Comments on: The Home Business Diva: When The Hatemail Is Better Than The Fanmail http://ittybiz.com/the-small-business-diva-when-the-hatemail-is-better-than-the-fanmail/ Marketing for Businesses Without Marketing Departments Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:25:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Article Reviews #6: From Around The Net http://ittybiz.com/the-small-business-diva-when-the-hatemail-is-better-than-the-fanmail/#comment-14475 Article Reviews #6: From Around The Net Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:58:37 +0000 http://ittybiz.com/the-small-business-diva-when-the-hatemail-is-better-than-the-fanmail/#comment-14475 [...] love the way Naomi of IttyBiz writes and "The Small Business Diva: When The Hatemail Is Better Than The Fanmail" is just an example. She's not afraid to include colorful metaphors to get the point [...] [...] love the way Naomi of IttyBiz writes and "The Small Business Diva: When The Hatemail Is Better Than The Fanmail" is just an example. She's not afraid to include colorful metaphors to get the point [...]

]]> By: The War of Numbers - Epiblogger http://ittybiz.com/the-small-business-diva-when-the-hatemail-is-better-than-the-fanmail/#comment-6661 The War of Numbers - Epiblogger Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:34:32 +0000 http://ittybiz.com/the-small-business-diva-when-the-hatemail-is-better-than-the-fanmail/#comment-6661 [...] that I am severely biting my tongue here and keeping things clean (I do all my profane stuff on IttyBiz [...] [...] that I am severely biting my tongue here and keeping things clean (I do all my profane stuff on IttyBiz [...]

]]> By: Daniel Burke http://ittybiz.com/the-small-business-diva-when-the-hatemail-is-better-than-the-fanmail/#comment-4193 Daniel Burke Sat, 19 Apr 2008 22:39:23 +0000 http://ittybiz.com/the-small-business-diva-when-the-hatemail-is-better-than-the-fanmail/#comment-4193 I've actually got a bit of advice for the consultant, ironic, eh? The system I implemented is actually pretty simple, and it addresses the root of the cobbler issue: the value of your time. The main reason the cobbler puts their clients first is simple...they are paying customers. How can your personal time become (nearly) as valuable to you as it is to your customers? It really is quite simple although, at first, it seems rather silly. Pay yourself. Okay, stop snickering, and allow me to clarify. Whenever you have a personal project you just never seem to get around to doing because work keeps getting in the way (those pesky paying customers cause this all the time), quote the job as if it were for a customer, and <b>most importantly, be realistic</b>. Your candle is no less valuable when you are burning it than if a client were. After all, you could be working instead of eating, sleeping, and other such frivolous pursuits. The money you "earn" working on your own projects goes into a separate pile, to be used only for extravagant (or at least wacky) things you would not normally spend on. These spendings are intended solely to induce jealousy in (and thereby mitigate your jealousy of) your clients. These are things like going to the swanky restaurant downtown, getting a manicure, spending the day pampering yourself at a spa, buying that new digicam (or Maserati if your personal project was particularly difficult and "expensive") that you've been drooling over, getting the kids their own Ferraris, you know, extravagant stuff. Of course, these thing are never told to clients since they might actually become jealous (or totally irate). It's still nice to have something to lord over them though--even if it's only in the privacy of your own mind. Don't know if it'll help, but it works for me. ~Daniel P.S. To be honest, I didn't read all the comments before posting...just sorta scanned them, so I'm rehashing somebody's post, just disregard this. (And, BTW, you might notice my distinct avoidance of the loathed ";", although I tend to be an avid semicolon abuser.) I’ve actually got a bit of advice for the consultant, ironic, eh? The system I implemented is actually pretty simple, and it addresses the root of the cobbler issue: the value of your time. The main reason the cobbler puts their clients first is simple…they are paying customers. How can your personal time become (nearly) as valuable to you as it is to your customers? It really is quite simple although, at first, it seems rather silly. Pay yourself.
Okay, stop snickering, and allow me to clarify.
Whenever you have a personal project you just never seem to get around to doing because work keeps getting in the way (those pesky paying customers cause this all the time), quote the job as if it were for a customer, and most importantly, be realistic. Your candle is no less valuable when you are burning it than if a client were. After all, you could be working instead of eating, sleeping, and other such frivolous pursuits.
The money you “earn” working on your own projects goes into a separate pile, to be used only for extravagant (or at least wacky) things you would not normally spend on. These spendings are intended solely to induce jealousy in (and thereby mitigate your jealousy of) your clients. These are things like going to the swanky restaurant downtown, getting a manicure, spending the day pampering yourself at a spa, buying that new digicam (or Maserati if your personal project was particularly difficult and “expensive”) that you’ve been drooling over, getting the kids their own Ferraris, you know, extravagant stuff. Of course, these thing are never told to clients since they might actually become jealous (or totally irate). It’s still nice to have something to lord over them though–even if it’s only in the privacy of your own mind.
Don’t know if it’ll help, but it works for me.

~Daniel

P.S. To be honest, I didn’t read all the comments before posting…just sorta scanned them, so I’m rehashing somebody’s post, just disregard this. (And, BTW, you might notice my distinct avoidance of the loathed “;”, although I tend to be an avid semicolon abuser.)

]]> By: Article Reviews #6: From Around The Net http://ittybiz.com/the-small-business-diva-when-the-hatemail-is-better-than-the-fanmail/#comment-4061 Article Reviews #6: From Around The Net Fri, 18 Apr 2008 07:29:36 +0000 http://ittybiz.com/the-small-business-diva-when-the-hatemail-is-better-than-the-fanmail/#comment-4061 [...] love the way Naomi of IttyBiz writes and "The Small Business Diva: When The Hatemail Is Better Than The Fanmail" is just an example. She's not afraid to include colorful metaphors to get the point [...] [...] love the way Naomi of IttyBiz writes and "The Small Business Diva: When The Hatemail Is Better Than The Fanmail" is just an example. She's not afraid to include colorful metaphors to get the point [...]

]]> By: 2ThePoint http://ittybiz.com/the-small-business-diva-when-the-hatemail-is-better-than-the-fanmail/#comment-3938 2ThePoint Sun, 13 Apr 2008 13:18:15 +0000 http://ittybiz.com/the-small-business-diva-when-the-hatemail-is-better-than-the-fanmail/#comment-3938 You, my dear, are funny and honest as hell. Stay You. xx. You, my dear, are funny and honest as hell.

Stay You.

xx.

]]> By: Naomi Dunford http://ittybiz.com/the-small-business-diva-when-the-hatemail-is-better-than-the-fanmail/#comment-3920 Naomi Dunford Sat, 12 Apr 2008 02:17:15 +0000 http://ittybiz.com/the-small-business-diva-when-the-hatemail-is-better-than-the-fanmail/#comment-3920 @ Kelly -- Well, thank you. I will concede that yes, Jack does have the best hair in this house. (He also has the most hair in this house, which counts for something.) @ Kelly — Well, thank you. I will concede that yes, Jack does have the best hair in this house. (He also has the most hair in this house, which counts for something.)

]]> By: Kelly http://ittybiz.com/the-small-business-diva-when-the-hatemail-is-better-than-the-fanmail/#comment-3919 Kelly Sat, 12 Apr 2008 02:05:15 +0000 http://ittybiz.com/the-small-business-diva-when-the-hatemail-is-better-than-the-fanmail/#comment-3919 Naomi, So while I was bemoaning my fate (which later turned into today's post at MCE), you were writing 6,000 client words plus this great post, Jamie was watching a movie and had another post in the works, and the post is you complaining because you are not superb enough? You are super-productivity-woman to me. Make that queen of the super-productivity-family. I ooze jealousy. I hope, by tomorrow, to catch up on yesterday. That's about the best I can do. I may be a day late and a dollar short getting to this party, but I just want to make it clear: there is only room for one ruling hairdo at Naomi's blog, and that must be Jack's. Who's not gonna vote for the IttyCutie? Regards, Kelly Naomi,

So while I was bemoaning my fate (which later turned into today’s post at MCE), you were writing 6,000 client words plus this great post, Jamie was watching a movie and had another post in the works, and the post is you complaining because you are not superb enough? You are super-productivity-woman to me. Make that queen of the super-productivity-family. I ooze jealousy.

I hope, by tomorrow, to catch up on yesterday. That’s about the best I can do.

I may be a day late and a dollar short getting to this party, but I just want to make it clear: there is only room for one ruling hairdo at Naomi’s blog, and that must be Jack’s.

Who’s not gonna vote for the IttyCutie?

Regards,

Kelly

]]> By: Charlie Gilkey | Productive Flourishing http://ittybiz.com/the-small-business-diva-when-the-hatemail-is-better-than-the-fanmail/#comment-3887 Charlie Gilkey | Productive Flourishing Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:28:09 +0000 http://ittybiz.com/the-small-business-diva-when-the-hatemail-is-better-than-the-fanmail/#comment-3887 Great post, Naomi. I have the same feeling when I help my colleagues with their work while not doing my own only to have them turn around and get published. One part of you wants to join in the high five and the other wants to punch 'em in the gut while their hands are in the air. Luckily, the part that wants to punch them in the got is a very small, petty, controllable beast - but it's still there. On the hair: Gotta go with Naomi on this one. Sorry Clay, but as you know from my bio, short hair's the way to go. Great post, Naomi. I have the same feeling when I help my colleagues with their work while not doing my own only to have them turn around and get published. One part of you wants to join in the high five and the other wants to punch ‘em in the gut while their hands are in the air. Luckily, the part that wants to punch them in the got is a very small, petty, controllable beast – but it’s still there.

On the hair: Gotta go with Naomi on this one. Sorry Clay, but as you know from my bio, short hair’s the way to go.

]]> By: @Stephen | Productivity in Context http://ittybiz.com/the-small-business-diva-when-the-hatemail-is-better-than-the-fanmail/#comment-3886 @Stephen | Productivity in Context Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:20:12 +0000 http://ittybiz.com/the-small-business-diva-when-the-hatemail-is-better-than-the-fanmail/#comment-3886 >>Ellen "<i>Do you play pool late at night?</i>" What exactly do you mean? If you mean billiards, well, I used to. A long, long time ago. In a place far from where I am now... >>Ellen “Do you play pool late at night?” What exactly do you mean? If you mean billiards, well, I used to. A long, long time ago. In a place far from where I am now…

]]> By: Joohliah http://ittybiz.com/the-small-business-diva-when-the-hatemail-is-better-than-the-fanmail/#comment-3885 Joohliah Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:53:47 +0000 http://ittybiz.com/the-small-business-diva-when-the-hatemail-is-better-than-the-fanmail/#comment-3885 I sooo agree on this. I build websites for my clients, and for my Zoohliah, but my own personal graphic design freelance portfolio is from a public platform. A great public platform, ok, but still. I gotta do something about it. After I have my hair cut, open a blog, have kids, by a house… oh no wait, I have to find a moment before all of that. Damn it. I sooo agree on this.

I build websites for my clients, and for my Zoohliah, but my own personal graphic design freelance portfolio is from a public platform. A great public platform, ok, but still.

I gotta do something about it. After I have my hair cut, open a blog, have kids, by a house… oh no wait, I have to find a moment before all of that.

Damn it.

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