One of the things that I have struggled most with when working for myself is saying no to new work. When I set the company up I thought about a reasonable sales objective for the year and I am happy to say that I passed it quite comfortably at the half year point. Perhaps my objective was too low, perhaps I have been lucky or perhaps my efforts have paid off.
Either way I give a lot of consideration and put a lot of effort into maintaining a pipeline of prospects and when one of those comes forward with a potential piece of work it is very hard to say that I am not interested. Lately though I have had a few opportunities opening up and I am at the point where I may not be able to cope. This is a nice problem to have and the complete opposite of where I might have been.
At times it has been getting me down. I have been spinning plates faster and faster in the vain hope that I could accommodate more but in the end of the day I need to realise that I will let customers down if I take on more than I can handle at anyone time.
When I got a call this morning to say that I had not got a job then it came as some relief. Yes I was excited by the role but then I am by many things that I come across. Yes I think that I had the skills to help, at least in part for what they wanted to do but where I hesitated was that I am not convinced I could have committed enough time to do the position justice.
I had a great experience at the interview, I met some nice new people and I gave my best shot at the offer whilst being as open and honest as I could be.
Sometimes fate decides.
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 