giving back to the world

Almost 2 Decades

I started blogging
for Jscott on RoadToForbes
in June 2005.

That’s dang close
to 20 years
of daily blogging
on that site
which eventually became
this site.

Those daily posts
helped me remain current.

They allowed me
to think through my thoughts
and better understand
the mechanics of business building.

And they gave me
a way
to pass along to others
a good chunk of the knowledge,
often not at all
politically correct,
I had gained
from a lifetime
in business.

I have NO regrets.
It has been an honor
and a privilege
and I would have done it all again
in a heartbeat.

Thank you.

Entrepreneurs Never Truly Retire

I told a buddy
I was winding down
the romance novel business.

She asked me,
“What business
are you starting next?”

I grinned.
Because the odds are good
I WILL be starting
another venture,
whether it is for profit
or as a total give back
to the world.

Because that is what
entrepreneurs
and other business builders
do
– we build businesses.

And that doesn’t stop
at a certain age.

Not Everything Has To Earn Money

If you’re new to Client k
and you’re trying to figure out
how I derive an income
from this blog,
there’s an easy answer.

I don’t.

There is no advertising
on this site,
no affiliate links
or anything like that.

I don’t get paid
to pump products.

I’m not hired
as an ‘expert’
due to posting here
because I post anonymously.

(I also don’t need
Client k
to position myself as an expert.
My years of experience
and extensive research
accomplishes that.)

I post here
to give back,
to share my insights
and my research
(it has to go
SOMEWHERE),
and often
to vent.

Not everything
has to be monetarized.
Money isn’t the only
return on investments.

Not Everyone Needs The Same Return

I’ve blogged daily here
on client k
for almost 18 years.

Before that,
I blogged daily
on Road To Forbes.

I make no money
from this blog.
It costs time and money
to host.

But I DO receive a return
on that investment.

Daily posts push me
to remain current,
to constantly research developments,
and
I derive joy
knowing someone might read my posts
and learn something
that will help them.

And that is enough for me.
It might not be a big enough return
for you.
But I’m okay with that return.

Why am I telling you this?

Because not everyone
needs a financial return
immediately or…ever.

Not everyone is seeking
what you are seeking
from a time and money investment.

Of course,
you’ll have more partners
interested in your start up
if you already have a gazillion dollars
in sales
or you have big money backing
your business.

But if you’re broke a$$
with no sales,
you still might interest
perspective partners.
It might take you more time
to find these partners
but they are out there.

Not everyone needs
a financial return.

When You’ve Suffered A Loss

Recently, I suffered
a financial loss.

I can recover from it.

But my immediate reaction
was to hoard,
to not spend my money
or my time or my skills
on anything or anyone.

That’s human nature.
We’re trying to stop
the losses.

But it is the exact opposite
of what we should do.
Because it makes us
feel stingy
and poor
and that isn’t conducive
to becoming successful.

Instead, I allocated an afternoon
and I picked up garbage
in my neighborhood.
As I filled bags,
I felt generous,
giving,
wealthy.

And then I went back
to working on my business.

If you suffer a loss,
yes, grieve that loss
but also give a little to the world,
whether that’s a dollar
to provide one meal via the food bank
or your skills at graphic design.

You’re rich.
Remind yourself of that.