Hey there Reader,

Before I dive into the subject of the company we keep, I have one request: Would you mind sending me the name of your favorite underrated podcast? Getting on podcasts is a good way to get in front of more people who might need writing services. (And you don't even have to worry about looking your best.)

And now, about that company—

A few months ago, someone casually asked me to enter a business venture with him. I like this guy but I don't know him extremely well. So I said no, or at least "not yet."

And then I read this story in Mike Thompson's newsletter:

The late-night call gut check, courtesy of Anthony Bourdain

Anthony Bourdain and his business partners met with a Hollywood executive to sign a deal for a TV show. Anthony and his partners struggled to find a hole in the proposal. The man they were dealing with had a reputation for being very good at his job. The numbers were terrific. According to Bourdain, if they accepted the deal it would have made him and his partners all extremely rich. But off paper, something didn’t taste right. After the meeting ended, Anthony got together with his team members and asked them a simple, yet telling question — “If the phone rang at 11 p.m., do you want it to be that guy on the other end?” It took his partners seconds to reply, “No way!” And despite the big payday, they walked away.

It's been a few months since I said no to that business venture. But when I finished reading the story above, I knew that I would have been OK if I had said yes. Because even though I don't know my potential business partner extremely well, I wouldn't mind taking a call from him at 11 p.m.

As I built my business, I've been tempted to take work that didn't quite align with my values because the financial payout was just too tempting. And every time I said yes, I lived to regret it.
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As you build your business, you'll be offered opportunities that don't don't quite align with your values, too.

Surround yourself with people whose calls you'll gladly take. And say no to the work that fails the late-night phone call test.

Talk soon,

Julie

p.s. Did you get this from a friend? Well, hello there! I'm Julie. I believe you can build the income you need and a life you love when you become a working writer. Join the Freelance to Freedom Community and get proven strategies to grow your writing business.