On consulting and being paid like a plumber...

On consulting and being paid like a plumber...
Photo by Unseen Histories / Unsplash

Today's a concise post to share an amazing business pitch that reminds you what opposability means when talking about added value. It's not about AirBnB or the usual startup suspects but from a rock-star sound engineer named Steve Albini. We were in 1992, and it's a letter explaining his work philosophy to Nirvana and why they should or shouldn't hire him.

I would like to be paid like a plumber
Pitching Nirvana

Many things resonate with me here:

  • Putting yourself in a position where you're working enough so as not to behave to take any job;
  • Being to tell a potential customer why they should or should not work with you;
  • Not being paid a percentage fee on future success as you are only "fixing the plumbing" but still have a reasonable portion of the value you will help create;
  • Understanding that what you deliver is mostly your brand value and you're only as good as the last success you delivered (or not);
  • Having a network of other professionals who are experts at what you don't know but need regularly.
  • Etc.

Could you write yourself a manifesto about your business? What would it look like?


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