Blog

March 15, 2017

Greg Thomas

What about that Startup Life?

It’s lonely… at times… It’s empowering… pretty much always… It’s constant excitement… well except when you have to do the invoicing… You get to make your own hours… all through the night… You get to pick and choose customers… and they get to pick and choose me… You can work from anywhere… my phone is my lifeline… You get to do it all… sometimes in a fraction of the time… My days are constantly evolving, constantly changing, the unknown isn’t a feeling from day to day, it’s a constant never-ending tide.  Of all the words in the dictionary, “Startup” is

March 14, 2017

Greg Thomas

The Long Drive In

Whatever mode of transportation or duration it takes you to get to work does this thought ever enter your mind… “Why am I doing this?” And then, of course, you reach your place of work and your level of frustration is that much more amplified. There is always be good days and bad days – long weather days and days with no one on the roads – but if you find yourself saying this to yourself Day In and Day Out, complaining about your commute all along the way and as soon as you hit the office – perhaps the

March 13, 2017

Greg Thomas

Learning from the Best

I have found that the best way to learn from those that are better than you is definitely not to do any of the following; Show them what you know first. Acknowledge that you are already doing everything they are saying. Push them to merely “get to the point”. Argue with them. You are there to learn (accept that), one of the best ways to learn is to watch those people in action (how they work with a customer, how they interact on social media, how they draw the feet, etc, etc) and be patient.  We all want to be the

March 10, 2017

Greg Thomas

Customer Relationships as a Freelancer

Whether you’re a contractor, consultant or freelancer customer relationships are key to your survival and growth. If you’re feeling worried that you won’t be renewed… You haven’t shown your value to the customer. If you’re feeling like you don’t know if your work is not on point with what the customer is asking… You haven’t sat down with them enough to work the problem. If you are worried more about your invoice vs the work… You’ve missed the part where the customer is everything. When you freelance, consult or contract you have this incredible opportunity to focus on the quality

March 9, 2017

Greg Thomas

Some Recent Reading

If you’re looking for new books to read, here are some that I’ve either read over the years or just recently that I very much enjoyed. Leading at the Edge A great glimpse into Shackleton’s journey that did not go as planned yet came out on the other side the better for it.  (side note: so good, I permanently borrowed from a place of work many years ago when we were moving). Steal Like An Artist You’ll read it in a few hours but the lessons will stay with you forever, it is one of the most powerful books ever.