Tell me how come?

Re: [spiers] Tell me how come?

Folks,

I received one special request for reply to my "survey," and the questyions were
good so I
saved it for a time when I could do the questions justice... here goes...

> Hello John,
> I'm one of your quiet folks who is reading the threads now and again. I
took your course
at San Francisco State University about 2-3 years ago. ...
>
> The reason why I took your course to begin with was because I wasn't certain
what type of
business I should get into. I was exploring for ideas. I was at a point in my
life where I
wanted change....I didn't want to work for anyone else but myself. I wanted to
earn income
without relying and depending on an employer. I didn't want to feel vulnerable
when layoffs
were announced. I wanted to take charge of my financial future.

***First comment: we take a job to pay for a lifestyle. We show up for work,
support the
owner's lifestyle, take a paycheck, and then go home and buy with that money as
much of our
desired lifestyle as possible. We seem to run out of money before we run out of
month, we
work the credit cards, get trapped.

On the other hand, being self-employed, the work IS the lifestyle. The calls we
make, the
people we meet, the creative work product all serves us and our lifestyle. We
keep what net
profit is natural in whatever industry we enter, the net profit remaining after
we pay for the
goods (landed cost) and pay for business overhead, is ours. Part of that
overhead is even
paychecks to ourselve. But that business overhead,
under the advice of a Certified Public Accountant (who defends your interests
against the
people in the government who want your money to pursue their private interests)
that
business overhead is spent pursuing your lifestyle. Indirectly what was paid
for through your
paycheck, part of your house, part of your car, part of you telephone, now
becomes business
expense. Those dinners with retailers, suppliers, designers, etc, are new
expenses, but they
are your lifestyle.

AS they say in the rag trade, sell to the swells, live with the masses. Sell to
the masses, live
with the swells. There is something to this, but in unexpected ways. People
who serve the
swells (with new upscale products, our category) tend to live with the masses
because we are
busy doing what we do. WE don't really notice where we live. Next, there is
something in
being self-employed which slightly changes your outlook, and gives a somewhat
better
perspective. You see more, and rubbing shoulders with other self-employed
people, you are
having the better parts pointed out all the time.

You might not get rich in the business, but who cares since you are living what
you would do
if you were rich. But there is more. They tell me my house is worth over $2
million (I know,
today, big deal, so is yours...) No way I would ever pay that much for a house,
but I did want
to live in a particular area of greater Seattle. I moved into that district,
rented, heard the
smart people say liquidate the stocks in March 2000, and then sat on the money.
I watched
the housing market, low-balled here and there, spotted a house I wanted, and
waited. The
housing market reacted in a delayed time frame after the dot.com bust, and I
picked up the
house for nothing, before it hit the MLS. After my offer was in, so many people
got in line
that realtors stopped taking offers. When the seller, who built the house,
learned we were
not going to tear it down, he took our offer, with all of our deductions and
conditions. And
since then the prices have gone nuts, more than tripling what we paid. No
matter to me
though, I am here to stay. The next time I move there will be a tag on my toe.

So here we go again, I am the poorest person in the neighborhood. I have a
kayak on the
dock, my neighbors all have yachts, except one, whom they all envy for he has a
seaplane on
his dock. On the other hand, I probably have the lowest loan to value ratio in
the
neighborhood, in any event, the payments are less than renting, and I can handle
them no
matter what. I've always done well in port cities.

But none of this has to do with any particular cleverness on my part. The money
to do so
comes from the work, what to do comes from all the others in the field you are
working with,
you are working at a better level with people who are working at a better level.
There is
leverage there, exponential.

>
> The reasons why I didn't start a business are the following:
>
> 1. I am still trying to discover what my passion is. To tell you the
truth, I haven't given
much thought and time into it because of the demands of my career. I enjoy what
I do
(scientist) and love the idea that I am contributing to society by developing
medicine for
illnesses, but something is missing...I couldn't quite pinpoint it.

*** Medicine is probably one of the top three fields that is distorted by
malinvestment theu
subsidies and
regulation. The theory is, without a third party payer medicine will become too
expensive
and limited. Now that some 80% of medicine is paid for by third parties, it is
getting too
expensive and limited. In those medical procedures where there is nearly no
third party
payer, such as cosmetic surgery and lasik eye care, the prices are falling fast,
the quality is
improving, and options widening. As usual. For the government to get out of
all medicine
would be the genesis of a renaissance in medicine in USA. That will not happen.
In the
meantime, the distortions create openings you can drive a truck through.***

> 2. I am feeling comfortable. I don't want to lose my steady stream of
income.

*** Naturement, because it pays for your lifestyle, such as it is.***

> 3. I don't want to "start over" like a newbee in the job market when I have
a mortgage to
pay. I would like to continue to earn higher income each year.

***Yes, I anticipated this with my earlier comments, but at our level, we rather
start at the top
in esteem, if not pay.***

> 4. I am not business savvy. I am a quiet person who continues to strive in
improving my
communication skills.
> 5. I don't believe I can be aggressive to survive in business. I am a very
mellow person
who is usually passive/assertive.
> 6. I do not believe I have the personality to involve myself in a
cut-throat business
environment.

***4, 5 and 6 are facets of the same thing. You cannot know these concerns to
be true
before you have started a business. Jane Goodall has NEVER studied Chimpanzees
in the
wild. She has studied Chimpanzees who hang out with Jane Goodall. She finds
them kind,
creative, generous near-people. Give me a week with those chimpanzees, and
they'll be
leaving banana peels all over the place, getting drunk and fighting over the
clicker. You have
no idea how you will behave self-employed.

Self-employed is not about sharp dealing, it is about new product.
Bacteriophages to eat
anthrax like acidophilus eats dysentery (I am guessing here, you take my point)
is a
discussion, not a confrontation. You are talking about bacteriophages,and no
one cares
about you. When some small thing is yours, your baby so to speak, you may be
surprised
how easy it is to say "no, it will be this way instead." In a very mellow, but
unshakable way.

Your bacteriophages are something they want to know more about, and will work
with you,
just like someone with a new hat, to see where it goes. It's your idea, they
need new,
everyone works together.

I think it is a mistake to anticipate what the world will look like
self-employed, especially if
you anticipate it is a unwelcoming, mean place.

It all starts with, what needs to be fixed in a field you love.

John


>
> If possible, I would like to receive your thoughts/comments regarding my
reasons.
>
> Thanks,
> Anne
>
> John Spiers wrote:
> Folks,
>
> As an avocation I work on why people start businesses, how that works...
>
> I assume most people are on a continuum from "still thinking about it" to "it
is working very
> well" and somewhere in between. Everyone on this list, some 800 people,
either read the
> book or took the class, or both.
>
> Something I've never asked is why people do NOT start businesses... what I'd
like to know
is
> "if not, why not..." and if you tried, what was the problem that stymied your
efforts...?
>
> What replies I receive will be used as material for a reply from me on the
topic.
>
> I'd like as many answers as possible, so even you quiet people on the list
would be very
> welcome by me... don't worry, I won't put your replies on the list... visions
of 800 emails
> coming in may terrify you... I won't allow the replies to post... I'll just
read them myself...
and
> then reply once with a summary and thoughts.
>
> Thanks!
>
> John
>
>
> Compete on Design!
>
> www.johnspiers.com

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