I have to admit my favorite blog to read lately has been trumped by TechCrunch and is now Rick Segal. Onlookers would say that that’s because I have a personal investment on keeping tabs on Rick because I want to go after money for Karmba eventually… In fact, it’s much more simple. I find that Rick’s posts convey a lot of wisdom (not to mention common sense) that could be applied not only to the pursuit of venture capital, but everyday business and personal life as well.

Take, for instance, Rick’s post about The No Email Thread. One line in particular stood out.

your time is just as valuable (or more) than mine

Doesn’t sound like a there is lot of ego there. Despite Rick’s history - not to mention the fact that he and his team of mad scientists control the flow of millions of dollars - he still recognizes that time is valuable and tries to conduct his business affairs in such a manner.

I think that most people in this industry could learn a thing or two by checking their ego when they open an email or go to a meeting. Programmers especially are guilty of this. We build applications, engineer specifications and somehow it gets in our brain that we’re god’s gift to [insert your demographic here].

Your time is valuable, but so is the time of the people you’re working with. If you’re not interested in an RFP, a potential client, or a partnership, take a lesson from Rick and tie it off in a respectable manner so they can move on.

Kudos Rick. Keep it up.