Grand Mistakes I've Made In Business

Reflecting over my years of life being in business for myself, I can't stress enough how important it is not to repeat the things I've done, especially if you are someone who has a high tendency to have a strong work ethic.

Looking back, I have almost painted myself into a corner with some former clients over the years, even to this point today and with how technology has changed and where people expect you to always answer to "texts" or be immediately available, it turns out that this has become a non-stop thing where once people get used to having strong availability or efficiency, they become suspicious the moment you are not even available and they cannot even last 4 hours before totally breaking down or becoming suspicious when they don't hear from you.

And I frankly hate this shit.

Now, to put something in perspective, I never made myself so available because of trying to be seen as "nice", but I made it a strong point of my business practices to give fast responses as a way of competing against other businesses, since I don't rely on marketing gimmicks or strategies to over-promise something to customers.

Well, to a large degree, I really regret it.

While working for myself has come with some many great benefits and minimal hours, let me tell you though, when it RAINS, it fucking POURS JUNGLE RAIN with the shit I have to deal with when the problems do happen.

I targeted  a very niche market in the line of work I do, and had many various options that most companies would not ever approach.

In the long run, I can tell you, while it has given me a lot of good success, in the end it was never worth it, and it's become more problematic now (especially after COVID) than in times past, because of permanent changes to the workforce, less skilled people and the fact that many businesses actually are not so instantly available.

But I have paid the price in stress, but also in being taken advantage of.

The thing is, the more you know, the more you are skilled at or have answers too, this is also a VERY BAD thing in business.

While that might seem contrary to logic, it makes you become  subjected to abuse and all kinds of ridiculous demands, and sometimes customers want to use you for any information they can get out of you, so it's always important to establish boundaries.

The problem is, these days, I'm even running into difficulties to where to put certain boundaries, I do have "some" up, but with the way things change, and the less I have control over anything including the way something is manufactured, you really cannot promise the world to people.

It's interesting, because I also once knew an Accountant who also complained in their field about the same struggles they faced especially with learning Tax Law / Codes and requirements, and the thing is of course, who really wants to deal with an Accountant!?

But that being said, the Accountant was even taken advantage of and the thing  is that customers tend to see if you are a very open person or work on a base of "niche", they try to see what else they can squeeze out of you, even sometimes for free.

I'm currently dealing with this from a Client who has unpaid bills that I have assessed Service Charges on, and they have this whole nonsense of internal employee disputes of inappropriate things going on in the office, and since I am not a regularly hired employee, I'm not entirely informed on what's going on, but in this bizarre situation and being told only details on a "Need To Know Basis", this prick who I've done work with for many years now, tries to find convenient new excuses to stall payments on me, and I came up with a clever way to surprise him.

The types of SHIT that I see and am expected to "navigate" on the basis of internal workplace issues these days, including staff turnover, is absolutely fucking INSANE and TIRING.

I really really do wonder how anyone gets up to go to work anymore! 

NEVER, EVER be too available for your clients, and also it can even work against you the more you inform them about ANYTHING.

The more you know, the more gets expected out of you, and then the moment you don't know something or have an answer, you receive nothing but endless criticism or shock that you don't know.

Meanwhile, I have a pile of laundry that needs to be done, dishes that need to be cleaned, and I often am delayed on eating lunch when being bombarded with this shit.

Also, while it may seem like someone like me ought to be able to know how to establish certain boundaries in business, especially since I've been for so much of my life, to be quite honest, the world has changed a lot now in the pace, tone and expectations, and many times I am not even certain what to say in some situations, and also I am suffering with massive cognitive decline.

In recent months, I have even been doing some search for advice on "correcting" these things and getting customers to back down and leave me alone, and I ended up reading some very genius statement someone suggested about something, when people try to push for demands...

To ask / tell them... If you went to Wal-Mart, and a Wal-Mart Employee is stocking Cake Mix in the Bakery Aisle, should that mean they know everything and can answer any questions  of yours about baking a cake!?