Web designers. Web developers. WordPress doctoral candidates. Thesis tweakers. SEO magicians. Social media gurus and wannabes.
Wow.
No wonder we’re constantly competing for a piece of the web-pie.
Healthy competition is what makes our world go ’round. It’s why we have government-led committees that tear down and question monopolies. Monopolies stagnate creativity and discourage innovation. Clearly, no design studio or business can claim monopoly over the many websites being designed and developed every day. We, the designers and developers, are either diving headlong into the list-oriented design community or clambering for the attention of clients. By debasing ourselves by almost pleading that someone notice us (omg, I have to trash these dudes because I want their client!), we are ultimately losing sight of what got us started in our business in the first place: love.
I love code. I live, breathe, eat, and sleep design. I love people. The combination of the three is why violetminded got started in the first place. Love, baby. Sure, somewhere along the line, I’ve gotta market and self-promote. I may even try to make a bit o’ scratch. But money isn’t not what drives me. It’s not my currency.
Okay, I’ll be the first to admit it: I’m competitive. I played a lot of sports as a teen and I gotta say, I liked to win. I’m a gamer; I like a challenge but I like to defeat the end boss. But, for whatever reason, I find all-out competitive attitudes on the web to be off-putting. Distasteful. All around not-so-awesome. And so, I challenge the notion that we have to be in constant competition in order to succeed as web professionals.
Take Sarah Bray and SJoyStudios, for instance. I should consider Sarah to be my direct competition: she works in WordPress (like me), she’s a really rockin’ designer (like me), and she’s got a bubbly, upbeat personality that shines through everything she does (somewhat similar to me but replace personality with ZOMBIES and we’re good to go!). Sarah offers services that are very similar to mine. Why in the world would I pimp her services when I’m a small business in need of more clients?
Answer: because what Sarah’s doing rocks my world. Her business model, her presentation, her designs, her products and services: all of these components have made up a successful business that I could not help but take serious note of. And become an admirer of. Ask yourself, what’s your currency? What makes you, as a web professional or a freelancer, get the hell outta bed and do what you do? If the thrill of glory and victory is what gets you hot under the collar, fly at ‘er. If not, I challenge you to collaborate.
There are moments of clarity when a web professional realizes that it’s not necessarily about finding and crushing the competition nor is it necessarily about carving out your little niche. The combination of community building, collaboration, and giving kudos to those that deserve it, is what makes our experiences on the web (and in business) so much more.
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Thats an interesting outlook. What the competition is doing creates the entire eco-system for an industry which is important for all the businesses of that field.
@Priyanka D, Healthy competition is definitely necessary. It’s the unhealthy stuff — the outright, devious nature of client theft, undercutting, and bidding websites — that I challenge web professionals to shy away from. We are so much better than that.
This is interesting. My “love subject” is nonviolence, and I’ve been doing a lot of thinking over the past two months about competition. Is competition inherently violent? Is there such a thing as healthy competition? Would a utopian world exist where there’s no competition?
Just last night I was driving home from work and ruminating on this subject, and I began to finally land where you did here: good competition is the kind that engenders respect. If someone can do something better than I can, I want to extend a handshake and “Nicely done!” rather than quake in fear that my own self-worth is at stake or find a way to bring them down.
Thanks for a thought-provoking post. BTW, found you today through Marianne Elliott, @zenpeacekeeper.
Christianne´s last blog ..We Are About: Examining the Violence in Our Hearts and Lives
@Christianne, It’s an interesting take on competition to look at competition as something violent. Sometimes, it can be, especially when you pit professional against professional and ask them to bid for the job. I mean, it’s the way it goes but… why?
Healthy competition is what makes the world go ’round but let’s give some love where love is due.
Ok, woman!?! How beautiful is this? And you? Stunning. Inspiring. Humbling. Lovely. And true.
Thank you.
Ronna´s last blog ..Familiar Sands and a Kitchen Table
@Ronna, As always, thank YOU for helping me to have the confidence to post this head-scratcher. Rock on.
Amanda, how are you so non-competitive and still kick so much ass? I dig this article. Collaboration is the new business model. Ironic that on the internets, where social skills are supposedly dying, those social skills are becoming more critical to business than they ever were before. For crying out loud, CEO’s have blogs.
Carlos Velez´s last blog ..I Choose To Be Socially Successful
@Carlos Velez, It’s the love, baby! It’s what keeps me groovin’ to the beat of my own drum. And hell YES, collaboration is the new business model. I’m tired of professionals throwing their competition under the truck. Let’s just cross the street together and get some cupcakes.
I’m lots of things, but the one thing that pays my bills at the moment (and fills my heart to bursting) is teaching yoga. If there is any vocation where collaboration should be at home it must be this. But there are so many yoga teachers and studios, and so many of us get scared about not being or having enough, that competition creeps in. I’m so grateful to be part of a genuine, loving and supportive yoga community here in Wellington – it really is all about the love, and about how much more we can all do together!
Marianne´s last blog ..What courage looks like on an ordinary day
@Marianne, I never realized that even in the most peaceful, heartwarming vocation, the creeping nature of competitiveness still lurks.
I’m glad that you can challenge that and work toward community. We all have something to offer that is unique so we may as well work (party?) together.
Ha! Dr W retired 2 months ago! But thanks for that, made my day.
My take on it is that when are we are, for real, there is no competition. The key is really just being ourselves with integrity.
Dave Doolin’s latest blog update: How Do You Eat An Elephant? – Eleanor Edwards tells all
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