“Why geniuses don’t have jobs,” is the title of an article I recently read by Dave
Logan. It’s thought provoking isn’t it? How does that statement apply to you?

You don’t have a job…you own a business. Although at times it may feel like
you bought yourself a “job” the reality is you don’t punch a clock for anyone but
yourself.

And part of my job is to show you how to grow your business in a way that you
don’t feel like it’s just a job…but a rich, rewarding daily venture.

I realized a long time ago that I was no one’s employee…and I’ve built a whole
division of my company making “Genius Connections” where I get to “play” in an
arena with other “Geniuses that don’t have jobs.” Otherwise known as high-level
entrepreneurs.

According to Dave Logan, businesses author and consultant, and writer of this
article, most geniuses aren’t employable because the genius usually tips the
scale at the other end of the spectrum with an unemployable personality trait or
lack of ability to conform to the constraints of employment.

I freely admit to falling into that category of genius. I have A.D.D. and other
personality traits that would probably have me struggling in the world
of “employee”. But those same traits and “genius” have helped me to leverage
a very successful life in the world of entrepreneurship. Dave is talking about the
lack of genius found in the general work force and specifically references me in
this article – here is an excerpt:

“In this piece, let’s define a genius as a person with some ability that would rate a 9 or
10 on a ten-point scale. Genius usually shows up in certain contexts and not others. …

…The heart of the problem for geniuses — people who are 9 or 10 at something — are
that they are probably a 2-3 in other areas. Joe Polish is a product marketing genius
(9+), especially for items that are novel, fun, or focus on personal development. He
charges people $25k to join his “25k club,” and people I interviewed from this group
report receiving far greater value than they give up when they write that big check.
Joe is also stubborn, crass and prone to topic-jump in a way that makes it seem like
he’s listening to voices we can’t hear. His sense of humor alone would make him
unemployable in most big companies. So in terms of “playing by the rules,” he’s a “2″ on
a good day.

Joe would be a dangerous hire for a company. Yes, he’s a genius in product marketing.
But the chance that he’d offend someone in a conservative culture is 100% — in the first
week.

So Joe has done what geniuses do — he went out on his own, crafted his own path, and is
running his own company where he gets to make the rules. While this is the right decision
for Joe, the fact that every company in the world isn’t calling him for help highlights the
problem.”

I want to take a minute and acknowledge your “genius”. It isn’t by accident that
you don’t have a 9-5 job. You have a level of genius that keeps you from fitting
inside of the box of employment.

And it’s this “genius” that led you beyond just the satisfaction of running
your business like a “job” …there are countless numbers of self-
employed “employees” who are content to struggle along and would
rather “complain and blame” about having a lame business then make any
sort of investment of time or money into learning, growing and expanding their
knowledge of marketing and business.

In fact most of “the masses” fall into the category of employee for a “job” or “job”
for themselves…and very few rise to the level of “Unemployable Genius”…the
Genius that drives in full control of his destiny, finances, and lifestyle.

So here is to your Genius! Let’s celebrate your desire for answers…for better
ways of running your business, for superior marketing and for marketing stamina.
Let’s face it…if it was easy doing what we do…everyone would do it. But
everyone doesn’t…just us “Geniuses”.

Best,

JOE

P.S. Please click this link and read the full article in which author Dave Logan
discusses me under the title “Why Geniuses Don’t Have Jobs”…

P.P.S: A special thank you to Dave Logan for mentioning me on CBS News.
Dave is the author of best selling books Tribal Leadership and The 3 Laws of
Performance (which I highly recommend you read) and I also recently did a
Genius Network interview with him that you can listen to here:
www.ilovemarketing.com episode 60

P.P.P.S. Don’t forget to go to www.ilovemarketing.com and tune into the this
week’s free episode #73 “The Impromptu I Love Marketing Meet Up Group” (Part
2) Listen and discover:

• Dean Jackson and I do a hot seat session and identify breakthrough opportunities
• Selecting a single target market and gay dentists
• Preparing for your 20 minutes on Oprah
• Putting yourself in places where resources are available