You can lead the whores to water

But you can’t make them think.

I sat in the library this morning doing some research, mostly using the “Free Association” or non-directional methodology. In other words, I was taking a break from thinking directly on my assignment.

I usually sit on one of the couches next to the magazine section, but couldn’t get comfortable, so I moved to a desk. Big mistake. I started taking notes, based on things I was reading.

I read an editorial from Fast Company, noting how in ’98 they predicted the Free Agent Nation, and how it’s actually turned out. Two other articles highlighting how we’re turning into the Design Economy, and an article on Crispin Porter + Bogusky, which is based out of Miami(website). Read Vibe, and a stack of other magazines I normally wouldn’t touch with a 99 and-a-half foot pole.

But I digress.

As I sat down, I noticed an older woman. Silver hair, sharp clothes, very professional in the way she carried herself. I sat with my back to her; she would have been too much of a distraction otherwise. I would have invented a whole biography of a character based on her, and not have gotten anything done. A short while later, two young people came in the library and walked right past me to sit at the table with the woman. A woman and man, early twenties at most Quite stylish; they had that calculatedly casual look that I couldn’t pull off with a stylist and a couple assistants, Callipygian or not.

As they exchanged pleasantries, I was delving into my current events, but couldn’t help hearing what they were discussing. She was consulting the couple with some sort of clothing line. The Professional was listing elements of a business plan that they would need to consider, what kind of stores, their distribution channels, manufacturing costs, and so on and so forth.

The young man had some answers and from what I could hear a decent vision to make his plans come together, but the sticking point came on the topic of Sales Reps and Manufacturing Costs.

He kept insisting that there were no manufacturing costs because he was going to make the items himself. He also was going to not need a Rep because he was going for several exclusive stores and would take care of this aspect himself, or it would take care of itself. I’m not sure which.

He kept saying to the Pro, “I understand, I understand that, but…” and he would refute her every time she brought these up. She had formulas and I think figures for him and he would not budge. It was becoming one of those conversational quagmires that have no resolution.

I wanted to turn around, and say, “Look, just factor in the fucking costs, and at the end of a quarter, if you really didn’t spend anything on that you’d still have the money. Besides, you have to factor in your own pay.”

But I didn’t.

He needs to learn that lesson the hard way. Just like most of us seem to. My wife is a seamstress, and a good one, but she sells her services short. Recently had a client that haggled her down on her hourly rate for a large party that needed dresses, and finally learned.

This must be the Zen of business. The bitch-slap of reality people needs to move ahead.

The editorial on the Free Agent Nation was right about a few things; you can’t trust your employers, so there is security only in self-reliance and social networks. It also cited this fact: 16% of all workers 50 and over are self-employed. I wonder how many in that age range are in shit jobs like McDonald’s?