Running a photography business can be incredible fun, offering unique experiences and opportunities to meet diverse people. However, it requires significant dedication and effort, often demanding extra hours beyond a typical workweek.
Finn described his experience traveling for a sales call, stating, 'They wanted me to visit a promising new prospect that was 'in the same region' as the client I came to visit.' This led to unexpected travel challenges.
When the CEO held a virtual town hall in 2020 and said there needed to be layoffs, I knew I would be one of the first to go because I served zero purpose at that point.
Before the idea was announced, one of my coworkers, a PR guy, shared the idea-my idea-with the CEO and CMO. While he didn't exactly say he'd done the work himself, how he talked about it made it seem like it was all his.
Most of these companies start the journey from a functional standpoint, avoiding extra layers that may "divert users' attention", such as refined flows, potential edge cases, and, sometimes, proper visual design foundations and user experience. Here, the goal is to ship the product first to validate its value, then address other considerations.
No wonder it feels personal that this team rejects your efforts. It is personal; it's happening to you. But it's not about you. This team might have so much internal tension that they can't stand to be in a meeting together. Maybe they had a bad experience with your predecessor. They might think they know it all already and attending meetings is just wasting their time. Or it could really be as straightforward as what they've told you: Their working hours and training times are already used up.
