Can’t Beat The BBQ!
The other weekend, a barbecue gave me a reality check.
I found that all the social media in the world can’t beat yarning with ten real people.
A short chat unexpectedly led to a new client, immediate work and welcome payment.
Once again I’ve learnt lessons.
1. Ivory Towers are Hard to Climb
In studying Web 2.0 for over a [...]
Ten Tee Tips
When I cashed in my super and went feral, the first thing I did was create T-shirts.
Their design, production and sale yielded many lessons whose pain far exceeded their value.
I reproduce them here, in case you or a loved one are mad enough to contemplate a similar path.
1. Nobody cares if it’s local.
I spent weeks [...]
It’s a Knockout!
Recently I said NO to a new client. It was a prestigious facility, doing fascinating work, with a huge conglomerate parent.
The first job was worth hundreds. The campaign promised thousands. Was I mad?
No: I was saving my sanity, and living to fight another day.
Round 1
The briefing went well. The General Manager (GM) was smart and [...]
View from the Bride
Megan brilliantly suggested that my wife describe her experience of my home-based business. Fonnie’s job title at The Feisty Empire is Voice of Reason – a thorny, thankless role that she performs admirably.
Now, while the Voice of Reason was happy to share her thoughts on life at Empire House, she wanted the Senior Writer [...]
Flip & Goliath: A Breakfast-Time Story
Muesli: it’s hard enough to eat; how hard is it to make? Here’s a quick small business owner’s guide. The story is true. And the muesli is delicious.
Wait until midsummer.
Scour the city for tiny batches of insanely expensive, uber-high-quality ingredients. Make extra trips because your car is small.
Ask a friend to lend you his commercial [...]
