You’ll also find this post at The Pulse

Who gets your support?

I’m a mercenary bastard.

I support charities, but chiefly to avert unpleasant dentist experiences.

I’ve supported everyone from The Big Issue to Greenpeace, but only fleetingly, haltingly and superficially.

I’ve read a hundred times that true happiness comes from serving others.

It can also be rather good for business and branding.

So why don’t I bloody-well do it?

Meanie

I tried editing The Greens’ newsletter, but found it too distracting.

(I hate working for free, so I put my paid work first.)

I donated to Animals Australia, but I didn’t go to their rally.

(I hate crowds.)

I seem unable to:

• Choose a cause.
• Stick with it.
• Make a significant, lasting contribution.
• Give of myself.

Not so my amazing clients.

Kind Souls

Mike Boyle of Banjar Group donates ALL the proceeds of his excellent book to The School of St Jude in Tanzania.

Helen Robinett of Image Quest is right into Big Brothers Big Sisters. Here’s what she says:

BBBS is a program run by Try Australia (a 128-year-old Melbourne charity supporting young people and their families).

Why? Easy. Because I had the good fortune to be raised in a stable home with two parents who cared about me. Capable, loving souls who had a crack and did alright I reckon.

I later discovered that what I had is not so ‘normal’. So many kids get a rough start with parents who are doing their best with what they have under difficult circumstances.

I reckon it takes a whole community to raise a child and that’s enough to motivate me to do what I do on the board for Try and BBBS Melbourne. I’ve been actively involved for the past 8 years as a director and 3 years as chairman.

We run a $32m business to support our programs, so as a charity we’re responsible, not hoping for govt handouts. They dry up! We have a couple of major events to raise funds and that’s it. In November we have a BBBS fashion parade.

What I get out of it is huge! Certainly more than I give. I’ve surrounded myself with board directors who are much smarter in ways I’m not. I’ve learned valuable business skills that are serving me well. I also get to hang out with some really cool people.

I’m setting a great example for my daughter in terms of what community means. Walk the talk baby. Don’t just say it, do it! I know I’m a better person for what I do and that’s good enough for me. I only need to answer to myself, no-one else. Bonus is that kids who need it the most benefit from the choice I make every day.

So because of this, I give to nothing else. I’m so clear on what I DO that I don’t have to worry about what I DON’T! I don’t even put money in a tin. And it doesn’t bother me. I get HIGH on what I choose to DO instead! That’s it.

Helen and Mike have connected with a cause and followed through – at length and in depth.

Does this mean there’s hope for the rest of us?

Give it up

The first half of this post was about me, me, me.

What’s far more interesting is you, you, you.

• Do you have a No. 1 cause or charity? (You can add a link to their site.)
• If not, why not?
• If so, how or why did you choose it?
• In what way/s do you support it?
• What, if anything, do you get from doing this personally?
• Finally, does ‘doing good’ help your business or brand?

Your contribution could well make me a better human being.

So please, give generously.

(I gave at the office.)

Thank you for your support!

Paul Hassing, Founder & Senior Writer, The Feisty Empire

Where have all the comments gone?

We love hearing what you have to say, and stories you might have, so fear not, you’re still able to comment!  We’ve moved the party over to our new place, The Pulse.  Come and join the conversation on this post here.

Love on the rocks.

Parts 1 and 2 have brought us to this stage of my better-bank-deal quest.

Thank you so much for reading and responding!

Today the plot finally crystallises.

Bert

As Sheryl the Specialised Case Manager presaged, Bert the Bank Manager and I had ‘fruitful conversations’ (via email).

Alas, the fruit was small, hard and bitter:

1. No relief on annual or monthly fees.
2. A total annual interest saving of … wait for it … $126.

Barry

I told Barry the Twitter Team Guy.

No response.

Con

Con the Home Loan Officer rang me once more for good measure, but to no effect.

Sheryl

I had an email chat with Sheryl (pleasantries removed to save space):

Hi, Sheryl,

Just thought I’d have a quiet word with you while I deliberate.

Do you feel happy with how this resolution is panning out?

Hi, Paul,

I am only happy if you are.

I can see that Bert is trying his best to assist you but ultimately the decisions will lay with you.

So Paul, are you happy with the way this is panning out?

Having achieved a mere 6.3% of my target saving of $2,000 I feel rather deflated.

I can’t tell whether this is truly the best ABank can do, or whether it’s the best they can do for a ‘little person’ like me.

After all this time and effort and drama, a saving of just $126 per year seems pretty paltry.

It doesn’t really inspire me to forge a 40-year alliance with ABank that showers us both in riches.

I think I may have to wait to see what the Choice initiative comes up with.

If it turns out that you guys really have done the best you can for me, I’ll accept my $126 with grace and apologise humbly for wasting everyone’s time.

If, however, Choice turns up a raft of significantly better deals, I’ll probably feel very let down that you guys couldn’t do likewise for me ahead of time.

Does this description of how I feel make sense to you, Sheryl?

To be honest saving money and discussing lending matters via email is not as effective as a verbal conversation… would you consider a conversation with Bert? This may lead to further options.

I assure you we want to help and we are doing all that we can at this moment. We would love to see you as one of our long term customers so I think it is time for an actual chat. Your thoughts?

As a writer, verbal isn’t my forte.

That’s probably why I’ve failed in all phone and face-to-face discussions to date.

I understand that much business is conducted this way.

I don’t understand why these ‘further options’ can’t be put in print. When I first took my loans, the terms were written in great detail.

Unless, of course, you’re talking about a negotiation – which I find even less desirable.

My readers have been following this story with interest.

As I feel confused and dispirited, I’ll seek their objective advice before getting back to you.

I do realise you’re trying, Sheryl.

I suspect I’m simply unsuited to your systems.

Paul

I’m tired, disheartened and torn.

Should I:

a)    Accept my modest fate.

b)    Battle on via email or Twitter.

c)    Pick up the phone.

d)    Send the wife in.

e)    Turn this into a novel and pay my loans with the proceeds.

f)     Change banks.

g)    Try something else (describe).

Unless you (or Choice) come up with something significant,

this could be …

The End

Paul Hassing, Founder & Senior Writer, The Feisty Empire

Where have all the comments gone?

We love hearing what you have to say, and stories you might have, so fear not, you’re still able to comment!  We’ve moved the party over to our new place, The Pulse.  Come and join the conversation on this post here.

You’ll also find this post at The Pulse

Beware the cheating heart.

I’ve been reading with increasing frequency that it’s a fabulous time to negotiate a better interest rate with your lender.

In a world first, Choice has gone one step further by grouping borrowers for a better deal.

Their target was 1000 people prepared to look at switching loans.

In the first three days, they clocked 10,000.

Very interesting.

Back Story

I’m one of those morons who plays by the rules and believes what people say.

Having exhausted traditional communication channels, I took up my bank’s offer to chat via online banking.

After several weeks and follow ups, I got three phone calls from three bank staff in one day.

They began by saying they were recording me for training purposes.

I replied that I was recording them for blogging purposes.

They then said that:

1. The lending market had indeed become more competitive.
2. I was a valuable customer that they wanted to keep.
3. To this end, they wanted to do the best they could for me.

I thanked them and said what I wanted: the same interest rate that their online subsidiary bank was offering, i.e. a 0.48% reduction that’d save me $2000 per year in interest.

They said that because their online subsidiary was run by IT staff – not banking staff – I wouldn’t get the same service.

I replied that, having enjoyed no service for many years, I wouldn’t miss it.

Then they said their subsidiary wasn’t for business owners like me.

I said that if they looked after me now, I’d stay with them and let them handle my investments in the future.

They said they’d get back to me.

…

They didn’t.

Gloves Off

Finally, I got fed up and tweeted:

My bank’s ‘Mortgage Retention Team’ isn’t even retenting my phone calls. Could be time for http://bit.ly/nzGKb8

Then I signed up and tweeted:

Right. I’m in. Who’s with me? http://www.choice.com.au/consumer-action/money/big-bank-switch/choice-big-bank-switch.aspx

Minutes later, my bank tweeted:

Hi Paul, saw your tweet – can I help from here? Pls follow so we can DM* & I’ll have our team follow up for you, thanks!

This was new. My bank must’ve had a keyword watching brief. I was impressed, but wary. Deciding to test their mettle, I tweeted:

Nice to hear from you! Back stories @ http://bit.ly/YN1z2 & http://bit.ly/aw6baO Still interested? Or am I a too-hard-basket case?

As we were chatting in the public domain, with feeds to my 16000 Twitter followers, I thought that’d be the end of it. But the bank replied:

Yes, I’m still interested & want to see how I can help – let’s DM & I’ll escalate to our team

I stood on the brink.

Phone calls had failed.

Online banking messages had failed.

Could social media be my salvation?

I had to find out.

So I followed^ my bank, enabling them to DM me.

And DM they did!

<<<<<<    INTERMISSION     >>>>>>

Exciting isn’t it?!

Have you had a word with your bank yet?

How’d you go?

If not, what’s stopping you?

Could your business not benefit from reduced interest payments?

Your comment will inform and perhaps even shape this narrative.

A bit like …

choose your own

debenture.

Don’t miss next week’s thrilling conclusion to: A Fool & His Money!

Paul Hassing, Founder & Senior Writer, The Feisty Empire

*  DM = Send a direct message (i.e. one not visible to the public).

^  Became one of their Twitter followers, thus enabling them to DM me.

Where have all the comments gone?

We love hearing what you have to say, and stories you might have, so fear not, you’re still able to comment!  We’ve moved the party over to our new place, The Pulse.  Come and join the conversation on this post here.

                                         Do your customers pay it forward?

I wasn’t going to do a tax post, but something unprecedented and rather special happened this week.

One of my newest clients asked if she could pay me a chunk of change now for work I’ll do next year.

After deliberating for several nanoseconds, I agreed.

I like this deal very much.

Your customers may too.

Tax Effective

Why would they pay in advance?

To claim you as an expense this financial year.

It seems some clients are real people, just like us.

I pay all my claimable bills by 30 June, even if they’re not due for weeks. I’ve seen this tactic described in every tax-tip article I’ve read.

It makes sense for my clients to do this too.

Of course, not everyone does it. Some accounts payable systems (and people) can’t (or won’t) exceed glacial speed for any reason.

But those who do get a handy tax break.

Future Fund

My client’s pay-it-forward idea is an elegant extension of this principle.

She’s working on a long, complicated article which she plans to let me whack into shape.

As she knows she’ll be using me, why not claim me now?

If you have regular customers, or know they’ll be using you next year, you could float this idea (naturally emphasising the benefit to them).

Risks

If I were a cad, I could make off with my client’s cash and live the high life in Koo Wee Rup – perhaps tormenting her with tart postcards.

Alternatively, she could accost me when I’m elbow-deep in another client’s website and demand that I drop what I’m doing to serve her.

The thing is (and please don’t laugh) we trust each other: we’ll conclude this deal when it’s mutually convenient.

When I sought her permission to write this post she said:

You may want to mention there’s a high level of trust, I wouldn’t do this with every man and his dog.

Also I got the idea because several years ago someone called and asked if they could send me a payment of $5K upfront for some marketing help.

I had no idea who this person was but someone had recommended me! It’s a good way to give yourself a kick up the butt to get work done ASAP.

I heartily concur.

Your Call

For all you know, some of your customers may be awash with funds, teetering on the threshold of a higher tax rate and desperate to pay something (anything!) forward.

I know that some corporate budgets, if not fully spent, reduce subsequent allocations.

As many managers are petrified of diminished funding, this could be your in.

As we’ve learnt from previous posts, you may have only to ask.

Maybe you already have.

• Have you?
• Will you?
• Why not?
• Couldn’t you use the loot?!

I see a bright future, adorned with your comments.

Ideally sooner, rather than later.

But better late than never.

Paul Hassing, Founder & Senior Writer, The Feisty Empire

                         Information → Power → Money → Time → Freedom → Joy

                                                   (Click pic to enlarge.)

Our Judy Oldmeadow is going great guns with her dream to breed the world’s finest Morgan horses.

Last time I visited her farm, I asked what her financial goal was.

It took a while to extract, but we got there.

She wants $30K for every horse she sells.

That’s $22K more than she’s getting now.

Is she dreaming?

No!

Show, Don’t Tell

The good news is, Judy’s horses are actually worth $30K.

The problem is, many of their youbeaut attributes are long term, intangible or not part of the normal purchasing decision process.

Things like health, longevity, temperament, social adjustment and blood magnesium level.

We must therefore articulate and prove these points of difference to prospective buyers.

Word of Mouth

Judy’s past customers, having experienced her Morgans’ superiority, have no problem evangelising to others.

One by one, we’re capturing their powerful (and often moving) testimonials in Judy’s blog.

But this is a slow, incremental process.

To fast-track Judy’s message to uninitiated prospects, I’ve proposed a breakdown of precisely what makes her critters so damn good.

Picture Perfect

The pic you see is my first rough sketch of a ‘proof page’.

It lists everything I can think of that goes into (or comes out of) a Samaria Creek Morgan horse.

Judy’s task is to perfect this list and put a dollar figure beside every element.

I know this is hard for her.

She’d rather play in the sun with the herd than crunch numbers any day.

Also, she feels odd thinking of her beloved babies in such rigorous, clinical terms.

That’s why she has a gimlet-eyed townie copywriter to smack her into shape.

It’s one thing to want $30K.

Quite another to convince people to give it to you.

Once finished and posted on her website, I believe this proof page will do much of Judy’s talking – freeing her to focus on her main game.

Your Story

Many of our readers own or aspire to the top end of their field.

• Big sales are fun.
• Rich clients are smart. (Sometimes.)
• Short hours are heaven.
• Supplying world’s best quality is intensely satisfying.

If you share Judy’s desire to be lonely at the top, how about producing a proof page for your good or service?

I’d love to know why your stuff is worth so much.

I might even buy it.

So saddle up!

You could be in for the ride of your life.

Paul Hassing, Founder & Senior Writer, The Feisty Empire

Daniel Smith, founder of social media marketing consultancy Propaganda House, joins us on the blog today. Daniel discusses the need for investment in a business idea and is keen to hear about your own experiences and thoughts. Welcome Daniel! Naomi

When you look at Successful Big Businesses it’s easy to think that’s how they’ve always been. On the contrary, every successful big business starts its life as an idea inside the excited mind of an entrepreneur. The biographies of countless successful business people will tell you that the trek between ‘idea’ and ‘successful business’ is a long and arduous one, not dissimilar to the treks of the early explorers who opened up undiscovered regions of the globe for future generations.

Following this analogy – many of these early explorers wouldn’t have been successful in their treks without the backing of investors to who provided the much needed funds for equipment, supplies, and support personal. And the same applies for a business idea.

No matter how good the concept, most businesses at some stage require outside investment to fully conceive and take their earnings to the next level. Take Facebook for example; just 7 years ago this was an idea inside the head of a pimply university student – skip forward and it now has 500 million users and is valued at over $50 billion! BUT, without initial seed capital Facebook may never have become what it is today – and heaven forbid, we might all be using ‘MySpace’ or even worse having ‘face to face’ social interaction instead..

Having a great idea and finding someone who believes your idea is great enough to put their hard earned on the line for are completely different things though. Couple this with the need to find an investor whose experience, skills and attitude will align neatly with those of the business founders and you’ve got a real challenge on your hands! But if Columbus could convince Queen Isabella to invest in his ambitious (and at the time considered impossible) voyages then there’s no reason it can’t happen for a comparatively less ambitious business idea; and it does every day.

As the owner of a Social Media startup looking for funds to take it to the next level, I’m interested to hear how others have taken their business from idea to a thriving enterprise; where did you find your seed capital; angel investor, family, colleague? Or maybe you grew your business organically, without seed capital? Either way I’d love to hear your story!

Daniel Smith, founder of Propaganda House

                                                  Have you done your duty? 

Four years ago I was summoned for jury duty.

I’d always wanted to do my bit (and witness a court case).

But when the time came, my business couldn’t afford the income hit.

So I piked.

Testimony

This is what I wrote to the Juries Commissioner’s Office:

I am a self-employed sole trader who does not have anyone to fill in for me. This is my sole source of income and if I stop work, I will have trouble servicing my home and business loans. I can’t see this situation changing within 12 months as I don’t have time to train an understudy.

Rereading this, it seems rather plaintive (tee hee). Even pathetic.

Anyway, it worked.

Defence

Though my reasons were acute and genuine, I didn’t feel great about my decision.

Surely I wouldn’t be the first business owner to down tools for a case.

But what if that case went for three months? My Empire would be finished.

Prosecution

On the other hand, my absence meant one jury missed having a white, middle-aged, horse-loving, Capricorn hermit.

With me gone, how could that panel truly represent our diverse community?

Then again, perhaps I was a dangerous anomaly, best discarded.

But what if I were the only one to identify with the accused?

I could’ve been the sole voice of reason that swayed 11 souls.

And saved an innocent life.

Corporate Citizen

If you’ve a ‘real job’ in Corporate Land, jury duty can be a holiday.

Your employer holds the fort while you get paid time off.

You even score pocket money for each day’s expenses. 

Imagine the bliss of focussing on just one thing, instead of hundreds!

Then again, some firms don’t replace missing staff, making them catch up after court.

That would be tres unfun.

My Fault?

So I put it to you.

On the evidence presented, am I guilty of being more corporate than citizen?

What would you have done?

What have you done?

Has jury duty impacted your business?

If so, how?

If not, why?

We eagerly await your verdict.

Paul Hassing, Founder & Senior Writer, The Feisty Empire

Today we welcome Sarah Mitchell, owner of Global Copywriting, to the Small Business Owner blog. Sarah identifies a valuable lesson from the recent Borders experience and shares her thoughts on not losing sight of your core business and what made you successful. Thank you Sarah. Naomi

The news that Borders has gone into voluntary administration hit hard. As a lifelong bookworm, it’s always difficult to hear a bookstore is failing. I’ve spent countless nights trolling the aisles of Borders  looking for a treasure or six to satisfy my love of the written word. With the benefit of hindsight, it’s easy to see where they went wrong.

The Old Borders Experience

I’m originally from Michigan where Borders was founded so this particular news is even harder to bear. When I think back to the Borders heyday, it’s a very different picture than the megastores of today. My neighbourhood Borders was on a corner block with lots of parking. While the store was spacious inside, you could hardly move because of the narrow aisles and stacks of books on the floors and every available surface. While you were always encouraged to read, it was often hard to find a place to crack a book open. The staff were extremely friendly and well-read which helped when you needed to find something in the jumbled maze of books.

The New, Improved Borders

Every Borders I’ve been in during the past 10 years has been very different. The shops tend to be located in city centres garnering plenty of foot traffic. The aisles are wide. Comfortable chairs are littered throughout the shop.  Coffee shops are installed in central places to encourage you to linger longer. The shelving is all accessible and online search stations are located around the selling floor to help you find what you’re looking for.  Someone gave the shopping experience a lot of thought – or did they?

Loyal Following

Last week my family visited the only Borders in Western Australia in the Perth CBD. We immediately dispersed to three different corners of the store – science/math, children’s section, and literature. We arrived with the intent to prop the place up with as much of our custom as our monthly budget would allow. If Borders closes shop, it’s not because my family didn’t do what they could to keep them open.

At the end of an hour, we met to assess the damage and prioritise our purchases. The sum total of our selections came to $14.95. Yep, that’s right. We managed to select a single book to be used as a baby gift. How did that happen? In an effort to improve their trade, Borders forgot about their core business. None of us found a single book we wanted to purchase.

The New Customer Experience

I’ve been thinking about this a lot. The old Borders used to have shelves crammed with books, not just bestsellers and tomes from celebrity authors. Browsing in the shop was also an exercise in discovery. With so much diverse stock, I always found something new. The floor clerks were keen to recommend something based on where I was looking or what I had brought to the counter for purchase. I usually bought a couple more books than I planned because of this individual ‘word of mouth’ service. The online search kiosk doesn’t recommend anything.

We all agreed while there were plenty of books in the store, the variety was limited to what we could find anywhere and buy much cheaper online. My young son made the astute observation that he didn’t go to Borders to buy Thomas the Tank Engine toys or a vegetable brush. When we took stock of the sales floor, a large percentage of it had been turned over to merchandise not related to books or book reading.  The net result is three dedicated book buyers walked out without making any significant purchase.

The Take-Away

The lesson for this, of course, is to stick to your core business. It may be tempting to diversify or alter your service and product offering in an effort to expand. If you lose sight of what’s made you successful, you run the risk of derailing your whole company. There’s nothing wrong with staying in a niche. Your customers are probably hoping you do.

Have you ever been tempted to expand your business? What happened?

Sarah Mitchell, Content Marketing Consultant and owner of Global Copywriting

                                                      Do you barter?

Remember bartering?

By specialising, you’d swap excess production for other specialists’ goods, e.g.:

• Eggs for milk.
• Milk for bread.
• Bread for honey.

Bartering saved you having to make everything yourself.

Naturally, if you made pins and wanted a reindeer, this could take some time and several exchanges.

And as we invented more ‘needs’ and stuff, the system became progressively untenable.

But you get the idea.

The invention of money was the death blow for bartering.

At least, so I thought.

Until Kyle MacDonald bartered a paperclip for a house!

Maybe bartering still has something for us.

Tax Dodge?

One of the best things about bartering is that it’s paperless.

If you and I exchange goods or services, there’s no need for either to invoice.

This makes the transaction tax free!

By not paying each other in cash, the tax we’d have paid from our declared income stays in our pockets.

This is very good.

Unfortunately, it’s also illegal.

I was dismayed at the Australian Tax Office’s view on bartering.

I never thought something as plain and honest could be part of the black economy.

Perhaps hard-core barterers have muddied the waters for the rest of us.

I shall invite the ATO to expand.

Good Barter

My first barter as a copywriter was a good one.

My tiler needed a new name for his business, so I spent half an hour creating options.

At the end of the job, by way of thanks, he charged me $50 less than his quote.

I was rapt.

Bad Barter

My second barter was less successful.

My financial advisor’s rate was $300 per hour. Mine at the time was $100.

He was a keen barterer.

For every three hours of writing I did for him, he gave me one hour of his fiscal wisdom.

When I questioned this, he said, ‘People value financial advice much more highly than copywriting. That’s why I’m worth three times your rate.’

This rankled. Something about my time being just as precious as his.

Especially when his wisdom saw my superannuation shifted to a fund with 2.5% fees and not much better returns.

Then he asked if I’d ghost write his memoirs in exchange for a frequent flier trip to Bali.

This sounded feasible, until I learned he planned to dictate daily by the pool from 8 am to 5 pm with half an hour for lunch.

We’re no longer in touch.

Barter Up

What are your views on bartering?

Do you do it?

Do you admit it?

Do you feel it should be taxed?

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever given or received in a swap?

Lend your voice.

And we’ll lend our ears.

Paul Hassing, Founder & Senior Writer, The Feisty Empire

                                      Fine in principle. What about practice?

Have you heard of the Pareto Principle (also called the 80-20 rule)?

It says that for many things, 80% of the results come from 20% of the causes.

In business, this means 80% of your revenue comes from 20% of your clients.

I’ve found this principle extremely useful.

But does it work for you?

Numbers Game

I run a spreadsheet that tracks all my business metrics.

So far this year, 80% of my revenue has come from 29% of my clients.

The last two years it was 36% and 30%.

I’m a bit off the pace, but this is because I’ve vigorously reduced risk by increasing and diversifying my client portfolio.

You may recall I lost one client worth 82% of my business and took two years to recover.

Talk about all your eggs in one basket!

I won’t do that again.

Tardy Performer

For years I encountered the Pareto Principle in almost every business book I read. But because it sounded technical, I resisted analysing my customers.

This was so dumb. Once I bit the bullet, it took all of ten minutes to collate the figures.

And jolly useful figures they’ve been, too.

Anger Management

When my top client annoys me, I check my spreadsheet.

If a retort imperils 28% of my income, I bite my tongue (and do something really nice for the client).

If, on the other hand, a 0.1% client is demanding freebies, refusing to do proper briefs and complaining about my work, I know I can ‘retire’ them with relative impunity. (And live a longer, happier life.)

Cents of Perspective

This year, my biggest client has spent almost 200 times more than my smallest.

I prize all client relationships. But next time I have conflicting deadlines, who do you think I’m going to squeeze in first?

Insights like this make the Pareto Principle a wonderful commercial ‘compass’.

The fact I was slow to embrace it makes me wonder if you’re tracking this vital stat.

If you are, I’d love to know how you use it and what you reckon.

If not, here’s a quick recipe for success:

Pareto Pronto

1. List your clients vertically.
2. Add up what they’ve paid this year and put each client’s total next to it.
3. Sort clients in descending order of value.
4. Calculate total revenue for all clients.
5. Express each client’s contribution as a percentage of this total.
6. Working down, see how many clients it takes to account for 80% of your revenue. (A cumulative column makes this a snap, if you know how to spreadsheet.)
7. Divide this figure by your number of clients.
8. Bingo! You now know what percentage of your clients generates 80% of your loot.

How did you go?

Is it close to 20%?

Do please let us know.

That way, we can all see if we’re rank amateurs

or principled performers.

Paul Hassing, Founder & Senior Writer, The Feisty Empire