Finding relevants in an age of differents

I couldn’t resist writing this, as it forces me to look at my recent thoughts on being relevant from another perspective.

What are ‘relevants’? People who want to make a difference or an impact and who will be all in. And ‘differents’ – people who just want to be different, regardless of whether its a positive difference or not.

Since we’re now in an age where ‘differents’ are in abundant supply, the challenge we face [whether it be as entrepreneur looking for awesome people to bring into your business, or as an employer looking for the next great talents for your organisation, or whatever the case may be] is to discern between the two types of people.

Lets face it, ‘relevants’ are incredibly difficult to find. Many companies have taken the ‘attract and retain talent’ approach – I’m not against this at all and often preach [and try to practice] it myself. But sadly this is just the net result of much frustration in being unable to bring relevants into your business/life [just because someone is talented, does not mean they want to be relevant in your business] [just because someone is talented, does not mean they want to be relevant in your business] – it has become a case of find the best talent you can, pay them boatloads of cash, motivate them everyday, give them an awesome working environment… and then maybe, just maybe, they’ll stay long enough to do something spectacular. And in many cases it does work. I’ve referred to this Mindvalley job page before – if you’re going to take this approach, this is one excellent example of how to do it.

Do you see something wrong with this picture though?

We all know that life and business certainly have their good times [financial growth + success = lots of fun and happiness] – and when everything is going swimmingly, its easy to stick around and enjoy the good times. And that’s usually what happens – in which case attracting and retaining talent works well. But when the darker days do come along [challenges + stress + refinement = real growth, if not financial], that’s when things change. When no one wants to stick around, doesn’t matter how much you pay or try to motivate, if they aren’t all in, they’re all out. Think Titanic here. Yes its worst case scenario, but its just to illustrate a point.

That’s why we really need ‘relevants’ - people who are all in, and who you can rely and depend on. People who really care. People you can build with, and who aren’t just looking for an easy ride. So that when things get rough, you know you can count on them to keep pushing ahead and helping your business survive.

As I said, finding ‘relevants’ is hard. Very, very hard. But its easier to find the right people if you know what you’re looking for. And next time you’re looking for the next person to bring in to your team, I hope that, if nothing else, you’ll at least ask yourself whether they’re a ‘relevant’ or a ‘different’.

So who would you rather build with?

Finding relevance in an age of difference

It’s what we all look for in life. Relevance. Some sort of meaning to our existence.

But how do you do that in a time where everyone strives to be different? To stand out? To be significant?

Years ago it was easy, when everyone conformed to the same standards, and life was simple. Then, being rebellious was the obvious answer to becoming relevant. Just being different meant that you stood out from the crowd, and that you would be noticed. Regardless of what the issue was.

Now, not so much. There is just too much going on. And everyone wants to be different, in some way or another. There have been thousands of books written on doing things differently, on standing out to those you most want to please. And everyone, including the guy next door and his dog, is doing everything to attract people’s attention.

Well, I don’t know if anyone has the answers in this day and age, since we are bombarded everyday with advertising and marketing expounding the virtues of why XYZ Ltd [or John Smith himself] is the answer to every question we’ve ever had. But can I suggest that amidst all this confusion, there is one thing which matters more than ever before…

… really caring about something. That’s what will set you apart – in a time where there is so much going on, and nobody really knows if you care or not. Being all in is more important than ever before!

If you really show a deep understanding and concern for something, it will be evident to people that matter in that sphere, and will build credibility there [if you don’t really care – please, don’t bother - save everyone the time and hassle, and just move on]. But if you really care, don’t be afraid to show it, and to be who you are – the results will be evident, and success will occur naturally. Your true concern for something is what will set you apart and make you relevant!

So what do you really care about?

Retail rules - what is face value?

Just one little observation... for a retail business [whether selling goods, like a clothing boutique, or selling services, like a restaurant], client-facing staff are absolutely integral to the purchase experience.

And if there's one thing that will make the experience positive for the customer, its this...

... make sure that the staff that the client sees [tellers / assistants / waiters / whoever] greet the customer and smile

Retail owners take note - this is BIG. Do not take it for granted.

I can't count the number of stores that I've been into lately where this does not happen - I can't remember them either. However, I can remember the ones where it does happen.

So, do you want your store to be memorable, or don't you?


[Note - just came across this... seems someone here is intent on South Africa taking this whole customer service thing seriously -> The Institute of Extreme Customer Service. I can't vouch for whether its working or not as there seem to have been two updates since February this year - hopefully they haven't gone MIA.]

What is a new business?

A new business / company is... an opportunity

... to re-invent an industry

...... to design a new life for an individual

.......... to revolutionise your community and country


A new business is also

an exciting opportunity [EXCITEMENT, INC.]

and potentially a new lease on life.



For all the hardened veterans out there who have all the battle scars - you can stop laughing now. Even if you don't see it this way now, its the way it should be! If you don't believe it, perhaps you need to take a year off and reassess what's really important in life.

Okay, all you young, wide-eyed, uninitiated hopefuls out there - don't think that all these ideals and aspirations don't come with risk attached, either. We can't live in fantasy world, but if we can acknowledge the reality of the situation and still try to change the world ... yeah baby!

Real entrepreneurs aside, Western culture has seen a new breed of "entrepreneur" [I use the term loosely] rise up in the Venture Capitalist - something I admit I previously aspired to. For anyone who is even remotely interested in this, I highly recommend reading this article on the Venture Capital Aptitude Test by Guy Kawasaki. Then do the test. The questions drive home just what a mindshift some young aspiring entrepreneurs need.

Now my intention with this is not to put off yuong business hopefuls. In fact, its the opposite - I want us to see what's really important. Not sitting in a boardroom making decisions based on an Excel spreadsheet and some fancy business school model. Its about getting out there, getting your hands dirty and experiencing the reality of what we're living in. Some are made for it, some aren't. I intend finding out which category I fit into.


P.S. I scored a 6. Wonder if I should put that on my CV?


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Let's turn the world upside down!