash on hand with an initial investment of just $25k. And it's all perfectly legal to boot."

by Prof Bruce April 13, 2010

Spartacat

A combination of Spartacus, Sparta and cat implying a brave soul; one who stands up to bullies in every facet of life-- in sports, business and in his or her personal life.

Holy smokes, Batman, that's a guy we should have on our side-- he's a Spartacat.

by Prof Bruce March 5, 2009

playlet

A Playlet is a mini-play, usually less than three or four minutes in duration, that helps students learn about a subject by watching characters perform real life simulations. Scripts are usually less than 500 words and the playlets can be performed by three or, at most four, actors.

“You know last month I was trying to teach my entrepreneurship students about Bootstrap Capital (Self-capitalization) and I wasn’t sure that I was really getting through to them all. So I got a few students together and we wrote, acted and filmed five playlets on the subject. We put each playlet up on YouTube and, lo and behold, when we showed them in class this week, there were quite a few ‘ah ha’ moments amongst the students. It seems that video and play acting real life situations got the message through in a way that really clicked.”

by Prof Bruce March 29, 2010