Bonding, friendships and kneeling for what you believe in

I heard you were a marketer.
Aren't we all?

No, I don't think so. I have a people in my organization responsible for marketing. I wouldn't say I'm a marketer.
That's like saying you're not a person. Everyone in your company is doing marketing everyday, both internally and externally.

How do you figure my accountant would be a marketer?
Does your accountant pay your bills?

Yes, of course.
Does your accountant interact with other employees in the organization?

Yes we don't have a choice as a team.
Exactly. Have you ever had an accountant who had no people skills where everyone was afraid to walk into his office?

Um, yeah. We had an accountant who was really mean. He was an awesome in his craft but at the same time a miserable son of a bitch.
And what was the culture like while he was there?

My top managers wouldn't call him. They were afraid to be raked over the coals. And when we had a manager meeting, the tension was always thick when the accountant spoke.
And was that a good thing for your business?

Of course not. The team suffered and so did the organization. Luckily, he eventually left, making everyone's life easier.
During that time, your team wasn't totally comfortable with the internal culture. Their work may have even suffered a bit. You'll never know because you can't go backwards and remove that variable. But let me ask you this, "Is it possible you lost other great employees because of this person?"

I don't know... Maybe.
Fair enough. During these dark times, did your accountant have to talk to clients?

Oh no. We wouldn't let him do that.
Why not?

We didn't want to piss off the people who paid us?
So you shielded an accountant from your clients because he was a terrible representation of your business?

Yes.
Did he call suppliers to discuss payment arrangements, resolve problems, and negotiate terms?
Yes.

Did he work with your banker?
Of course.

So your suppliers and bankers aren't customers?
Um, not really.

Wait a minute. Think about this. Isn't a company really just a group of people moving in the same direction with a common goal?
I guess you could look at it that way.

And your suppliers have people working for them, who had to interact with your son of bitch accountant, whom your own "family" couldn't stand? When things went wrong, do you honestly think the people working for your suppliers didn't feel the same as your employees?
Ah shit. Almost certainly.

Right, And don't you think it was possible they told close relationships about the son of a bitch who worked at your company? Maybe even tarnished your reputation, I mean brand, in the market.
Ok, I get it. We'll all marketers in the organization.Let me ask you this, from one marketer to another. Have you seen the Nike commercial about Colin Kaepernick?

Is he the NFL player who has been blackballed by the league for kneeling during the national anthem?

Yes. And Nike produced a commercial revolving around him. Isn't that a bad marketing idea?
It always depends. In this case, he isn't a criminal. He just kneeled for something he believed in.

But in doing so, he upset a huge group of people.
Yes he did. Did he not also become a hero for a separate group?

Maybe. But we're in business to not offend.
Are you sure about that?

When we offend, like my old accountant, we lose potential future sales. You just said that.
No, I said we shouldn't be assholes. That's just wrong. However, standing up for something we believe in is not the same thing.

But my accountant believed in what he was doing.
Not the same thing. Your accountant did not believe in the same things your organization believed in. You told me yourself the culture during his reign of terror wasn't positive. Which means he was not like the rest of the group, which means he doesn't represent the organizational beliefs.

Yes, and Colin Kaepernick's beliefs are not the same as the NFL's.
Exactly and that's why he's not working. But it doesn't mean there aren't a lot of others who believe in this guy's actions. And it seems to me that Nike believes in the same things as he.

But people are burning their Nike shoes.
Yes they are. And others are exchanging their Pumas and Adidas for Nike because a shoe company tugged on their heart.

But the publicity is so negative.
When I see people on TV burning clothing, I laugh. They bought the damn stuff. It is portrayed as negative. But for every prognosticator, journalist and podcaster who talks about the commercial or the aftermath, Nike sells more shoes.

Are you sure about that?
First of all, Nike is standing up saying they have these same values as this black NFL player. Remember, their fortune was built on the backs of professional black athletes.

I think Nike believes in equality, but kneeling against the flag is so unpatriotic.
Some people think that. But he didn't burn the flag. He never said he hated his country. He said he wanted things to change. Isn't that what's great about a free country, to be able to think and speak one's mind?

Yes, but business doesn't care about these things. Business just wants to make money.
You haven't learned the lesson. Businesses are just a series of people with similar values moving in the same direction.

So it's ok to piss people off with your marketing efforts.
Yes, if it's something you believe in. Remember, we do business with those we trust. Some say we do business with our friends. The best way to make "friends" in a marketplace is to create a bond. Bonds are built on core values or beliefs. So until you communicate your beliefs you won't bond with the people who believe in the same things.

So Nike's commercial is good for business?
Yes it is. Let me ask you this, what does Adidas stand for?
I don't know, making great shoes, maybe.

Exactly, I don't know either. But because of this commercial hasn't Nike told the world what they stand for? People hate it. But people also LOVE it. It's called the law of polarity. 50 million people could throw out their shoes, but 100 million people will feel Nike understands them. The bond becomes real.

But the shoes I buy are about how they fit.
No it's not. It's about how they FEEL. And Nikes feel a little bit better now for those who are tired of the underlying racism issues. Nike gets a little bit more headspace for potential buyers. And the customers who are mad at Nike can buy other shoes. It's ok, because if the customer doesn't believe in what Nike believes, they should do that.

Whoa, Nike is going to lose customers.
And they will gain new ones. Nike will never have to compete solely on price. The relationship with the customer who cares about these issues will be stronger. Nike is one of those great brands on the planet, according to Steve Jobs.  They've shown up and demonstrated what great brands do. They take a stand for what they believe, despite what others think. And by the way, look at the youtube video and the amount of "thumbs up" versus "thumbs down". It's like 10 to 1 positive. Nike is moving people.

So good marketing is about standing up for things we believe in.
Now you're learning. I'm sorry, I have to get back to writing my next blog post. It's been nice talking to you.

Rick Nicholson is a multi unit business owner and partner at Wizard of Ads in Austin, Texas. He looks at marketing from the perspective of customer bonding, corporate beliefs and increasing sales. He only works with a select few customers who believe in the same things he believes in. If you want to grow your business and would like to know how he can help you, you can reach him at ricknicholson@wizardofads.com. 

Planting flags, good marketing and your neighbour's car

Hey, do you remember me?
Of course. You were in my marketing class.

Yes. After listening to your presentation, I got to thinking.
That's good. It's usually the first step.

How do you tell the difference between good marketing and bad marketing?
That's easy, good marketing works.

How do you know which one will work?
The one that provides the greatest impact.

You're going in circles. I want to start marketing to my target audience and I don't know where to begin. I want to do good marketing, umm, marketing that works, but I don't know where to start.
Ok. You have to start with yourself.

Not sure I understand. I want to create awareness for my brand.
Are you sure? The last time I checked, awareness doesn't pay the bills.

Right, but the more people who are aware of my products pulls the law of percentages in my favour.
You're partially right. The law of percentages will drive some customer traffic to your location, whether online or offline. But it doesn't mean they buy. And if for some reason, they do buy, it really doesn't mean the customer buys AGAIN.

So you're saying awareness is a bad thing.
No not all. I'm just saying it's only one piece of the puzzle. Have you lived in your house for a long time?

Uh, what?
Have you lived in your house for more than 5 years?

Yes, I've been there for 7.
Ok. Do you know all your neighbours?

The ones immediately next door and across the road.
Ok, How about the neighbours 5 houses down? Do you know them?

No, not at all. I've seen them outside from time to time but I don't know their names.
Good. You've lived in your neighbourhood for 7 years. You don't know your neighbours 5 houses down. How many times have you driven by your unknown neighbours house?

Not sure where you're going with this, but I'd say I go by it at least twice a day.
I'm almost finished. You've driven by your neighbour's house at least 700 times in the past year?

Yeah, that's about right.
Do they have a garage or are the cars parked out front?

They're out front.
Perfect. Can you tell me the make and model of the cars they drive?

Ah. I think they drive a Volkswagen.
No. I want to know for sure.

I'm not 100% sure.
What do you mean? Assuming the cars are not always there when you drive by, you've probably been exposed to the car at least 500 times, and you can't remember the type of car your unknown neighbour drives?

Well, it's frankly not that important to me.
Exactly. That's the problem with awareness.

Huh. I know what his next door neighbour drives.
Do you know them?

Nope. He drives a silver Mercedes S-class.
I'm willing to bet you either own a Mercedes or you'd like to own one.

I love Mercedes. It's the car I wish I could own... So you're saying that awareness only works on those who are already interested in your product.
Now you're getting warmer.

Ok, so how do I create interest in my product?
You've asked the right question. But before I answer, I need to ask a few more questions.

I'm getting the sense you ask a lot of questions and go in circles.
Yes, a bit. Only because I know that if I give you the answer, you won't believe me. But if YOU give me the answer, you'll base all of your future strategies on it.

So I have the answer inside of me?
Yes. But I'm going to pull it out, so you can see if for yourself.

Alright. Bring on the questions.
What do you believe in as it relates to your business?

Well, I believe in honesty, integrity, good customer service, taking care of people...
Those are all good things to believe in. Do you think your competitors believe in the same things?

Some do. But most don't.
But do all of them say they believe in those things?

Well, it's good business to believe in those things, isn't it?
Of course. But here's the problem. None of your competitors would ever say they don't believe in honesty. You can never plant a flag on those type of "Values" because every one of your competitors have already planted their flags on those territories.

So I shouldn't plant a flag on honesty?
As a word, no. As a premise, of course you can.

What's the difference?
The word is cliche. Everyone believes they are honest. Yet honesty is a perception. What I believe is honesty can be dishonest to someone else.

I think a person is either honest or they are not.
Now you're getting somewhere. That tells me more about you than you believing in honesty.

I don't like dancing around. I call it as I see it. I don't want to hurt people's feelings but if I have to tell  'em something, I'll just say it. But at the same time, I won't try to sell them something I don't think they need. I've actually told customers that if they buy it and later feel they didn't need it, they can call me and I'll give them a credit over the phone. And they can keep the product, regardless.
There it is.

What?
You won't sell anything you don't think the customer needs.

Yeah. So how is this good marketing?
It's deeper than the average marketing message. Its a promise that customers won't be sold something they won't need. In essence, it tells the receiver of your message that their needs come before yours.

Yeah, that's right.
Imagine, using a message like, "We believe in not selling things you don't need."

I don't believe in upselling.

Do you competitors upsell?
All the time, it's the main beef I hear from my regular customer. They switched their business to me because there were too many high pressure sales and sales attempts on marginal products.

And you don't upsell at all?
Only if I think they need the product to solve a problem.

Don't you see what I see?
Umm, no. It's just good business to give customers what they want. They don't want upselling, so that's what I do.

This is a strong belief that can be used to find more customers.
Is it that simple?

Yes, it is. Marketing that works has to use messaging your target audience cares about. The message isn't about you. It's about them. Start talking to them about things they care about and they will remember you.

This is amazing. You've given me a lot to think about.
Just remember the Mercedes. You pay attention to things that matter to you. Your potential customer is no different.

Awesome, talk to you later.
Have a great day.

Beliefs, knuckleheads and looking for love in all the wrong places

Can I buy you a coffee?
No, thank you. I'm going to have a tea.

Ok, can I buy you a tea?
Sure can. How's business going?

It's going well. But it would be better if I could find good employees. People today don't want to work anymore.
Are you sure about that?

Yes. Every time we post a job ad, we get 15 resumes. Out of those, only 7 accept an interview. We try to interview all 7, but only 4 show up. Then out of those interviewed, we choose the best one.
And how does the chosen employee work out?

We're looking for his replacement within six months.
Sounds like you hired the wrong person.

Agreed, but we're scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Can I help you?

I'm going to have an Americano and a tea...
Green Tea please...

Uh ok, an Americano and a Green tea please.

What size?
Medium?
Yes medium is fine...
Ok, make that two mediums please

So you're having problems finding good workers?
Yes, but I believe it's because no one wants to work anymore?

Be careful of your thoughts?
It's just the truth. We haven't had any luck at all.

Let's flip it around at you.
What?

Are you a good worker?
That's not fair.

But it is. You consider yourself a good worker. If you were looking for work, wouldn't your boss be lucky to have you?
Yes, but...

There's no buts in this. You haven't found the right worker for your business, so you blame the market. You blame the people you hired. When in fact, you should blame your poor selection techniques, your poor marketing skills in acquiring new talent, or your gut instinct in detecting the right candidate.
So you're saying I'm the problem with hiring.

Bingo.

Medium Americano and Medium Green Tea
Thanks, can we continue this conversation.
Sure, I have a few minutes.

I disagree that I'm the problem, but for purposes of the conversation, let's say I agree.
Let's try to make this clearer for you.

Why is Westjet airlines successful?
The employees are owners.

Wow that was quick. Are you sure about that?
Yes, the employees act differently because they own stock in the company. They work together to make more money. It's actually pretty simple.

So if it's that simple, why don't all companies make employees shareholders?
Well it doesn't work easily for most companies. Westjet is a public company. They issue shares on the Stock Exchange. My company is privately held. I don't want...

Let me stop you. It has little to do with ownership. The employees are awesome because they were already awesome in some other job. Westjet found them through their recruitment process. They have a smart selection criteria in which they refuse to negotiate on organizational culture.

I still think it has to do with ownership.
Let me give you a simple example to squash that. Westjet's competitors also issue shares to employees, but it has little to no effect.  Attitude can not be trained. I can teach a lot of things, but I have never been able to teach someone to care. Westjet looks for people who ALREADY care.

Ok, ok. So it works for Westjet, but it can't work for me. My business cannot afford to pay more than $20 per hour.

Again, you think that compensation is based on the quality of the person you can find. It's not true. The best employee I ever hired was paid minimum wage. They stayed for 4 years.
Four years. Wow. I wish I could get them to stay for one year.

See, money has little effect on finding good people.
So let's say you're right. How do you find good people?

Start with yourself.
What?

You said you were a good worker.
Yes, but I can't do any more work. I'm already busy with day to day management of my business.

I get it, but if you were looking for work, anyone would be lucky to hire someone like you. Right?
Of course.

Then hire yourself.
I'm not following.

Unconsciously, you're doing it already. You're looking for yourself, but you're advertising in the wrong places and most likely the wrong way. Tell me about your best hire.

That's funny you say that. The best guy I ever hired was a hard worker. He'd leave his phone in the truck to get the work done. He was tech savvy, and would ask for more work when his initial tasks were done. He got along with everyone. Never once did I have to talk to him about his attitude. He was a nice guy.

Sounds a bit like you...
Oh my...He was exactly like me. Just 20 years younger. I even told my wife that I saw him as the son I never had.

See? You saw yourself in him. Why did he leave?
I think he decided to go back to school.

So you already hired yourself once. Just go do it again.
Just? Easier said then done. It was complete luck that I found him the first time. Besides, when I need to hire people, I need them immediately. I can't sit around and wait for 6 months to get the next ideal employee. Time is money.

Then don't sit around and wait. Use a belief based marketing technique to find "mini you's" in your employee search.
What? I don't understand.

You're looking for love in all the wrong places.
Love, huh?

Do you think you could find the love of your life in a dirty, grungy bar.
Of course, but it's rare.

Exactly, because everyone has a different agenda. And the two of you will likely be back in the bar in six months looking for love again, with someone else. Listen closely to the lyrics of the song. It's the story of your hiring experience.

So what's this belief based thing-a-majig?

Detail out your beliefs as it relates to work. Don't describe the job as much as describe the type of person you're looking to hire.
You mean like strong, good attitude, works well with others.

No. That's all bullshit. Everyone wants that. And every candidate will say they are those things to get a job. If they need money, they'll do almost anything to get the job.
So what do you mean?

Go deeper by starting with yourself or better yet, by describing that great employee you just told me about.
Huh. I'm not following.

Ok, let me give you a couple of lines in your next job ad.
Awesome.

We believe:
Work is sometimes hard, but it never has to go unappreciated.
Our phones should stay in the truck while work is being done.
All people, including the biggest jerks, should be treated with respect.
Karma is a bitch, so we work hard not to upset her.

What? I'll never get any resumes with that ad.
Not true. You'll get some, but not as many as you used to. This ad will eliminate many of the deadbeats that you're trying to avoid anyways.

Ok, let's say you're right and I only get 2 resumes. I know I need 15 resumes to find one employee.
Not true. You need one resume to find one employee. The chances will be extremely high that the two resumes received will be from qualified candidates.

So I don't have to do interviews anymore? I hate doing them anyways.
No not at all. This isn't a perfect science. There's still the "knucklehead" factor. Some undesirable employees can still slip through the cracks, so doing an interview removes those knuckleheads.

Knuckleheads?
Yeah, people who need a job and will say they are whatever you want them to be.

So once I get the resumes, what do I do next?
Email them to tell them you received their resume. Then ask them to CALL you for an interview.

Are you nuts? People have a hard time to show up half the time. Now you want them to call me for an interview?
Yes. Do you agree actions speak louder than words?

Of course.
One of your beliefs is "All people should be treated with respect". Isn't the definition of respect returning messages, either email or phone?

Uh, yes.
There you go. If they don't call you, they weren't that interested or they lack the respect factor you're looking for. You could even include it as a belief if you wanted. Something like, "Respect for others includes, returning calls and emails within 24 hours"...

I won't have any applications if I do this.
Henry Ford said, "If you think you can or you think you can't, you're right". If you don't think this will work then you should keep doing what you've been doing.

I'm ready for change. But have you done this before?
Yes, I don't share any secrets I haven't done myself. I used belief based marketing in a job ad ten years ago. I needed five employees. Three of them were still there when I sold the business four years later.

Wow. Is it that easy?
Ask yourself a simple question, "Are there any 20 year olds, who think like you, looking for the things you believe in".

I think so.
Then go find them. You've been looking in the wrong place for the right person.

You've given me a lot to think about. Have a great day.
Thanks for the tea.

Don't be the dog. Be the car.

Life was good. 

Working on another project, the edge of the horizon was sharp.

A plan of action was set.

Summoning the winds, the bell dinged on the computer.

It wasn’t expected.

It was dismissed. 

As well as the person behind the email. 

She wanted time and/or money, was the thought.

She persisted. 

And she was dismissed a second time. 

It can’t be good, another thought screamed.

And she persisted again. 

I gave her my number.

Two minutes later, the phone vibrated. 

Wow, she didn't get the message.

I was not getting the message.

The wind had changed without notice. 

We agreed to meet.

The opportunity was ok, but not exciting.

We met, and my interest scattered away.

I told my wife I wasn’t moving forward. 

It wasn't of interest. It couldn’t give what we wanted.

The hurricane was pushing hard in my direction.

The phone rang again. 

The business was ours. 

I was still ready to back out. 

Until the realization of everything was arriving as was asked. 

Just in a different form.  

Without persistence, it wouldn’t have happened. 

Not mine, but someone else's.

  

I was AWARE of the business.

I did not chase it.

It chased me.

The world came to me as I made other plans.

The world gave exactly what I wished.

I sit here thinking about success.

And how this success came to be.

Learning from success is as important as learning from failure.

So I sit here and share lessons for my own benefit as well as yours.

Letting go is the key.

Dogs don’t catch the cars they chase.

Don’t be the dog.

Be the car.

Let others chase you.

And they will chase.

Observe and witness.

The winds will change in your favour.

You have no control over it.

Don’t force it.

Embrace it when it comes.

And the result you ask for will come to you,

In a form you won't expect.

Happiness, superpowers, and races that can't be won

Do you ever do any work?
What do you mean?

I see you in your "office" posing as a coffeeshop at least three days per week. When do you do any "real" work?
Don't misinterpret the definition of office work in today's world. Some of us work at the beach, some of us work at home. Some sit in stuffy offices, and some enjoy a tea at the coffeeshop.

No real work gets done here, right. It's just pontification, meetings and responding to emails.
If I told you that I worked on a multi-million dollar acquisition last week at this table, would you believe me?

Are you not afraid of secret information getting out?
Nope, 90% of people don't care to know any details. Another 9% will forget them within 2 minutes of hearing them. So only 1% of people will care enough to remember the details. The chances are slim to none they are within ear shot of my conversation at the coffeeshop.

So the information could be heard and used against you.
I guess, but I don't live my life that way. Life's too short to worry what a competitor might do to hurt my dealings.

But they could.
Sure they could. But it hasn't happened yet. So why worry about things that might come.

Let's change the conversation, I have a question?
I hope it's better than "do you ever do any work?".

Umm. Hope so. How do you find a business to buy when all you do is sit in a coffeeshop all day? I have been looking for 3 years and haven't found anything interesting yet.
That's a great question. Start with your superpower and work out from there.

Superpower? I'm lost.
There's something you're great at. Maybe even one of the greatest in the world. It's the thing your creator gave you to exploit.

I don't have a superpower.
I don't believe you. It takes a rite of passage like failure to force it to emerge.

So I need bad things to happen to me to learn how to be successful.
Not always, but most of time. If you have success in your first business, you won't appreciate how special it is and will likely screw it up.

Ok, so let's say I fail along the way and I realize my superpower. Then what?
You learn from your mistakes. You grow and you become an expert in your field of influence.

Forget the superpower stuff. How do YOU buy a business?
I know where my edge is.

What is an edge?
I have made a lot of mistakes and I've had some success. The mistakes taught me what I should not do again, so I try not to make the same mistakes.

Do you have a formula for success?
Yes. Make mistakes.

Edge, mistakes, superpowers... I don't want to make mistakes, I can't afford to.
You can't afford not to. The men who are the greatest success stories can write books about their massive failures. It's almost impossible to be successful without passing through the door of failure.

I feel we're going in circles. Outside of mistakes and knowing your superpower, how do you do it?
Have you ever heard of Cafe Jomama?

I think it was a small cafe on the other side of town, but I never went there. And I think it closed.
Yes it did. That was my first business. I loved it. But I made a huge mistake. I didn't anticipate the time it took to build a clientele from scratch to profitability. And I built an extremely nice cafe that was uncomfortable to the average person.

Isn't nice better? Don't customers want nice environments to enjoy their coffee?
That's what I thought at the time, until a wise businessman told me that the nicer you make your restaurant, the smaller the target audience will be.

That makes sense. So what's your superpower?
I have a formula for success.

Will you share?
I can but you won't believe me.

Sure I will, I respect your experience and knowledge.
Ok. Let me change the conversation. How long have you been married?

Ah, about 4 years.
Can you share with the success of your marriage?

I don't know if it's successful. We're still married and haven't killed each other yet. It's just one day at a time. Learning from mistakes and not royally screwing up our bond is the key, I think.

When will you know you're successful?
Not sure, maybe when we're old and have grandchildren eating all of the ice cream in the freezer.

Is there a race to a successful marriage?
No, it's just living and trying to be happy.

Exactly. The same goes for business. Try not to make mistakes, but when you do, fix them as quickly as possible. Learn from them and keep going forward so future generations can benefit from your work.

But I need a certain income to survive and if I get into the wrong business, I could lose everything.
What do you really have?

A house, a couple of cars and a cottage.
You also have mortgages and car loans.

Yeah, but if I'm not making money, I could lose them.
Sure could. But don't forget, that the bank doesn't want those things. They want your money that you promised them. Stop paying and they will look to recover as much of their money as they can.

Exactly, the reason I can't afford to fail.
So you're more connected to the things you have than the life you want...

Huh?
You want to get into business, but you're not willing to sacrifice the material things you currently control. I'm not saying you'll be successful but I am saying that if you don't TRY, you can never HAVE.

There is no race to success in business. Of course we all want to be successful. But success is not about money. Money is a result. It helps but it's about doing the things that make us happy. I have a friend who has been talking about retiring from her job since she was 30 yrs old. How can you live a happy life when 40 hours of your week are spent in misery? 30 years of looking toward death is not my idea of fun.

Ok, so hanging out in coffeeshops make you happy?
No. Talking to people like you fills me. Writing about these conversations thrill me. And coaching my operations people to increase profitability feeds me. All while I travel, look for new businesses to buy and spend time with my kids makes me happy.

I get it, so you're superpower is not having to work in a business yet understanding how to make it profitable.
You're getting warmer.  I'm sorry, I have to let you go, I'm about to get on a conference call with one of managers.

One last question, "What's the secret formula"?
There is no universal secret formula. Just like a marriage, what works for me, may not work for you. There's too many moving parts. You have to figure it out for yourself. You'll find your way, if you're willing to try and make mistakes. And if you're not willing to fail, you better hope the race you're running can be won.

Huh?
Let's say you're making $100,000 per year in your job. The company lays you off due to poor sales. You're out of work and can't get another similar job. What happens to your savings? What happens to your house? What happens to your reputation?

I would lose everything.
Yes, the race you think you're running is not your race. So the thing you're afraid of could happen anyways.  When you come to the realization that everything you work for could be gone with something out of your control, you look at your life and your future differently. The assumption is always that you can be employed somewhere else. You are smart and someone else would be happy to have you. And you're probably right. But what if you're wrong? You end up in the same place that you fear the most. All the while doing stuff that doesn't make you happy, waiting for retirement like my friend.

How do you know this?
Because I was there. Not wanting to lose the race. Until someone made a decision out of my control that turned everything upside down. Looking back on it, I don't get here if I don't lose that job.

But you're making more money.
Not sure about that. But I definitely feel like I have more time to do the things I love.