I want the little man and woman to succeed.

I am the little man and woman, and I want to succeed too.

I want the guy who runs my local dry cleaners to get more for the effort he is putting in.  He is putting in a lot of effort.  He is an ex-accountant.  He decided to run a dry cleaning business so he could "forge his own destiny".  How do I know? I asked him.  I asked him why he wanted to do his own thing.  That's why.

His name is Kieron.  He's a real guy.    He's just bought a shirt-steam-and-fold machine.  That must have cost a shed load.  He also recently just replaced 6 of his washer/driers.  Those things are not cheap.  This is a man investing in his present and his future.

I go to the office most days for 8a.m. I walk past his shop at around 7.20a.m., and he is there putting out his sign.  I come home, usually around 6 or 7, or 8p.m.  He is still there.  I sit on my arse most of the day, it isn't difficult.  Well it probably would be difficult if I knew what I did.  But I don't really.  I know enough.

And I'm good at the other areas that are important in my office - getting on with people, helping them get the most out of the projects they are running, helping them communicate better and to better understand what someone is communicating to them.  Interviewing people.  Hiring people.  I get paid by a company that makes money in other ways, and I provide a small service to the larger money-making part of the business.  I don't actually make the money.

And I think I'm a scammer.

Kieron generates his own income. From his own hard work.

And I think he's wasting a lot of his efforts.

Let me tell you what Kieron, the nice guy, knows about me.

He knows the company I work for.  He knows I wear a suit to work.  He knows (or has deduced) that I have currently two business suits, which I get dry cleaned alternate fortnights.  He also knows I live next door to one of his other customers, Nancy.

I have passed the time of day with Kieron often.  He has recommended me his favourite books, and I mine.  Kieron is the single friendliest businessman/shopkeeper I have met.

Let me now tell you what Kieron, the businessman, knows about me.

He knows the company I work for.  He knows I wear a suit to work.  He knows (or has deduced) that I have currently two business suits, which I get dry cleaned alternate fortnights.  He also knows I live next door to one of his other customers, Nancy.

Now, it is entirely possible that Kieron knows a lot more about me.  Maybe he knows where I live - if he knows where Nancy lives.  Maybe he has found secret stuff in my suit pockets.  Maybe he knows about that ABH charge hanging over me.

But in all likelihood, he knows nothing more about me than you see above.

And that is why I want to help him.

I am a money-making gold-mine for Keiron.  If he only knew more about me. And I am going to show him how he can know me, and how he can know all the customers who he can offer value to, and those who will pay him well for it. And he will pay me well for it.

[photo: Adrian van Leen]