Editor’s Note: This newsletter was originally published on September 6th, 2021.
Happy Labor Day!
The first Monday in September is Labor Day in the U.S. In addition to being the traditional endcap of Summer, it is a day celebrating the contributions of American workers and businesses.
As we’re around the 18-month mark of Covid-19s impact on our economy, society, and culture, it is another observation point for where we are.
Overall, businesses are still struggling to hire and retain employees. Wages have taken a sharp uptake matched with inflationary price increases. In many markets, we’re seeing growth in larger brands & chains to the detriment of smaller-to-medium sized businesses owned by our friends, families, and neighbors.
The most valuable thing that can happen for our locales, towns, and regions is more businesses run by (and serving) members of our Scout Troops, churches, kid’s soccer teams, and Rotary clubs.
In our current world where larger, more tech-savvy players seem to have an advantage, survival is going to be dependent upon the service you provide & relationships you can build!
Yes, the middle is being squeezed. Yes, the gap between the top & bottom seems more distinct.
However, in our ever-impersonal feeling world, people who smile and ask your name stand out even more.
Why does Chik-Fil-A have lines wrapped around their buildings & have >20 people working their shifts? It is really “My Pleasure” that differentiates or the fact that a McDonald’s has 4-5 people with you ordering from a computer screen?
Convenience doesn’t draw a crowd!
Why do people accept questionable service from Trash companies or line up near Midnight for Taco Bell? Can it be that willingness to do jobs others won’t or work when others don’t want to is a differentiator?
Showing up shows a lot!
As we continue to work through our daily exercises of “New Normals”, keep in mind that we (and our willingness) might be at the root of many problems. It may not be getting “harder” as much as we might just be trying less!
Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark shares the link “Someone once said: We create our own demons.”
While it is overly simplistic to blame ourselves for all of our problems, it is a reality that many are of our own making! While it is easier to assess blame outside ourselves, remember that limits our capability to solve the problems.
What changes do you need to make and what actions can you take toward making them?
P.S. Update from my mention last week of UGA’s game as the “orange-clad ne’er do wells from Clemson, SC”. Kirby’s boys fielded a Defense that wreaked havoc on Clemson’s offense all night long on route to a hard-earned 10-3 victory.
There are things for Georgia to work on (namely their own Offense), but ending Week 1 at 1-0 beats the alternative!
P.S. My tweet below is in response to this one from Joe Sanberg.
If the minimum wage had increased at the rate of productivity since 1960, it would be over $23 right now
— Joe Sanberg (@JosephNSanberg) September 4, 2021
But it’s just $7.25.
That’s almost $16 per hour that is being stolen from workers!
As I noted in my response, employees being paid as agreed by employers for the work that they do is not “theft”. It’s frankly this entitlement mentality that is doing more damage to our society, culture, and economy than Covid-19 ever could! (And frankly, based on the wages being paid right now, there are few jobs where people are working for anything close to $7.25 per hour!)
Try again, Joe!
Someone does not understand the word "stolen"!
— David Adams (@SwamiDaveSays) September 5, 2021
An agreement between two parties to exchange time for payment isn't theft. https://t.co/y5wK8l8n1m
I REALLY liked this Gary Vaynerchuk quote!
So many people measure “success” as some individual effort or achievement, but this highlights the truth that things are better when you’re enjoying it in a crowd.
For everything that Gary has achieved and achieves, I expect that it’s the growth and success that he sees in others (like DRock, Rahgav Haran, his brother AJ, or others within his associated businesses within the VaynerX realm) that puts the biggest smiles on his face.
It’s one thing to see the organizations or get the balance sheets. It’s wholly another to see the lives touched and influence on people no achieving more than they’d ever have dreamed possible.
Where are YOU having an influence on someone else and how can you make that more tomorrow than it was today?
For those checking out the book reviews, I reviewed E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber. You can check out my notes at this link.
Keep a lookout as I just finished One Million Followers by Brendan Kane and will be posting my notes for that one soon.
Other Links
Speed up your WordPress site
As important as site speed is to results ranking, it is something on which we all need to focus! SearchEngineJournal shared a good post on different techniques (from hosting providers to plug-ins) that we can use to increase our responsiveness – and thereby, rankings!
SEO News – August 2021
This news update from Yoast shares a bunch of news & notes! From SEO-specific items from the world of Google to other platforms like YouTube and Twitter, there are a number of new hints and tricks that we can try.
Setting up your LinkedIn Profile
It is well-known that LinkedIn is more than a “job & resume site”. For many businesses, it is a traffic & audience generating tool. For many individuals, it is a connection tool for partnerships, business development, and general relationship-building upon which much of their toolbox is based. Setting up yours if a great place to start!
Recovering lost SEO traffic
Friends know that I’m a big fan of Neil Patel. Much of my knowledge and content on SEO topics comes from him. When he sends an update, I make it a point to check it out because it is almost always relevant to something I am trying to do.
Small Business Ideas
The folks at Hubspot share a number of business-start ideas. Earlier in this newsletter, I highlighted that we need more small-to-medium sized businesses in our economy & our culture. Interestingly, many on this list are activities and skills that we practice and do for enjoyment. How much fun would it be to create a “job” out of your “hobby”? Remember – “Make a job out of something you love & you won’t work a day in your life!?
