We’re intelligent beings.
We could likely
figure out
how to do just about
any task
that needs to be done.
And that might
save us a couple dollars.
But that is
A LOT of figuring out
to do.
It is much easier,
more efficient,
smarter
to give the task
to someone
who already knows
how to do it.
Because time
is our most scarce resource.
We can borrow money
to outsource a task.
We can’t borrow time.
Outsource tasks
when at all possible.
Free your time
for tasks
only YOU can do.
During a recent cruise,
a loved one and I
were seated
within hearing distance
of a table
of absolutely awful people.
They hated everything
and everyone,
complained about
the service, food, dining room temperature
and everything else.
I knew
that first night,
they wouldn’t pay the expected tips
because they would NEVER
be happy
with the experience.
But the waitstaff, officers, chefs
tried to do the impossible.
They doted on them.
They cooked them
special meals.
This table of terribles
sucked up the service
the rest of us
would have been happy to experience.
And then,
on the last night,
they didn’t appear.
I overheard
one of the waitstaff say
this terrible table
reduced their tips
to nothing.
There are some people
you will NEVER please.
Stop trying to please them.
That effort is sucking up
the energy
you could use
to make happy customers happier.
Focus on the people
you CAN please.
A buddy
called me a doomer
a couple of days ago.
He said
he didn’t want to hear
any more negativity.
That’s fine.
I prefer not to talk
about possible challenges.
I would rather
talk about TV shows
and other trivial topics.
I shared those insights
because I’d feel guilty
if his already struggling business
failed
or he and his family suffered hardships
because I HADN’T warned him.
No one wants to tell you
bad news.
It is a total bummer
for the messenger.
We tell you bad news
because we care about you,
because we feel
you should know about it.
You don’t have to act on
these warnings.
But, at the very least,
listen to them.
It is a communication
of caring.
A loved one
was laid off
from his job.
He was laid off unjustly
but he had accepted
the situation.
He would have been
content
with a tiny severance
and the commissions
he had rightfully earned.
The company
denied him both,
refusing to pay him
his commissions
and giving him
absolutely NO severance.
He had no option
but to hire an employment lawyer.
And now
that he’s taken that step,
he plans to sue the company
for as much as he can.
He will win
because he has documented
every awful thing
the company did
(and foolishly put into writing).
Once lawyers are involved,
resolutions become
VERY costly.
Try to resolve
the situation
before that step.
And treat people
decently.
Building a business
can be extremely challenging
at times.
Things go wrong.
We sacrifice other things
like watching TV
or spending time with loved ones
or…sleep.
Many of us,
every so often,
wonder
WHY we’re doing this.
One thing
that has really helped me
persevere
during times of doubt
is having my WHY
highly visible.
I write my WHY
on the top of my calendar.
Some buddies
send themselves
digital reminders
about their WHYs.
Some buddies print
their WHY on posters
and hang these posters
in their offices.
Display your WHY.
Remind yourself
why you’re working hard.
Stay motivated.
A friend of mine
works in the film industry.
He told me
that the actors who are most vocal
about dropping mask mandates
on set
are also the actors
whose abilities
to recite lines
have been damaged
by past bouts of COVID.
They can’t remember sh*t.
And they know
this is f*cking with
their ability to do their job.
So they want everyone else
to be in the same situation.
They want other actors
to have THEIR brains damaged
by COVID also.
They want to level
the playing field.
If everyone has
a sh*tty memory,
they won’t be unusual.
They might still
keep their high profile jobs.
It is a devious
and desperate strategy.
But it is ALSO effective.
People are selfish.
Remember that.
If you f*ck up a large business
badly enough,
the government will likely
‘make it right.’
You’ll get a bailout
or some other sort of government help.
The key words, however, are
LARGE business.
Don’t expect a bailout
for a small or mid-sized business.
Heck, even most of those
PPP loan forgivenesses
went to friends of politicians
and not to small or mid-sized businesses.
We’re on our own.
And we should factor that
into our plans.
You will hear
me mention
both the pandemic
and
climate change
often
here on client k.
There’s a reason for this
– climate change
and the pandemic
will drastically shift
how you and I do business
and how we build businesses.
Neither COVID
nor climate change
are over.
And they likely won’t be ‘over’
in our lifetimes.
Because,
buckle up, beyotches,
we’ve merely started
to see
the impacts
of both of these issues.
Will all the impacts
be negative?
No.
There will be opportunities
created for nimble business builders.
But there WILL be impacts
and I’d be doing a sh*tty job
if I didn’t mention
what those impacts
might be.
COVID and climate change
will alter business
going forward.
Stay informed.
We usually have no snow
in my area
in April.
Usually.
But these aren’t usual times.
Climate and other systems
are broken or breaking.
We had green grass in January,
which has never before now
happened.
We could receive snow
in June.
This unpredictability
will be seen
in almost all areas
of our lives
and businesses.
If we want to be successful,
especially long term,
we should prepare
for strange occurrences,
put systems in place
to deal with them,
and monitor our situations
closely.
I won’t tell you
not to work when you’re ill.
You SHOULDN’T work
when you’re ill.
You should rest and recover
and not f*ck with your health.
But the brutal truth
is
many of us
are stubborn a$$es
and we WILL work
when we’re ill.
Ensure that work
doesn’t involve
other people.
Draft messages
but don’t send them.
Look at contracts
but don’t sign them.
Try not to talk to people.
Because you might be
out of your mind
with fever
and
decisions made while ill
could bite you in the a$$.
Isolate yourself
physically
AND
communication-wise.
Sick days
are no contact days.