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

  • Rule #173: Know thy self.

  • Rule #174: Listen to the customer.

  • Rule #175: Be careful of “visions of sugar plums” because you may end up with a terrible toothache and need a dentist more than a Porsche dealer.

  • Rule #98: It’s ok to change the world and hope you might get rich, but if changing the world is only the byproduct, then you have the order all screwed up. Change the world for the right reasons … getting rich is not one of the top three.

• Eeny, meeny, miny, moe…: Sharon Gray answers the BABY’s question, “Does size matter?” and shares other important factors to consider when choosing a banker for a small business loan.

• What makes the engines “tick”? Jeff Coleman describes how search engines evaluate your website and explains why all links aren’t equal. reveals ideas that should have been buried…a wireless product for the “not really” dead, and a virtual online community selling nothing for $omething.

• Micro-lending for macro-dreams: Win Cox and Leigh Fenley created an organization that allows women entrepreneurs to take control of their lives.

• Friendless: Neil reveals why Friendster’s lack of customer focus has ultimately caused it to flop.

• Money vs. Impact: The BABY addresses the growing gap between those who make big money and those who make a big impact.

• Fountain of youth? Entrepreneurship is driven by passion and commitment. Oreda Chin tells why age hasn’t been a factor in being successful.

Oreda Chin is president of the National Association of Women Business Owners, San Diego. After a successful career in corporate America in the telecommunications industry, Oreda started a series of small businesses. She was recently honored by the Women’s Business Center of California and National University which awarded her a business and management scholarship.

Win Cox and Leigh Fenley are the founders of Women’s Empowerment International, a San Diego-based non-profit micro-lender. The organization focuses its San Diego efforts on women entrepreneurs in City Heights. In her professional career, Win currently has her own communications firm and previously she was associate vice chancellor for university communications at UC San Diego. Leigh is a long-time journalist who created Qwest, the San Diego Union-Tribune’s award winning science section. Both were honored at the San Diego Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business Awards in October.

Jeff Coleman is director of search for Geary Interactive, one of San Diego’s largest online advertising agencies. He manages both paid and unpaid search. Geary’s clients include Trump International, 20th Century Fox, Netflix and Green Peace.

Sharon Gray is vice president and small business manager for Union Bank in the greater San Diego area. Sharon has worked for Union Bank for over 27 years. She is a past president of the National Association of Women Business Owners, San Diego and currently serves on the boards of the San Diego based Women’s Business Center of California, and Council Connections. She is also a volunteer with the Home of Guiding Hands and Meals on Wheels. Union Bank of California is the fourth largest full service commercial bank in California and is among the 35 largest banks in the United States. It provides a broad mix of financial services and products to customers.