Filed under: Advertising, Agency Culture, Attitude & Aptitude, Authenticity, Business, Collaboration, Comment, Community, Confidence, Consultants, Corporate Evil, Creativity, Culture, Mediocrity, Money, Respect, Revenge, Standards, Strategy
One of the toughest things about doing your own thing is payment.
Not asking for it, getting it.
One of the worst situations I ever had was a company – who I obviously no longer work with – who took seven months to pay.
SEVEN.
Not because they were having a hard time.
Not because they lost my invoice information.
But because they thought they could.
And you know what, they could … because in the big scheme of things, I was a mosquito in terms of their ‘suppliers’ and so I was ignored as a priority.
Again.
And again.
And again.
But you know what else mosquitos can be?
Annoying little fuckers and I used that experience to learn from my mistakes, resulting in an updated set of T&C’s that now contain clauses that state – the longer the delay in their payment, based on pre-agreed terms – the more implications they will be subjected to.
It starts off with a relatively small % increase, based on what is owed, added to the bill.
Then there is an increase in the % of a more significant amount.
And then finally, they grant me approval of being able to publicly shame them as well as charge them – up to $1000 – for the costs of ‘advertising’.
Have I ever had to use it?
Well, I have in terms of increasing the amount owed due to late payment, but never anything more than that …
In fact, when dealing with companies with a procurement department, that is the ‘clause’ they generally always demand is removed to which I always respond in the same way:
“Are you intending on delaying my payment for work undertaken?”
Have I lost work because of this approach?
Yep … I have, but not only do I not want to work with people who knowingly withhold payment, I also am of the attitude that chasing up monies is also ‘loss of work’.
I get it’s economically tough out there.
I also appreciate I’m speaking from a position of privilege and good fortune.
And while I’ve not had too many problems regarding getting paid from the people/companies I’ve worked with in the past, I know many do.
In fact, what they tell me is it’s the companies who talk about their values and commitment to best practice who are the worst to pay on time.
Which is why if you’re a sole trader or a freelancer – or are thinking about it – you need to get comfortable with respecting your own value.
You should not feel lucky to be paid for the work you have done.
And while it’s fair to say companies are in a position of power in a lot of relationships, your approach and attitude can help even up the score.
Not by being an asshole, but by being clear in what you will and won’t accept.
Including the small print in your T&C’s.
Anyone going out on their own is doing something special. But those who do it ‘hoping’ it will work out are being complicit in their own troubles.
So to try and stop you making the same mistakes I’ve made – as well as learn the good lessons I’ve been fortunate enough to receive – here are some posts that may/may not be of some use.
Good luck. It’s tough, but my god it is rewarding.
Harrison Ford and the value of value.
Michael Keaton thinking like a small business.
How Metallica’s management appreciate value.
Relationships build business.
Procurement departments are just playing a game called ‘negotiation’.
Know what you’re in the business of actually delivering.
Don’t want something so much you do the wrong things to get the business you want.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Attitude & Aptitude, Auckland, Authenticity, Brand, Brand Suicide, Comment, Context, Creative Development, Creativity, Culture, Design, Distinction, Diversity, England, London, Marketing, Marketing Fail, Mediocrity, Reputation, Resonance
One of the things I have loved about living in so many countries is that I’ve been able to see and experience different ways of living.
I don’t just mean from an economic perspective, but in terms of what a country or city values and how it expresses and encourages that through its architecture, planning, facilities and people.
However, over the decades – as economies have grown – more and more of the individual spirit and character of cities has been replaced with identikit skylines, resulting not just in everything looking familiar, but feeling it as well.
Now I appreciate for some, this is a great thing … the creation and demonstration of social progress and achievement. However when everything increasingly ends up looking, feeling and acting the same – regardless of geography – not only is the magic of discovery being traded for the convenience of familiarity, the soul and history of every individual city is being erased and whitewashed over.
I say this because recently, as I was walking around Auckland, I saw this:
The bit that got me most was that first line …
‘All these upgrades are turning our city grey’.
And they’re right.
Don’t get me wrong, Auckland is a beautiful city and a great place to live … but what is being classified as ‘improvements’ is ironically having the exact opposite effect.
The colour, character and contrasts of Auckland are being wiped out … traded out … and moved out … slowly turning the entire City into a comfortable and convenient prison cell. Except instead of this cell keeping people from getting out, it stops people from wanting to come in. Not because there aren’t things to do, but because they are the exact same things, with the exact same people as everyone else is experiencing.
It’s part of the reason I loved the London Underground on Friday evenings.
Because despite it being packed. Despite it being hot. Despite people not really making eye contact, let alone talking to you … it was like a brilliant zoo. Full of different animals hanging out in each others environments.
People going to the theatre.
People going home from work.
People going out for a big night.
People going to do a night shift.
People going on a first date.
People going for a last meal.
Locals … out-of-towners … tourists.
God I loved it … I loved the variety, the weirdness, the characters and chancers.
Or said another way, the pieces that not only give a place its soul and identity.
But also its individuality.
Brands … specifically those who outsource who they are to a ‘for profit’ marketing practice process, should take careful note. There’s a lot of you. Even though it’s increasingly difficult to tell you from one another given you all look, act and feel the exact same.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Asia, Attitude & Aptitude, Comment, Contribution, Corporate Evil, Craft, Creative Development, Creativity, Culture, Emotion, Empathy, Environment, Finance, Government, Imagination, Perspective, Resonance, Respect, Values, Vietnam
Over the last year, I have fallen in love with walking.
What once I considered a waste of TV/Gaming/Eating time, now I prioritise it.
I take client calls on walks.
I do team catch-ups on walks.
I do a lot of my work thinking time on walks.
Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk.
And the benefits of this approach to life are plentiful.
I’m healthier – physically and mentally.
I have a skin tone that no longer makes me look like an anemic Dracula.
And I have got to connect more to the places I live and work.
I am not suggesting in any way others need to be doing this, just highlighting how it has had a lifechanging effect on me.
But one of the things I have really got to appreciate with walking is seeing the communities and streets around where I live and how – every now and then – you come across something that makes me stop walking and stare.
This is one of them …
Someone did that.
Someone decided to do that.
To make a little part of the pavement, a jewel.
And I have no idea why … and I have no idea who … but I love someone did.
Not just because they took the time, but they thought is was worth the time.
And that’s the thing I worry about where we’re heading.
Because everything is seemingly evaluated and valued by greatest and fastest ROI.
We’re seeing companies do it with their endless mergers and acquisitions.
We’re seeing tech firms do it with their blinkered focus on optimisation over possibility..
And we’re seeing governments do it with their disregard of the arts in favour of business.
And while, of course, money is hugely important … when the impact and value on how society feels and interacts is disregarded, the economic benefit ends up being even more short-term.
Some people won’t care.
Some people are only focused on what they can get out of something rather than what they can give or enable for someone else.
Which is why I’m so grateful to whoever made this piece of literal street art.
Because it’s far more than just decorating a bit of the pavement, it’s a reminder of the choice we have. Because while the ‘economically functional’ may be easier, cheaper, faster and more convenient, its the stuff that you know is born from someone’s passion that leaves the most lasting impression.
Talking of passion, I’m away next week in one of my favorite places in the World, Vietnam.
[I say that, it all depends on what the doctors say about my eye at today’s check up. Eek]
It’s exciting for 3 reasons.
1. I’ve not been there for years.
2. It’s where I helped create the ‘4×4 on 2 wheels‘.
2. It means that after 3 months of pain, my eye is doing well enough to travel again.
And before you ask, it is for work – even though I get to see friends there at the same time.
So while I’m off experiencing the place with the most infectious spirit, unstoppable energy and relentless optimism in Asia, I hope you have a week finding and celebrating the things that may make no economic sense to an accountant but make so much sense to your soul.
Because in these days of beige and boring, creativity is not so much about art, but an act of rebellion on behalf of the human spirit.
See you in a week.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Agency Culture, Apathy, Attitude & Aptitude, Career, Colleagues, Comment, Creativity, Culture, Empathy, Football, Fulfillment, Leadership, Management, Nottingham Forest, Relationships, Relevance, Reputation, Resonance
One of the things I’ve always believed is that the role of a boss is to ensure that when their people leave – and they always will – they are going to a job that they didn’t previously think was possible for them.
A role where it is as much about who they are as what they do.
A position based on what they’ve made not just what they’ve written.
An opportunity created because they want to hire them rather than there’s a hire needing to be filled.
OK, there is one other scenario that makes me happy and that’s when someone leaves for love, family or to explore a personal passion … however in terms of ‘direct’ career moves, I feel I’ve done my job for my team when they leave for what I call, ‘a bigger life’.
Has this always happened?
No. No it hasn’t … however I am extremely proud that in the main, it has.
I should point out here I am in no way trying to take credit for my old colleagues success. The reality is they did it all by themselves … my only role was to ensure I created the conditions, environment and standards that let their talent and ambitions be expressed, pushed and celebrated.
This last bit is important because while the industry sometimes feels it rewards popularity more than experience, a career is built on what you do, not what you say.
Or said another way: What you’re willing to put in, not just what you want to take out.
Let me be clear, I am not suggesting you have to work to the extreme in terms of hours or workload.
Apart from that being completely counter-productive to enabling you to be the best you can be, who – apart from Tom in Succession – wants a career based on ‘being able to take more shit than someone else’?
That doesn’t mean you don’t have to graft – you do – but as I’ve written in the past, graft is very different to working to the bone or engaging in that other evil beast, hustle culture.
So what do I mean by graft?
Well, there are many interpretations, but for me – this quote by Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi, kind of captures it best.
The significant part is this: “I think I can make you who you want to be as a player. But it is your decision to come?”
Your decision to come.
YOUR decision to come.
The acknowledgement that to move forward, you have to choose to do it.
No shortcuts. No handouts. No guarantees. Yet you still have to show up.
But what I also love about that line is the bit that comes before ‘your decision to come’.
Because in just 14 words, the coach has told Taiwo they:
1. Believe in his ability but won’t make false promises.
2. Are focused on Taiwo’s ambitions and aspiration are, not theirs.
3. Will commit their energy to the pursuit of helping Taiwo achieve his goal/s.
Shared responsibility.
Shared commitment.
Shared effort.
In essence, he removed all the pressure being just on the player by saying to them, that they’re in this journey, together.
What this means is Taiwo knows the focus is on where he wants to be, not just what someone wants him to do.
That his graft will not be in vain.
That there’s a productivity to all he puts in.
And that success won’t simply be measured by what his boss achieves, but what his boss helps him achieve.
But, to have all that, the expectation is he demonstrates it through his actions and behaviours each day.
It won’t be easy.
It definitely isn’t a given.
But if you choose to take this chance – not just theoretically, but with everything you’ve got – then they will commit to helping you get where you hope you can be.
And maybe even beyond that.
Sadly I don’t know if that same attitude is embraced by our industry much these days. Of course it’s there with some people, but it’s unlikely to be the norm.
And why do I say that?
Because we’re seeing less and less training in companies these days … and what there is, is often outsourced to a ‘for profit’ individual/company who often are only doing it for self-serving reasons. And what this is resulting in is less independent thought and/or good people leaving the industry.
This kills me, because I love this industry.
Sure, it can drive me nuts but at its best, it’s something truly special.
Special work.
Special people.
Special possibilities.
It has also given me a life that – in all honesty – I never imagined was possible, however I had some bosses through the years who were like Taiwo’s and for that I am eternally grateful to them. [Just so you know, I also had some utter pricks, but I’m even grateful to them because they showed me who I will never want to be]
This post has gone on for far too long which is why I’ll leave anyone who has got this far with a gift.
If you want to know if you’re working for a company that really cares about your growth or cares more about their own, ask your CFO this simple question:
“What percentage of the companies budget is dedicated to staff training”.
Trust me, their answer will tell you all you need to know.
You’re welcome.
Filed under: Attitude & Aptitude, Colenso, Comment, Creative Brief, Creative Development, Creativity, Culture, New Zealand, OnStrategy, Planners, Planning
Back in 2017, I spoke to the man with the golden honey voice … also known as Fergus, the founder and host of the rather brilliant OnStrategy.
Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of listening to him and his podcasts on a regular basis.
Learning from them … sometimes, vehemently disagreeing with them … occasionally, being proud-as-punch of them … when it features the clever ramblings of people in my team, or people in my life. [There’s too many of them to put links for them, haha]
In an industry of talkers – he’s one of the good and real guys;, despite the fact he is literally, errrrm, ‘a talker’ – haha.
Anyway, next month I finally get to meet the man, the myth, the legend as he is coming to Auckland to host a panel held at Colenso.
I can’t wait.
Not just because his voice is ‘sonic crack’ for me, but because he always encourages strategy to be talked through the lens of the work, rather than the pseudo intellectualism that too many people seem to like/spout.
I love that.
We need more of that.
Not just because the entire marketing industry is in danger of losing itself in a heap of marketing practice theory, but because strategy without creativity – and change – is nothing more than empty masturbation, whatever the hell that means, haha.
Stupidly Fergus has asked me to be a part of it – no doubt because we offered to host him at our ‘house’ and he’s likely too polite to tell me to fuck off because of that – but I am thrilled he is coming, both for letting NZ show the world how good we can be as well as forcing NZ strategy and marketing to realise being happy with where we’re at is not where we need to be.
Or could be.
So if you’re in NZ, come and hear Fergus and 3 clever buggers [as well as me] … talk about stuff. Or come along to try and steal some of Colenso’s stuff.
Tickets are available here.
And if you’re not, enjoy listening to whatever comes out of the evening in the next few weeks.