People Over Everything & An Unfair World [M&M #018]
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Marketing
👨👩👧👦 People Over Everything
Have you seen the videos floating around TikTok, IG, and Youtube of people doing random acts of kindness or giving money to strangers?
I absolutely love it. And based on the likes and comments, it seems like everyone else does too.
There are two takeaways that may seem obvious but bears repeating:
Kindness is infectious
People love witnessing positivity
There's this motto I've adopted which you may have seen in the bios of my social profiles and email signatures in the past, and it's this:
👉 People Over Everything
👉 Prioritize People
👉 Put People First
Or some variation of that...
You may be thinking,
"That's nice... But Evan in the world of 'business' people can't be prioritized above the business or it'll fail!".
Wrong. Here's the truth.
You don't have a business without people.
You don't have customers without people.
You don't have profit without a business that prioritizes people.
People drive it all.
Write it down. Lock that in.
Now if you're thinking that I sound more like a good samaritan than I do a business owner also recognize that...
Putting people first doesn't mean you should work at such a high level of benevolence that your business is no longer profitable. By all means, do not do that.
Just like the oxygen mask instructions on a plane, you have to take care of yourself in order to take care of others. If you can't breathe... good luck helping others 'cause you won't last long enough to actually help in a meaningful way.
If your biz provides something valuable to people then you better take care of it or it'll fold and a lot of people will be left in a less-than-ideal situation.
Can you imagine if Apple or Amazon went under due to negligent management of the business?
It would hurt a lot of employees and customers alike because they bring value to so many people.
So what does it mean to put people first in your business?
Putting people first requires:
Re-framing your internal dialogue to consider someones...
Re-positioning your outward approach based on someones...
➝ Experiences
➝ Upbringing
➝ Beliefs
➝ Support System (or lack thereof)
➝ Dreams, Interests, and Desires
➝ Pain points
➝ Fears, Scars, and Anxieties
➝ what else can you add to this list?
**note this must be continually recalibrated from one person to the next
Discover how to put people first in your business by asking the question,
"What's the best thing I could do for them?"
Putting people first in your marketing is found in the act of asking the question,
"What's the best way to present ourselves in order to best serve current and future customers?"
There is nothing to market with no business.
There is no business without customers.
There are no customers without people first wanting to buy.
There’s nobody wanting to buy without people-focused marketing and people-driven business.
The complete circle.
Prioritize people.
Mindset
🌎 An Unfair World
How many times have you thought, "This is so unfair..."?
Yeah, me too... But here's the real question,
Whoever promised you fair?
What exactly sparked your expectation of a fair life?
Were we raised to expect fairness in all things?
Fighting for 'fair' seems noble at first glance but the more I peel back the layers, the more I don't think a fair world is the best world to live in. Maybe if I didn't have all the blessings and privileges that have been undeservingly afforded I'd think differently - perhaps. But I doubt it.
Even with all the advantages in my life (some may even say unfair advantages), the most impactful moments came from the tough stuff - the stuff that makes you scream and cry - NOT my kindergarten graduation or the bulsh$t participation trophies that dis-incentivize our youth to put some damn effort in.
Newsflash - it's not their fault. It's yours. It's mine.
Maybe the responsibilities you have as an adult seem unfair...
Buckle up, Nancy... Get over it, Gerald... it's up to us.
apologies to all the Nancys and Geralds out there... must've felt unfair when I hand-selected your name. I'll pick on someone else next time to even the playing field. 🙃
I don't want to make this entry longer than it needs to be but it is worth stating that by no means am I saying that you or I shouldn't stretch out a helping hand to those that are less fortunate. Acts like these are human-made miracles and perfectly demonstrate a heart full of love. It's nothing short of magical.
The difference is...
Helping out a disadvantaged individual is not the same as promoting fairness.
A loving act promotes kindness, humility, and generosity - not specifically fairness.
You are here cause you're ambitious and dedicated to living a great life on your own terms, so let's talk about top performers and how they look at fairness...
Fairness is less important for those who are on the winning side of the coin.
Fairness is rarely discussed among top performers.
It's not because they choose to turn a blind eye to the advantages they may have had (also note that many top performers came up from literally nothing). Top performers choose to stay focused on what's within their control and literally nothing else.
None of this is to say that advocating for an increase in opportunity is bad. I'm all for it in fact.
I wouldn't be where I am today if certain opportunities weren't presented and certain people hadn't taken a chance on me.
In Athletics, politics, and business:
Top performers don't expect to be treated fairly.
They earn their recognition through trials and triumphs.
They work hard to build their ideal lifestyle.
They invest toward their eventual and inarguable wealth.
If you focus on fair, you're destined to lose.
Fighting for a completely fair world neuters the opportunity for rich, fulfilling experiences in life.
The men and women real-life heroes were forged by fire, not by fair.
Don't fight for fair.
Fight for Freedom.
Carve out your dream life, and treat others with kindness, humility, and respect along the way.
Until next time ✌️
Ev
