Business Rant

[imie]

Can i rant here:(

Why is it that some people thinks that because you know some stuff, they expect you to give it to them for FREE!

I spent countless hours learning, paying for materials and courses - now friends thinks i should just "help them out". :confused: They don't seem to understand, this is a business! i have bills to pay:mad:

ok. i am done ranting...

anyone else experience this. or is just me having a bad hair day!

[slavka012]

let me guess - you are an accountant?

[brucemeng]

way to be a bad friend...

=P

[CanadianMoFo]

Your friends probably are on RFD. Cheapskates!

[MoreMiles]

Can i rant here:(

Why is it that some people thinks that because you know some stuff, they expect you to give it to them for FREE!

I spent countless hours learning, paying for materials and courses - now friends thinks i should just "help them out". :confused: They don't seem to understand, this is a business! i have bills to pay:mad:

ok. i am done ranting...

anyone else experience this. or is just me having a bad hair day!

Let me guess... you are a medical doctor? Your patients want you to write these ridiculous notes to take time off work and get massage from their plan? They get upset when you mention OHIP does not pay for those craps? Then they expect you to offer "a signature" ... it's only a signature right, no big deal... then you still have $100k of med school loan to pay, while your patient is enjoy free massage now?

Hm... sounds like a typical Ontario doctor.

[grant]

I give my friends free stuff from my business all the time. That's what friends are for right? But we're talking about $15 value here, it's hardly an expense to me.

[dirtmover]

I have a friend, she's a Real Estate Agent. She takes us out now and again and invites us to her house and cottage and buys crafts from my wife for a few bucks here and there. She throws us table scraps!

But I'm not stupid, I know exactly what she's up to. She's wooing us in the hopes of future business and referrals.

It works both ways!

[deep]

No one gets more dumb questions from friends and family than "the computer guy". I tell people I do something different every time.

"I write neural network simulations to determine couch spring deflection under load"
"Network...is that like, computers?"
"Um,yes"
"Oh yeah, I'm having some trouble with my email, can you help?"

[imie]

Interesting replies buddies!

deep - that's exactly what i mean :)

No I am not a doctor; or an accountant:lol:

i am just a mom working from home and i know a bit about this internet thing, blogging, generating leads from my opt-in forms etc. And i have been hanging out with small business friends lately; and some wants me to give it all to them for free...

while i do offer friends and networks some help in getting their business "online" for free, it starting to take so much of my time... and it makes me feel crappy when i have to say "i can't".

and i feel bad not being able to help them because some of them are really clueless about "this internet thing" and there's so much potential but they don't want to spend the money on it neither.

have any of you ever offer consultation to this kind of situation?

[supsx]

No one gets more dumb questions from friends and family than "the computer guy". I tell people I do something different every time.

"I write neural network simulations to determine couch spring deflection under load"
"Network...is that like, computers?"
"Um,yes"
"Oh yeah, I'm having some trouble with my email, can you help?"

YES I AGREE

Kids don't get into a career in computers, lots of headache and wasted weekends fixing friends problems for free.

PS. Imie what kind of business are you in?

[heavyweight]

Interesting replies buddies!
i am just a mom working from home and i know a bit about this internet thing, blogging, generating leads from my opt-in forms etc. And i have been hanging out with small business friends lately; and some wants me to give it all to them for free...

while i do offer friends and networks some help in getting their business "online" for free, it starting to take so much of my time... and it makes me feel crappy when i have to say "i can't".

and i feel bad not being able to help them because some of them are really clueless about "this internet thing" and there's so much potential but they don't want to spend the money on it neither.

have any of you ever offer consultation to this kind of situation?


A large part of success for small businesses is the ability to network. Properly networking often requires "doing/giving stuff for free". Its a part of every business, and not necessarily a bad thing. If the "service" that people are asking you to give them for free is the actual service you are offering and you don't want to give it up for free, than maybe you needs to change your service by focusing more or adding a more profitable, complex and niche service, then you can offer your current skills for free as a means of networking and building clients for a more profitable business.

[imie]

YES I AGREE

Kids don't get into a career in computers, lots of headache and wasted weekends fixing friends problems for free.

PS. Imie what kind of business are you in?

I have an online shopping site, but also branching out to helping friends take their business online.

I mean I completely understand the "freebies"...of course, that goes without saying in any business. But some people push this "free" thing way too much.

[Dustbunny]

I hear you and sometimes you walk a fine line between helping someone a bit and giving away your time/money. Probably the difference between a hand up and a hand out. It happens to a lot of people in a lot of occupations. I don't mind when the friends return the favour but many don't thinking it hardly took any time or the computer does the work but sometimes you need to remind them that for the time it takes you to do that work for free, you lost that time which could have been spent earning some money to pay bills (which most people understand as a necessary evil).

Sometimes you just have to give them the 'love to be able to help but I just can't afford the time right now because I have to devote my time to make some money to pay my mortgage/food/utilities....'. Depends on the 'friend' too because some will offer to trade but if it's not something you want they have to be reminded that what they are trading still won't go into the banking machine.

Sometimes you give them enough to get them started or to show them the amount of work involved or give them a reduced rate (and make them aware it's a reduced rate because it will come back to bite you when they refer someone to you saying you don't charge much if you don't let them know they got a one time deal) and that's enough to keep them happy without costing you a lot. Meanwhile if it gets out of hand, you have to just be honest and explain to them that you feel you're being taken advantage of and are just trying to make a living like they are.

[imie]

Awesome idea dustbunny:)

I realize its too common for small or home based business to run into this kind of problem, specially when you are in a service business.

After talking to a couple of service providers at a business networking meet up last night, i got some pointers.

I just thought of a solution after reading your respond. I think i can offer a small token of help but let them know that "if it requires more of my time" i would have to charge them my preferred rate".

Thanks for all the response, i hope someone else is learning from this discussion.

[ChrisBa]

Can i rant here:(

Why is it that some people thinks that because you know some stuff, they expect you to give it to them for FREE!

I spent countless hours learning, paying for materials and courses - now friends thinks i should just "help them out". :confused: They don't seem to understand, this is a business! i have bills to pay:mad:

ok. i am done ranting...

anyone else experience this. or is just me having a bad hair day!

know exactly what your talking about here, i like to be nice and try to help out but sooner or later the umbilical cord needs to be cut :)