The Problem with Limited Self-Promotion

If there is one question I hear from every friend of mine, it’s a variation of the question, “I’m sorry I don’t already know this, but what is it you do again?”

Wouldn’t this be the best time to have a smooth answer like “I’m sorry, I’m not authorized to tell you that”?

But alas, the truth is much less dramatic.

My teaser answer is, “I work in software.”

90% of people pull up, full stop, and move along to the next topic. Just saying “software” pulls many people into an area they know little about. It’s a field many aren’t excited to talk about at social events.

If there is a follow-up question, I’ve rehearsed my true answer, “I acquire and operate companies, primarily software businesses, in the B2B and cloud application space.”

What They’re Really Asking: “How Does This Guy Make a Living if I Never See Him Working?”

I do zero self-promotion and rarely talk about my career. I’m a proud introvert and a private person. I enjoyed the anonymity and privacy of this type of career choice afforded.

I am comfortable asking many questions about other people while volunteering almost nothing about my own background. When I seem more people-focused, it’s because I’m a well-rehearsed “professional extrovert.”

This fact has led many of my friends to be really close to me without really any understanding of what I love to do, what gets me up in the morning, or what I do all day.

They only know I don’t go to an office, don’t appear to have any job, am rarely out of flip flops, and seem to travel a lot.

With an entirely virtual set of business lines, traveling and working in a bathing suit is not that unique in our industry. The disconnect is that none of my friends knows anyone else that works entirely virtually and online. Since I do almost no self-promotion, almost nobody – including most of my close family – has any idea what I’m doing all day.

The Need For a Bit More Self Promotion

I want to start sharing my work product and lessons learned with my close friends and the world. Hopefully, these essays about my experiences as a software engineer turned online business owner will help.

I believe there is a strong future in the self-directed, small business online investment profession. I likely have a lot to share from what I’ve learned this past decade. If you’re interested in a similar career, hopefully, I can help.

Plus, now when someone asks me what I do all day, I can send them to my own website. Likely, they will find so much more about my career than they ever wanted to know!

Want to learn more about my journey acquiring and operating online companies, including other failed acquisition lessons learned?  Check out Online Business Ride Along, a monthly deep dive into my journey, with actual online investments and monthly P&L’s for each businesses.