#cash only
I don’t know whose radar I fell on recently, but I’m getting rather tired of skeevy companies trying to get me to share my audience with them, and also charge me the privilege for it under the guise of “marketing and better performance management.”
Listen. It’s ADHD chaos or nothing. And second of all, if I ever wanted to hire people to help me manage the chaotic hellscape my online life has become, I’d hire from my Tumblr audience. Someone who could, y'know, surviveon Tumblr.
This post seems to have put some noses out of joint because I got a really creepy follow-up email today along the lines of “fine, keep being unprofessional if that’s what you want!” like thank you, I will xoxo
And just because this thought is going to live rent-free in my head until I get it out: I resent the idea that because I’m not doing business the way other people do business I’m being unprofessional.
Are there things I wish I was better at and try very hard to improve? Yes, absolutely. Do I still fail? Also yes.
But I’m also a neurodivergent, chronically ill, multiply disabled “content creator,” with the equivalent of three full-time jobs. The way that I work is not the way that a neurotypical, able-bodied person can work. Arguably, I work harder, and the inference that I’ll never be truly successful until I do things one specific way that’s dictated by algorithms and trends and an unhealthy amount of output is… just not true.
I’ve proven that with my sales figures, my analytics, and the fact that these companies are coming to me because they cannot figure out how to do what I do.
And the truth is, I’m still figuring it out myself. I’m still striving for balance, and think, I hope, I’m about to hit my stride in terms of novels, content, and advocacy work. I’ve spent a year building up a sustainable working system that jives with my brain and my physical needs. But I’ve also made peace with the fact that my health fluctuates, and that there will be times when I cannot work. When I need to let some things fall to the side for the sake of my sanity and health, but also my happiness.
I refuse to break myself apart on the unattainable ideals of success that are driving people into mental health crises over and over in a bid to stay relevant. And if you think that looks like failure, then you need to reevaluate what you deem as success.
IMHO the proper response to these companies is “Listen up fucko. I charge two million in HARD CASH to explain the art of doing business to you. Two million buys you ONE seminar. YOU pay for the travel for me and my chef. When you are ready to pony up, we can talk. Until then, begone. Cash only. Euro bills only.”
If they bite, go ahead and do it. Take six hours and hold a seminar describing your life and work method. If they are not ready to pony up, their loss. Also their problem, not yours.THEY are doing it wrong, not you. If they wanna learn, it has a cost.
