Have a successful product, everyone thinks I am unemployed

Re:Have a successful product, everyone thinks I am unemployed by mechanical_fish on Tuesday October 27, 2009 @09:39PM (#906932)

Get some sharp looking business cards -- or any business cards at all, really -- for about $20 or thereabouts from some online provider. When your friends ask what you're doing, light up with a big smile and say "I've started a company!" and whip out your cards and start passing them out.

If they ask how business is... tell them.

As an anonymous YC founder said over the weekend: "A lot of what startup founders do is just posturing. It works."

If that doesn't do the trick, get a second set of cards that claim you're an Amway representative. Your friends will never ask about your job again. But be careful, because they may also start running away as you approach.

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Re:Have a successful product, everyone thinks I am unemployed by holdenc on Tuesday October 27, 2009 @09:51PM (#906947)

Thanks for the advice. Great business cards is a good idea. I am fairly opposed to posturing however, unless I am speaking to my customers. I prefer to not posture in front of friends -- this, I suppose, is not helping.

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Re:Have a successful product, everyone thinks I am unemployed by Mz on Tuesday October 27, 2009 @10:04PM (#906959)

There's an alternative: Just don't let yourself get dragged into an argument/deep discussion of the matter. A simple, nonchalant reply that they can't get any hooks into is a good out. You may have to repeat "No thanks. I'm fine." several times. People seem to be deaf to such things if they fly in the face of their perceptions. It's a slow process and leaves people baffled but is effective over time.

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Re:Have a successful product, everyone thinks I am unemployed by holdenc on Tuesday October 27, 2009 @11:05PM (#907036)

Good advice. Indeed perception is the hardest thing to overcome.

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