I Ain't Gonna Work Wit' You!

Okay.  If you know me, you know I write in two ways… (1) In real-time and (2) Honestly.

There are benefits to this…  I get to be present, in the moment and writing about things I’m actually going through and in being honest, I help out other people or at least let entrepreneurs they are not alone.  There are also downsides.  Generally, when I write about an issue I am going through, the person reads it and thinks, “That’s about me!” and is either right and gets to learn about my way of thinking or is wrong and hates me for having an opinion about them when it was never about them in the first place.

Luckily, I’m willing to take that chance and write honestly.

Way back in the day when I was struggling for new clients and prospects, I used to bend over backwards like crazy for clients.  If they wanted me to fly to the moon, jump through five hoops of fire and walk across coals while eating cockroach legs, I would… and I did.  Now, I still love and cherish and honor the process of getting a new client and I still stand in the place of gratitude of receiving this new, awesome business but I no longer compromise my own needs and my desired lifestyle to do so.

Case in point: I have a 100% virtually based business. I don’t have an office, I don’t have a physical space, I tried to do co-working once (even bought a certificate at a Twestival) but they never opened their doors so even that failed.  I have a love / hate relationship with working from Starbucks (love – coffee… hate – people who bring their babies into Starbucks and the babies cry and I can’t write a sentence with words let alone anything intelligent… just sayin’.. Mommas, don’t be angry – it’s just the crying ones that force me to do that!)

I also have zero local clients. Well, I have one but we’ve never met in person so it’s almost like she’s virtual too!  I’d say I was sad about this but I’m not.  I like to live my life online…  I like being on the Internet.  I get more done. In-person meetings are ineffective for me because of the time it takes to get dressed up, drive, find parking, get to the location, etc., etc., etc.  In fact, the minute someone suggests meeting in-person, I immediately realize it isn’t going to work.

I’m not trying to be mean to the people who like in-person meetings, it’s just not my style.

Ya... So! I Live Online!

So, what do I do?  Well, I could compromise my working habits but that’s not me. I am the kind of person who, when she realizes that travel puts a damper on her creativity, cancels a fun trip to San Diego.  You might say fun police, I say honoring what I need as a business owner and as a person.  Maintaining happiness and sanity.

So instead, I just don’t do it. I’d rather take the chance of losing business than do something that goes against my own beliefs, needs and standards of work.  It’s me and I need to honor that.  Most of my clients are fine working virtually.  We do great work, they are millions of miles away, some are in other countries and it works out great.  I get more done, I can stay in my pajamas and do what I do best…  Building kick ass online businesses.

What do you do when faced with something that compromises your beliefs and needs?

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