Build a Business Where You Can’t Get Fired
Link: Webcomic Entrepreneurs
A while back, a friend of mine who worked in publishing was laid off. He was at the height of a career and by all accounts had done an excellent job for his employer. He lived in New York City, perhaps the center of the universe for many things, but definitely not known for being affordable. Oh, and he also had a large family, with at least two kids who would be going to college soon.
When he was laid off, I thought, “Wow, if that can happen to him, it can happen to nearly any employee.”
Thankfully, he’s landed on his feet and now works in a senior role with another publisher. Still, what if there was a better way?
Wait… there already is, and lots of people have found it.
I stumbled on this old article recently and it reminded me once again of the power in building your own brand. My favorite quote from it:
But, Stevens reasons, “Hundreds of thousands of people would need to fire us all at once for us to lose our jobs.”
It’s also exactly how I feel—and in fact, I felt this way when I had just a few thousand readers. When you build a business that is truly community-centered, it’s almost impossible to get fired.
The times are changing (and in many ways they already have), but I do still believe that the knowledge economy is here to stay. Oh, and so is being helpful—that strategy has even been around since before the internet, or so I hear.
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