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A Battle Within

Jason A WoodruffLeave a comment

Sometimes it is difficult to muster the strength and energy to do much of anything -let alone run a business. I like to call it my battle within. In the past, this battle has hindered my ability to keep projects, focus on tasks, and -where my business endeavors matter- manage and maintain my business.

I can’t pinpoint the first time that I battled the battle within. I can remember as a kid that I would suddenly lose interest in the things I love to do. I usually kept myself preoccupied with books, music, and studying -usually I’d bounce among the various topics. When I’d get bored doing one thing for a period of time, I’d stop it and move to something else. This continues to this day -albeit much more randomly.

My emotions, as an adult, are much stronger than they were as a kid. I’m not sure if this is due to being an adult -physiologically- or whether it is due to the natural progression of bipolar disorder (if there is such a progression). When it comes to battling the battle within, my emotions definitely have more of a contribution. At times when I lose interest in my work, I find that I am met with a more depressed, melancholic state. Not quite a low -but definitely not a high. It’s not full on depression though.

During these times, nearly all work is put on hold -as the battle rages inside me. I listen to music, try to maintain myself from wanting to break down and cry, and -most importantly- do what I can to prevent the low from spiraling into full blown depression. Usually, I can control it to some degree. Time matters more in that regard then anything else.

Somehow, I have to find a way to continue working during these periods. Unlike physical labor, it’s difficult to maintain intellectual work as my thoughts race quickly. I’m sure if I were doing more physical work, I could just put some headphones in and get down to business. Does that mean I’m in the wrong profession? No, just have to find a way to make it happen.

And it is that last sentence that matters the most. No matter the battles raging inside your mind, your heart, or anywhere else, you have to find a way to keep things going. You have to find a way to make it happen. That’s what life is about after all. The sun will still rise and the moon will still go through its phases. In time, those battles will dissipate and you’ll be on some sort of normal. You just have to find a way to make it happen.

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A Struggle Of Moods

Jason A WoodruffLeave a comment

Being bipolar is still something that I’m learning to cope with. Despite living with the illness for quite some time, there’s a difference when you have identified what something is. It is only then that you are able to get the help and care that you need. Treatment, however, doesn’t mean that you are 100% better.

As an entrepreneur and business owner, I’ve found it difficult at times to manage my business -particularly in regards to the cycles of bipolar. For me, irritability and irregular mood patterns (at least, I feel they are irregular) do it in for me. I can go months on end functioning normal. Then suddenly a high comes that lasts for an extended period of time. Or, worse, I get really depressed and begin to withdraw from everything.

This constant struggle of moods is what prevented me from enjoying most of my twenties. It harmed my ability to make lasting friends. It even harmed a long term relationship. My goal is to make sure that it doesn’t hinder my ability to develop and grow a sustained business. Along this course, the struggle is real.

This isn’t to say that I don’t have excellent coping mechanisms in place to help bring my mood back into balance. Music certainly helps -as does writing. As I’ve mentioned in other blog articles, I’ve never been one to talk about my feelings or my past. Those two areas have always been my own to explore and correct. That’s just how I was raised. So talking about my feelings or my past is a moot point.

A struggle of moods is a difficult battle to fight. For a lot of sufferers of bipolar disorder, the end result can be tragic. I don’t want to end up among the many who have made the decision to end their own life. I’ve thought about it -but those thoughts always end up to dwelling on all the people who would miss me. To take the words from Manchester Orchestra’s song, I Can Barely Breathe, if you knew I was dying… would it change you.

In a way, my illness -and the struggle of moods that accompanies it- is what drives me to want to succeed. To prove that someone who struggles with an inner battle can amount to something in this life. That my life isn’t just a tragic tale of a guy, who grew up in poverty and abuse, just gave up living because he couldn’t go on anymore. That’s not the story I want for my life. That’s not the story I want to live.

I want to make an impact on the people around me. I want them to see someone who -when others said he wouldn’t amount to jack shit- took life by the reigns and created something for himself. That I could stare my supposed fate in the eye and demand more than what it wanted to give me. That I built my own future and created the change necessary to make it happen. My struggle of moods pales in comparison to that goal. My future depends on it.

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Building a Business: A Call To Action

Jason A WoodruffLeave a comment

The world today is a lot different than it was a mere 30 years ago. As automation and AI technology revolutionizes business productivity, one thing is steadily being constant: many of these jobs aren’t coming back. While it’s tempting to follow the lead of politicians and industry leaders in promising that high paying manufacturing and industrial jobs are coming back, the reality is that that tactic is a means to placate these individuals and misleading at best. That said, here is a means to change the discussion by providing a more tangible means to improve individuals and the communities that have lost so much.

Building A Business

In many ways, we are seeing a massive change in this country. Massive lay offs due to outsourcing labor to developing countries has given way to automation and AI taking over many positions once filled by Americans. Workers who filled these positions -and those who have considered taking these type of positions- are now left without viable work options. The result is a vast workforce of laborers with skills far removed from their current line of employment.

With this backdrop, it is imperative to understand that the types of jobs gone doesn’t just include manufacturing positions. In the past decade we’ve seen a steady drop in jobs from a wide swath of industries: call centers, customer service, manufacturing, retail, etc. Even industries that were considered safe from outsourcing and automation have even begun to take a hit.

A Possible Solution

With such changes to the way Americans make money, we also should take into the rise of the internet and mobile technology. We now have the ability to work remotely with ease. We also have the ability to communicate and reach across oceans and continents to people in a matter of milliseconds. The world has changed.

For those with skills going unused, it is now possible to freelance or develop small businesses that utilize these skills -while commanding what you are worth in providing these skills. Website costs have plummeted with the rise of cloud based storage, cheaper hosting options, and click and drag web design options. It’s now cheaper to develop and build an online/mobile business then ever before.

Even with Automation, AI, and outsourcing, a growing number of people still value human to human connection and collaboration. Freelancing and working with small businesses allows this type of relationship to continue unabated. If you’re stuck with a skill that is not being used, consider starting your own small business. After all, what have you got to lose?

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3 Tips For Improving Your Social Media Marketing Efforts

Jason A WoodruffLeave a comment

No matter how far along in your social media marketing efforts, there is always room for improvement. Whether you’re looking for content ideas, automation, or new ways to refine old content, change is in order. This article will present 3 tips for improving your social media marketing efforts.

Automation

While I love Hootsuite and Buffer, the reality is that unless you purchase the costly paid packages, you’re stuck with a limited automation software. One of my favorite automated social media posting sites is Social Jukebox. With Social Jukebox you have the ability to create ‘jukeboxes’ that contain your social media posts. These boxes then randomly select posts to share on your social media channels. All you have to do is set them up, assign hashtags, and Social Jukebox handles the rest -at a price that is less than that of the competitors.

Content Ideas

There are many types of content. While the consensus is that posts with video or images have a higher engagement rate then those without, I’ve found that not isn’t always the case. Some of my most engaging posts have no images or videos at all. Also, the idea that articles and informational pieces shared on your timelines is a way to increase engagement is also misleading. In other words, each industry is different. Don’t just listen to the ‘experts’. Experiment with what works for you. You’ll often find that your followers want something refreshing and new… they want your thoughts.

Refine Old Content

In recent days, I’ve attempted to refine some of my old content. I’ve taken blog posts and extracted short tweets. I’ve taken longer tweets and simplified them into smaller ones. I’ve retweeted others content with short comments of my own. All three of these ways of refining older content have increased my followers, built upon content that my followers like, and expanded my reach by showing my own views and thoughts on topics my target audience cares about. The result is far more engagement. Try it, it really does work.

Social Media Marketing, whether for your personal brand or business, is an important component of your marketing efforts. It’s also an area where research and experimentation can go a long way to reaching your goals. If you have an idea that you’d like me to try out or address, feel free to comment below. If I like it, I’ll try it and share my experience.

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Two Realities: A Look At Trump’s America

Jason A WoodruffLeave a comment

There can be no doubt that Trump’s supporters are hugely supportive and proud of the president. Many feel that he has done amazing things that are unparalleled in the history of the U.S. Republic. Detractors, on the other hand, are quick to point out that he has leveraged political processes to promote his own personal interests. It’s dizzying to realize that we are viewing an American landscape from two different lenses. This is Trump’s America.

Trump Supporters

It is clear that Trump has done everything within his power to address the demands of his base. Through the nomination of conservative judges to massive deregulation, Trump is clearly hitting his base with their wishes. Here’s a list of Trump’s accomplishments in this regard:

  • Slashed the Corporate Tax Rate to 21% from 35%
  • Cut over 860 Regulations
  • Nominated over 161 Federal Judges
  • Nominated 2 Supreme Court Justices
  • Begun the process to repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)
  • Declared a national emergency to fund the Mexico/US Border Wall
  • Removing previous gun regulations

The president has also engaged in promoting conservative social and religious values including reducing the rights of transgender individuals and overall LGBT issues, repealing abortion funding and support, and removing the requirement of employers to provide contraceptives using religious beliefs as the foundation.

Those who follow president cite these achievements as evidence that the country is on the right track. That the economic growth inherited by Trump was non-existent until after his inauguration -a claim that is easily refuted. Trump supporters, not surprising, find the current environment to be positive.

Detractors

Those not in line with President Trump’s conservative views, on the other hand, have a different view of the country. With major issues such as climate change, racism, and economic inequality growing, they view the current state of the country as being in peril.

Nowhere is this more clear than in the perceived corruption going on within the Trump administration. The first two years of Trump’s presidency were colored by the Mueller investigations look into possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. The results of the investigation laid out 10 instances of possible obstruction by the president while, at the same time, not finding conclusive evidence of collusion between the campaign and Russia. Further corruption includes Trump’s repeated belief that it is legal to seek election advice and interference from foreign entities. All of these facts are dismissed by supporters of the president -despite extensive evidence for both.

Two Realities

The clear takeaway from both supporters and detractors of the president is that we are seeing the existence of two realities within the fabric of American politics. Faith in political ideology leads both sides to fail to seek common ground and -most importantly- fervent devotion to each individual ideology. Conservatives rally around the president for feverishly passing through legislation and executive order a conservative agenda. Centrists and Liberals rally around the congressional majority as a means to provide oversight on the perceived recklessness of the Trump administration.

Stuck in the middle is everyone else. The media walks a fine line between reporting the facts (which are often denigrated by the administration as being fake news) and appeasing the winds of political ideology. The nation stands divided and our longstanding institutions are coming under fire from both sides. The two realities that exist in this country will no doubt continue to drift further apart -testing the very constitutional framework that defines the American experiment. All of this leads to a very uncertain future for countless Americans.

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A Brief Foray Into Politics

Jason A WoodruffLeave a comment

I’ve been debating on getting into politics. I mean, I could dedicate a portion of my blog to political commentary, but I want to do more. The only question is how?

To set some backdrop, I am a gay American. I’ve been out of the closet since 1997. I helped set up an Gay and Straight Alliance in High School. I was a member of a local gay youth group. I dabbled in drag. I’ve also done drugs. Lots of them -many years ago, that is. I’ve been clean for almost 2 decades now. Does this bar me from getting into politics?

To add further backdrop, I’ve also partaken in protests. When the Occupy Movement broke out, I was in college in Chicago. I was one of ‘those’ protesters who occupied the park along Michigan Avenue. I loved it. While I’ve grown for my love of business since then, it left a mark on my psyche.

The current political climate is really encouraging me to consider getting more into politics -perhaps even running for an office. Yet, what are my views? Is there room in the political discourse for me?

Where social issues are concerned, I’m pro-individualism. Basically, I believe that people are responsible for their own choices in life. If the government is going to offer a set of benefits for one segment of its population, then it needs to offer that same set of benefits for ALL segments of its population. Further, if you need assistance from the government for food, healthcare, childcare, or whatever, then you need to make sure that you can prove -beyond a shadow of doubt- that you truly need the assistance. I won’t give money to my friends and family if they are just going to take that money and spend it on drugs.

Abortion is one slippery slope that doesn’t need to be a slippery slope. If you choose to have intercourse without protection or birth control, and get pregnant, then you should be held accountable for that mistake. This is the 21st century, after all. We shouldn’t even be having this discussion. Rape and molestation, on the other hand, are different matters. How is this an argument? How is this divisive?

Where the military is concerned, I believe that we should have a strong military apparatus that is capable of handling situations as they develop. We shouldn’t be afraid to back down for our ideals. We also shouldn’t bow down to dictators and governments that don’t share our ideals and vision for the world. America, since WWII, has taken a proactive role in maintaining the peace and stability of the world. We owe it to our ancestors to keep that going -they gave the ultimate sacrifice in fighting Fascism and Socialism.

Perhaps what frightens me most about wanting to serve in some capacity is that I’m too frank. I can see gray areas. I can see both sides of the aisle. I’m not beholden to one party over the other -and I most certainly will not choose party over country. Most importantly, I’d promote unity over division. Patriotism over profit. Empowerment over subjectivity. Still plenty of things to think about.

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Unraveling the Myths of Mental Illness

Jason A WoodruffLeave a comment

For those of us who struggle managing mental health issues, we also have to grapple with the myths that people have about mental illness. It seems everybody is an expert on things they know nothing about. This article will seek to unravel some of the myths that surround those struggling with mental illness.

Those With Mental Health Issues Aren’t Sick, Just Weak

I’m a strong person. I work umpteen hours a day. I’ve been through hell and back in my life experiences. I’ve helped those without mental health issues overcome major obstacles in their life -I’ve been the shoulder that others have stood on. I’m also bipolar. I guarantee you that I can run circles around you -even on my worst day. I’m also not alone.

My mental illness doesn’t come from a lack of strength or laziness. It’s a combination of a number of factors -none of which includes the quality of my character. Most, if not all, mental health issues stem from biological factors such as genetics and physiology. Other contributing factors include genetic inheritance -if you have family history of mental health issues, then you are at heightened risk.

People With Mental Illness Can’t Work

This one is just laughable. As someone who has worked in management, I can attest that there are a great number of people with various mental health issues working happily day in and day out. I’ve worked with individuals struggling with borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, autism, and schizophrenia. I’ve also worked with those who have retardation issues such as MMR. In many of these personal experiences, the work quality produced by these employees was of a much higher quality then my regular employees.

What is important, for those who employ individuals suffering from mental illness, is that employers provide patience and understanding for these employees. They can be quite valuable for your business -and a boost to the quality of your work.

Violent Criminals Often Have Mental Health Issues

I’m sure this one comes from somewhere deep in the human psyche itself. The idea that societal ills are due to those different then the majority predates human civilization itself. In smaller populations, this made some sense -well, for some things. There is no evidence to indicate that those with mental health issues are more violent then those without.

The reality is that those with mental health issues are more likely to be the victim of violent crimes. Whether its being robbed, attacked, hit by a car, or murdered -the news is littered daily with tragic stories of acts committed towards the mentally ill. Don’t believe me? Open up your local and national news.

There are many more myths that can be unraveled. These are just some of them. Understanding fact and fiction is important in understanding the realities of the world. We may not understand why people arrive at believing false narratives, but we can do everything possible to educate them of reality. It’s the right thing to do, after all.

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5 Myths About Running A Business

Jason A WoodruffLeave a comment

Running a business is an experience that a vast majority of people never get to experience. Yet, somehow, it has become glorified as a better way to enjoy life. While it is true that business owners enjoy the lives they lead, it isn’t in the ways that we’ve glorified. Here are 10 myths about running a business.

  1. More Free Time To Do The Things I Love: Somehow, we fail to realize that running a business requires an investment of our time. In a lot of circumstances, you barely have time to grab a bite to eat or hang out with friends/family. Many times, your free time involves going over analytical reports, evaluating processes, handling payroll, and other tasks that you didn’t have time to complete during the day!
  2. If I Open The Doors, They Will Come: A lot of people think that as soon as you get the product or service ready to sell and the doors to your business open, that customers will magically appear ready to buy. The reality is that you have to market your services and products. People aren’t just going to be browsing the internet or driving down your street to find you. You have to find them first.
  3. Customers Will Appreciate What You Have To Offer: Customers are fickle -they are people after all. When you open your business, you think your product or service will be well appreciated. In some instances, this may be true. For others, you’ll find that you need to ‘sell’ your product/service to meet the problems the customer faces. You already have an idea how it will, you just have to make sure it does what it is intended to do.
  4. Get Rich Quick: The prevailing attitude is that business owners control vast amounts of wealth -and looking at the prices for some products and services, you can see where the idea came from. However, being a business owner is not equal to getting rich quick. Only in rare circumstances do business owners grow their personal wealth rapidly. Be realistic, you may not even get paid from your business within the first year or two.
  5. My Business Runs On My Hours: A lot of business owners laugh at this one. The idea that your business runs only on a few hours a day is completely false -particularly in today’s 24/7 world. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to burn the midnight oil to handle tasks that I didn’t get to during the day -and knowing I had to get them done by the next day. If you’re looking for work that is part time, you might want to consider McDonalds.

Running a business isn’t rocket science, but it’s no walk in the park either. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, do your research, and be prepared to roll up your sleeves and work. Enjoy the ride.

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Feeling Down

Jason A WoodruffLeave a comment

It’s the little things that trigger it. A song. A picture. A phone that doesn’t stop ringing. You wouldn’t know it unless I tell you -and most likely, I won’t tell anyone. There are times that I keep my mood cycles closed off to everyone -after all, just cause I’m feeling down doesn’t mean that I want you to know about it.

I never know what triggers my lows. Unlike my manic cycles, they seem to just pop up without any warning. I’ll be working, talking to family, or just playing on my phone and BOOM… I’ll feel sad. It’s when the cycle drags on that it gets worse.

I can remember years ago, during one long lasting low, that I would cry at nearly every movie I watched. My ex walked in as I was watching this movie that starred Madonna, I was fully in tears. He never understood. In retrospect, I didn’t understand either. It just sort of happened.

It is at my lowest points that I do think about suicide. I know I won’t ever make another attempt -but, I often think about it. At those moments, I don’t consider that people will even care. Life unworthy of life. And I’ve made plenty of attempts.

My earliest suicide attempt was at the age of 13 or 14. I was working with my uncle at an appliance shop he owned. There, in the bathroom, I drank nearly a full bottle of toilet bowl cleaner. I figured the acid would eat me from the inside out. Needless to say, it didn’t work. I did get a bad case of heartburn out of it.

As I got older, I began to pay attention to when I start to feel a low coming on. The sudden encroachment of the mood cycle makes it difficult. Once I’m in my low though, I medicate heavily with music. That does seem to help. It at least gives me a vehicle through which I can let the emotion run its course.

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5 Tips For Launching Your Small Business

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Launching a small business doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, anyone can do it. What separates those who are successful from those who aren’t is planning, proper execution, and learning to scale. This article will provide 5 tips culled from my own experience launching a cleaning business.

Make Plans and Follow Through

We make informal plans for everything: going out to eat, which clothes to buy, grocery shopping, and how to tackle house cleaning. In many ways, informal plans are everyday events that many of us don’t even realize exist. In business, we make formal plans: business plans, client contracts, customer support processes, etc. Just like informal plans these help us develop, formalize, and execute our actions.

Formal business plans need to be made for key areas and events. Two of the most important ones are as follows:

  • Business Plan: This is your comprehensive, overall plan. It lays out your business mission, goals, marketing foundations, and a realistic examination of profitability. It is here where you lay out the nitty-gritty of what you plan to do and how to do it.
  • Marketing Plan: Culled from the foundation laid out in your business plan, this goes into further detail with who you want to do business with. Here you will delve into your target audience, their habits, and how you will position your product/service to suit them.

Be Novel In Looking For Clients

Old ways of marketing your services and products aren’t as effective today. I can remember as a kid, for instance, that newspapers used to look pristine -with cool ads and pages. Today, however, the converse is true: the ads, if you get them, are often ripped up, shredded, or covered in a weird grease from the machines that print and bundle them up. This is a big reason why many newspapers are losing subscribers.

For business owners and marketers, its important to go where your customers are. With mobile technology and the internet, people aren’t just browsing a board at the grocery store -they are now online. Research and identify where they are at, use applications to increase your reach, and engage prospective customers in real time. As a cleaning business owner, I used 10 different websites and mobile apps to keep myself booked with clients. From Thumbtack to Amazon Home Services, I went where my prospective clients were. Don’t waste your money on outdated marketing avenues. Be creative.

Develop Customer Service Skills

Nothing is better for business then a happy customer. It really is that simple. However, the avenue for making a customer happy has changed drastically. It’s not just as simple as saying please and thank you. Take a note when your clients and customers offer criticism -take each bad review as an opportunity to improve your business and the model its based on. If they complain about a product your using, offer to do it again with a different product.

Offer Realistic Prices

One of the biggest issues facing small cleaning business owners is pricing their services. There are equal numbers of new cleaning business owners who want to either charge too little or too much. Those who charge too little do so in order to bring in more clients. Those who charge too much do so under the auspices of ‘knowing their worth’. Both are wrong.

Clients aren’t stupid. If they see you are undercharging for services or products, they will use you for a one time deal and then move onto someone more serious about their business. If you charge too much, they will ask you to prove your worth. Be realistic when you set your pricing. Make sure all your costs are covered and then compare to your competition. After all, some of your competitors have way more experience in the field than you do. Just cause you charge $15/hour doesn’t mean they are going to stop charging $30/hour.

Invest In The Right Supplies

Investing in the right supplies to provide services is extremely important -particularly for home and office services such as HVAC, Plumbing, Cleaning, and Maintenance. However, it is also an important thing for other industries. You can’t write a blog post if you don’t have paper or a computer. You can’t clean without cleaning supplies.

That doesn’t mean that you have to choose the most expensive products to do the job. Choose products that contribute to high quality at a decent price. Plan your costs and shop within your budget. Just cause something is expensive doesn’t mean it’ll do the right job. You have just as much input as the product you use. So invest wisely into the right supplies to do the job.

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