Why successful executives fail as independent consultants
Does a good plumber automatically make a good gastroenterologist? Huh. Thought so. Neither does a good gastroenterologist make a good plumber. So why do successful corporate executives think that they will thrive as independent consultants? This week alone I’ve talked to, or exchanged emails with, about half-a-dozen such folks. Good people. Smart people. Talented people…
A cheetah doesn’t store fat. Happy entrepreneurs do. With this…
I’m glad I’m not a cheetah. A cheetah’s life is almost a cosmic joke. The cheetah runs faster than any animal on earth. This speed enables it to hunt and kill and have something to eat. It’s body stores no fat. This keeps it thin and muscular so it can run at top speeds Sounds…
Warning: For mature entrepreneurs only.
A teenager just walked into the coffee shop here where I’m writing this. His pants were half-way down his behind. We could all see his bright blue undies. His dress reveals his level of maturity. It reveals that he’s at a place in his life where he’s aware of some things, and utterly clueless about…
Warning: The next step – on the way to what you want – will be scary.
One in a hundred looks ahead, pictures what he wants and works towards it. The other ninety-nine look at where they are today, at today’s limitations, and say “Oh well, I’ve got these limitations. What’s the most I can hope to achieve with these limitations?” The Ninety-Nine are settling for what they believe they can…
“I keep lashing at my horses with my whip clenched in a spasm.”
If you’re over thirty, you’re accompanied daily with that feeling – life moves fast. And it gets faster with every birthday. To deal with it, most people put their heads down and work harder. And longer. But it doesn’t seem to help. Vladimir Vysotsky, an iconic Soviet-era Russian singer, poet and actor sang it like…
The high price you pay for naivety – in business and in life.
Clear thinking is your most valuable work. Period. This means lots of things. But at it’s most basic, it means you must see things as they are, not as you wish them to be. Self-delusion makes life and business painful and frustrating. And when deluded people are in power, they create pain and frustration for…
Rockets exploding nearby. When do you say “Enough!” in your life?
You let anything slide for too long, and sooner or later, you’ll be picking up the pieces. You push anything too far, and sooner or later you’ll pay the price. I’m sitting in my local coffee shop and writing. Neighbors who see me here so often joke and ask me if this is my office.…
How to answer “But have you worked with a company like ours?”
Strike at the root – while everyone around you hacks at the leaves. It’s simple when you learn to see what others don’t see. Take, for example, the question of “Tell me about your track record.” Or “Tell me about your experience.” Or “Have you worked with companies in our industry?” Warning: Answer these questions…
How Greg went from zero response – to 15% with a few small tweaks.
Greg is working with me to build a consistent flow of great clients in his niche. A few weeks ago he sent an email out to 46 companies he’d like to be doing business with. A week went by. Not even ONE reply. Nothing. Complete silence. He was IGNORED. “Send me the email you sent…
How Nick Jervis sent four emails and got four new clients
Nick Jervis is a UK based marketing consultant and someone I’m proud to count amongst my clients. Nick’s goal when he came to me was to attract a steady, consistent, predictable flow of his ideal clients. Right click here to download the .mp3 . He wanted to set up a marketing system that would bring…