Warning…. This is a RANT!

Let’s get one thing straight, there is a straw that broke this camels back on this topic yesterday, however the ranty-ness is not entirely focused at that person, it is focused at everyone that is partaking in this exploitative behavior.

There is a trend growing among people to run ‘competitions’ to have things done for their business. The most common, and perhaps the most insulting is the ‘Design our logo and win hardly any money’ competition.

Let’s get one thing straight. I am a designer. I make money and support not only my family but the families of my employees, the community and many others with the money I make. I am not a large ad agency, I am a small business owner, one of the people that make up the back bone of this fine (if somewhat ungoverned) country.

Let’s get another thing straight. I have done a LOT of Pro Bono work over the years for causes I felt compelled to support, or even businesses that were getting going and needed a hand, but I did this by choice and because I was in a position to do so.

As a new young designer, I was lucky that I never had anyone exploit my like this, because there was at least some respect for talent and not everyone thought they were a designer.

The problem with someone who looks at a basic logo (lets say Mcdonald’s famous golden arches) is you have NO IDEA how much effort goes into making something look simple. Nor how much time it takes to develop your craft enough that you can make something effective and beautiful quickly.

It is kind of like ordering everything on the menu at a restaurant and then only paying for the meal you enjoyed the most, but deciding that the meal is only made up of $5 worth of ingredients so that is what you will pay.

There is a sign in my Tattoo Artists shop that says

Good work is not cheap, Cheap work is not good

That sums it up perfectly, but in the creative industry, we struggle to get people to understand that. We do not just enter your business name and favourite colour into a big machine and 3 minutes later your branding pops out. We sit, we sketch, we probably do 100 different versions before we show you 3. That is a process that takes not only time, but also talent (and not to mention expensive software and tools of trade).

The other side to this rant is that what you are offering in value rarely stacks up as high as what you think… Telling me you will tell everyone that I designed your free logo, is going to make it really hard for me to sell my services to those people in the future because they think the value is a big fat 0.

It may be useful for a student to participate in this sort of competition so they get some things in their portfolio, but aside from that, there is no value for me to participate in this type of competition/business startup/whatever.

The best ever explanation of just how ridiculous this situation is can be found here.

My time is worth money. My years of experience are worth money. My talent is priceless. If you want that for free, go and screw yourself!

OK, so my cynical but intelligent colleague Natalie just came out with a statement… Aren’t people on facebook more frenemies than friends?Excellent question!

The fact is that in business and communities there are always people that we come across that just rub us the wrong way. The difference in real life is we avoid them like the plague… see them coming towards you at a networking function, good time to take a bathroom break! However, it seems in the race to the most friends/followers on social, we’ll accept those same people into our ‘network’.

Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part II said: keep your friends close but your enemies closer.

(This is often misattributed to Sun Tzu… which i did the other day, i stand corrected)

This social environment we now find ourselves in lends itself to this, however something Sun Tzu DID say:

A leader leads by example not by force.

Now this is the thing that we need to hold to.

The other day I started a conversation about having a local catch up of Social Media junkies in the Penrith area, this got a small thread going that was in turn, turned into a slash fest of external promotion and subsequent backlash from people that were loyal to me.

I prefer not to get involved, I actually tried to diffuse the situation, because reality was, people that wanted to hear what I had to say heard it. People that try and push their own agenda on your posts/wall strike me like the doormen on a strip club, “cmon mate, come in, our ladies are the best…” when you know full well, that inside the door is going to be a whole world of nasty … (from what I have heard).

• Got a problem with someone? Tell them in private.
• Don’t want to hear what they have to say? Unfriend them
• Sick of all the crap that instant experts are stealing/selling… offer an alternative! or STFU

I think the only way to stand tall above all this is to be yourself, your true self and not get involved in mudslinging, crap digging or any other rubbish online, the same as you would not in the ‘real’ world.

No one is forcing you to be on social media, no one is forcing you to friend anyone. I have said no to a bunch of people, why, because i know who they are and they have nothing to do with my life.

Thankfully, however, I feel that the balance is squarley in the friends side of the argument. I think the frenemies are few and far between and their abrasive nature will ensure they attain their rightful place at the top of scrapheap of hasbeen wannabes. Cream always rises to the top so do what you do best and leave the mudflinging to the pollies, they are best at it anyway.

Just A Thought,

RE

what a sappy title! but appropriate because i can clearly see my reflection (and not much else) whilst I am typing this post! I have finally got away from the office for a few days break, and low and behold, I am online and ‘working’!

however, as you can see from the photo my view is kinda cool. Left the family back at the house to chillout and probably walk down to the beach, so I could get a little ‘me’ time.

Failing to find an appropriate lil asain massage place, and realising that my options for retail therapy in Batemans Bay are slim to none, I have opted for sitting in a park, and catching up on some podcasts (thanks to my ipad), some writing and then, some thinking.

I used to have a lot of thinking time, however, a lot changes when you need to sleep in 2-3 hour bursts thanks to the new princess.

An so the thoughts begin… It is June ALREADY! Wholly bat crap bat man, how did that happen? nearly half way thru the year, some things are right on track, some things have failed to go where I needed them to, but all in all, pretty happy with the progress we are making.

A statement I made earlier in the year is resounding in my head

‘careful what you wish for, you might just get it’.

This is ringing very true in a number of areas in our business, and it is a nice problem to have, however finding good people to join the team is going to be a constant struggle. (If you are a superstar designer or developer, or just looking to join a dynamic business let me know rich@redd.com.au)

We are all set for a big second half of the year, and there are some very cool things coming up.

I will keep you updated with those over the coming weeks but the thing I am most excited about is the launch of my click here revolution site (I know FINALLY!!!!) on July 1. Why has it taken so long. Well everytime we thought we were ready to launch, someone else launched something, so we continually stopped, looked at what the competition had done, then made sure ours was better… but I have decided that we now have a product that will be best in breed and is ready to go.

If you are on the mailing list for that you will get advanced warning and you can help us with the final beta testing, if you are not, make sure you follow us on facebook.

Oh well, off to lay in the sun and listen to steve jobs wwdc keynote again… all is as it should be in the world.

Ok, so I am writing this whilst getting tattooed. Literally. I just thought that it was a good way to demo just how easy it actually is to type on the iPad. So one handed with my left hand I am typing this post.

There are many reports out there saying that the iPad serves no purpose? I question if they have actually spent time with one, really spent time?

After just two short weeks I could not imagine life without it. Everywhere I need to, I have my stuff, this will improve even further when I get the 3g model, but thanks to clever apps, like this word press one, I am mr on the go.

It has to be said that a lot of what I have done on the iPad is also able to be done on a laptop or a phone, but not as easily. Take the current situation, i am balancing the iPad on one leg and typing , it just wouldn’t work balancing my MacBook. And my iPhone is too small to effectively type this fast and accurately.

So the iPad is exactly what steve promised, a device that did some things better than a phone and some things better than a laptop.

It does not replace either entirely, but in some situations it is the best device.

So let me tell you my very few frustrations so far….

1. The app store is not open. I know this is because they are not available here yet, but seriously where is the downside apple? You might make more money… What a shame

2. Following on from point 1… There seems some odd omissions, calculator? There has been one on every phone and computer in the last 20 years?… Did you forget? And a todo list, there is an awesome diary, how hard can it be to add a task list? I am certain when the app stoe opens there will be a 3rd party alternative, but I see these as things that should be here.

That is all I have for downside, upside there is heaps, but I don’t want to come off as a raving fanboy… Maybe it’s too late for that.

Any way, whilst I could keep typing… I am now in a bucket load of pain… So ..

See ya!

I have an iPad! Yep 3 days before you can even pre order here in Australia, I am playing (and working) on mine.

How did I manage to get my hands one you may ask?

Did I go overseas and get one? Nope. Did I know someone that is traveling or lives overseas? Nope. I used what I had to get what I wanted… The oldest system in the book.

I bartered my time/talent for an iPad. Or as my good buddy Thor Saleswarlord would say, I got my bootstrappin streetfightin awesomeness on… Here’s how it went down…

On about April 10, there had still been no change to apples website in relation to the iPad, still said late April. Then suddenly, it became late may… I surmise it will be June before we really see them here. I wasn’t prepared to wait, so I put this plea on face book a few days later…

Now here is the lesson about social, I do not have a big network on Facebook, but I do have a quality network, and one of those people, the forever legendary Kris Moroney took up the challenge of using her contacts in the US to get what she wanted. So in a few so in a few short weeks, I got an iPad and she is getting a new website… That is what we call win win.

Best of all, the value in the transaction for both of us far outweighs the do liar value, I wanted the iPad more than money, and she got a great deal on her website.

So the lesson is this, if you have a strong network, and you deliver value, you can make shit happen. And now with my trusty iPad in hand I need to find a bentley dealership that wants a new website… I need me on of those new supersports…

Here is something you may not need to know about me and may fall under TMI… I think I am a bit OCD. Especially when it comes to my royal elastic sneakers. I have a special set of drawers from ikea that has in it 12 pairs of royal elastics.

You will rarely see me wear the same pair two days in a row, and when they are put back in the drawers they have to be put in in a certain way and in the correct spot. On the other side of the room is my clothes drawers. I have many tshirts… but they are all black v neck country road tshirts… so i don’t have to make decisions regarding what shirt will i wear.. i just know. Same goes for socks, underwear and anything else to do with getting dressed in the morning. My only decision is which shoes to wear, and that is predetermined byt what shoes have i worn.

So it comes as a surprise to me after a quick audit of my online collection of properties including blogs, opt in sites, websites, etc that there seems to be a little bit of overlap and confusion amongst them… why? Because I have not done for myself what I do for my clients. I have not thought about the big plan in terms of what we are out to achieve.

The biggest enemy to great success, is a little bit of success, and after a few hard years, being able to indulge my sneaker fetish and pay our bills easily feels successful (as does being able to buy new socks every few weeks… mmmm new socks). Don’t get me wrong, what we have works, but I started wondering about the place of certain sites, especially this one, what is it that I am trying to achieve here?

So it is with a new plan in hand that I think I have found the answer. so here goes:

1. If you want to know about our service based company that can build you an awesome web presence and consult with you on how to get the most out of it, that happens @ redd.com.au (new site being launched on April 30)
2. If you want to find out about my speaking/events/or my internet/technology blog, that happens @ clickhererevolution.com (launching 12 April)
3. If you want to listen to me ramble on about any old thing… that happens here!

I hope that is OK with you. It is important to me that I have a place where I can share my thoughts about the journey I am on, and how it is either all coming together or all turning to crap, without thinking, “But these people like to read about interwebs stuff”.

I feel a little more comfortable with this and am happy that things are in a bit better order, next step is to get the labeller and label the sections of the book shelf.

Have an awesome week.

R

Yes I am going there…

Firstly some facts.

I have made some amazing new friends over the last two years by connecting to people via social media. Without my late night excursions into facebook or twitter I may have never met some of these people, so for that I am extremely grateful.

I have also seen first hand how giving people a platform to communicate around their particular point of interest, has bought forth a lot of amazing new talent and incredibly useful information.

BUT… and it is a BIG BUT, like… oprah in her fat days big… Technology has failed you.

Yes I am talking to you.

Here was the plan. Back when we first invented machines, it was meant to do the work of man, so man could do other things like control the machines. Then when we invented computers, they were meant to control the machines so men could go and do other things. Things that only men can do, think, create, play … live!

Technology has the power to do the ordinary things for you, – you can shop online for everything from your groceries to your clothes to your house. You can do your banking online, you can pay your bills online, you can learn online, you can very much EARN online… which means that you can spend time with people.

If technology allows you to do all the tedious time consuming things online, why don’t you. That way you could talk to real people at a time of your choosing

Somehow over time, as technology has freed us from the shackles of our tedium, we seem to find a way to take those same shackles and bind ourselves to something else… for the purpose of this post… social media sites.

I have no issue with social media sites if you use them to create relationships that cross divides, find friends you would have never met or contribute to communities where you can’t tread. However to exist solely online and throw pillows, give bears or share hearts with people is futile and does nothing for the human experience.

I was recently involved in a project to create a social platform for the fishing industry, and it has been well received and united fisherman, many of whom now organise trips, catch ups and other related activity. We gave them a place to call home, they found the people they call friends.

My issue with facebook is it is random and wide, it doesn’t do anything more than wrangle a whole heap of people into one place as some kind of social experiment. These people will find things to share, and find groups with which they have common interest, but like any big gathering of people, there will be people who support it, and people that exploit it, and sadly the later tend to be smarter, quicker and there is more of them.

If I could actually communicate with someone at facebook, (it might be easier to get through to god and ask him to send Mr Zuckerberg a message), I would ask him what is his intention? Why are they allowing people to create apps with out hardly any control (My example here is how is it possible that my 12 year old nephew, new to facebook, was able to ask his Nan to take a survey of how good she was in bed… seriously?). Why are they seemingly unable to be contacted when I have a question about the site and the way it works?

Twitter on the other hand tends to move much faster, you are forgotten more quickly, and the other side of the same coin… if you have something relevant and useful to say, then you meet your tribe much faster (thanks for the word Seth). The reason twitter works in my opinion, is that it is simple. It is so so simple, and if you don’t get it, you have never got in the flow.

I spend a lot of my time on Social Media, it is part of my job, and I do enjoy the connections I make, but once I know a friendship is real, I make the effort to get off my arse and meet people. People do business with People. That is a fact of life.

The clarity and learning’s I have had over the last few days in regards to all areas of my business and my life have reinforced my need and desire to be a champion for embracing technology to improve the way we live. The internet and the evolution of digital media coming in devices such as the iPad are amazing and can do wonders for your business, and your personal life, but it will never replace the warmness of the first handshake with a new friend or the strength of the hug once you REALLY know them.

Make the time was a tweet from my good friend @mistressmia the other week, and that is what my wish for you is here.

Make the time, use technology not as a crutch but as a bridge, and walk over and meet someone new.

So here’s the age old dilemma… do you desire to work harder or smarter?

A lot of you reading this know me quite well and are aware of the sort of hours that I sometimes do. I often work straight through nights, I very rarely take holidays, and on the outside to most I seem like a classic workaholic.

Well, maybe I am but that is because I have known the value of work since a very young age. I have always associated effort with reward because that is what has been the case in my life, and as my whole family were involved in small businesses when I was growing up, I know that the work never ends, 7 days a week is just the way it is.

My mate Justin Herald has a theory that a lot of people have an issue with that there is no such thing as work life balance if you are a business owner, that is a concept that only works for employees. The business owner will never switch off, he will always be thinking, learning, listening and looking for the next big idea. That is what an entrepreneurial spirit is all about.

They weren't that big... but we still had fun!

However, because I am the ‘boss’ and I am able to work remotely, I am able to work anywhere & anytime (as I am today. drafting this blog post the going fishing).

***Update – to check out how we went at fishing, click the image….***

Now over the last couple of years, I have been looking for ways to lessen the impact of me taking some time off in our business, and we have done a great many things toward that. One was writing my book, one was getting some online properties that make us money up and running. We now have a good percentage of our business income on passive, however nothing will ever replace the feeling and exhilaration I get from completing a challenging project. As it says in one of my favourite books of all time, the Richest Man In Babylon “I am glad that work is not reserved for slaves. Were that the case I would be deprived of my greatest pleasure. Many things do I enjoy but nothing takes the place of work.”

However, I am looking to find ways in 2010 to make the passive side of our business even greater, not so I can go and sit on a beach, but so I can grow the production side of our business rapidly, without spending all of our cashflow on the growth.

So how am I going to do that? Well First thing I am doing is attending the Productisation Masterclass with the legend Leela Cosgrove and here partner in success Thor SalesWarlord, so they can help us identify some other areas we can productise and turn on the passive cashflow. If you have never thought about this in your business or are not sure what IP you have that could be turned into a product, then you need to attend this seminar. Check out Leela in action in the video on below.

I already know all the technical stuff and how to make info products, I have been doing that for years, but I believe we can always learn something. If you think you know it all, then well done, I hope you are enjoying your retirement… ohh not retired yet? Then clearly you don’t know it all.

The masterclass I am attending may not be for every one, but if you can’t find the $97 to attend the Saturday course.. you are not serious about finding passive income. Simple as that.

You can book tickets for that by visiting www.productiseordie.com

Just so you know, I am not getting any money or kick backs for promoting this seminar, I am just doing it because it is the first of it’s kind I have found where the people teaching are also doing it, and that counts for a lot in my book. Plus Leela & Thor ROCK!

This year I am making a promise to myself, I am going to continue to work hard it’s what I do… but I am also going continue to find ways to work VERY SMART. So work harder or smarter? My answer is – BOTH!

I am more of an AND person any way…

Hope to see you there.

Rich

I picked up my copy of the BRW Young Rich list last week. I made the same joke I do every year to my wife, “look a whole BRW issue about me” however her comeback this year stopped me in my tracks… “You are not that young anymore”.

She was right. At 35 I am approaching middle age at an ever increasing rate of knots and given I haven’t planned much past 70… I am here right now, the middle of my days on the planet.

I didn’t let that bother me too much, what did inspire me though was how the rich list is composed.

Total Wealth of the list – $5.763 Billion

Average Wealth – $65.5 Million

But for me the most important statistic – 21 of the 100 entrants were involved in technology.

One in particular was a well known web development company owner (that recently sold his company). Others were involved in mobile messaging, internet startups, service providers, and other niches, but we aren’t talking about IBM type companies here. We are talking about Young Aussies who had an idea (or 3) and had the guts, determination and passion, to see through the tough times and achieve their dreams.

No one sets out to be on one of these lists, but it is a recognition that you have been noticed and are admired for doing a good job (in most cases).

In the landscape of the world market, a lot of these young rich don’t rate, but who cares, because in their market they dominate, and the fruits of their labour will go a long way. I remember reading an article that said to be happy you have to earn $160,000, anything over that just caused stress again.

So what idea have you been sitting on that could see you in this list?

Starting an internet business these days is easier and quicker than ever before, but you must be answering a need in the market to be truly successful. Find an edge over your competitors and give something a go. We are working on some really exciting projects at the moment that have the potential to turn over at the very least 6 figures every year. For an investment of under $30,000 that will be a very good return, maybe not list worthy, but certainly life changing.

For me, I would like to appear on this list just once, just to see what they do for a corny article title… Rich is rich at last? But appearing on a list like this does not drive me.

Building a sustainable business that is worthy of being on this list, that’s what drives me. We have started on this plan and have been going along quite well, overcoming all the bumps and hurdles that get put in our way, however, maybe I am running out of time to be on this list… there’s only five years left!