I'm in the childcare realm, and have been working on finding where I can bring the most value. Professional nanny agencies specifically.
This guy has been a "virtual" mentor for a few years to me now. We know lots of the same people in this niche, and we're both pretty well known.
2 weeks earlier, I pitched him a digital marketing idea. He liked it, but the price point was too high once I started approaching nanny agencies.
I asked them what they hated. They kept telling me, "Calling references"
I came up with the idea of a reference checking agency since we don't have one in the market, and they were practically jumping at the idea of not having to do them anymore.
I messaged him, sent him $5 and said "a coffee for your time" and asked him to check out the website when he got a minute.
He said "Looks good to me!"
A week later, he sends me this text.
"Afternoon, I wanted to tell you something. I would love to be a sounding board for your agency marketing ideas and helping with jobs and websites etc. because it's great! The reference checking biz is great too but I'm not the best person to ask because I've been developing this too for the past 6 months and wouldn't want you to think I'm stealing your ideas and trade secrets etc. I'm telling you now rather than in the future so you dont confide things in me pertaining to this specific idea because I have very similar goals!"
I bought it completely. I never thought someone who I trusted as a mentor of sorts would pull this bs.
I responded and basically just said "That's very admirable of you telling me.. I appreciate it. Well I guess it's war lol! I'm sure there's plenty of space for both of us." and that was that.
I think the whole thing just sounds extremely off now that I read it.
He would have told me this right when I sent him my website if he was actually being genuine, not a week later.
But once I asked people about their feedback, it became obvious he is trying to get me out of the way. He knows I'm a beast and will dominate him if we go head to head.
People who I talked to mentioned that he was a slimy dude and they weren't surprised at all.
Game Plan:
So here's where I'm at. I hired an awesome first rep to start doing reference calls. We have a couple beta agencies that we are offering a discounted rate for a month or two. I am going to move with speed and all my energy, and I have no doubt I will annihilate him as far as the service goes.
1.) Keep playing dumb. Contact him in a week and be like "man, these agencies don't want to pay more than a pack of gum per reference call!!
"
(A few days later) : "Yeah man I'm thinking of just sticking with doing digital marketing and trying to sell a cheaper product. What do you think?"
-Over the next few weeks, I'll keep getting sporadic advice and send him my website for this "business" so he knows that I'm not doing it anymore.
-Once our beta testing phase is over (we don't need a wesbsite live or anything) then we will go full force and start taking over the market very quickly. He won't know what hit him, and I'll be able to dominate.
My only dilemma, is that he knows a lot of agency owners. I only know maybe 10.
He has his own agency, and has a large network of other people who own them as well. He goes to all the conferences, and people know him more face to face for sure. I have a strong following but it's largely social media based. Also, I obviously don't own a nanny agency.
Last thing: He's not exactly some beast. He's owned his agency for 7 years, and I think it is doing "OK". But obviously not good enough, considering he's trying to do something else.
He is around 30-32 years old, and definitely does not have even 1/8 of my drive.
I'd love your feedback on this strategy, and what the best way to approach it for long term success.
I know that this isn't the most "clean" way of doing it. But he played me like a fool, and I want to crush him now.
This guy has been a "virtual" mentor for a few years to me now. We know lots of the same people in this niche, and we're both pretty well known.
2 weeks earlier, I pitched him a digital marketing idea. He liked it, but the price point was too high once I started approaching nanny agencies.
I asked them what they hated. They kept telling me, "Calling references"
I came up with the idea of a reference checking agency since we don't have one in the market, and they were practically jumping at the idea of not having to do them anymore.
I messaged him, sent him $5 and said "a coffee for your time" and asked him to check out the website when he got a minute.
He said "Looks good to me!"
A week later, he sends me this text.
"Afternoon, I wanted to tell you something. I would love to be a sounding board for your agency marketing ideas and helping with jobs and websites etc. because it's great! The reference checking biz is great too but I'm not the best person to ask because I've been developing this too for the past 6 months and wouldn't want you to think I'm stealing your ideas and trade secrets etc. I'm telling you now rather than in the future so you dont confide things in me pertaining to this specific idea because I have very similar goals!"
I bought it completely. I never thought someone who I trusted as a mentor of sorts would pull this bs.
I responded and basically just said "That's very admirable of you telling me.. I appreciate it. Well I guess it's war lol! I'm sure there's plenty of space for both of us." and that was that.
I think the whole thing just sounds extremely off now that I read it.
He would have told me this right when I sent him my website if he was actually being genuine, not a week later.
But once I asked people about their feedback, it became obvious he is trying to get me out of the way. He knows I'm a beast and will dominate him if we go head to head.
People who I talked to mentioned that he was a slimy dude and they weren't surprised at all.
Game Plan:
So here's where I'm at. I hired an awesome first rep to start doing reference calls. We have a couple beta agencies that we are offering a discounted rate for a month or two. I am going to move with speed and all my energy, and I have no doubt I will annihilate him as far as the service goes.
1.) Keep playing dumb. Contact him in a week and be like "man, these agencies don't want to pay more than a pack of gum per reference call!!
"(A few days later) : "Yeah man I'm thinking of just sticking with doing digital marketing and trying to sell a cheaper product. What do you think?"
-Over the next few weeks, I'll keep getting sporadic advice and send him my website for this "business" so he knows that I'm not doing it anymore.
-Once our beta testing phase is over (we don't need a wesbsite live or anything) then we will go full force and start taking over the market very quickly. He won't know what hit him, and I'll be able to dominate.
My only dilemma, is that he knows a lot of agency owners. I only know maybe 10.
He has his own agency, and has a large network of other people who own them as well. He goes to all the conferences, and people know him more face to face for sure. I have a strong following but it's largely social media based. Also, I obviously don't own a nanny agency.
Last thing: He's not exactly some beast. He's owned his agency for 7 years, and I think it is doing "OK". But obviously not good enough, considering he's trying to do something else.
He is around 30-32 years old, and definitely does not have even 1/8 of my drive.
I'd love your feedback on this strategy, and what the best way to approach it for long term success.
I know that this isn't the most "clean" way of doing it. But he played me like a fool, and I want to crush him now.
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