I’m sick of all the whining… and you’re part of the problem Aunty!

Dear Aunty B,

It has been a horrible year in relation to the newsletters we receive for all sorts of reasons, and the economy hasn’t helped.

Anyway, my problem is that a majority of the newsletters I receive in my inbox are grumpy and whiny. Anything is setting them off and I am sick of the negativity of the stories they dish up, I feel like telling them all to rack off and try running a business for a change. And your post from yesterday is a perfect example Aunty!

What do they think? It hasn’t been a hard year for me too? I know no one is ever going to feel sorry for the boss but gee, if I have one more whining, negative newsletter enter my inbox I think I might just visit the source and grab their shoulders and shake them until their teeth rattle.

As you advised yesterday – “Look, the last thing you want to do is join in with the whining.” I reckon you should take some of your own medicine Aunty as you are part of the problem. You and your “SmartCompany” site, the writers you employ and newsletters that are sent out have earned your business the title of “Dumb Company” around my network, cos all we are reading about is dumb companies and management who stuff up, who go broke, along with negative events and activities of the government.

I could go on… Oh, and happy New Year Aunty by the way.

More than over it

Dear More than over it,

Yeah, thanks for that. Oh, and by the way, the purpose for this very column, “Mr More than over it”, is for exhausted, grumpy bosses like your good self to have a great big whinge. And for someone to listen, like my good self, who kindly responds with helpful solutions in a lovely kind tone, you great doofer.

Look, let’s reflect for a second. Back we go into the past and yep: there it is – 13 years of a glorious, golden boom. So now we are in a bad patch. Well, actually we are skidding along on a large patch of shit actually. And we are not going to pretend otherwise. But note this, my good and grumpy friend – in every one of our negative stories we look at the lessons. In every one of our bad news stories we try and tell you what to do. And on SmartCompany every single day, we have many positive stories of success, hope and aspiration. So Mr More than over it, here is what you must do.

You must get over being over it. Simple as that. The lessons you will learn from the last five years are a gift that will last you for a lifetime and make you into a hardened entrepreneur. And so the next time, in a decade or two when we have forgotten all the stupid things we did in the last boom to create the mess we are in, and the shit hits the fan again, you will know exactly what to do. And while all those young gits are hanging around complaining about bad news with their fingers in their ears just like you are now, the older, wiser you will be having a field day, picking up market share, running hard and remembering all the that wise advice from your wise old Aunty B.

So make sure you read the negative stuff for the lessons, the trends and the big picture. And read the positive stuff for the lessons, the trends and for aspiration!

Be smart,
Your very gracious Aunty B

To read more Aunty B advice, click here.

Email your questions, problems and issues to auntyb@smartcompany.com.au right now!