I have this problem, and I tried saving the phone number in my contacts and setting the ringtone to silent. Then they called from a slightly different number, so I added that to the contact record. When they called from a third number, I realized I needed a better solution. I used an app called Tasker that lets you automate things on your Android. It’s a little tricky to figure out, and there are a lot of steps involved. So here’s step by step instructions for blocking an entire exchange on an Android phone:

1. First, you’ll need to install the Tasker app. It’s not free, but it’s worth it. (You can do a lot of other things with it.)
2. Once that is installed, open the app and press the ‘+’ at the bottom to create what they call, in the Tasker lingo, a “profile”. Name it whatever you want and tap the check mark.
3. You’ll see a menu that says “First Context”. Tap “State”.
4. At the menu that says “Select State Category”, choose “Phone”.
5. The next screen says “Select Phone Action”. Choose “Incoming Call”.
6. Here’s where the magic happens. Where it says “Caller” put in the first six digits of the phone number (the area code and the exchange) followed by an asterisk. So if you’re getting calls from numbers like 410-555-1234 and 410-555-1235 put in “410555*”. Tap the green check mark.
7. The next screen will say “Task Selection”. Choose “New Task”, name it whatever you want, and tap the green check mark.
8. Then you’ll see a screen that says “Task Edit / [your task name]“. Press the ‘+’.
9. On the screen that says “Select Action Category”, choose “Phone”.
10. On the screen that says “Select Phone Action”, choose “End Call”. This will reject all calls from the exchange.
11. On the screen that says “End Call”, press the green check mark.
12. Finally, on the screen that says “Task Edit / [your task name]“, press the green check mark.

You’re done! The next time you get a call from this exchange, your phone will ring only very briefly before the call is rejected and you’ll get a “missed call” notification.

Enjoy pushy-undergrad-fundraiser-free bliss!

So if you haven’t updated the sharing tools on your blog for a few years, it may be time to ditch some of the old buttons in favor of some new ones. Take a look at your Google Analytics and consider which sites drive traffic and which do not. If a sharing site hasn’t driven any traffic in the last six months, ditch the button. You don’t need the clutter. Plus, if it’s a widget that loads within an iframe, it can really slow down the loading time of your page.

Next consider which new buttons you should add. Do your analytics show referrals from link sharing sites that you are missing? Add them. Then consider the newcomers like Google+ and Pinterest. It’s still too soon to tell whether Google+ will really take off, but considering how it can boost your results in Google search, you should add the +1 button for now. If you have a blog related to fashion, home decor, crafts, art, or food, the Pin It button is essential. I’ve found that at Feastie, Pinterest drives more traffic than any other social sharing tool besides Facebook. I attribute this to the close match between the Pinterest demographic and the Feastie audience as well as the relatively high signal to noise ratio compared to other sites like twitter. Finally, consider adding the Linked In share button. The links people share on Linked In are mostly work related. That’s why I included the Linked In share button here but not at Feastie.

What social sharing widgets have you included on your blog?

I’m happy to share some very exciting news about Feastie. We recently won 1st place in the High Tech Category of the Rockville Economic Development StartRight Business Plan Competition. The prize includes $5,000 in cash and one-year virtual membership to the Montgomery County Business Innovation Network. We’re grateful to REDI and our sponsor, Shulman Rogers, for honoring us with this award!

I first heard about the Founder Institute through TechCrunch about a year ago when I saw Adeo’s video of how to start a company for $2000. I admit, at first, I didn’t think this was for me. Who was this guy? And why did he have to use so many cuss words? Then, about four months ago, a recent grad told me he found the program incredibly useful, and was already pitching to investors. I was convinced. Problem was, it was two days before class was about to start! Luckily, my friend was willing to recommend me, and if I could just fill out all the application materials (and pay the fee) in time, I could join the class. I spent a few hours that evening frantically filling out paperwork and scanning it in. Then the panic set in as I read the agreements. “I have to actually form a corporation! I have to sign over 3.5% of it to the institute?!?”

The Founder Institute is not for the faint of heart. It’s not for people who are just casually thinking about a startup. It’s hard-core. Yes, you have to form a Delaware Corporation and sign over warrants for the Bonus Pool. In exchange, you get access to a top-notch education from genuinely successful entrepreneurs and investors that’s not available in any business school. You’ll learn more in those four months than you thought possible. If your idea doesn’t pass muster (or you can’t communicate it clearly enough) you’ll be asked to leave. If you aren’t coachable, you’ll have to leave. If you don’t form a corporation on time, you’ll have to leave as well. (Founders who are asked to leave can return in a later semester.) Of our initial class of about 30, only 11 companies made it to the end.

Now the real work begins! I’m launching something exciting very soon and look forward to sharing the story though this blog.