Relentless sharing and integrity - the keys to a good, profitable life. Three examples.
A few examples might encourage you as we move to a new year
In a vid cast I ran with Vinnie Mirchandani he said I was generous in giving to the SAP Mentor community. I replied by saying I could always do more. That was a philosophical statement but one that formed the anchor for what became diginomica, the business from which I retired in 2020. That interaction got me thinking.
During the early days of Twitter, it was obvious that a thirst for information could serve as a way to make connections with people it would otherwise be difficult to find using conventional methods of discovery. The key to making those connections was free sharing and an ongoing exchange of information. On occasion, it also meant the exchange of what I call robust views - today it’s called Twitter Storms. I’d like to think that the arguments we had back I the day were undertaken based on deep conviction rather than a desire to create faux rage.
Fast forward to today and I want to share three examples of those who I’ve followed for years and who continue to deliver value - at least for me. They share two basic characteristics: relentless sharing and integrity. The two are inseparable to shaping success.
First up is Francine McKenna. She came to my attention at a time when I was focused on the accounting profession as a past partner in a wee firm. Francine has been calling out the Big Four firms for their bad behaviour for as long as I can remember with a forensic approach that has no equal. All that relentless work has paid off as she’s now a professor at the University of Philadelphia. Her students are in for an explosive ride that hopefully will set them on a path to an ethical future.
Next up is Phil Fersht. I’ve known Phil since he was in short journalistic trousers in the U.K. Since then he’s carved out an amazing career as a no holds barred tech services analyst. He recently announced astonishing growth numbers for his firm. Phil is well known for his acerbic and humorous digs at the industry he serves but also at some of the more insane elements of our British political system. This item, shared on LinkedIn is a classic.
Finally I call out Martin Kovac, an armour modeller I showcased in my video with Vinnie. Over the last few years he has exploded into the armour scene as an artist of world class quality. Martin has been around for years but has found that sharing his skills helps create a high quality community of hobbyists. I pay to get access to his Patreon presence. Among other things, it allows me to have 1-2-1 convos that help me improve my modelling skills.
What connects all these folks?
They all share relentlessly - for free on some platforms
They add clear value to their respective audiences
They stand by what they say with facts or examples
They are open to critique
They all demonstrate an extraordinary degree of integrity in what they say and do
While it may not seem obvious, they’re all humble, willing to listen although not always agreeing with others.
These folk enjoy great followings that are more akin to fans. But here’s the point: they are relentless in their individual pursuit of excellence in their chosen fields.
They may never lead large firms but in my mind that’s irrelevant. A life well lived that starts from the point of paying forward and adding value is way more important than the transactional nature of many businesses and these folk are examples I’d call upon any day of the week. And yeah - they’re all making a good living. Is what they do scalable? Hmmm…define scale! That’s maybe a discussion for another day.