Jean Fahmy

My website, and this blog, has been down for 2 days because of some server change at the hosting company. I used to run an ISP so I know the hassles involved in server moves, but I also know that service is the key to rising above the current hosting-as-a-commodity value.

Weebly.com is a FREE Ajax-based site that helps me waste little time setting up this site and modifying it. I recommend it for it's ease of use, it's design, and, oh yeah, it's free.

I am willing to accept a lot of restrictions because it is a free proposition. However, it still irks me that I receive the email below 24 hours before the server is moved. And on top of that support never responded to my email asking if this was a fishing scheme (scam) or if they really are moving servers.

OK self, stop complaining... you get what you pay for.

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Hi,

We are showing that www.jeanfahmy.com's A record is currently pointing to our old IP address: 72.52.67.60

It is necessary for you to update this record to our new IP address (65.49.35.140) as soon as possible in order to maintain uninterrupted service. We apologize for this inconvenience, but our hosting provider is switching locations and our old IP address will no longer be available.

In order to update your domain's A record, follow these steps:

1. Login to your domain name management interface (ex. http://www.godaddy.com)

2. Locate where to update the A record of this domain
   Note: This option is usually located under an "Advanced DNS" page. GoDaddy users should click on the "Total DNS Control and MX Records" link.

3. Point the root of your domain (usually identified by a * or @) to Weebly's new IP address: 65.49.35.140
   Note: Since your domain's A record is already set to our old IP address, you should only have to update fields that have 72.52.67.60 to our new IP address, 65.49.35.140

If you are in need of additional assistance, please send an email to support@weebly.com and we will respond promptly.

Sincerely,
The Weebly Team
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Quite a change for me. After 11 years of starting, building and selling businesses in technology, I decided to join an existing corporation. I am now an 'intrapreneur'.

Wikipedia says : An Intrapreneur is the person who focuses on innovation and creativity and who transforms a dream or an idea into a profitable venture, by operating within the organizational environment. Thus, Intrapreneurs are Inside entrepreneurs who follow the goal of the organization.

So what would push a hardened entrepreneur to switch gears ? From my own experience, I can talk about a combination of variables.

Time with family
As en entrepreneur, the family is usually the stakeholder that is the least satisfied in the entrepreneur's ecosystem. In order to keep my clients, my suppliers, my employees and my investors satisfied, it often demanded super-human patience and understanding from the ones I love. Funny how the first people in your heart are sometimes the last in your calendar.

My wife works with Child Protective Services and the job isn't an easy one. I often say that I get to meet and work with the cream of society, while her clientèle are child abusers and neglecters... the bottom of the barrel in my mind. And soon our third boy is going to see the light of day and it was a bit of a wake-up call for me. Are we both going to keep living fast lives where I am preoccupied by demanding clients and she is preoccupied with emergency abuse situations ? I certainly don't want to reflect back on my life and say I should have spent more time with them.

Focus
An entrepreneur has to learn to juggle multiple hats and perform tasks that are often outside their unique ability. Focusing on this unique ability is a luxury that most can't afford, especially in the beginning phases of startup life. In my current role, I can focus on one expertise : digital strategies. I help internal and external clients optimize their content and digital reach.

Learning
One of the reasons I joined a corporation was that I was seeking new experiences and new learning opportunities. I've done the entrepreneur thing for 11 years, and while I still have lots to learn, I felt I have sufficiently experienced it... for now. This certainly does not preclude the fact that I will return to my own business in the future.

Colleagues
I was a consultant for the company a couple of months before joining them, so I got to appreciate the team there. They are believers in the mission, they are experts in their field and they are genuinely nice people.

Challenge and openness for change
Finally, the organization has demonstrated a huge appetite for change in the media industry. They are Canada's biggest paper publisher and their understanding of future growth potentials in the digital world is refreshing and motivating.

The people and the challenges were the most important factor in my decision process.

Now, I'm addicted to startups, so to help my weaning process, I still
- mentor and coach Montreal tech start-ups
- teach engineers at the Bachelor's and Master's level how to start and sustain their businesses
- participate actively in the Montreal tech startup community

Oh, and I will still keep blogging on entrepreneurship and strategies in this space...