The Causey Consulting Podcast

Last November, I recorded an episode about Sandra Aamodt's book Why Diets Make Us Fat. This episode is a sort of next chapter to that. In other words: no more dieting, so now what? If you've done battle with the Quarantine 15, you'll understand why I'm asking this question.

✔️ A lot of us are getting back into the kitchen to cook, but sometimes, that has led to more comfort food and rich desserts.
✔️ We live in a society that's pretty conducive to yo-yo dieting. Gain some, go on a diet, lose some, burn out, start the cycle again. 
✔️ If your eating habits are making you feel less than optimal but you don't want to go on a restrictive diet, what next? What are the other options?
✔️ Be careful of all-or-nothing thinking. Every workout does not need to culminate in breaking a personal record or feeling like your heart is about to explode out of your chest.
 

Need more? Email me: https://causeyconsultingllc.com/contact-causey/

It really is true that you teach people how to treat you. In order to have respect from others, you must respect yourself first. There's no getting around it.

✔️ In this episode, I discuss my client, "Bob," and his struggles as a small business owner. He left a sausage grinder company only to find that he was still working way too hard and feeling undervalued.
✔️ Boundaries are meaningless if you do not demand adherence. There has to be consequences for breaking the rules.
✔️ Being direct and incisive does not mean being a tyrannical boss or getting in someone's face. I think people tiptoe around entirely too much these days. You can be candid without being hateful.
✔️ Even in the digital era, so much communication is non-verbal. People pick up on the energy or the vibe you bring. If you are not confident or you don't feel there is true value in what you do, your clients and prospects will feel it. And some will exploit it. 
✔️ How would it feel both in your life and your business if you had a great state of flow-- if your employees and clients respected you and everyone treated each other well?

Special intro music "Respect Yourself" by The Staple Sisters.

Need more? Email me: https://causeyconsultingllc.com/contact-causey/

Video may not have totally killed the radio star, but the game sure changed. LPs to 8 tracks to cassettes to CDs to MP3s to streaming... Is the global gig economy killing third party, contingency-based staffing? Honestly, I say yes.

✔️ I'm not afraid to make bold predictions and my ability to spot impending failure is highly accurate. Staffing firms still using the "carrot-and-the-stick" style of marketing have maybe 12 to 24 months left at best.
✔️ There's nothing disruptive or revolutionary about providing the same service as everyone else but trying to dress it up in different clothes. We can all see the emperor is naked!
✔️ Candidates have more legit choices than ever before. The days of candidates standing in the corner hoping a staffing agency can represent them so that they don't have to represent themselves are already over.
✔️ The global gig economy means that large service providers can serve as a "middle man" in a way that's much faster and cheaper than most contingency-based agencies can. If you work for one of those firms and you've seen the writing on the wall, you owe it to yourself to think about your own future.
✔️ Recruiters deserve to get paid for the work they do, periodt. This contingency-based crap of doing all the work upfront and then hoping you get paid for it later (in some cases much later) is bullsh*t. It jacks up your cash flow and puts you in an automatic space of disrespect.

Need more? Email me: https://causeyconsultingllc.com/contact-causey/

The first big leap is transitioning from corporate employee into full-time self-employed business owner, solopreneur, or freelancer. But what about the next big leap... How do you go from surviving in the business to thriving? How do you raise your rates?

✔️ If you Google "how to raise your prices," you're gonna get a lot of bad advice, IMO. If you don't believe me, try it out and see what comes up.
✔️ You are not a defendant in a courtroom. You should not approach a price increase by justifying yourself, the increase, inflation, etc. You also should not apologize and act like it's the end of the world.
✔️ If being direct with customers scares you, practice in the mirror or with a friend/family member/coach until you can feel the fear and do it anyway.
✔️ You have to understand your own value first. You cannot expect your clients or prospects to understand it for you.
✔️ Weigh and measure your own motivation. How badly do you want more disposable income? To retire someday? To take the kids to Disney World? To get a new car?


Need more? Email me: https://causeyconsultingllc.com/contact-causey/

Earlier this year, I recorded an episode about the 7 Deadly Sins of Money Mindset. One of those deadly sins is listening to cynics, naysayers, and frenemies who put you down and trash-talk any idea you have on bettering your life or business. I received some emails and DMs about that topic and in this episode, I will expound on the question: what even is a frenemy? How would I know if I have one?

✔️ Pay attention to how you feel after you've had an interaction with someone. If you felt sunny and happy before, but they sucked all the joy out of you, that's not a good sign.
✔️ Social media, catfishing, and digital "friendships" have made it difficult to know just how authentic someone new in your life actually is, especially if you haven't been able to ever connect with them in person.
✔️ Frenemies don't give it to you straight. They make passive-aggressive comments and snide little remarks, and they gossip about you behind your back.
✔️ If your friend always seems to speak unkindly of other friends and family members and enjoys sh*t-talking them in front of you, here's your sign. You can safely assume they do that when you are not around.
✔️ True friends who are down for you will be supportive and kind. They will comfort you when you are sad and they will applaud your victories. You won't have to wonder where you stand with them-- you'll know.

Special intro music: "You Get What You Give" by New Radicals. ("Frenemies, who when you're down ain't your friends...")

Need more? Email me: https://causeyconsultingllc.com/contact-causey/

Special Saturday broadcast. 🛰️ On Thursday, the NY Times published an op-ed about critical thinking and internet disinformation. In this special episode, I discuss my thoughts.

✔️ Con artists, grifters, liars, manipulators, etc., have ALWAYS existed and they always will. I hate to be the bearer of bad news on that.
✔️ In September of 2020, I recorded an episode called "Self-Sufficiency & Critical Thinking." I realize now that episode was more prescient than I thought before. You should not outsource your critical thinking to someone else!
✔️ Catfishing schemes are an excellent example here. If someone connects with you on Facebook claiming to be a prince trapped in a bunker and he says he's in love with you and needs $1000 to be released, does that seem rational?
✔️ More critical thinking not less is what we need. We also need to be taking breaks from all the digital vomit in the world. Pet your dog. Walk in the woods. Meditate. Don't stay attached to a screen 24/7. 


Need more? Email me: https://causeyconsultingllc.com/contact-causey/

People who are out there selling based on a process are typically not making the kind of money they want to make. Do your clients care about your process or getting bogged down in minutia or having you explain every tiny detail to them? No. They care about whether or not you can solve their problems.

✔️ If John Doe is consistently failing to hit his sales metrics even though he's "got a lot of try," he can still be fired. Why? Because results matter.
✔️ Sometimes in life, we need to decide: do you want to fight to be right or do you want to be happy? Do you want to stay stuck in your old ways or do you want to innovate?
✔️ In the words of a former manager: "Some people like control more than they like money." Sadly, that is true. If you are running a business to make money, avoid the control freaks.
✔️ Beware of hope-ium and optimism porn! Do not let people convince you that changing directions or giving up on a business idea that's gone absolutely nowhere makes you a failure or a bad person.
✔️ The importance of the end results is not Machiavellian. It's not "win at all costs and screw the world." It's about not getting bogged down in irrelevant details and not getting so set in your ways that you refuse to make necessary changes.

Need more? Email me: https://causeyconsultingllc.com/contact-causey/

*Insert the old David Letterman "Viewer Mail" song here*  I received an email from a listener of last week's episode and, with her permission, I am reading an excerpt of it in this episode.

✔️ How do you weed out 💩 clients when it feels like there's so much competition out there? Is there really enough business to go around?
✔️ When it's your business or your name is on the door, how do you keep everything from feeling so personal?
✔️ You can, unfortunately, recreate the worst elements of Corporate America for yourself when you start your own business or you begin freelancing. You must preserve your own sanity and work in the way that you see fit. Don't let other people run over you.
✔️ Is the customer always right? Nope. If the customer knew everything that you know, why would they hire you?
✔️ Fewer clients at a higher quality level and higher price point = a happier freelancer.

Need more? Email me: https://causeyconsultingllc.com/contact-causey/

January was a crazy month for me. My plans of just half-hibernating through the month went to the wayside and I had a couple of bizarre experiences. I am sharing them here (highly sanitized, of course) so that perhaps you can benefit from my missteps.

✔️ There is plenty of business out there. You do not have to engage with clients who behave like Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. It will waste a lot of your time and energy and you may never be able to make them happy.
✔️ It's OK to be tired sometimes and it's OK to take a break. If you feel yourself wearing down, you don't have to push past the exhaustion.
✔️ Beware of clients who think they need to be the exception to all of your rules. If you set down the rules of engagement and they want to ignore them, you need to call them out on it.
✔️ If you are self-employed, a business owner, or solopreneur: you get to decide the ways and means you work in. Periodt.
✔️ Ensure you can hit the escape hatch. Be cautious about what you sign or what length of time you agree to work with someone. 

Need more? Email me: https://causeyconsultingllc.com/contact-causey/

The other day, I read a post on social media where some poor (and probably well-meaning) guy was writing the same ole, same ole attempt at differentiation marketing in staffing & recruiting. You know the drill: "All the other agencies suck. Let me tell you why we're different." 🥱 Big yawns.

Key topics:

✔️ Is differentiation marketing dead? If not totally dead, it's on life support. So many businesses have very similar if not identical offerings. Sorry, but that's reality. Trying to clinch your fists at the sky and tell the world you're different is probably not making you the kind of money you want.
✔️ It reminds me of Wes Mantooth in Anchorman. Your clients are not gonna change your diapers and tell you that your hiney is special and different from everyone else's.
✔️ Your clients care about results. Can you solve their problems? Can you relieve their pain? Can you make/save time or money for them? Running down your competitors or trying to tout how f**king "disruptive" you are = staying broke.
✔️ Make sure the people you're interacting with are legit, ideal prospects for your business. Trying to market to the wrong folks is not gonna lead you anywhere good.
✔️ Tooting your own horn and making "how great we art" posts on social media might make you feel good in the moment and it may garner you some likes, comments, and shares... while leaving your bank account empty. You can have popular posts, a lot of followers, and even viral videos and still have an empty wallet. 

Need more? Email me: https://causeyconsultingllc.com/contact-causey/