From the mailbag:

Subject: Where’s the beef Vlad?

Enjoyed the reports from WPC thank you for doing them. It looks like you had a great time.

Thank you for representing our interests to Microsoft. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I would like to know if you have considered writing more about the direction we should be taking in smallbiz based on all you have seen this week?

…. personal stuff here ….

Scott, thank you for the email. However, it is unlikely you will see that – for a considerable time; allow me to explain:

Giving direct business advice based on my experience borders on consulting and it would be quite dangerous for me to attempt that. Unless it is listed under articles, everything you see here is AS-IS with no warranty at all. You just see my thoughts, opinions and impressions and you are welcome to accept them, dismiss them or use them in whichever way you see fit that doesn’t violate the copyright.

But that’s all it is. I go through great trouble not to use the spell checker not to make this appear like a newspaper or a proper publication. I hope all of you following this understand that everything you see is just one mans opinion, not the gospel, not fully researched and backed paper or article. I don’t know how many times I have to write “truely” or “akward” to prove that;

Now……. Having said that. Microsoft TechEd and Microsoft WWPC are very expensive tickets. Ones that also come with a week of lost productivity, away from my family and fankly very long and exausting days for someone that has spent his professional lifetime in front of a monitor. Add to that the SMBTN, the SMB Nation, the Swing Migration conference, etc. Make no mistake, I have come to neither of those events with a press pass.

I came to learn and network and, as I wrote last night, talk to my peers about the changes I am making. Consider it a free business plan evaluation if you wish. I come to get product feedback and service ideas, partnership opportunities, etc. Its a pure business investment on my part. And frankly, its not something you get for free. I remember talking to Chris a long time back about the opportunity costs of new products and services. I told him that if I really needed that incremental revenue all I’d need to do is sit down and push a little on the things I’m already doing.

Thats why I do this, thats why I continue to come to these conferences, thats why I continue to invest time and effort into being here. It is a long term investment in the future of my business. Likewise, it is not an investment that I am willing to offer to the strangers for free, a book project I intend to use to bring in the money or anything I expect to use for anything but the long term success of Own Web Now. I had this very conversation with Susanne and Dave yesterday, that of my overall lack of motivation when it comes to doing more direct work to pursue indirect reputation in the community. I already run a very successful, respected and profitable business so any further investment into that, outside of the direct parter directed/beneficial in a restricted fashion, just seems like building a really large house and inviting people to live in it for free.

Update: .. and its not like I don’t already give enough via the VladCast, Vladfire, Vladville and all my many freebie projects. I have worked very hard to earn this reputation and will continue to put up the things I find interesting that I feel you ought to look at. But its just an incentive, a motivation… to do better and look higher. It is not a feeding bottle, a book, a guide, a blueprint or anything of the sort. At some point you just have to sit back and say – “I get it! Now I’m going to work for it.” That… is not something I can do for you, that is something you do for yourself.

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