Over the past few years, I’ve made several investments. Not traditional investments, but investments in stuff. Here are some of the best ones:
These investments took a while to finalize. After all, they were not cheap. But research and nights sleeping on the decision paid off.
So?
Give it some thought.
Because the stuff not requiring thought probably isn’t worth getting anyway.
Looking for a new job?
Here are your choices:
Choice 2 gets you:
Yes, a small percentage of old colleagues (ones most financially affected by your departure) will treat with you ignorance and contempt. But you get that any time you get a new job.
Might as well go with Choice 2.
Want to?
Your words might be great. Your sauce might be delicious. And your team might be rockstars.
But who’s gonna buy one, some, or hours?
Nobody.
Except, every one of your biggest fans.
Get fans first. Sell stuff second.
That’s the easier way. The only way.
For several years, I have used LogMeIn for my businesses. For all of those years, the service has been free with an option to use their paid version. As of Jan 21, 2014, the free tier of LogMeIn is no longer available.
I used the LogMeIn’s free version. Now I can’t.
To say I’m upset is an understatement. But as I always preach, I’m choosing not to get angry. I’m choosing to laugh. Not at myself. But I’m choosing to laugh at LogMeIn for this decision. A decision that gives me a perfect opportunity to teach about business and life.
Quick background on LogMeIn, first. LogMeIn is a web-based software application that allows you to “access, manage and support computers remotely.” For me, I used it to jump onto my businesses computers while remaining location independent. Read: doing work from the beach.
LogMeIn operated their business on a “free and paid version” model. iPhone apps do this all the time. Think Angry Birds.
With LogMeIn Free and Pro available, people had the choice. Use a simple version for free or get the feature-rich version for a price. LogMeIn has always operated on this model.
The “free and paid version” model of software is often used because it works so well.
Most people, probably 90% of the user base, choose the free version. Of those 90%, maybe 5% will upgrade to the paid version.
The free version essentially acts like a lead-generation funnel. And with many similar models, free users still can drive revenue, either directly via advertising or indirectly through referring friends into the service.
The paid version costs money and is feature-rich. The profit margins on these users is huge.
The bottom line: When structured correctly, 90% of free users and 10% paid users can be very profitable. Just like Angry Birds.
Users of software or apps distributed through the free & paid model are happy users. They eventually fall in love with the brand.
Everyone is happy.
But users of the free & paid version model expect it to stay that way.
Taking away the free option is like a punch to the gut. Betrayal. Free users no longer get their free service. And paid users are no longer treated any differently.
Imagine if your free version of Angry Birds suddenly wouldn’t open. And upon trying, you got a message saying:
“Your free Angry Birds game is no longer available. We have eliminated the free version. To obtain your scores and records, you must download the paid app. As a loyal customer, we’re offering special introductory pricing. For you, now through Friday, it’s just 49 cents to get the app.”
What would you do? 49 cents is nothing. But you’d still be an angry bird (pun intended). And most likely, you’d feel compelled to do what I want to do: Flip LogMeIn the bird (pun intended, again!). Then, you’d simply look for another app to get the job done.
Note: There is nothing wrong with a paid-only model. Using Lyft is not free and never has been. And I’m happy to pay because the service is great. And, here’s the key, it was never free.
Lots of stuff will be a direct effect of this decision. Of course, I’m not in their board room to see their thought process. Perhaps they want to cut marketing expenses (AKA their free version, debatably) so they are a more attractive target for acquisition. But I’m not so sure Google, the king of free products, will still be interested after this move.
Either way, as a result of eliminating LogMeIn Free, I see LogMeIn:
It’s hard to say if LogMeIn will recover from stopping their free offering. They still have Join.me which is similar, but not a perfect substitute. I feel like LogMeIn stabbed me in the back, punched me in the gut and then spat in my face.
It hurts when a person or organization wrongs you.
Yes, you have to free yourself by forgiving. Seeking revenge forever brings you down as much or more than you could ever do to them. So you should forgive, but never forget.
Your relationship with your customers is precious. It takes years to build trust and loyalty. Despite not appearing on the balance sheet, your relationship with your customers is an asset.
Protect that asset like any other. You wouldn’t throw gasoline and a lit match on a pile of cash, right?
Keep your promises to keep your customers forever.
CTA: Share this if you know someone with customers. Perhaps they can be saved from making the same mistake as LogMeIn.
Ask any friend or family member how I get around in Chicago. They’ll say something like, “Cab or The El maybe?” Then, it will come to them. “Oh, Lenny? He uses Lyft.”
Yep, Lyft.
I’m crazy about Lyft. I’ve been getting rides via the Lyft app since they came to my city. No cabs, no train, no Uber. Just Lyft.
My fondness for Lyft goes beyond the service. I’ve been casually touting Lyft in life-themed blog posts for a while. I think they’re the model company for our generation.
Yesterday, Lyft sent me a link to give my readers. It gets new Lyft riders $25 in free money. Amazing! Perfect time to bring together all my previously published posts mentioning Lyft. So here it is. Your ultimate guide to Lyft.
This is a living, breathing resource, to be updated regularly.
As with any of my reviews, my goal is to uncover the good, bad & ugly. As such, I do not accept any payment for reviews like this.
I do, though, get referral fees for some of my links. What does that mean? I appreciate your support.
Ultimately, the goal of my writing is to make people and organizations better. So, if there’s something I don’t like, I won’t hesitate to make note. The goal with this blog is and has always been the truth. My thoughts are the truth. And stating facts is the truth, too. So if you disagree or see any errors or omissions, please leave a comment below or contact me directly.
The Lyft community is incredible. Drivers are all very similar. They’re just looking for some extra cash on the side. Many Lyft drivers are creatives or entrepreneurs. Some have day-jobs.
But no matter what the Lyfter’s story is, it’s almost always a learning experience. Here are some of my favorite Lyfts so far.
Andrew. Father or two high school boys and owner of a real estate consulting firm.
Arlene: The gymnast who travels with the circus.
Pinchas: The chasidic Jew who is in his last year of biblical school. Don’t expect a ride on shabbas from him!
The common thread with Lyft drivers is that they’re:
And like any good community, word spreads fast. Want a new feature from the Lyft service? Just ask.
Taxi rides turn me into a different person. So do Lyft rides. The former into a mean, angry monster. The latter into a better, happier me.
I love Lyft because it’s:
A Lyft is on average 25% less expensive than a cab. And the savings improve when you add passengers. Unlike cabs, there is no extra charge for additional riders.
Lyftees benefit from a two-way paper trail. All rides are processed through their app. So, here’s the paper trail:
Try and get that with a cab, single ladies!
Lyft drivers are incredibly safe and trustworthy. They are all given background checks. They all have clean driving records. And they are identified through their facebook profile, which brings an added layer of “friendship.” Plus, their car is certified Lyft-ready!
Just like riding with friends, you ride in front. Ensuring you get:
While I’ve only had 4 or 5-star rides, you’re protected against a bad experience. If you rate your ride 3 stars or fewer, that driver can never pick you up again.
All Lyft rides are handled through the app. Your credit card is securely saved, just like Amazon.com.
When the ride is over, you get to leave immediately. No fumbling around with cash. No uncomfortable requests to a cabby to pay with credit card.
Before Lyft, cabs and bars were the only time I used cash. Now, it’s just bars. 🙂
Right now, there are two concerns with Lyft.
Lyft is app-based. It sits on the 1st screen of my phone.
When you need a ride, just open the app. Press the “Request Lyft” button and your’e set. The name and picture of your driver appear next to an ETA. You can even monitor the progress on the map.
You’ll recognize your ride by the pink mustache. Give your driver a “fist-bump” and pick a destination. You can go up to 60 miles away in any direction.
At the end of the ride, you just leave. Actually, it’s customary to give another “fist-bump” at the end. Then, you’re done.
For 24 hours, after the ride, you’ll be able to rate the ride and pay.
Payments are called “donations.” It’s Lyft’s way around some legal stuff. You can increase or decrease your payment as you like. Just keep in mind you’re rated, too. So decreasing payment might get you a low rating. And that could make it tough to get drivers to pick you up.
During busy hours, Lyfts are a bit more expensive. The increase fares go directly to the drivers as an incentive to drive when it’s busy.
Download the app. It’s available in the app store and google play. First-time Lyft riders can get $25 in free Lyft rides with this link.
CTA: Give Lyft a try. You may not use it every day, like me. But you might just fall in love with the Pink Mustache.
I was loyal.
I was responsible.
I was dependable.
I was hard-working.
I was smart.
I was honest.
I was hungry.
I was willing to sacrifice sleep, family, and love — all for the good of the company. I was the model employee, wasn’t I?
But then it hit me. Getting it done on-time, correctly, and with a smile on my face wasn’t enough.
All that stuff was nothing without status. Status of the project. Status of the deliverable. Status of the status.
Once I figured out how to give status, I figured out how to be the model employee.
Give status and you can be a model employee.
[On a related note, lifeisnoyoke is looking for model employees.]
What’s in the subject line of your email?
Detailed description? That doesn’t get it opened.
“Please read” after the detailed description? That doesn’t get it opened.
Capital letters and a threat like “PLEASE READ AND DO NOT DELETE?” That doesn’t get it opened.
What about building trust in your email recipients that your emails will be relevant, brief, and value-add? That can’t go in a subject line. But it’s something any administrator, consultant or marketer can do to get their emails opened and responded to.
Because if you’re using too much detail, begging, or making THREATS in your subject lines, you’ve already lost. Perhaps, then, start from the beginning. No subject.
I don’t use Lyft for the cost savings. It’s because of the people.
I didn’t go to Herzl camp for the outdoors. It was because of the people.
I don’t fly Southwest because of their aviation talent. It’s because of the people.
Successful organizations are not about the product. And it’s not really about the service (despite it’s quality of service being because of the people).
I will continue to use Lyft (instead of Uber). I will send my kids to Herzl Camp (instead of camp Chi). I will fly SWA (instead of Delta).
Why?
Because of the people.
Mainstream Boutique doesn’t sell garments. Apple doesn’t sell functionality. Vitamix doesn’t sell power.
That’s what inferior companies do.
The superior ones sell a story.
What story are you selling?
If you care:
As those become more difficult, they become more right.
Right for you. Right for your people. Right for the world.