It’s Not That Difficult To Replace Your Income From Your Job

Even If Your Job Is Great - It Could Be Holding You Back

If You Get A Job, You’ll Pay Tax On Self Improvement

If you get a job, you’ll pay tax on self improvement. For example, if you want to do courses, or buy books that will educate you in your field, you’ll be paying for them out of your net pay if you get a job. But, if you’re self employed, you’ll be able to put those purchases against tax. *Obviously, this depends on where you live. Do check tax regulations for your country, before doing this.

If You Get A Job, You’re Not Really In Control Of Your Own Life

If you get a job, you have to stick to someone else’s rules and regulations. So you’re not really in control of your own life. Unless you have an amazingly generous boss, you won’t be able to take a month off from your job to tour Europe. And it won’t be so easy to get time off to go to the dentist, or see the school play. But if you are self-employed it’s fairly easy to organize your time, so you can do those things.

Admittedly, it may be more difficult when you first become self-employed. But if doing these things is important to you, you’ll be able to organise your life to fit them in. You’re less likely to be able to do that if you get a job.

Some folks say they’ll stay in a job “just for now” until the right time to go it alone comes along. Trouble is, there never is a right time and your “just for now” job could be forever. You might want to wait until you’ve bought a house, then you start a family, then you need to renovate - the time just never is right. And before you know it, your kids are leaving home and you’ve been saying “just for now” for three decades.

Trading time for money can limit your earning capacity. And unless your job pays a huge amount of money - there will be limits to what you can get. But if you have a business, there’s no need to trade time for money anymore. In the beginning, if you’re working alone, that may be the case. But you can put systems in place and outsource, employ people, or automate, to ensure that your earnings aren’t limited to your time.

If you get a job, you can’t sack difficult customers. Or at least, if you do, you might find yourself out of work pretty soon. If you have your own business, you can choose who you deal with and you should. By firing nuisance customers who waste too much of your time, you’ll have more time to spend on the good customers, who give you no hassle and spend plenty of money with your business.

So Is It Crazy For Anyone To Get A Job?

No - just because I think it would be madness for me to get a job and it may be a bad idea for you too, that doesn’t mean I think everyone is suited to working for themselves. In fact, some people should probably get a job and not think about working for themselves at all. If you’re happy working nine to five, drawing a wage, sitting in front of the tv, or going out with your friends every night, then you’re probably better off getting a job.

And if you’re not really sure whether you’d be able to motivate yourself to start and run your own business, you may be better off getting a job and working on your business part-time to begin with.

Can you think of any more good reasons for not getting a job? Or do you think folk who pack in their job to start a business, are absolutely bonkers? Please share in the comments section.

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Should You Turn Off Blog Comments?

October 18, 2008

I used to believe blog comments were essential to the survival of a blog. But now I’m considering turning off mine altogether. Don’t get me wrong, comments can be useful - particularly for networking with other bloggers, or to get feedback from customers of your business.

But comments from assholes who are just looking for an argument, to attract traffic to their own blog, don’t serve a purpose at all. I get a good amount of traffic to this blog, because I’ve put in a lot of hard work. And while most of my blog commenters are friendly, wonderful people, this isn’t some traffic charity for a few not so wonderful readers who are too lazy to do the same.

Blog Comments Can Sometimes Harm Your Business

Naomi of Itty Biz recently disabled comments on her blog and apparently this annoyed some of her commenters. But as she explained - her blog is there to advise readers, not for folk to discuss whether they agree with what she has to say.

And I can see exactly where she’s coming from. After all, she’s offering a professional service on her blog. Only a fraction of her readers are commenters. She doesn’t want potential customers seeing conflicting and misleading advice from commenters. Who would?

To me, it’s kind of like having an open day event in your office, to attract new customers, then a competitor bursts in halfway through and says, “I disagree - she’s wrong. Why don’t you all come over to to my office, because I know what I’m talking about.”

You just wouldn’t do that would you? So why do some folk think it’s ok to do it on other people’s blogs?

I don’t offer a service on here. But I’m not a charity - I can’t afford to offer my expertise free of charge forever. So I certainly don’t want my blog to be turned into some customer grabbing festival for the types who only turn up when they want to say, “You’re wrong”, “Or I disagree”.

This weekend, I made the decision to ban one of these types of commenters, as opposed to switching comments off on my blog but I’m going to see how it goes.

Does Blog Commenting Waste Too Much Time?

Do you get tired of blog comments? Do you find it too time consuming to read heaps of blogs and make comments? After all, the process of clicking through to a blog you’ve read and commenting is time consuming.

I enjoy the networking aspect of commenting. But I must admit, it’s become too time consuming to read other blogs every day and I certainly don’t comment on everything I read.

Also, I find that when I have too many comments on a thread on this blog, it seems to take forever to reply to them all. Of course, I could just say something like “thanks to everyone for commenting” but that would be almost as bad as saying nothing.

Who Are We Writing For Anyway?

Naomi also mentioned that aside from time wasted, having comments on her blog impacts the way she writes. This is because many bloggers feel that blogging should be about discussion, not a lecture

And I can relate to what she says. I try to write posts that will attract different types of reader. And the posts which attract most folk finding me through the search engines, or social networking don’t often appeal to commenters at all.

Liz Strauss is brilliant at writing posts which provide a solution to readers problems and encourage discussion at the same time. But I must admit, I struggle with it. I did find Liz’s book, How To Write A Successful And Outstanding Blog was a brilliant help. And I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn about conversational blogging. But I still have a long way to go before I master this art.

Recently, one of my readers emailed me to say my articles were beginning to look like I was asking my readers for advice, instead of giving them advice. And that is definitely not a good impression to give.

Are Some Types Of Comments Even Worth Having?

The Traffic Needy

It’s not just the argumentative types who are looking for traffic. Many new bloggers almost always comment on other people’s blogs to attract traffic to their own. And this is fair enough, so long as their comments are useful and not just something like “great post”. New blogs need all the traffic they can get - sometimes their commenters are their only source of traffic.

But often, these types of commenters, don’t bother to read the post and leave some neutral comment. And I don’t feel that these type of comments are particularly useful to a blog. I would much rather spend my time marketing, or writing new posts, than responding to them.

You Comment On My Blog And I’ll Comment On Yours

I’ve heard some new bloggers say that they’ll only read and comment on blogs, if the blogger comments on theirs. And I have to wonder how useful this is. If someone is only reading your blog, because you comment on theirs, are they really a potential customer?

When I first began blogging, I would read and comment on some of the busier blogs, but I didn’t expect them to do the same for me. After all, it would be physically impossible for them to keep up, as they get so many comments.

By leaving an intelligent comment, on a topic I found interesting to read, I was rewarded by several of that blog’s readers visiting my own blog. But if they had commented on my blog back then, they wouldn’t have got such a great reward, as their comment would have been seen by few people.

Does This Mean I Think Blog Comments Are A Waste Of Time?

No - it doesn’t. I do think blog comments can be a useful networking tool and a great way to communicate with potential customers. But I don’t think a comments section is an invitation to tell a blogger their advice is wrong - especially when they’re using their blog to market their business. And I don’t see the point in commenting on a blog, when you haven’t even read the original article.

This post is closed to comments, as I feel it will attract the wrong type of comments, as opposed to genuine readers.

I’m not closing comments on this blog permanently but I reserve the right to ban folk who aren’t welcome here.

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Build A Better Business By Spying

October 12, 2008

There’s lots of ways to build a better business. And you don’t have to rely completely on your imagination, or the advice of others. There’s plenty more tools at your disposal. And spying is one way to make your business better.

In fact, spying on your competitors is one of the easiest ways to build a better business. People do it all the time. Sam Walton of Walmart did it and he was proud of the fact.

Now I’m not suggesting you resort to illegal methods, or do anything to cause problems for your competitors - that would be completely unethical. And you’d deserve all the bad karma you’d get. The idea is to make your business better, not harm theirs.

What If None Of Your Competitors Are Better Than You Are?

I know a lot of folk who don’t spy on their competitors. They have the attitude that these businesses couldn’t possibly be better than their own. And that is one of the fastest ways to kill your business quickly. Never assume a thing and always believe that your competitors must be doing something better - until you know otherwise. And if they’re doing great things - be glad. You can copy the good things they do and build on them, so your business is doing better than theirs.

Build A Better Business By Legally Spying

There’s perfectly legal ways to spy on your competitors. You can call them or email them, to see how quickly they follow up and how fast they’re able to provide a solution to your problem. And if their prices aren’t on display to the general public, there’s nothing wrong with asking for those either. I know from experience that most will give you them, if they think you’re a genuine customer.

Gerald Ratner went one better than this. He called his competitors stores, told them it was head office and asked questions about what sales they’d done etc. They were happy to give him the info. And it’s not like he was lying to them - he was ringing from head office, just a different head office to the one they had in mind. And armed with all the information he’d gleaned from them, it was way easier to build a better business himself.

You can also try using the products or services of your competitors. So long as they’re not selling outrageously expensive stuff, you can write it off as a good investment. And if you really don’t want to keep what you buy, you can take it back for a refund, to see how good their return policy is.

If they have a bricks and mortar store, do what Sam Walton did - get in there and be a spy. Sam Walton used to use a dictaphone to record his findings. This is fine, if you don’t mind folk thinking you’re talking to yourself. Otherwise, use a notepad. And if you think you’ll be recognised, send someone else to do the spying for you.

Many years ago, when I was a Saturday girl, my boss would often send me to other stores to spy. It was a great day out. And someone as young as I was had no shame. I didn’t give a fig if anyone saw what I was doing. As far as I was concerned, spying was heaps better than doing “real work”. So, if you’re struggling to find yourself a spy, get someone who’s young and shameless like I was.

Here’s a few things to watch out for when you’re spying on another business:

Are they polite and efficient?

What products have they discounted? Many stores heavily discount one or two products, just to get folk through their door.

Be honest with yourself when evaluating your competitors. Your job isn’t to pick holes in what they do. What you’re after is to see how well they’re doing things in comparison to you and what you could be doing better. Are they far more efficient in some areas than you are? What can you do to improve? Are there some areas where they are similar to you? What can you do to build on your strengths in those areas, so you’re better than them?

Are there areas where your business is a whole heap better? How can you build on what your business has already and highlight this advantage as a major selling point?
Image Credit: Ira Mejías

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Profiting From Misery: Is It Right For You?

October 10, 2008

Would you feel comfortable profiting from the misery of others? It’s something you’ve got to consider seriously, when you’re trying to come up with business ideas. You see, I’ve been in the business of profiting from other people’s disasters. And given the choice between running a business which helps folk in a crisis, or doing something which has a positive impact on people’s lives in general, I’d take the latter everytime.

Now I wasn’t taking advantage of people, as some ambulance chasers do. And I was providing a solution to their problems. There will always be a demand for the type of business that helps folk who are in the shit, but there’s a few things you need to know before you consider this type of business.

Isn’t It Rewarding To Help Folk Who Are In Dire Need?

If you’re a caring type, the idea of saving folk in desperate sitations may seem appealing. When I first went into fire and flood restoration, I thought it would be a lot like nursing, in fact an associate told me it was. I guess she must have worked in some strange hospitals.

You see, there’s a massive difference. Nurses get paid a wage, a low one at that - to help folk who are suffering. They’re not profiting every time they care for someone who’s broken their neck, or been diagnosed with some life threatening disease. And that makes a huge difference.

And The Sad Things Is - You Actually Find Yourself Hoping Folk Will Have Disasters

When I had a fire and flood restoration business, I made money through people having a disaster, caused by burst pipes or flooding. And while I felt really bad that their homes and contents had been wrecked, I can’t deny that I welcomed those floods every time.

When you’re relying on your customers to suffer severe problems before they need you, your business can leave you feeling a bit tainted. Because the truth is, you want folk to have these huge, life interrupting problems. It may sound callous - but when it’s the only thing that’s putting food on your table, you find yourself hoping for heavy downpours, or some nice freezing weather, to burst a few pipes.

How Could Anybody Be So Mean To Wish That Other Folk Would Have Disasters?

It’s terrible isn’t it? Before I went into that business, I was an extremely caring person. But when you’re under pressure to perform, it’s easy to tell yourself that it’s ok to wish these disasters on people. I just told myself it was only material things that were damaged and people who got upset over them were just plain weak. It may sound heartless - but when you’re profiting from these type of things, you’ll tell yourself anything to make it feel ok.

So What Happens If You’re Profiting In A Situation Where Folk Die?

I guess some businesses are profiting from death - parlours of repose, for example. In fact, I spoke to a guy who’d just set up that type of business and I was shocked when he joked that he was actually hoping for a huge disaster, to give his business a good start. What he actually said was far worse but I won’t repeat it here, as I don’t want folk sending him hate mail via me.

Anyway, it occured to me - I had no right to judge the guy. He wasn’t doing anything different to me. The only difference was that I didn’t need my customers to pop their clogs, to make a profit. But we also did fire restoration and some people did die. Even when they didn’t - the thought that they’d came so close made my stomach churn.

I just didn’t like dealing with fires at all. I’d have preferred to educate the victims on the dangers of using chip pans, or doing something incredibly stupid like leaving a hot water bottle on an oven ring which was switched on. But I’d probably have been in big trouble if a customer had gone back to their insurance company and said I’d told them they were stupid. And the trouble was - many of them were.

If You’re Profiting From Misery - Never Employ A Victim

I would have been happy if we’d never had to deal with another fire again. But I didn’t feel the same way about floods. And after really bad flooding in a nearby city, I took a flood victim on as an admin assistant. She was really keen, as she wanted to help folk who found themselves in the same situation as she was. And naively, I thought it would be a great idea.

It was a massive mistake and definitely a turning point for me. She was stressed out since the floods. Her home and all her possessions had been wrecked and she was still living in a rented property. And whenever there was a heavy downpour, it was difficult not to notice the worried look on her face, which was understandable. If her home was flooded again, there’s a good chance it would be demolished.

But while I tried my best to be tactful, it was difficult to disguise my upbeat mood when the heavens opened, or the fact that my homepage was Floodwatch. Although I did try to make sure she never caught me praying for rain.

Eventually, she went off sick with stress and didn’t come back. I wasn’t surprised. It must be difficult to work for a business that profits from other people’s suffering - especially when most of the customers are going through what you went through.

That made me think a lot. We weren’t just dealing with damaged properties and furniture anymore. These were real people who had lost treasured possessions that couldn’t be replaced - like family photos. And some people were actually drowning when there was severe floods, which made the business seem all the more depressing.

So Is It Wrong To Profit From The Misery Of Others?

I would never say profiting from the misery of others is wrong. There will always be a need for the likes of fire and flood restoration companies, undertakers etc. And of course they’re going to expect to make a profit. These types of business aren’t easy. The hours can be unpredictable and most of the time you’re dealing with customers who are under stress.

What I am asking you to consider is how it would make you feel to be in the business of profiting from other people’s hardships. Because you’d be far better off deciding now, than later.

Have you had a business, or worked for a business, which was profiting from the misfortune of others? If so, how did you feel about it? And could you run a business which profited when other people had a disaster?

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Image Credit: Ian Britton

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