Over the years I have become less of a saver of things, thanks, to my wife Laura. Going through and jettisoning “stuff,” physical and mental, is not just a way to create areas for new “stuff,” it serves as a thought starter for what’s important, and who and what you meet and experience along the way that you sometimes forget. Of course you find space for the good stuff, and over the last 10 years on my own, sorta, there’s been lots of good stuff.
Not to take a take a long time to pause, there is much to do, but this week, the week of August 6, marks 10 years of “unemployment” for me, and it served as a great reminder to look back through the files to see where we have gone and frankly, how the heck we got here. And for the most part, as Earl Monroe always likes to say, “It’s All Good.”
That’s not to say the road alone has been an easy one. For anyone who works for themselves you know one thing is certain; you never work for yourself. At the end of each year there are hopefully, a full stack of 1099’s, some years as many as 30 or 35, for people that you have helped out along the way. Most return, some fade away, some the task is complete, but it is never really on your own.
As I have said before, this path was not one I chose, and although somehow it’s a decade in, at least three years longer than any other job I have had, it’s not something that always has certainty that it will continue. You always have that Sunday night 4 am fear that things could stop, work could try up, tasks can be missed, and it all just evaporates into the either. Every. Sunday night. Is. The. Same. Now is that fear unfounded after all this time? Maybe to some extent, but that fear of failure remains a driving force not just for me, but for many who have tried, and hopefully succeeded, stitching together a life working with others, less for others, or at least one other.
So how did we get here? With lots of help. Looking back to my folks of 10 years ago there are companies, brands, and people who have come and gone, several of which I reached out to this past week to say thanks to; Rotohog, Fantasy Sports Ventures, The International Baseball Federation, USA Wrestling, Wizard Entertainment, the AVP (under vastly different ownership then vs. now) were all there helping pay the bills at the start. There was also teaching, and with some free time to try and start things, a book that got done. And that was the base.
There was no set plan per se; there still isn’t one really for me. There was no end goal other than to keep the lights on keep meeting and learning, and keep helping people tell their stories in new and different ways. You build one block upon the other. Sometimes it works, sometimes it comes from the most unexpected of places; sometimes those you think you can rely on don’t come through, sometimes it comes from an unintended mitzvah, sometimes it doesn’t. However you have to keep putting one foot in front of the other and show and make progress in everything you do.
Part of that everything is stay relevant. Learning, learning something every day and figuring out how that can apply to the task at hand, is key. Especially as you get older, being pigeonholed as someone who does one thing at a certain price for a certain period of time is a hindrance. Even with a wealth of knowledge and experience, it is sometimes hard to convince a decision maker who is risk averse to go with an idea, or a person, that doesn’t fit the mold they had in mind. Being able to balance advice and deliver at the same time is a challenge learned only by experience, and a skill sometimes that gets lost; listening.
Then there is personal brand, the only thing you take with you for the long term. In the past decade I have seen way too many people, who use their title as a hammer to run roughshod over people. They have the budget and the power and inflict their will and their vision on everyone, without regard for collateral damage. Being a little guy, many times you are not in that corporate “family,” so you are on the outside when some big opportunities come along. The x person from x company rules that day, and he or she makes their call. So be it.
“They will never forget you till somebody new comes along.” –The Eagles, New Kid In Town
However, as happens more and more in a business world that likes young, financially lean and buzzworthy, that hammer shrinks, and the one swinging the hammer has it swung back on him or her. When they are on the outside, it is interesting to always see who has built personal capital by being a good person and doing the little things not because they extract every dollar, but because they are the correct thing to do.
What’s been learned over the course of ten years? Probably the biggest thing is that there is so much more left to learn, not just in sports business, but in how effective storytelling on any level is found, nurtured and then told to as wide and diverse and audience as possible.
Then there is time, and the management of time. If there is any skill needed while one is out there on one’s own, it’s how to manage your time efficiently. A great way to hone time management is to watch and listen to coaches in sport or directors in film or TV or also some of the great teachers you will find in academia. Having the efficient use of time with all the distractions we have around us to finish projects, to work with others, to manage deadlines, even to think clearly and effectively, is so important, and is a skill that always needs improvement. Luckily when you are out there swimming alone, you are always thinking about time management. If you can be successful juggling multiple projects in multiple time zones for multiple personalities you know how to make the clock work for you. It’s one of the things coaches do best, after all.
Next thing; notes. Take lots of notes; write stuff down. Even the best with memory forget, and early in in my career, my boss Anne Worcester, who was CEO of the WTA at the time, was big on making sure everyone had notepads. Make a list, check it twice, and review it at the start of the day and at the end. It really helps you see progress, and make sure that the little things are getting done in a world too dependent on email sometimes.
Work with good people and help make those around you better. We can never choose all the people we work with, and frankly, it’s not always a picnic working with ourselves, (well me anyway), but take the time to listen and find the opportunity that grows the people around you in some way. One of the biggest drains I have been through, and it has not always been great clients with realistic or attainable goals, is dealing with tough people who are NOT realistic. Especially with tight budgets and startup projects, the passion is there for people, but sometimes they get yessed to death, or as Stan Van Gundy liked to say when he was coaching the Knicks, there are “The Whisperers” who are telling people always what they want to hear. While saying no is usually not an option when you take something on, finding alternative and creative ways to deliver is key. Overcoming The Whisperers is always a challenge, but if you can choose to work with people who are genuinely good, amazing things can happen. By the way, working with bad people on bad projects also drains the life, and the passion out of you. Sometimes it becomes a short term dollar issue, do a bad one to get the money, but rarely is it healthy or recommended. Ten years in, I would take on projects with good people at the expense of big dollars just to learn and grow. It is much more rewarding than the opposite now.
Another thing, hustle. I have ever, ever been the smartest, the fastest, the happiest, etc etc., but I am always looking to meet people, talk a bit, listen more, and see what there is to learn. Time efficient travel, be it a day in New York or a trip to LA, has always been key. It’s not always about getting a job either. It’s about learning, and going places and trying new things. It’s very easy to be a creature of habit and get in a routine. Breaking the routine, walking around, checking out new events big and small, makes for a positive hustle, not one wasting time. It’s been wonderful the people and places we have touched, with more to come.
While I think people in this business think that what I share on social, in the newsletter or that I talk about always has to do with people I work with, the reality is pretty much the opposite. It comes from things I hear, people I meet and positive and fun information that I come across that sometimes gets missed. It’s about us all, not about me.
Share, share that’s fair. Maybe it’s because of the decade in, maybe it’s because I’m a schmuck who gives away too much, but I have always found sharing the wealth; ideas with colleagues, work opts with those who need a break starting out or recovering from a job loss, listening to young people who are trying to create a business or trying to meet people, is much more beneficial than trying to keep it all and holding the cards. Is there payback for helping? Yes. Sometimes you don’t know what form it comes in, but the karma, and frankly, the satisfaction from helping others goes a long way, especially when you have a few minutes to think back on those dark days.
The Little Guys and Girls Count. I have never been lucky enough to be with the biggest and best at a time when they are shining. Amazing projects, fantastic people, rising stars? All yes. The biggest names and the easiest of sells? Nah. Maybe that’s why I think taking care of the young people, the rising stars, is so important. It still amazes me how large entities still look askance at small media outlets, new voices who they don’t know, or projects that take a good deal or work but are quality stories as not worth their time. On the media side, learning about new trends and giving those who hustle a shot is tremendously gratifying, and is remembered as those young people rise through the ranks. It’s why I love following college media, and now even high school media. First, you learn how a younger demo is engaging, second you recognize and reward good efforts. Do some fail? Yes. Do some fold up tents and go home? Yes. Are some blowhards looking for themselves and a big splash? Yes. But for the most part those young people struggling to find their way are reflections of all of us. We were all there, so give them a boost. The payoff with the little guys, especially those who amplify their work on social, is usually pretty cool.
Look Up, look left, look right. I have always been admirer of how point guards in hoops, goalkeepers in soccer and quarterbacks go about their jobs in games. They are the ones who see the field, and move things along. They are always looking to see where things are going and how things are developing. They rarely look down. Since I’m married to the second screen, I readily admit that, I too am always looking down. However it is really really important to have a sense of all around us, because if we don’t we miss a lot of the activity that makes us whole, in business or in our personal lives. My colleague Mandy Antoniacci has a great Ted X Talk about “Looking Up,” the Astro Physicist Neil de Grasse Tyson has one on what we miss when we don’t look to the stars, and they are both right. When going around the city, if you look up and around you will encounter so much. Don’t miss it by always looking at the device. The device is important, but it’s not the be all. The people and places around us bring us much.
Lastly, take care of those around you, they will take care of you. I have said this before, but I’m certainly not the easiest person to be around all the time. The Brooklyn grit comes out from time to time. But as I have approached double nickels this year, and 10 years on my own, I seem to be becoming more like Yoda; definitely listening more, appreciating more and as always, helping those big and small to move on down the road. I always get questions about am I getting paid for this or that, like the newsletter. Many times the answer is no, not in hard dollars. The payback does come in many ways, and sometimes it is in work. More often than not it’s in a satisfaction that leads me somewhere amazing, and that, is priceless.
So ten years in, here we are. I can really say it’s been an amazing ride, an amazing collection, and I look forward to what comes next. It certainly isn’t stopping, and I hope to cross oaths with you soon as well.
Just let me know when, and more importantly, how we can help!
