Transcript
Derek Sivers Quote on Competitive Edge
00:00:00 Jeff Sarris
You get no competitive edge from consuming the same things as everyone else.
Welcome back to Useful Not Famous. This is the show where we discuss – I almost just said the intro for my other podcast. Where we talk about things we find interesting and share them with you.
I'm Amara.
I'm Jeff Sarris. You never say your last name.
I'm like a pet. I don't have a first name.
You don't have a first name? Oh, no.
I have had no water today.
Yeah, you should move your water into frame and drink it. There you go. Now you got your water.
But yeah, this is Useful Not Famous, where our goal is to be the most useful people you know. But this quote's from, paraphrased from Derek Sivers: "You get no competitive advantage from consuming the same things as everyone else." That's why you're here with this show, because this is only for a few of us. It's for us and you.
I'm pointing at the camera if you're listening, and so is she.
And I'm pointing at the camera if you're listening also.
And if you're not listening, I'm not pointing at the camera.
I'm pointing at your soul.
But anyway, okay, "no competitive edge." What does that mean?
I was like, I don't know, you're the one that found it.
Well, yeah, like it's- How does it apply to us? I guess that's what it is, because again, just like we talked about last week for anyone who's a regular, it's about storytelling for us, and teaching through story is something we're pivoting towards.
And something that we've been doing a lot more recently, like we, we typically read things within our realm, so to speak, like as a people, as a society. But something that you and I have been doing a lot more recently is trying to branch out a lot more. So, actually, right now in my app for my books, I have Astrophysics for People in a Hurry waiting.
I know, am I okay? Am I having a- Beautiful day already. I'm having a tough time.
But I have, which is why I didn't eat the fries at lunch, because I was like, "Those are going to make me sleepy," and I only ate the burger part, the patty, and I still feel sleepy.
We had a meeting today, so…
Yes, it was a very good meeting. Yes, so I have Astrophysics for People in a Hurry in my reading app waiting for me to collect it like a, like a little puppy. Because it's…
So, something that people have done historically, like Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, they… It's something in… It's like, it's known as a dérive.
So, you just sort of, you wander. You just see where you go, you go on like a walk, and you're out in nature, typically. You can also do this in a city, which is what a dérive is.
That was in a book called Nadja by André Breton. Such a weird book! Such a weird book.
I don't recommend it, actually. Very weird book. But basically, it was this whole idea of just going on a walk and clearing your mind, because what'll happen is when your mind isn't constantly trying to think of these things, it will make new connections.
So, that's why like having a hobby, like doing arts or crafts or origami, or like a lot of our friends do puzzles, doing that is a great way to sort of almost turn your brain off in a way, but it's still going. It's just, it's not actively like, "Well, this and this and this," and forcing connections. It's naturally letting the connections happen.
Well, and that's the hobby of taking a shower works, too.
I thought you were going to say taking a shit! I'm like, "You know my favorite."
Mine was, mine was funny! You just steamrolled right past it.
Taking a shower also does the same thing. I was trying to add it to your list of hobbies, showering.
Sorry. I mean, say it, wait, stop.
Yeah, so list your hobbies.
Oh, shitting… No, list the hobbies! Take two.
I don't really have hobbies. I mean, lately what I've gotten into, sorry, okay! Hold on, I forgot the point!
Hold on, hold on! I got it! Talk, you hang in there, talk if I fall apart.
We're going to get through this, okay? All right, take it from the top. Pull it together.
Ask me again.
Viewing Showering as an Unconventional Hobby
So, a dérive where you wander, what type of hobbies are good for that?
Ooh, lately I've really liked origami. What are some of your hobbies?
Oh, fuck. I mean, origami, I've always loved illustration, sometimes I paint, I do, I decorate skate decks.
This guy! You're a pig, you big bug!
So, it does work, because you tune out. You have your negative ions. Negative ions being a positive thing.
So, when you're by the ocean, when you're by wind or trees or all these things, those are negative ions that you get. So, showering is a potentially beneficial hobby to have.
It actually is. I actually, I really like that though, viewing showering as a hobby, because… Oh, god!
Hear me out. The busier we've gotten, okay, I, I enjoy, don't look at me like Mark Maron. I enjoy…
That was a very niche reference.
Yeah. That is, that isn't even looking at, that is looking at Mark Maron like one of our friends did across a produce counter. So, this is completely off the rails.
Anyway, continue.
Yeah, this isn't even related to Mark Maron. It just so happened to be to Mark Maron.
I like the idea of making showering a hobby, and here's why. I always love showering, one of my favorite things, because you go from filthy, disgusting to perfection! Perfection!
But as we've gotten busier and time has gotten, I have less of it, the idea of showering, then having to oil up… As I was saying it, I was like, "That doesn't sound right. Is this the X-rated episode?" No, because we use argan oil for our skin.
Having to moisturize, and then having to do all the other things, like make sure your hair is perfect, do all your face shit, like doing all the things, it takes so much time! Who has time for all that? But if you turn it into a hobby, then it's like, "Oh, well, this is what I'm doing for this time right now."
It's perfect. Yeah, you know, I do my hobby, I don't know, once, twice a month, maybe?
Ew! For the record, he does not.
But, no, but just funny, because to think of it as a hobby does make it a little, it, it changes the importance of it.
Like, I know it's a necessity, but, well, you don't do your hobbies once or twice a month. Well, you can, but…
Well, depends what your hobbies are.
Typically, you should be doing your hobby like weekly, at least. I don't know. Anyway, moving on, I like thinking of it though, for me, as a hobby, like something to enjoy, which I do enjoy it.
It's just like, all right, how much time do I have? And I'm like, "Oh, no, I'm wearing my watch in the shower!" Actually, no, it is waterproof.
So, clearly, consuming things that everyone else is not consuming, this is an example of that, because nobody is talking about this! We are ground- This is a groundbreaking show!
If you decide that this is your last episode, I don't blame you.
If this was, if this was the first episode, oh, no! Last week, the week before, those were like bangers. This one is a little different.
However, consuming what everyone is consuming…
…isn't going to give you an edge on anything. And that's what we see, because all of us collectively, not us because we're like perfect and the best, but all of us col- No, but collectively we all are on the same social media platforms, seeing the same things as our friends. Like you and I use different social media platforms.
We don't really consume social media, except you use TikTok for entertainment. I use YouTube Shorts for entertainment, like before bed. Like we both scroll on them separately, but we see the same videos.
Yeah, we're just like, "Oh, did you see this?" And it's like, "Yeah, I saw it like 4 days ago."
Algorithm Traps and Content Consumption Habits
Well, that's me always, because I always saw it first.
That's me! I am at the source! I am at TikTok.
Also, Shane Gillis is right. Holding the mic like this is so comfortable.
I think you have to do it like this, though.
So, I always, I do that a lot, and now after I heard people talk about it, "Yeah, they're just doing the Shane," and like he does this a lot, and I'm just like, " I never thought about how I hold the microphone." I'll have to make my own holding of the microphone.
I thought you were going to go…
I think this is good. We could do whatever we want. You can be with whatever, whatever mic you want to be with.
Be with… Okay, don't sing my songs! I feel like this is the move for me.
Why not? It feels very French, very Parisian. I am holding the microphone like it is a cigarette, and it feels very chic.
You look like you're about to deliver a sermon.
Welcome. Sorry. Amen.
Sir? Ma'am?
But we all consume the same content, always. So, how do we break out of that? Because the algorithms do it.
It's not us. We're being served the same things, because the same things work no matter where you're consuming your content.
But also, even thinking in person. Like, we go to events, or we were going to a lot of conferences, we've definitely scaled back, thankfully. And if you have like the same people in the same room all the time, they're doing exactly the same things.
Like you can see even just like on our social medias, the people that are part of all these different groups or cohorts, it's like, "Oh, well, they're doing this. Like I see, they're clearly part of this group, because everybody's doing this, or everybody's doing that." And it's, it's interesting, it's not bad, but you're in the same thought, and then eventually…
See, this is hard, because you don't want to have too many inputs when you're looking for advice for certain things to do. However, if you're doing the same thing as everybody, that does get a little murky and a little weird, like to stand out. It's almost like…
What exactly did the quote say again?
Dissecting Casey Neistat Videos for Business Insights
Well, "What's your competitive edge?" You won't have a competitive edge if you're consuming the same thing, and then…
…maybe not even translating it. So, that's, that's something, too, is, are we taking everything at face value? Are we seeing YouTuber Casey Neistat, he flew to Dubai on a $30,000 flight in first class and recorded a video about it.
"I need to fly to Dubai on a $30,000 flight in first class and record a video about it." No! Like that'd be stupid. Like to say that sounds ridiculous.
But in the context of smaller things, we'll look at someone doing something, and say, "I'm going to do exactly that, because that's the only way to do it," when really we can learn from it, and be like, "Well, why did this work? Why would Casey do that?" Well, first, it's remarkable, very remarkable. It's, he was also paid by the airline.
But…
…there's all these things that you can maybe take from it. Like what was his filming style? What was sort of the impetus for me wanting to watch it?
How did he lead into it? Like why does this work?
Well, and that's like what we do with our clients. Our Top Bananas through our video marketing agency, whatismaven.com, we have a, a, a template, of sorts, of types of content that we'll do with people, but we highly tailor it to who the person is and what sort of their passion is. So, like we have somebody who, he was a Michelin-trained chef, so food content, obviously, is a big part of his strategy.
We have someone where she used to be a bodybuilder, and then she loves sports, so we sort of tailor it a little bit more toward that. Not as much, but a little bit.
…all the tactics that we use, we've seen things happen, taken all of our disparate inputs, and crafted our own version of these things, and iterated on them because they work.
Exactly. And made them so much better. And that's what you have to do.
So, we're not just… Yeah, and that's why we actually, everything has its own term. Like, we do videos that appear to be similar to other people's, but we call ours Scoopz for a reason.
And then we do them the way we do for a reason. It's not the same as everyone else.
Right. Yeah, there's a very strict formula that we adhere to for it, but then…
Or, yeah, what'd I say? Formula?
You said formula, which is true, but yeah, we do evolve our formula constantly. So, yeah, format, I feel like, is broad enough.
What did you call me? So are you.
I lost my train of thought. Choo-choo! There it goes.
We really are the same person.
Literally, in the meeting today that we had a meeting with two people we've never met before, we were talking to them for about…
9 minutes, 9 and a half minutes, and then what did the, the guy say?
He's like, "Do you do everything together?"
He was like, "Do you ever do anything alone time?"
Yeah, he's like, "Do you guys ever get any alone time?"
And I was like, "No, why?" He's like, "We don't want alone time." Our alone time is together. Our alone time is together away from other people. That's alone, isn't it?
And I was like, "Wait, no, we're not in a cult. It's just…" Well…
It's Not Famous. Welcome.
We spend too much time together.
If this is your first episode… No, we're not editing any. We don't edit this.
This is a straight shot, you know?
I know, that's… Oh, we were supposed to try live streaming this.
So, we've been talking about live streaming.
Yes. I want to do it. I'm just very anxious because I know myself.
Well, no, but it's also, it's weird. We're, we're starting to really get a feel for why that's valuable. You had a really good insight the other day.
What was it?
Damn right! You're like, "My insight? Oh, so good!"
AI Video Verification and Live Streaming Benefits
I am like the best at insights! TikTok creator insights ain't got nothing on me. Okay, anyway.
But in this age of AI, when you can't tell, "Is this video real? Is this video fake?" the thing that's going to really, what I think for this year especially, because like Netflix is doing so many different live events right now, it feels like live entertainment is the moment. It's in the zeitgeist right now.
So, we've been playing around with different ideas of how, what type of live stuff that we can make, like what kind of live entertainment.
That would be worth it, both for us and for anyone out there.
Yeah, and like I tried live streaming a very long time ago. I tried it multiple times, and I felt like such a fucking idiot. So…
And then I had people commenting on my video, and then I was like, "!" And then I panicked.
No, this is the thing we have to say, though. You didn't try it. You turned it on and turned it off three times.
Like, we don't count that for anyone else, so we can't count it for ourselves. When people go…
Well, if somebody said, "I tried it three times," I'd be like, "No, you didn't."
Yeah, "tried it three times" over the course of 4 years.
Fair enough! Shots fired.
But, you know what I mean, like… No, but we're also with this doing what we say, tell people not to do. Don't spend all your time figuring it out to get the best thing, do it.
We have not done that, which we're very aware of, because it's not easy. Like we say the things because also we need to know the things, too. We need to be reminded ourselves that, like, we have to just do it and try it and iterate and figure it out.
And that's what I've, we have figured out for the local content platform that we have. We have that, our secret local content platform. Don't follow it!
If you find it, don't follow it.
Yeah, and if you find it, you can look at it, but just don't follow it unless you are local to where the platform is.
Because that's, we want to keep the integrity of our listener profile, our audience profile there. So, if suddenly if we have people from out of town and it's a hyper-local platform, that throws off what the algorithm thinks who it's for.
Yes. But we do have the, an idea for what the live streaming can be for that. But for my own personal, I was like, "Well, when I record content," because I've gotten back into recording my own personal content, which has been interesting.
I was like, "Well, maybe I could like film that session, just like live stream it and just show sort of what the process looks like," because it's not glamorous, it does take a lot of time, and I have a lot of takes when I'm trying to record something. And eventually it's almost like verbal processing. So, when people need to talk through their ideas in order to find whatever it is that they're trying to get to, that's basically what it's like for me now, because I, I don't have any bullet points.
I have one main idea and that's it, whereas normally I like to sort of have more of a bulleted list of what I was going to talk about.
Teaching Through Storytelling vs Direct Instruction
But we talked about it last week that we're making an effort to teach by example and through stories instead of conventional teaching, which is what we have just done.
Well, yeah, and that's my background.
That's, that's the bulleted list, the like, "I'm going to say this, then this, then this, because you need to know this." But instead we're trying to be like, "Well, I've discovered through reading this book, through making 14,000 videos, through, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, that this, when this happens, that happens," and stuff like that, because then it's more of a story.
You're going somewhere.
Yeah, and I know it doesn't seem like it, but it, or it might not seem like it to people, but it does feel very vulnerable, because I'm talking about me, and I don't do that. Like I, I have consistently, like I was trained in and taught that you take yourself out of whatever it is. So, like in history, in the history field, you're not supposed to have your personal voice as much, you're supposed to just present the evidence and just be like, "This is what it is."
Okay, now present the evidence verbally.
Oh, showering is an excellent hobby.
Okay, now present it with your voice.
I love showering. Showering is where I get all my best thoughts. This is why I think showering is the best hobby!
I mean, I thought you would just make a funny voice, so that's all I was going for. We can keep going.
Everyone, deep breath. Now, take it in. And then slowly release.
That is one of my favorite videos online ever. Now I was going to set it up for the second release. However…
Oh. We're, we're a little off our, off our rhythm today.
I know. Well, because we've spoken so much already today. I feel like I haven't, like…
Yeah, but I did think it was funny, like, "Don't you have any alone time?" It's like, "No, alone together, this is what we like. Like, we have chosen this life."
But that's what it is, really. Now I feel like that's like our first album if we ever release music. "Alone Together."
Yeah, it could be, because we have plenty of songs, just saying.
That sounds like a very emo album. I like it.
When I was like, "Drawn Together," it was…
Also, the music in that place where we were was so fucking good! That was like, I don't know, I couldn't pay, I have that thing where, like, if we're talking to people and there's a song that I know on or that I really like, I'm just staring at them, but I'm listening to the song, I realized.
Ay-ay-ay. But as I was going to say, Drawn Together was also a great title for an animated series that was in the DC Universe. They used to watch it when we first met.
And so it was like Superman and all these other characters that were, I think they were disparate characters, but they were drawn together.
That's cute. I like it. That's smart.
It should be like a Valentine's Day thing like that.
We watched a documentary where the woman just kept saying, "Valen-times," and I was like, "There's no fucking 'times'."
Yeah, "consuming things other people's aren't, other people's aren't consumes." But we've, we've, we're doing… It feels like an unlock for us, because we're going into much different areas of expertise. You mentioned screenwriting, learning some about that, that is still connected, even though you wouldn't on its face it's not, because it's still, it's story.
It's how do you actually get a story that anyone would care about?
Like, one little thing, in a movie, in a story, every character other than the villain has to change. They have to be changed from the opening image to the closing image in some way. Now, that, like, saying that sentence is like, "Okay." But when you really, you don't think about that.
That's not something that has ever come to my mind. I don't know if it ever came to your mind, but for a story to make sense, it can't just be a hero who does this thing and saves the day, and that's it, because then it, that's why it feels empty when the story doesn't feel right. But suddenly now to be like, "Oh, everyone has to be changed in some way." You can go back through all your favorite movies and be like, "Well, how was so-and-so changed?" And it's like, "Oh, wow!
Yeah, she was in this way, and then the B character in that way." And then the, not Bumblebee, but A, B, C…
It is, like, it's one of those things where you see it and you know it happens, but you don't realize it and you don't internalize it and really think about it. But then as soon as we read that, every single thing that we've watched, when we're just like, "Eh, it doesn't feel like it's getting anywhere," it's because there has been no change at all in the character, and then it's like, that's what it is!
Like that's that little secret sauce in there. And then that's what you have been, because you've been in the director's side for my content, because I just, I need that right now.
Well, you can't be the director for yourself.
So, that's what we do for other people.
Yeah, and I'm used to doing that for people, because I, I can see where certain things are missing, but it's hard to do that for yourself. So, that's what you've been helping me with, is like, "Well, what's the transformation in this piece of content from here to here? Like what did you, what's the story?"
And by that, I just say, "Stop teaching!" And then you're like, "Oh, okay!" Pretty much that's the shorthand for everything you just said.
But that's helpful, because I, like I do get back into my teachy ways where I'm like, "You know," and then it's like, "Ugh!"
Or, "You should," or, "You need to know this because," or like…
Yeah, that has been so hard.
Because we don't realize we do it, because ev- everyone…
But it's weird, because I don't do that when I talk to people. I'm not like, "Oh, you should this, you should that."
Yeah. But you're performing, your version of performing is teaching, and teaching very directly, which is has always been my struggle, too. But because we listen to everyone, like everyone we know, all of our friends, we're the listeners of the group, like of anyone.
So, we're used to people talking about themselves, because people are very good at that.
I am not. I don't feel like you are, either. Like we're not good at talk- even today, they asked some questions about us…
Yeah, we, we give an answer, and then flip it. And then it's back to their talking, because…
…that's what we're good at, because we are listeners, and we want to learn more about other people. We already know about ourselves, so it's hard to then translate to social media when you're just like, "Tell me about you, who I can't hear."
Exactly! Like, that's what's so hard, because I'm, yeah, I'm very used to hearing from people, and I'm curious about other people. Like, that was a really good way that you put it.
It's like, well, yeah, I already know what I am, and I know what I'm doing. Like, it doesn't really matter. But then we're also the worst salespeople for ourselves, because we, well, you're a lot better.
I held the mic up to wave my hand at you.
It's like, can we hear your wrists crack? What are we doing here?
You hear like a piece of peanut brittle.
Non-Conventional Selling and the Eminem Strategy
So, we sell, it's what it is we don't sell in a conventional way. We sell in our own way, and it's very effective, but it's also jarring to people because it's not normal.
Well, yeah, because we don't sell like a salesperson. We don't sell like a cheesy car salesman. We sell like a high-level salesperson.
We sell like manipulative assholes. Damn right!
No, but, but yeah, it's not, we're not in sales.
And we're… So, this is going to be very self-aggrandizing to the, the collective self we have between us. But, Eminem…
I'm going to groan and roll my eyes.
No, not Bebe No Money, Bebe No Money.
Eminem is notorious for in the rap battles, he would always talk about all of his own flaws, so then his like opponent had nothing.
And we just naturally sort of do that, and that's how we sell. Like our sales aren't, "You need to buy this." Our sales are, "I mean, it's, it's not cheap. It's pretty expensive, because we do this and this and this, but we do this and this and this.
You don't have to worry about anything at all." And that's it. And then we're done with our sale. People ask questions, and then it's like, "If you want to, do you want to talk more?
No? Okay, cool, whatever." And then people will come back later on their own without us being like, "Hey, we talked 3 days ago. Have you thought about- We've talked 7 days ago."
They're just like, "Sorry!"
Well, yeah, people come back, like we had someone come back very recently, and like, "Oh, sorry, we're not dead, but we, we, I had a few more questions, but we definitely want to, like, talk about working together." And it's perfectly fine. Like, we're not a hard sell, and I think that's jarring. Like, it's sweet when people say, "Sorry," and apologize, but also like we weren't waiting for it, and I think that comes across, too, because it's like, well, yeah, we're all, we're all just doing our thing.
This is how we're making our livings, like us, other people. If we can help, we can help. Like, because it really, it's not needing it.
When you're desperate for money or desperate for a client, that comes through, and that is very off-putting. And sort of the used car salesman, sort of like what you said, the cheesy car salesman, that is sort of the tactic, because it comes off needy, because you're so focused on this, this one sale.
High Pressure Mall Sales vs Client Service
I mean, that just happened the other day when we were at the mall. We had dinner, and we went into a store, because I needed to buy one thing. Like, I never shop in person, ever.
I never go to the mall, really, to buy anything. Plus, I'm trying to shop more local, too, for our platform.
It was a local mall, but it was a chain.
Well, yeah, it was just, it's like literally a worldwide store. But I went in there to buy one thing, and the, like, I forgot, because I had made the mistake of going in there once, like 2 years ago, in person. I was like, "Never going in there again!" It was like such aggressive sales.
And like I worked in sales. Like, I know what it's like when you need to like beat out everybody else and just be like, "No, you're going to talk to me," which is why I know the cheesy car salesman thing so well, because I was the cheesy car salesman.
So, you walk in the door.
Just make the door sound.
"Hi, friend! What are we coming in for today?" I was like, "Crawl out of my fucking butt hole!"
Also, like we were like in a conversation, too.
I know! But it's like that, like, "Hi, friend! Dah-dah-dah!" And it's like, okay, we're not friends.
It feels…
Oh, make it fine, though.
It feels too artificial already. It feels salesy.
Well, yeah, it felt like, "Okay, this person's 1 kilometer away from jumping off a building." Or not even kilometer, an inch away from jumping. Like, it was just that like sad, like, "Hi, how's it going?" And it's like, that's actually really scary. You can just see the, like, the, "Ooh, ooh!" But it was just, it's fine to be greeting people when they come into your shop, blah, blah, blah.
But it was just so intense, and we made it 3 ft in, and then I was like, "Oh, yeah, I'm just looking. I know exactly what I want, but I also want to look around," because I know that's like universal for just leave me the hell alone. The person then is like, "Oh, cool!
Well, we got this, and then, okay, what else do you need?" And I was like, "Nope! I want to look around. I'll come get you if I need you."
So, you're describing your side very differently, because, of course, in your mind, that's how you're thinking, but you're like, "Oh, no, I'm good, thanks." It was just, it was very polite. You're just…
Oh, no, I said, "Oh, no, I'm just going to look around," because I don't want to be an asshole. Like, this is how they need to feed their family.
Exactly. Yeah, like in your head, you're describing what's in your head, but I want the, the listeners… The listeners to know, like, yeah, it's, it's how, how everyone knows us already.
You're just like, "Oh, no, thank you so much. I don't need any help. Oh, you silly goose!" And then tossled their hair and sent them off with some more milk and cookies.
But, it's a lot, and the store is 20 x 20, and there's four salespeople, and we get 2 ft further, and a different person walks up, and is like, "Oh, what brings you in today?" And it's like…
Okay, those were… But, but this, so our sales are very different from that. Those are sort of the, the two ends of the spectrum.
Like, our thing that we've talked about before is we are there for you. As MAVEN, as whatismaven.com, we do everything that people need in terms of marketing.
Even further with business and strategy and design and website, like anything. We just sort of get in the door with marketing. But the thing is, we're there for you.
So, how do we convey that? How do you sell that you're there for someone? As you alluded to, as you said earlier, we were everywhere.
We were at every single conference that this group of people would be at. So, who's always there? MAVEN.
And then people say, "Is MAVEN going to be here?" Like, I said that, like emphasis was weird, but like people ask, other people will tell us that, "Oh, so-and-so asked if MAVEN was here."
Well, and they knew, we've had people who didn't know the name of our business, but they knew of what we did, and they were like, "Oh, that was you guys!" And it's like, "Oh, yeah, that was us," like with our VIP and everything. Yeah, either the work or the VIP sessions that we would do at the conferences, so it was just all these different things, which obviously is not by accident.
So, I call that the work, too. When I, when I mean that, but I just mean like the, but the, like the work speaks for itself, because the VIP session was an, an elevated VIP experience where they get content out of it, so that is the product, plus the content. But it's like the in-person is even more.
But, yeah, our sales are different.
And that's what we're hoping to help with this, too, talking through these sort of disparate ideas, because people teach you how to do sales a certain way. If you read our quote-unquote "book on sales," everything's wrong, but it's effective because it's us, it's real.
And I don't want to shit on people who need to do sales that way. Like, do whatever you need to do to take care of yourself and your family. But it just was a little like, "Woah!"
Oh, well, no, but also just that there's different ways to do it. So, we're talking about a completely different… Anyone listening now is consuming something that isn't being talked about in this way, typically.
It's not that we like invented this.
Yeah, we're a very weird podcast.
Well, yeah, but it's not that we invented this, but it's not, "Oh, I need to know the sales formula to close this deal." It, it isn't that.
But it works, and it works for us, and it's something where you can now be like, "Oh, they do it this…" If you are like, "How can I change what I do?" It might be, "Oh, they actually do it that way. It's like they're always there for them." What, what is my business? What is my sort of core of what I do?
How can I embody the, the message? How can I embody what I do? Not that you're at every conference, or at every coffee shop, or whatever it is, but there's something.
There's something you can embody that people will just feel and know without you telling them.
100%. That just gave me another idea. If we ever go to another conference…
I mean, we are going to another.
Well, yeah, we have one in the, one in the chamber, so to speak. But that just gave me a really great idea. We'll talk about it later.
Because I was thinking it's, or I could, I guess we could talk about it now.
It's just a little gimmick, just like a little silly gimmick thing. So, like this is actually how we talk, but I don't bury the lead. I'm just like, "Dah-dah-dah-dah-dah, idea!" If, so we're always there for you, we always take care of people, that's part of our sort of our brand, like sort of what we have.
It's like the unspoken part of our brand.
So, we'll dress like cult leaders and just have people follow us who are all just beaten and bloody.
I mean, it sounds exactly like a Tuesday.
I was like, "What's today?" It's Friday.
Not when you're listening. It's Monday.
Help! So, get ready for tomorrow. But if we're at the conference, and it's about like taking care of people, making them feel okay, like that's always for sure, number one.
If we actually had like a lot of women at these conferences wear heels, your feet must be horrifyingly hurting by the end of that.
And smelly, also, because I just wear Vans, because I'm like, "I'm not fucking dealing with that." No way! And I can't wear heels anymore, anyway. But, because my foot does that weird thing where it like crunches when I step on…
Anyway, this is I digress. Whatever. But women who wear heels…
Since the amputation, I can't wear heels. Where are you going? Remember talking about ourselves?
We're not good at this. We're trying to figure out storytelling. So, just, just bear with her for a minute.
She'll, she'll get there eventually.
I keep having all these thoughts, because this has taken 75 minutes to spit out! But if, I carry those little like tube, flats, like ballet flats, they have them, I think they actually have them in Vegas, which is where the conference is going to be where we're going, but they have like a little vending machine thing where you can like, it's like getting tampons out of the machine, you can get these ballet flats out and put them on.
If we just carried those around and gave them out to women who had heels on, it's like a preventive, it's like a prophylactic where it's just like, "I know you're going to need this," but not creepy, well, coming from me. It was a good idea, then it just got weird. Because I'm taking care of you, and then it has MAVEN on it, branding.
You're welcome. I HAD good ideas today. I was on fire in that video.
Local Community Video for a Missing Cat
Yeah, you had some really good ideas. I mean, also, you just had to make a video about a missing cat.
I know, that actually made me really sad.
We've never done that before, but we saw an actual, like, old school taped on the pole thing, "My cat's missing, if you find it." So, little sweetie here just posted a video about it.
I was just like, "We have to…" I didn't put any branding on it. I didn't even put my tag at the end. I know you're just like, "What are you doing?" But it felt more like a, a, it's just a different video.
It felt gross to put on it, like, "Ugh, I'm not that kind of person." I know it's stupid, because if it gets shared to a bunch of people, it would be stupid, but I, I can't.
No, it doesn't matter. I was only questioning you because you just said the name multiple times. Maybe I'll censor it.
We'll see. If you get a "beep" when she said it before. Please censor it!!
See, you can tell though, I feel very natural in this podcast, because I was talking about "beep." Oops!
When I do content…
Yeah, then you two or three times. At least twice.
By the way, her Social Security number is… Oh, wait, let me get that card, it's somewhere around here.
Okay, I think with that, we'll wrap. That's a good spot to go.
So, if you've seen that kitty, call the owner.
Oh, but also one thing, tonight we're going somewhere, and someone had reached out and asked if you'll be there, because they want to meet you. Like, how sweet is that?
And then, yeah, they had more inside…
I always have the pressure though, of like, I hope I don't disappoint them.
I always feel that pressure when people are like, "Oh, I want to meet you." Like, can you do like a, not even a meet and greet, but like they want to meet me.
Well, two people asked for meet and greets, so that's why you're…
But it sounds self-aggrandizing.
I know, but they did say, if you made it up…
They literally said "meet and greet."
Yeah. If you made that up, that'd be psychotic. You actually…
I, I think it's real, but you made it up to me and I don't even know.
No, but it's like sweet, and you said, "I don't want to disappoint," and I said, "You will." Not that you will, but you never want to meet your heroes. I mean, I said it and you just went right past it, so that sounded like the meanest thing I could have said to anyone, if anyone's listening. But, no, it's really sweet because the person wanted to meet and was like, " do you know about this?
Like, oh, you can, you can park here and, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah." Like, I don't know.
Yeah, that was like very sweet.
So, I might be doing a meet and greet at…
Well, yeah, you're not doing a meet and greet tonight, but you're going to meet someone, maybe multiple people, which is, it happens when we're out in public.
But, yeah. Okay, with that, let me wrap.
Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah, name is Amara. I'm going to go far, driving in a Cara.
That's Jeff Sarris. Why did you stop my beats?
That was a sorry attempt at my last name.
People don't know how to say my last name, so…
I know they say "Sarez." They don't even know your last name.
It's spelled the same as Harris with an S.
Yeah, people are dumb. Bye.
