WELCOME HOME

One of my best friends, Clint Arthur (The Last Year of Your Life) called me a week ago, and invited me to a seminar in San Francisco. He’s done this before. At the time he called, I thought he was nuts (which he very well may be). I had been having a rough relationship week, long hours and days at work, was short on funds for rent, was having my son tested for autism (and had no idea where the money for the testing was going to come from) and generally felt STUCK in my life. The concept of leaving town in the middle of that for four days seemed ridiculous. Ludicrous even. Not to mention the fact that it was going to cost $1,000 right when rent was due.

But there’s a saying…. “When the student is ready, the teacher appears…”

And most of all, I trust Clint more than almost any other man in my life. He KNOWS me. Not my image or the face I present to the world, but he knows the real me. With all it’s warts and blemishes. So, I made a commitment.

“Yes, Clint, YES… I will be there.”

And just like that, I took the next step in my life… without even fully realizing it at the time.

It’s been almost 7 years since I took the first step in recognizing my true value. I’ve even retold that story in this blog (see Leap of Faith: Parts 1-4). That was when I quit my day job, and started 2 Smart Techies. And I love my job…. but it was never what my original intention was when I quit my job. What I wanted to do was to create a revolutionary technology training system called “Get the Knack of your Mac”. But when people call you 24/7, and offer you ridiculous money to fix their simple tech problems, it’s hard to turn the money down. And when you start a service industry job, it’s hard to find the time to do anything else… especially if you’re successful, and I was.

So the DVD/online training system sat on a shelf in the back of my mind… and gathered cobwebs and dust.

I never forgot it, or my desire to become a known commodity and brand in the Macintosh community… I just didn’t know how to get there from here. Then Clint called.

The San Francisco seminar (where I am writing this blog from) was being put on by a man named Brendon Burchard, and it was called “The Experts Academy.” It’s a seminar teaching experts how to be successful in creating their own seminars, products, books, and becoming highly paid speakers of their specialized knowledge. Wow.

Getting here was easy. Quick plane ride from LAX, and Clint offered to put me up in his room. Yesterday I got dressed into my button up shirt and slacks, and walked right into my destiny. It was a mazing. The people were all experts in their field, and there were hundreds of them. Organizers, life coaches, health and wellness gurus, sports trainers, motivational speakers, etc…

And I could look any one of them in the eye, shake their hand and introduce myself. “Hi,” I would say, “I’m the MacWhisperer.” We’d exchange cards and stories, and make a connection. In many cases connections that I have no doubt will come back to me a thousand times over in the next few years.

Within the first few minutes in the room I had a revelation…. I am not charging nearly enough for my services… I am worth much more… What’s that? No voice in my head to argue? No voice telling me I’m a huckster, a sham, a screw-up? No voice telling me I’m already overpriced? NOPE. Just a small quiet voice, almost inaudible amongst all the hobnobbing… a small voice that simply said:

“damn right. you are worth more. much much more.”

So I decided then and there that my prices had to go up immediately. That evening, I went up to my room, and with Clint’s help composed a humble, simple email to go out to my clients. It merely said:

Dear ____________,

I have good news and bad news. The good news is I’m busier than I’ve ever been. The bad news is I’m busier than I’ve ever been. So, in an effort to reduce my client load and allow me to focus on providing truly exceptional service and support to my best and favorite clients like you, my new rate is $xxx/hour.

Please call me at any time, because I truly look forward to hearing from you and working with you.

All the best,

The MacWhisperer
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And just like that my business was worth more.

And that was just the first day of the seminar. Much, much more is yet to come…..

This morning, on my way to the complimentary coffee bar I ran into a sports coach trainer from Spain getting ready for his morning run. We talked for a moment and he told me that in spite of being thousands of miles from his home in Spain, when he walked into this room he felt like he was home. Like he belonged here. Like he had found his people.

I knew exactly how he felt.

I smiled at him, and looked him right in the eye.

WELCOME HOME.