When all eyes are on you.
The amazing (or scary) part of being a Founder is that you are representing your company 24×7– even if not during “working hours” or in the office. Yell epithets at the Chick-fil-A drive-through employee, surf porn late at night, or get arrested for drunk fighting– you are representing your company. That’s proof enough of the […]
A client got pissed at me for not working on a Sunday.
We did deliver on Monday, but they still berated me about the importance of deadlines, as if I didn’t know. I stood up for our team, copying them and the client team members, letting them know that it was NOT okay to expect work on Sunday. We want our people to rest on the weekend, […]
EMERGENCY!!
Doctor, I won’t tell you what’s wrong or let you examine me. I just want to know your hourly rate, so I can shop for whoever is cheapest. I don’t believe in following your tried-and-true process of collecting vitals, performing a diagnosis, and then coming up with a treatment plan. My ailment is completely unique, […]
Lisbon, London, Dubai, Iceland, or wherever.
So many people glamorize and seek the “laptop lifestyle”. But what they don’t tell you is that the secret to pulling it off is solid operations- meaning that you have a team of people who are following a clear process to get the work done as a TEAM. Failures WILL happen. What’s your process for […]
Focus on your IMPACT, not how many hours you worked.
Direction is more important than speed. Strategy is more important than tactics. Effectiveness beats efficiency. If you’re tired or overwhelmed, this is what you need to hear. Do not attempt important work when you are tired. If off by even a few degrees, the result can be devastating- like a plane with faulty GPS. Don’t […]
Being rich or being smart is not in the top 5 most important traits to run a successful business.
Here are my top 5, in order:1) Being willing to do anything for your people.2) Have gratitude to those who help you.3) Knowing how to build and organize teams.4) Having expert communication skills.5) Building depth in just one area of expertise, so you can have access to others via the other 4 tips. When you […]
Please, stop paying other people to write your content.
Do you think Axl Rose can hire a replacement to sing for him on stage, yet fool the audience? I get hit up thousands of times by consultants who peddle their content creation services. Yes, I’m busy– and I’d outsource this in a heartbeat if it could actually work. If you believe in Daniel Wallock‘s LIGHTHOUSE […]
Know how to instantly tell an expert from an amateur?
The expert spends 90% of their time practicing the fundamentals and only 10% of their time doing “pro” stuff. The amateur spends 90% of their time trying to do the “pro” stuff while ignoring the fundamentals. ++ The amateur marketer chases tricks and hacks.++ The amateur golfer wants to hit from the black tees.++ The […]
We live in a world of opposites. Manage your time and connections wisely.
Those who talk the most about how to get wealthy, typically are broke. The clients that pay you the least are the ones who demand the most. The people who complain about being busy are the least productive people you know. The most successful people I know rarely talk about being successful. The clients that […]
As painful as it sounds, you have to allow people to fail.
But have safety nets in place so that the price of failure is a bruised ego instead of catastrophic loss to your client or your company. Coach them along the way and provide positive feedback, so iteration allows for minor course corrections. Are you going off the rails? And if not, why aren’t you giving […]