Upmarket Magazine

Nobody’s Inviting You (Everyone Welcomes You)
But What If I Lose Everything?
How Do You Treat Your Early Adopters?

Nobody’s Inviting You (Everyone Welcomes You)

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 08:00 AM PDT

Let me tell you something you already know. Nobody's going to find your little blog, discover you and usher you past some velvet rope to the cool kids table where money and book deals flow like wine. So many people create oodles of content online and wait for the right lucky break.

Then they realize it's not happening. The realization doesn't happen all at once or overnight, but they lose faith as they tilt at windmills. Nobody has read, nobody has gotten them and nobody's anointed them what's next.

I know. I fought this battle online for four years. I was hustling, making content that was pretty good, but I never got critical mass, I never got that community, and I never got 'over the blogging hump.

The day I gave up trying was the day that my ascent started.

For so many content creators there is a race on – get big enough before my money runs out and get "over the hump." Hours spent blogging are pay someday, right? I've seen it happen – the stink of despair creeps in and suddenly they want to come in from the cold and get a 'real job,' and they mutter self justifying garbage.

That path is hard. That path is brutal, and that path has a low possibility of success. Nobody is going to 'discover you' and lend you their traction. See how absurd it sounds when you say it out loud?

Instead, why not listen, solve problems and charge for them? You can easily do this when you initiate contact with people that show that they want to buy something.

Figure out something you can do, say "wordpress." Do a search on twitter for "know anyone wordpress." (You can also use phrases like "recommend realtor,” “help After Effects,” “family law attorney,” or whatever you do.)

Follow a column like that in something like Tweet Deck or have a tab in your browser. Help people. Help big people, help small people. Do it for free, do it for pay. Set a goal of having 100 people helped in a quarter. 50 conversations on the phone.

Do this every month, and you've got clients. Some people will say "maybe not" some people will say "that's great." But almost nobody will say "screw you, creep-o."

When you do this you're taking the first step in helping people. The power of social networks isn't the people you help. That's powerful and good, but it's not the end of the story. It's the people that they know. This is the first safe step into building something great.

You won't be discovered. But you don't need to be. Be ready to help all the time, do great work treat people with kindness and amazing things will happen.

Image credit: Anonymous

But What If I Lose Everything?

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:00 AM PDT

This question haunts the minds of many who contemplate starting a business but who hesitate to pull the trigger. This is a legitimate concern and should not be taken lightly, as there is no shortage of data on the alarming failure rate of new business ventures. Why would someone risk losing everything– property, wealth and even sometimes health, just to do something where the odds (according to statistics) are stacked against them? Perhaps the example of a close friend of mine will help clarify things a bit. After all, are not real life examples better than theory and the rah rah of “You can do it!” motivational speak?

Meet Kevin the Engineer

Kevin is a highly sought after engineer who makes over $140,000 a year. Unlike the typical engineer, Kevin does not struggle to carry on conversations with “regular people.” He does not possess the oratory skills of a Steve Jobs or an MLK, but for an engineer he is pretty good conversationalist and knows how to connect with others. Because of his emotional intelligence, he outpaces other engineers in his field. He leads teams of engineers and provides training for junior and senior engineers alike. Less tech savvy executives seek out his advice and generally like to be in his company.

Over the last 3 years, Kevin has been itching to start a consulting business and has taken every opportunity to pick my brain apart in preparation. In fact, my conversations with him provided some of the inspiration for my book. He has had a number of starts and stops where he was just about ready to make the leap but found convenient excuses to hold back. Now it is real. He incorporated his new company, established relationships with large contractors; and he is submitting proposals on contract bids. By his calculation, he will start his first large project by early 2013. His plans are well thought out and methodical–far more than my own when I started out several years ago.

The Final Straw

Not a week goes by without a recruiter contacting him in an attempt to lure him away from his current multi-national employer. One of them got his attention, which led to weeks of discussions with another large employer. There was potential for more money, a more significant leadership role and a location closer to home. After 25 years in his business, Kevin knows his worth and told the prospective employer 180k to 200k is his price. The offer was much lower than he requested. Kevin realized he had hit a ceiling in his career. Even worse, his employer announced changes to the company structure not in harmony with his desired career path. Kevin decided it was time to do something different.

The Risks

Kevin has a wife who is a stay at home mom, two young children and a brand new mortgage. Before buying the new house, he had a significant amount of savings and investments but the purchase ate up a big chunk of the funds. For most, this would not be the best time to venture out into the world of small business ownership.

Then I asked Kevin a question that crystallized everything. “Assuming the worst and you fail miserably, how difficult would it be for you to find another job earning as much or more than you earn now?”

Without hesitation Kevin replied, “Not at all.” He went on to explain why it would be so easy to find another job. His arguments were convincing, not just to me but also to himself. He realized that starting his business was no brainer; that there was more risk in not taking action. Mark Twain said the following:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do.”

Thus, the final hurdle was eliminated as an air of relief and excitement washed over Kevin. For the first time, he realized he had more choices at his disposal and in reality, very little to lose. For whatever he loses, he can rebuild in short order.

My One Remaining Concern

Kevin has a glaring soft spot. He is still an engineer and loves his craft. Why is this a problem? Because what made him a successful engineer will not necessarily make him successful at running a small business. Kevin runs the risk of doing nothing more than creating a difficult job for himself. I address this issue in more detail here.

For months I have been drilling him on the importance of selling and marketing his services as well as who to market to. Hint: not other engineers but key decision makers with the authority to approve purchase orders. This is the most difficult part for engineer types.

I advised him to consider taking on a partner with a knack for business development–someone who can shore up this soft spot. A good criterion for finding the right business partner is here.

So, What Are Kevin’s Chances?

I am optimistic about Kevin’s chances of succeeding. His preparation and planning goes far beyond the typical new entrepreneur. His chosen experts will handle legal and accounting issues, allowing him to focus on what he does best. Every conceivable piece of paperwork you can think of has been examined and scrutinized. He is currently working on getting all of the necessary insurances in place. His emergency nest egg, though not as large as before, is far more than what most new business owners start with. Perhaps more important is his willingness to embrace the role of entrepreneur, spending the majority of his time promoting his services as he transitions out of his current job. The same companies that tried recruiting him in the past are eager to hire him as a sub-contractor. One of them already has a large project waiting for him.

Failure is seldom the worse case scenario represented by this article’s title. Maybe you will return to being an employee, but it is unlikely you will lose everything. More likely is the specter of reaching old age full of regrets for the things you did not do.

So, what is your advice for Kevin? I am going to direct him to this post so he can benefit from the wisdom of this community. Go to the comments section and chime in. Let’s help create one more successful entrepreneur.

Image credit: stock.xchng

How Do You Treat Your Early Adopters?

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 10:00 AM PDT

I love technology. If I could, I'd buy every gadget, computer, and product out there because, well, they are cool. I'd carry around an iPhone, a Windows phone, and an Android. Sure I might look weird. But I'd have the best the technology world offers. (And the electrical bill to go with it…)

Of course I don't do this. I'm not rich. Which means that every purchase I make has to be the right one. I can't afford to throw money at a gadget only to ditch it a few months later.

But that doesn't mean I don't get excited about new gadgets. I love the rush that comes with owning "something new."

The Nexus One

A few years ago my wife and I were finally in a place where we had some extra money. I had been wanting to upgrade from my Blackberry, and was inspired by my wife's iPhone. At the same time, I had always longed to be part of the wave of early adopters, but I could never justify the cost.

However, as I thought about it, I realized if I acted fast enough, I could be an early adopter with Google's Nexus One phone. I debated back and forth. Deep down I knew it was a mistake to pay $600 for a new phone. No phone could really justify that kind of price tag. So I did the only thing I could. I ordered a Nexus One.

I was excited and nothing would hold me back! Not even good decision making!

I can still remember opening the package. I was impressed at the attention to detail in how it was packaged. I was awed by how easy it was to use. I knew then and there, that despite my reservations I had made the right choice.

8 months later I was buying another phone.

What happened? Well the short version of the story is that the Nexus One was a fundamentally flawed phone. It's touch screen was not sensitive enough, which is why it included a track ball. And it's adoption rate by both customers and developers was less than the iPhone. There were other reasons the Nexus One didn’t survive, but those were the important ones.

How You Treat Early Adopters Matters

I was reminded of my Nexus One experience while reading an article about Google TV. Google has been working on developing a TV that you could use to easily navigate the internet. It's a brilliant idea. Much like the Nexus One. But once again, Google left it's early adopters out in the cold, and have all but forgotten their Google TV initiative. The same is true with Google+. Is anyone even on that thing anymore? Google has a history of introducing interesting products, and then abandoning the early adopters.

Of course they aren't alone. Lots of businesses do this. And every time they do, they run the risk of ruining their brand and business.

How many customers have been lost simply because we treat them as expendable test subjects? How you treat early adopters matters. You can choose to release beta-level products like Google and abandon them. Or you can make them feel special like Apple. Your answer goes a long way to determining how customers (and probably employees) feel about you.

Image credit: public domain

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vineri, 24 august 2012