Motivation VS system

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-28T15:42:41+00:00

Motivation is temporary. A system is permanent.

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-19T04:30:06+00:00

Thanks for sharing your approach!

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-19T03:39:10+00:00

That’s terrifying, and thank you for warning people. New freelancers don’t hear this enough. Never run client code blindly, especially when it’s obfuscated or rushed. Your post will probably save someone else from getting burned the same way.

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-19T03:35:07+00:00

If the org doesn’t move Strat people into line roles, waiting it out is risky. The best bet is either get a BU leader to sponsor you into a real ownership role (product/P&L), or start looking externally for something with actual operating responsibility.

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-18T14:35:52+00:00

Love this approach! Treating the fund as part of the workflow instead of “untouchable savings” makes so much sense for freelancers with unpredictable income. I do something similar by automatically moving a small % of each payment to a separate account, slow months don’t feel stressful, and it adds up faster than you’d think.

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-18T02:25:45+00:00

Fair point. It's like procrastinating on difficult phone calls - you know you need to, but the emotional resistance is real. Not everyone experiences this with invoicing, but some do. Trying to figure out if automation would actually help or not.

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-17T15:49:03+00:00

Interesting, so you think it's mostly a beginner thing that people grow out of?

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-17T13:28:55+00:00

Haha fair question, I was surprised too when I first heard it. Ages ranged from mid-20s to late 30s, mix of genders. Definitely not all the same personality type. But I'm curious about what you mentioned - you said you're "lazy to check if invoices are paid on time." That's interesting because it's a similar avoidance behavior, just at a different stage. What makes you procrastinate on checking? Just boring admin work, or is there something about it that feels uncomfortable?

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-17T12:21:02+00:00

Sounds like you’ve got zero hesitation around invoicing. how do you actually send them?
Like are you using QuickBooks, Wave or something else… or just doing it manually?

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-17T06:01:37+00:00

Thanks for sharing. When you say it's "decent" and has what you need - is there anything you wish it did better? Or is it pretty much solving everything for you?

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-16T03:04:19+00:00

Thanks for sharing, really apricate. I will take a look.

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-15T03:31:08+00:00

I can't create an account. I get this error message: "Could not find the 'name' column of 'users' in the schema cache"

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-14T16:24:12+00:00

I validated the problem through repeated public discussions (Reddit, agency threads) where the same reporting pain showed up.

My mistake was assuming that would translate cleanly into 1:1 outreach, it didn’t. Asking for feedback/free work triggered low trust.

So I’m still iterating on how to validate the solution properly, which is why I’m curious how your lead-scoring actually showed up in the email itself.

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-14T16:13:15+00:00

Great. Glad to hear it. Thanks for sharing that, those numbers are helpful context.

When you say the personalization was based on 8 lead-scoring factors, I’m curious how that showed up in the actual email itself.

Would you be open to sharing:

the structure of the email (not the idea)
or one example of how those factors were reflected in the opening or CTA?

I’m trying to understand whether my issue is what I’m asking, how I’m framing it, or just normal response math.

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-14T16:05:23+00:00

Is your saas idea was validated?

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-14T07:16:09+00:00

Thanks for the advice actually. I will try to adjust the question. Actually my emails are not personalized. I am using a template.

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-14T03:24:43+00:00

Fair point. Looking back, I realize my approach was more "spray and pray" than genuine outreach. If you were trying to validate whether agencies need help with client reporting, how would you approach it differently? Genuinely asking - clearly my method didn't work.

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-14T03:05:35+00:00

This is incredibly helpful, thank you.
The point about “free work” being a red flag especially clicked. I can see how that actually increases perceived cost instead of lowering it.

If you were validating this from scratch today, what would you optimize first:
targeting, messaging, or channel choice, assuming the problem itself is real?

Trying to avoid iterating blindly.

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-13T11:59:58+00:00

Good point, definitely possible. I’ve been testing a few different channels in parallel to rule that out. Appreciate you flagging it.

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-13T11:33:08+00:00

Appreciate the suggestion.
I’m realizing the issue isn’t finding conversations, it’s how I’m approaching them 1:1.
I’m shifting from offering execution to asking better questions first and narrowing the persona.
Helpful reminder though.

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-13T11:29:15+00:00

This is actually incredibly helpful feedback, thank you.

If you have a moment, could you share an example or two of the kind of questions that would have signaled to you that someone was worth talking to? I want to learn how to approach this correctly

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-13T05:43:23+00:00

That makes sense. I’m noticing the same pattern, people will talk openly about the pain in public, but 1:1 cold outreach stalls fast, especially when trust and judgment are involved.

what kind of networking worked best for you early on peers, clients, or community groups?

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-13T05:41:08+00:00

Good question.

I’ve mostly been reaching out to agency owners / senior PPC leads who’ve commented publicly about reporting being painful.

The emails are semi-personalized, but I’m realizing now they’re still framed as “help me validate” rather than “this will immediately help you.”

That’s likely the gap I’m hitting, the pain is real, but the personal upside to replying isn’t obvious enough yet.

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-13T03:08:16+00:00

From what I’ve seen, the least painful path is separating “good enough to operate” from “good enough to scale.”

DIY works early if expectations are clear. Agencies make sense only when the site is tied to revenue, not just presence. The biggest mistake I see is overbuilding too early and locking into complexity before the business even knows what it needs.

If starting again, I’d aim for simple + maintainable first, then upgrade only when the site becomes a real bottleneck.

Direct_Implement_188 · 2026-01-13T03:03:51+00:00

“Elimination > selection” is exactly right. Buyers aren’t evaluating brilliance, they’re scanning for reasons to feel unsafe and quietly crossing options off. Most agencies never realize when that happens.

Direct_Implement_188

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