In almost every industry there are self-proclaimed ‘gurus’ who claim to know how to put you on the path to riches if you follow what they say and do. The promises are always the same – make big money fast using secret tools, and if it doesn’t work, then it is because of your mindset or you need to invest more in the next level of their program. 

The language gets re-invented but the scam is always the same. 

Meanwhile, those who have actual business degrees or background along with proven track records of helping others in business get little to no attention. Why? Because we would never use manipulative tactics to get attention and trick people into using strategies that will never work. We’re not sexy in terms of our work and marketing our work. We’re honest. The Truth is:

Starting, Building and Maintaining a business is not Easy, and it is not Fast. 

And trying to sell you on business being hard and slow work is exactly why you won’t buy it. It just doesn’t sound fun, sexy, or easy – the way the ‘gurus’ make it look. 

We get it. None of us really want the truth – because life is hard enough. We’d all prefer easy, fast, and fun. And the scammers have tried to make us all believe that the impossible is possible. But it’s all smoke and mirrors – just newly dressed up versions of the same scams that have been around forever. 

Why do we fall for scams? Or why are we so tempted to fall for them? 

There’s a LOT of psychology behind why marketing, advertising, and sales work. There are physical, social, emotional, intellectual, psychological and spiritual levels of need and want. There is a great body of research in each one of those areas, but rather than bore you with research, this article summarizes and touches on most of them. 

The area I want to highlight is Emotional Intelligence because I believe emotional manipulation is at an all-time high. At the same time, more and more people seem to have difficulty regulating their own emotions and interacting in emotionally healthy ways. 

As Creatives and Performers most of us deal with Imposter Syndrome on a semi-regular basis. That insecurity and doubt about our own abilities can make us more susceptible to the emotional manipulation from scammers. 

Add to that the fact that our world gets increasingly complex with technologies advancing much faster than ever before. Of course we crave simplification, streamlined paths, and people to help us make life and work easier.

Which is why it is so important for all of us to develop our emotional intelligence to our full potential – so that we minimize the possibilities of being scammed. This article from the Cleveland Clinic outlines some great ways to keep working on our emotional intelligence. 

Here’s the curious thing about developing emotional intelligence. It doesn’t just help us avoid scams, it also helps us more successfully do the hard work of being business owners, and be more successful in business in the long run. 

Recently, my colleague and friend Brian Witkowski crafted an article on his substack titled, “The Referral List I Wish School Had Given You.” He went on to publish more articles on the topic which you’ll find on his Substack which I think is worthy of subscribing to and sharing with colleagues. 

Brian does top-notch work as a business coach and as a Creative Entrepreneur. Not only have I admired his work, but I have often referred people to him when I think he might be a great fit for someone to work with. I have deep respect for his approaches, and even more respect for his willingness to check himself – his attitudes, his privilege, his blind spots – and to work hard to always learn more and do better for himself and his clients.

You’ll see from his article many levels of intelligence (including emotional intelligence) and integrity. None of us on his referral list asked to be named or campaigned for attention. But it was interesting to watch the push-back and lack of emotional intelligence in the comments sections of his posts from those who were not named on his list and their supporters. Lots of lists get published. Lots of awards get handed out. Lots of people get named to important posts. But most people don’t complain to the Grammy’s because they didn’t get nominated, or to one of professional associations because they were not awarded teacher of the year. Most successful and healthy people are a little busy doing the work they love, and are not as interested in making a name for themselves, as they are in making the world a better place through their work.

That’s why I know you deserve better. You do great work. 

You and your work deserve to be met with equal integrity, wisdom and experience. Those don’t come from faddish social media strategies and promises of 6 or 7-figure incomes. Business is not easy, not fast, and not foolproof. It requires planning, building from a solid foundation, teamwork, time, flexibility, uncertainty, mistakes along the way and corrections. It is work. It involves risk. It carries stress. 

Business is not for everyone. Leadership is not for everyone. But if you take up the challenge of being a business owner and building a business, the best place to start is with people who know business. Business attorneys, CPA for businesses, business mentors and coaches – those are people who have the information and tools you need. 

Still not sure what to look for? Look up most any accredited university’s school of business program and see what classes are required for a business degree. Here is a sampling of core classes from a few well-known schools:

• accounting 

• management/leadership

• statistics 

• business administration and management

• finance 

• human resources 

• marketing 

• macro and micro economics 

• organizational theory 

• business law 

• operations management 

• business writing 

• information technology

• practicums in business management and consulting

In the same way that a Piano Performance degree does not always translate to someone being a great Piano Teacher, a Business degree alone does not always translate to someone being a great business leader or mentor. So just like you would vet a skilled instrumental or vocal instructor for yourself or your child, you also want to vet a skilled business coach or mentor. 

It would be helpful to know if the people you are seeking help from have a business (or adjacent/similar) degree. It would be helpful to know the levels of experience one has. It would be helpful to learn about one’s body of work (even the failures), not just one aspect or success. 

Thanks to colleagues like Brian, who have shared some terrific guidelines for you, you can navigate the sea of scammers and fakes to find those who are worthy of your trust and your hard work. 

You Deserve Better…and I hope you will continue to demand that for yourself and your colleagues. 

To learn more, or to set up a Coaching Call with me, go to https://fons.app/@melissamslocum/book/appointments/defc01b0-2487-11ed-ae93-ab798543ab13