The Lessons We Learn From Mistakes

I'm not sure if I made some blunderous mistakes yesterday, or handled myself well in a panic situation. It all depends on how you look at the events that occurred. I'll take you through it:

I subscribe to AppSumo which sends me email notifications about deals on software and other web based packages. For instance, I received a year of WorkFlowy Pro for a year by clicking on the deal in an email they sent. Yesterday the deal was for a trio of MacPaw software designed to help clean up space and delete duplicate files on my Mac for only $25. I read the reviews and didn't find anything dodgy.

My laptop is my livelihood, and I spent a lot of money earlier this year upgrading to a newer model, so I want to protect it as best I can. Therefore, I felt like I was making a wise investment when I made the purchase.

I still can't say it was this software that did it, because the computer has always been a little bit buggy. Nothing to be alarmed about which is why I've never taken it in, especially since all Apple products seem to come with some quirks these days. My iPhone screen chooses to stop working sometimes, I regularly have to turn it off and turn it back on when certain applications just don't want to open, and Siri talks to herself on occasion.

But, when I couldn't empty my trash because applications were "still running," I went to do what I normally do which is restart the computer. However, this time I thought to myself, it's been a long time since you shut it down all the way, you should go ahead and do that.

So I shut it down and proceeded to clean my home/office. When sat down at the computer to start it back up, it did nothing. No response. I held the button for two seconds. I held the button for ten seconds. I tapped it quickly. I shut the computer and opened it back up again. Held for thirty seconds. Nothing.

I felt the panic begin to rise. I often go immediately into crisis mode when I think my computer isn't going to start up again. These babies are expensive, the genius bar takes forever before you get to speak to someone, and this always happens when I have something due very soon. I've been through this enough now though to know panicking is not the way to fix the problem. There was nothing I could do but contact Apple support.

So I Googled the number on my phone and hit the call button. Someone answered right away. An actual human being! When does that ever happen? I started to remind myself this is why we spend so much on these Apple products, because they come with awesome bonuses like live humans answering their phones.

As I'm explaining the problem to the technician on the phone, my computer starts up. By itself. I tell him this and he starts instructing me to click this, click that, read me this, does it say that, and before I know it he's remote assisting me. We look up my serial number and see my over the phone Apple support warranty period has ended, and that's when my heart dropped.

And here it goes. The sales pitch. This is when I realize I'm not even speaking to an Apple support tech, I'm speaking to a representative from a third party support company who specializes in Apple products (so much for thinking Apple has amazing customer service). This is also when I remember, didn't I buy that warranty plan from Best Buy when I bought the computer?

I looked at the time and I had two hours left of my working day. The Geek Squad is great, don't get me wrong, but I've know a few too many people who walked away with their devices "fixed" while in the store only to get home and find them not working again. Plus, waiting in their line isn't any better than the Apple Genius Bar.

No. There was to be no hanging up and driving all the way to Best Buy to re-explain what was happening and run the risk of hours spent in their store. I needed to make sure this computer didn't crash and I needed it fixed now! So I signed up for the plan. Now I get one year of 24/7 over the phone technical support on up to 4 Apple devices. Something I'll probably need again 366 days from yesterday when I'll have to pay another $120 to get it.

Where did I go wrong? Was it downloading the software yesterday morning? Or, was it when I chose to try calling for support instead of making use of the plan I'd already paid for?

Or, did I go wrong at all? Perhaps the problem with the computer had nothing to do with me and the results were a blessing in disguise? There was a time when what happened yesterday would've sent me into a complete panic and instead, I kept my head. Sure, I spent more money than I meant to, but I saved on time. Now you could say I'm doubly covered. I've got phone support for minor software problems and live support at Best Buy for major hardware problems.

Working alone now, I can no longer look over the top of my desk to the technical director and ask for his help when things go awry with my computer. No, I have to find the solutions myself. I have no idea if these solutions were the right ones, but if they weren't I'll know that for next time.

The lesson for now: trust your gut and learn to rely on yourself. I had a bad feeling about that software even after reading the reviews and yet I wanted to believe it was a good thing so I bought it anyway. Next time, unless I need it and it comes highly recommended to me by sources I trust, I'm not buying it. And, even though I called someone else to fix the computer yesterday, that was the right solution for the problem at hand. At the very least I feel doubly insured I will have someone to call again in the future if I need help.

The Learning Hour

I do not claim to be an expert in anything. Believing you already know it all closes the mind. Closed minded people cease to grow. I want to grow every day. I want to learn something new every day.

It's one of my favorite aspects of managing social media accounts. Every client I create and share content for provides opportunities to research and learn something new. Often these are topics I would never think to search out for myself.

For instance, when I have a need to discuss air conditioning repair or renovations around my home, I know the process, materials, and jargon due to my experience managing content for clients in those industries. This eliminates a lot of miscommunication, and often puts the technicians and contractors at ease when they realize I come to them more informed than most. They begin to treat me like a fellow rather than a customer which is how I prefer to conduct business.

I realized a long time ago I will always be a know-a-little-about-a-lot kinda gal, and choosing to pursue a career in content marketing and social media has made me embrace it. It serves me well that not only do I know a little something about many things, but I still want to learn more things about everything. What I already know gives me talking points when I meet almost anyone. Learning more will only give me more.

But I have to remember I need to continue learning about what I do as well! If I'm only ever learning about my clients' industries, I will fall behind in my own. So I instituted a "Learning Hour" in my day. The goal is for the last hour of my work day, every day, I dedicate one hour to reading and researching marketing and business trends. This way, when I walk into a meeting with you, I'm walking in with knowledge about your business and mine!

Always search for something new to learn. Keep an open mind for the lessons life throws at you. Grow with them all.

This Business About Business Cards

Websites are pivotal when working for yourself. Most people know this, they accept this, and they're thoroughly baffled by how to make it happen. Luckily for me, my experience as a project manager for two agencies specializing in building websites has given me some inside know-how on easy ways to make a website. The business cards were another story.

To get nice high quality business cards, you need design files. While I have more design skills than the average Jill, my experience is limited to saving files for web, not print. So I needed the help of designer, which can get expensive if you don't know people.

I should mention now that I am extremely blessed. I have some of the most fantastic connections in the city of Orlando. If you do not, then you need to figure out how to meet the people in your city who can hook you up and do it, but that's a subject for another post.

A very close friend of mine is one of the most talented people I know. She's been behind me the whole way supporting me in every step. She's my cheerleader, my mentor, and just an all-around great friend. I'm lucky that professionally she is also a designer. She is the genius behind my Managed By Rita logo, she collaborated on my website content, and she is the designer of my beautiful business cards.

She is also a full-time art director and part-time graphics professor for a local college, so understandably there was a waiting period for her to make room in her schedule. There were some missed opportunities during this waiting period, and I'll admit I was bummed. Nothing makes you look more unprepared and unreliable than when you're done giving your pitch about yourself and what  you can do for a person and you have nothing to show for it.

Oh you're in social media? Great! Give me your card. I'd love to chat with you sometime about business.

***crickets***

Oops, well, I don't have them yet, but let me give you my number and email on this scrap of paper you're sure to lose in three minutes. Don't hesitate to give me a call...

I have since received my business cards, and they were 100% worth the wait. Not only do I now come equipped with my second most important piece of marketing materials (website being the first here), but they're eye-catching, unique, and something people will remember. Even more important is that through all those missed opportunities I've learned one of the most important lessons in business. Be prepared. Every day. Every time. With everyone you meet.