Never say no, but rarely say yes (2011)
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Never say no, but rarely say yes (2011)
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Re: Never say no, but rarely say yes (2011)
#2[flagged]
Re: Never say no, but rarely say yes (2011)
#3> If they say “yes,” you’re happy because the terms or money are so good, it more than compensates for the distraction, perhaps funding the thing you really want to do.
Perhaps. Make sure you're high bar is high enough. Opportunity cost is an underappreciated metric. The exceptional (read: as in a rare exception well above average, mean, etc.) can be addicting, and eventually self-defeating (read: before you know it your temporary digital ditch digger stint gets less stint-y and more permanent-esque). It's like a bad-ish romantic relationship that goes on too long. Regrets, and the some.
If you're going to go this route, be certain to plan your exit. For example, "The first X weeks are $Y per hour. After that we revisit, if necessary." Baking this into the agreement will force you at the end of X weeks to recalibrate the revenue vs the opportunity costs.
In fact, for any type of contract work with too many unknowns and/or too much possible career friction always include a time limit along with the rate.
Re: Never say no, but rarely say yes (2011)
#4> If they say “yes,” you’re happy because the terms or money are so good, it more than compensates for the distraction, perhaps funding the thing you really want to do. Perhaps. Make sure you're high bar is high enough. Opportunity cost is an underappreciated metric. The exceptional (read: as in a rare exception well above average, mean, etc.) can be addicting, and eventually self-defeating (read: before you know it…
I think that’s the virtue of setting a high price on what you don’t want to do as your “not saying no”/funding strategy.
It’s a reflection of your perceived opportunity cost.
But you are right to suggest time-bounding your engagement up front to avoid getting stuck in a local maxima.
Or, at a certain scale, have a segregated set of people doing these requests where possible to limit and help govern the distraction.
Re: Never say no, but rarely say yes (2011)
#5Downside of this approach:
Often you are quoting a super high price because you don't want the work and maybe it isn't really what you love to do or your expertise.
But the buyer assumes you have a super high price because you're the best and can charge what you're worth.
End result: The buyer is unhappy with your work, because you priced as if you were a world leading expert and actually you are learning on the job and don't want to be there anyway.
Re: Never say no, but rarely say yes (2011)
#6[deleted]
Re: Never say no, but rarely say yes (2011)
#7The story would be better if I did not know the basis of it.
Re: Never say no, but rarely say yes (2011)
#8Downside of this approach: Often you are quoting a super high price because you don't want the work and maybe it isn't really what you love to do or your expertise. But the buyer assumes you have a super high price because you're the best and can charge what you're worth. End result: The buyer is unhappy with your work, because you priced as if you were a world leading expert and actually you are learning on the job…
Still a win in my book
Re: Never say no, but rarely say yes (2011)
#9> If they say “yes,” you’re happy because the terms or money are so good, it more than compensates for the distraction, perhaps funding the thing you really want to do. Perhaps. Make sure you're high bar is high enough. Opportunity cost is an underappreciated metric. The exceptional (read: as in a rare exception well above average, mean, etc.) can be addicting, and eventually self-defeating (read: before you know it…
I think that’s the virtue of setting a high price on what you don’t want to do as your “not saying no”/funding strategy. It’s a reflection of your perceived opportunity cost. But you are right to suggest time-bounding your engagement up front to avoid getting stuck in a local maxima. Or, at a certain scale, have a segregated set of people doing these requests where possible to limit and help govern the distraction.
There are things I don't really love doing like ghostwriting company blogs but if the project is short and well-defined (and is something I can actually do a good job of fairly quickly), I'll take a few $K from you. I'd be much more hesitant to commit to something more open-ended even if the income stream were good if it were something I was doing strictly for the money.
Re: Never say no, but rarely say yes (2011)
#10Downside of this approach: Often you are quoting a super high price because you don't want the work and maybe it isn't really what you love to do or your expertise. But the buyer assumes you have a super high price because you're the best and can charge what you're worth. End result: The buyer is unhappy with your work, because you priced as if you were a world leading expert and actually you are learning on the job…
Isn't that how the big name consultants work? Price it out like you're getting experts from a famous firm and then send in a green team to do the work?