My Weird Ass Goal for 2017

Goal

Start a new consulting company and have a sustaining client base by the end of the year. Target goal: yearly salary of $75K to begin. Sales of $300K in 2018.

That doesn’t sound so weird, does it? Here’s what’s unusual about my new consulting group. It will feature astrologers and psychics in addition to traditional business consulting practices. 

This idea coalesced after reading a story by Malcolm Gladwell about a group called The Screwball Division. During the height of WWII, the Allied intelligence services thought the Nazis were running a secret operation, but they could quite figure out what it was. To help them, they employed a group of unlikely people, which included more creative types, or ‘screwballs’ as they called them then, to discern the German operation. They gave this group a stack of newspapers and a few radio broadcasts and said, “Find out what the Nazis are up to and come back in a week.” Seven days later, the team gave their report. “Yes, the Germans are up to something, alright,” they said. “They have created a missile called the V2 rocket. If they launch it, they could win the war. You must destroy the factory. Here is where it is located…” The Allies did indeed destroy the factory and ultimately won the war. And from this point on, the Screwball Division was born.

I was so intrigued with this story that I bought ScrewballDivision.com, thinking that someday I would build a business with this concept in mind.

For the last twenty-one years, I’ve lead an advertising and branding agency in Portland. Over that time the business climate has changed radically. Technology has been the greatest driver of this change. And aside from business becoming faster and less personal, it has made clients more data driven and more fearful. The competition for the services we provide in Portland has become fierce. Design and advertising creative services are a commodity. This is what drives me to find a difference. I believe I have found one.

What’s in it for me

Freedom and authority. In my current incarnation, I am tied to a persona that I have outgrown. I’m much more than a marketing communications service provider. And I’ve been working for myself for so long I doubt I can work for someone else.

This new venture folds in my greater world view of a mystical and magical world—and because it is an avenue that few traverse, it allows a greater sense of authority. I won’t be arguing about the color of a logo as I have in the past. I will state findings and will have little argument over direction.

Obstacles to overcome

Non-believers are my greatest obstacle. I will be derided and will likely lose friends and potential business. It may be difficult to find clients unless I have a kick-ass marketing concept. 

Skills and knowledge required

I will need to have skills in astrology, psychic phenomena, and other esoteric knowledge. I have been studying those. The other skills I lack are detail, left brain skills. In my career, I have been able to partner with others to shore up my lack in those areas. Specifically, I need an operations partner and an account executive partner as well as support in those areas.

People and groups to work with

I will need to build a base of freelancers in the esoteric arts until I can find a regular panel of associates. These are readily available, and I have been working on acquiring them.

I will need to register with various consulting associations including the Futurist Association of America.

Plan of Action

Business Plan                     Done

Marketing Plan                  June 1

Business Incorporation   TBD before EOY

Call for “Screwballs”         September 1

Website Completion         October 1

PR Launch                          November 1

Thought leadership          December 1

Deadline for achievement

My deadline to have my first client is by the end of December 2017.

THE REFLECTIVE SCRIPT

I'm encouraged by the positive feedback. Thank you all!

Most of the criticism centers around the fact that I did not describe exactly what my service offerings would be. A valid critique. I need to focus on the services and how I describe them. I figured that would come during the marketing plan phase which is coming up. I need to be clear on my services and what a perfect project would be. I will work on that.

The next criticism was that I glossed over challenges. I believe this to be true as well.

Personally, I tend to procrastinate. I also suffer from self-criticism: nothing is good enough. Those two are major challenges.

From a business perspective, the major challenge will be enticing clients to try our services. Another will be financing since I'll be bootstrapping this endeavor. A third will be being clear on my service offerings. Finding the right screwballs will be a challenge. Managing all the screwballs will be an even greater challenge. Finding a business partner is what I consider my greatest challenge. I can get by in the beginning but I need a good business partner who is good at managing details. I'm not a detail kind of guy. As you may have noticed. That's another challenge.

Thanks again, guys!