The Curious Case of Entitled Freeloaders

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As creators of content and knowledge experts, if your content hits the right spot with your audience, you’ll have people who see you as an “authority” in your chosen topic (smiley face).

You will inevitably get a lot of requests for your time…and not the paid kind (sad face with fist cursing at the sky).

The kind of person New York-based corporate lawyer Cecie Xie encountered:

• Corporate Lawyer, Cecie Xie, graduated from Harvard Law School, she shares her experiences & tips about her law career on TikTok and Youtube
• A college student reached out to her asking her to offer (free) advice on helping him get into law school
• Cecie replied to him quickly but had to decline and pointed him in the direction of her free content which could answer many of his questions
• The student replied with a rude, entitled and selfish response slamming Cecie for declining his request
• While Cecie thought about sharing this with the student’s employer, she held back. But I wonder if this student really had any clue how he could have easily derailed his own career before it even started but acting in such a delusional and entitled way

I’ve dealt with many “professionals” in my career too, from corporate lawyers to high-ranking bankers and executives.

While most are normal and nice people, there is the occasional “professional” who just ooze entitlement, privilege, selfishness & just a lack of human decency.

(I always say, just because they’re referred to as “professionals”, doesn’t mean they act professionally.)

via GIPHY

Here’s some takeaways from this case of an entitled freeloader:

• The importance of curating your audience AND your clients. I see this so often, focusing on vanity metrics like the total number of followers or subscribers you have but if none of them value your time or what you offer, it’s meaningless.
• You can profit from your Trolls! By sharing this negative troll experience, Cecie has generated free publicity & exposure for her business. Embrace your trolls so you can channel their negative energy into positivity for you!
• Value your time. I know many Creators want to make a difference and help people, unfortunately, free requests to “pick your brain” quickly snowball.
• Don’t underestimate the value of your knowledge & wisdom and especially the value of your time and energy. If you don’t value it, no one else will.
• This is why I have a “No Diva” policy when it comes to who I work with. These types of entitled people cause the most stress and suck out the most energy. Talk about ???.

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Bits & Bobs

• In keeping with this issue’s theme, Jon Loomer shares how he chooses clients for his Facebook Ads service
• 2021 has been the Year of the Creator