Preparing for launch - Latest Comments

Re: Sick of the service sector

Jason Wolfe — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 04:26:19 -0000

Ah, but even the best sales person has to have someone to sell to..

There are plenty of stories of successful service sector businesses. But that's all that they are - service sector businesses. When it gets to the point where they're consulting to real businesses about how to do stuff, then it gets difficult. The analogy sort of breaks down now, but basically the pick and shovel merchants have taken to explaining to the miners the best way to find a good claim and the best angle to swing the pick.

Re: Sick of the service sector

Madeupname — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 04:17:29 -0000

"You see, I think the people who sold the <lottery tickets=""> made a reasonable living - and on average they probably did better than the average 'miner' who was seeking their fortune. They didn't, however, outperform the best (luckiest?) 'miners'." ...do you see what I did there?

If you want to know about selling pick axe handles - see Peter Jones (lanky dragon), he made millions out of doing essentially that. And he's 6'8"

Look, it's a lovely day, you could probably do with finishing those few little jobs in the garden - do you want to buy this shovel or what? I can do you a teak handle but you'd have to pay cash today. I could have it with you by Wednesday latest. Okay I'll throw in some gardening gloves but don't tell everyone.

Re: Sick of the service sector

Jason Wolfe — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 03:26:47 -0000

I don't get many replies on my blog, so firstly thank you for posting this (whoever you are!).

Secondly, I need to challenge that statement, despite the fact that I use it myself all the time (hypocritically I think). You see, I think the people who sold the picks and the shovels made a reasonable living - and on average they probably did better than the average miner who was seeking their fortune. They didn't, however, outperform the best (luckiest?) miners.

And this is really the point of my post; if everyone is intent on selling the picks and the shovels, then nobody will be buying them.

And that's more or less where we are in the UK right now.

Re: Sick of the service sector

Madeupname — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 03:15:25 -0000

The people that got rich in the gold rush were the ones selling pick axes.

Re: My successes and failures as an Intrapreneur

Jason Wolfe — Fri, 04 May 2012 04:24:56 -0000

Thanks Stuart. Honesty is the best (only?) policy when blogging I suspect.

Re: My successes and failures as an Intrapreneur

Stuart Bartram — Thu, 03 May 2012 17:31:49 -0000

Jason, what an incredibly honest piece. A good read and so relevant for experiences shared by many I guess in organisations of all sizes. Though provoking as always

Re: RIP Kublax.com

Philhopkins — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 06:06:40 -0000

Hello Mr Wolfe. Long time no speak. Trust all is well with you - I note the addition of another sproglet. Hope all are well. Do you ever find yourself in the Garden of England? I've lost all contact details for you - hence tracking you down via the web. Maybe catch up in 2011? philh

Re: Build with other people’s money

Jason Wolfe — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 17:48:18 -0000

Thank you Simon. The path I'm trying to share is really the one that I went down myself. I "eased" my way into my second stab at being an entrepreneur having spent a lot of time inside a large corporate. That life is itself incredibly toxic, creating a terrible undermining of self-confidence. It doesn't hold true that you need to perform acts of heroism in order to be successful. It comes in many shapes and sizes.

Re: Build with other people’s money

Simon Kirby — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 19:34:37 -0000

There are a lot of toxic, bet-your-house/wife/life archetypes of entrepreneurship. As with most things in life, taking risks where nobody dies if it goes wrong is a lot more sane.

I think this is really thought provoking...