Sep
10
Banking on Care
I am not against bankers and I am not against banks. But I am against them saying they are one thing when they actually are another. Just like any other business, they, as a corporation, are not set up to care about you. They are set up to make money for their shareholders. That is what drives them and sustains their operations. If they don’t do that, the bosses lose their jobs and so do a lot of other people. That is how banks, insurance companies and other ‘service’ industry businesses work.
But what about when they say they care about you? The individuals in that bank or insurance company may indeed care about you for no other reason but that they do. But the company itself? It does not care about you in the same way. It cares about you as a paying customer, as a PR help, as a problem, as an easy mark, as a taker who isn’t making them much money, or any number of other designations. But the company itself doesn’t care about you.
Care in the Corner Office
The higher up the person in that company is, the less they can care about you. This is not because they are money grubbing capitalists. They might be giving away a ton of money to charity. They might be caring for their entire extended family. Then again, they might be money grubbing. But, even if the higher ups have a heart of gold, they are unlikely to care about you. Why? Because they don’t have contact with you. The higher up they are the more contact they have with the shareholders, not you. The shareholders care about you as a vehicle for them to make money. It sounds severe and cold and mean. But it isn’t. It’s just the way companies work.
Care is not a product
What matters isn’t if they care or not, it’s if the product they sell helps you or not. Their ads, their PR, their front man or woman in the branch office may all say we care, but since we aren’t naive enough to believe that, all that really matters is whether you are getting what you pay for. Pay attention to that and you won’t be under false expectations and let down when the truth comes out: they don’t care about you.
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Drawing by Marty Coleman
Quote by Mark Twain
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Nov
25
It’s Black Friday Reality Check Day
Here is a simple idea: Do you want to give you and yours a GREAT Christmas? Don’t go into debt giving gifts. Give what you can afford to pay cash for. If you can’t buy it with cash or a debit card, don’t buy it. If that means your family and friends think less of you (do you REALLY TRULY think that is going to happen?) then let them think less of you. Why is it ok for them to think less of you? Because there IS less of you! Less money than you are pretending to have. You DON’T have it so don’t pretend you do. You aren’t doing anyone any favors by giving gifts you can’t afford just because you are afraid they won’t be happy. In the long AND short run you will be happier and your family will see you being a great role model for responsible stewardship of your money and resources. THAT is a great Christmas gift.
Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman of The Napkin Dad Daily
Quote by Anonymous
Nov
09
I am still on the road, but headed to the airport soon to make my way back to Tulsa. I was able to do a photoshoot on the beach on Coronado Island with an old friend and her husband yesterday. It got me thinking about friendship.
When my kids left the house for school every day my recurring farewell was, ‘Make good friends and keep good friends.’ One of my favorite things in the world is having old friends. My second favorite thing is making new ones knowing that if I treat them right and pay attention to them when I can, they will soon become old friends as well. That might take years, it might take a few days, like it did with some of the people I met at the recent BlogWorld conference I attended.
I look forward to many of them becoming old friends.
Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman of The Napkin Dad Daily
Quote by Samuel Butler, 1835-1902, English author
Dec
21
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Ok, a day late, but here we start Jesusmas Week at The Napkin Dad Daily. See yesterday’s napkin to see why I started today instead of yesterday.
Really, ran out of money? Then stop shopping already (I say as I prepare to go out the door to go shopping).
Do you have trouble with this? Why? Did you used to and now don’t? Tell us your story, your solutions, your struggle.
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman of The Napkin Dad Daily
Quote by someone, I don’t know who.
Dec
13
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Day #1 of my week long series on either ideas or work, not sure which yet. You will just have to come back tomorrow to see!
No matter how bizarre the mechanics, how advanced the electronics, how many people behind you are helping to turn the gears or switch the switches – if you don’t do your work your idea will not work either.
Preached to myself this 13th day of December, 2010.
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Quote by Thomas Alva Edison, 1847-1931, American inventor
