I can’t remember what the phrase is, maybe it’s “success begets success”. However you phrase it, it’s the truth. My husband and I own our own companies which allows us to work on projects together and separately. It’s been like this for the 12 years we’ve been together, and even farther back for him. We have never been busier. I have been working since 2004 in the online space, from podcasting to social media and communications, and my client roster has exploded this year. My first reaction is to wonder *why* I have been gaining clients at record speed, but then when I look back at it, I understand. I’ve been at it for a very long time, and the industry is just now beginning to take off in the mainstream. What I should be saying is “what the heck took it all so long to catch on?” I don’t just work in technology, I work with people – that’s the difference for me and I think businesses are starting to realize this.
A woman at a client site jokingly came up with the mantra “there is no crying in technology” which cracks me up every time I see it. Strictly talking bits and bytes, I say keep your cryin’ to yourself, but social media is not technology (that’s just to tool) – it’s SOCIAL! The human connection is what excels the good into great, the love into passion, the fear into courage. It comes from is realizing that you’ve made a difference in a person’s life or business and it’s affected them deeply. My job, my career, my business – is more than just racking up clients, providing a service, blah-blah-blahing, and collecting money. It’s personal. I think it shows. I hope it shows. Why would you *choose* to go into a business just for money? There are lots of times where you take a job because you need the money, but it’s not exactly the best fit for you, besides the paycheck. So many people complain about their day jobs, dreaming of the day they can make money doing what they love. It’s a passion, and if you would do it for free (and have happily given away your passion) then I think you just might be cut out for the ups and downs that come with the territory.
I was recently asked why I love to volunteer so much (Podcamp, Social Media Club, teaching) and not get paid for it. There are a million people out there now trying to cash in on this space, but I’ve seen the ups and downs in the market before, and I’ve survived – and thrived – so much so that I choose to help others that want to ‘do what I do’. Some don’t like my answers, some want to try to poach business from me. In the end the karma evens out. I give away a good number of my ideas because I feel that if the community as a whole is stronger, it benefits each of us individually. I need to eat, so not everything is free, but for those that value experience and insight, I’m just what the doctor ordered.
