It’s not about the money. It’s about the people
11/24/07 |
In categoria Yes, I deeply feel this - it’s not about the money, it’s about the people. The people you meet, the people you work with, the people you help, the ones that you stick close to and the ones you push away. I have to thank Adrian for sending me this. It’s a brilliant and wise manifesto written by Hugh MacLeod. It’s called “How to be creative”. Yet it’s not about the advertising meaning of “creative”. It’s about life and what you leave behind. It’s about choices you make, paths you walk on and principles.
I made a choice at the beginning of 2007. The choice was - quit my job and start an interactive agency. Quit my job and change the world actually. Make it better. Stand up for my beliefs. Somehow it slowly turned from “change the world” to “change the profit”. I don’t know if it was me the one that let this happen or it’s just an inherent change that happens in every young company.
What am I doing it for?
Going to meet one of the investors one week I had a question coming back again and again in my mind: “Are you doing it for your beliefs or for the money?”. I answered “beliefs” but a few days later, at 11 minutes, when George Haber said “Brilliant idea, lousy monetization plan” and I agreed a little voice inside my head told me it was wrong. Today I understood I WAS wrong. It’s not about the money. It’s about the people.
I think there are times when you need be reminded what is your path and what are you fighting for. My fight is not about the money but rather ideas.
My dream.
I have a dream: people working and living close to one another, without social, political, class or color differences. So far, the world I dream of is available in one place and one place only: online. I know the road I choose has one final stop: bringing the wonders of online democracy in the real world.
It’s been a hard year. I’ve started the agency in February. Alone. Not because there weren’t any offers. There were lots of partnership offers and there was money and security involved. It’s just that the offers didn’t come from people that shared my beliefs. I’ve started a road - not a business.
What do you want to leave behind?
Some of the finest people in Interactive Advertising joined me in this quest. Probably others will come. The main question anyone joining the agency has to ask him or herself is: “What do you want to leave behind?”. It’s a pity so many people dream of fortune and money, when they can leave behind so much more. Money have a certain use - but just as means to solve higher purposes. Think well before you dream of money - it’s just paper.
Passion drove the agency fast - way ahead of other startups. I am thankful for the fact we got this far, I am thankful I have the opportunity to show the world what I and we believe in.
In my opinion a winner is the one getting up again and again after he has been put down. A winner is the one still standing. There are no natural born winners and talent can go to waste without practice, strong will and a lot of passion.One can get as far as one hopes. So he’d better hope for a lot.
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15 Comentarii:
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justin spune:
...pe 11/24/07
Deb, you were already a winner starting from Wednesday by entering in the final 5 and having the chance to present in front of those peoples.
This is just the beginning, but you already covered a lot of ground started from February so keep that in mind and thrust ahead your creative energy.
Unfortunately the world is about money and will always be. But what is wonderful is that the world gets changed from time to time by the peoples droved by their passions and not about the money. The world needs passion to progress.
So go ahead and be part of the progress. The money will follow.Diana spune:
...pe 11/24/07
i’m in Bulgaria writing this, with the “creme-de-la-creme” of Ro bloggers… and i’m crying. i’m crying because i read your post and i cry because i’m surrounded by some shallow people.. i’ll tell you more when i get back, but so you know: I’M IN! i offer all my support (and that’s not much, i know, but it’s a little something) and my availability for any upcoming bloggers’ projects. i like your agency for its drive: human passion. it’s one of the most important thing that LACKS in Ro’s online realm.
good news tho: Arhi bought me a domain: http://www.nuconteaza.com :))) we’re doin’ that geek dinner afterall. LET’S ROLL!
Diana spune:
...pe 11/24/07
and i subscribe to what’s been said: “Go ahead and be part of the progress. The money will follow”.
Ghandi said the same: “Be the change you want to see in the world”. Gear up and keep it going.
zvoner spune:
...pe 11/24/07
Just to put it in context, I found the presentation on Manafu’s blog
Niiiice words.
Andrei Rosca spune:
...pe 11/24/07
Pixel: projects like this never end. You don’t get the pleasure by finishing the project, passion is much more about the than about the destination.
Jan spune:
...pe 11/27/07
It’s always nice to work on something you like. There’s really no need say fuck the money. Money is what makes the world go round (no, it’s not love!).
There are two things that can really shape our world (as it is today):
1. ideas (very very very few revolutionary ideas, and even less people capable of producing them)
2. money (anyone who has an above the avarage IQ can and should make money and, in the process inevitably help others by spending money)
If you really have the dreams you mentioned above than the interactive agancy won’t help you with your goal. The agency as any other business has one sole purpose: to make a profit for it’s shareholders.
If you want to change the world, create wealth and power that will allow you some day to excercise control over various aspects of human society, probably through politics.
I have to be a bit harsh this time, but ’till then, it just sounds like a speech from a miss world contest:
“i want to end global poverty and starvation in africa!” … and the crowd goes boom.Mihai Dragan spune:
...pe 11/27/07
If you would care to join me for a cup of coffee you will see what I and we plan on doing. How the agency helps and what we stand for. How the money is created and reinvested in the plan.
Jan spune:
...pe 11/28/07
On my first visit to bucharest(though nothing in sight), i will contact you.
If you’ll ever come to Oradea, just let me know.
(we’re writing in english just to be consistent:P)Ioana spune:
...pe 12/10/07
Ei bine, Mihai Dragan, pe limba noastra… nu sa convingi oameni e greu, “manifestul” tau suna placut pentru… ochi dar… de la convingere la schimbare e mult… si stiu ca ai spune ca… you’ll stop over your dead body ca sa zicem asa, dar… pe langa asta, conteaza sa nu uiti sa te iei si pe tine la drum. Oamenii cresc mai bine, daca o fac, laolalta (vezi pasajul “acolo unde sunt mai multi adunati in numele meu…” dintr-o carte mare neagra de pe noptiere).
Mai mult mai aproape.
A bientot!
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