Recently, Shagun Malhotra of SkyStem had reached out to me with the desire to re-engage. I had taken her company to market fifteen years ago, worked with her and her business partner for 8 years helping to build the company. I engaged for a little over 3 months and without a phone call or any contact, she emailed me saying that “the results are not what was expected” and the engagement was over. I was using lists provided by them, leads provided by them, and had been clear about navigating accounts. Two demos in 1.5 weeks worth of effort is not bad. Not to mention that there were a number of leads for February, March, July, and so forth. She is a massive micromanager who never listens to anyone – my lists that I was working on were DELETED without talking to me, there was no response to emails I sent, and when I went to wrap up things – all the tasks I had beyond a week out were DELETED. I told her never to contact me again,
Cloudsyte was another head scratcher. I called them on and off for at least 3 to 4 years waiting until we could work together, the opportunity came, but I could not engage. A few months later when availability came again, we engaged. After a slow start, they picked up steam with many demos – like one to four a month, leads, and they closed business. After they had their first event – where – according to them – a number of people mentioned MY NAME and knew me as well as Cloudsyte….shortly thereafter – they ended the engagement. The CEO, Kennedy, had the nerve to call me unprofessional. Recently, I saw that they are working with some Business Development advisor. I wonder how much business he pulled for them after I laid the groundwork. That was their change in strategy.
Back Thru the Future is another one. I worked with them for 14 years total. 2.5 years into the initial engagement they terminated me, then brought me back with an apology because their full-time hires were terrible. I outperformed them (they closed the business from leads I generated and did not do much more). Later, I was terminated AGAIN (after bringing some deals) in favor of some kind of association marketing effort executed by one of the rudest Marketing Managers. She threatened me because I accidentally reached out to her father. I never received a lead from her, her campaigns were crap, and she was beyond rude. She left the company about a year or two after they terminated me. Recently they hired some young gun Account Manager, same profile as they did years ago. Good luck to them.
And there is more. I seem to get stuck with some of the worst clients….people who don’t pay, don’t pay on time, treat me like a disposable glove. I am more valued, more respected, and treated better at my slightly above state pay – retail job than with clients who are supposed to be “groundbreaking” entrepreneurs. Yes, I am fractional, yes I am disposable, but do I really deserve this?
I am in the process of deciding whether to continue Magnus Marketing Group and in what form – part time with another part time job and some clients, keep getting clients and hope the quality improves – the ones that I work with now are good people and treat me well, or ditch it all together.
Being fractional is not all great pay and great work. It sucks overall. 20 years and counting…why?