Should you dress for success?

04/06/22 • 39 min

It took us 17 or 18 takes to get this one in the books because Jason’s computer kept freezing up, including at least once early in this final shoot. Find any more instances of him freezing up to win a prize!

Warning: Hustle Machine can make no promises about providing a prize and this previous sentence is not a legally binding clause requiring us to give out a prize. Sorry.

As our duo learn revenge is a dish best served cold, Jason begins considering his career viability in case of a zombie apocalypse and Zack is confronted with whether he’s the Jack Shepherd of the group in perhaps the most tortured “Lost” metaphor of the past five years.

We almost break up the podcast entirely over Jason’s terrible Yoohoo take, but we do get down to business eventually in this marathon episode about the need to dress for success.

The irony of Zack wearing gym clothes while Jason wears a blazer over a graphic T-shirt to discuss this is duly noted, we promise.

Nonetheless, Zack in particular emphasizes the importance of first impressions and creating an office culture alike through office apparel, while Jason faces an existential crisis about his possible lack of a fashion style and whether he’s changed in the years since he once swore not to allow any hats in the office.

(Has Jason potentially been replaced by a pod person since then? What is he hiding under the cap he once threatened to ban from the workplace? Stay tuned to find out!)

We’ll talk about elevating your style, the difference between wearing certain clothes for client meetings versus wearing them for a day in the home office, and how wearing a nice outfit, even at home, can make your work feel like your career and not just a hobby. We note how people treat you differently depending on your attire and talk about how to maintain your individuality even as you find ways to dress up to the expectations of new clients.

And as Jason, in particular, tries to find that perfect balance between the three-piece suits of the past and the casual Friday approach of the weekend, we can all remember that, if the apocalypse does happen, we can dress down as much as we want. The zombies won’t care.

Warning: Hustle Machine can make no promises about providing a prize and this previous sentence is not a legally binding clause requiring us to give out a prize. Sorry.

We almost break up the podcast entirely over Jason’s terrible Yoohoo take, but we do get down to business eventually in this marathon episode about the need to dress for success.

The irony of Zack wearing gym clothes while Jason wears a blazer over a graphic T-shirt to discuss this is duly noted, we promise.

(Has Jason potentially been replaced by a pod person since then? What is he hiding under the cap he once threatened to ban from the workplace? Stay tuned to find out!)

Previous Episode

Listen to your gut bugs

To start with, a disclaimer: no one at Hustle Machine is a licensed medical practitioner and neither Jason nor Zack are qualified to give medical diagnoses or professional health advice.

Yes, it’s that sort of episode this week, the sort that starts with discussions of “shoulder nipples” and “gut bugs” and veers into Zack showing off his basket full of vitamin supplements as he decries the unhealthy habits of modern society and our need for more nutrients. You have been warned.

Eventually, however, we do execute a clumsy segue into talking about the unhealthy landscape of American business practices as we talk about today’s topic, when to listen to your gut. (That’s not a weight joke, or, if it is, it’s at Jason’s expense, which makes it OK).

As Jason says, “Listen to your gut bugs,” (which may or may not look like those cartoon viruses in “Dr. Mario,” mind you). That is neither a reference to Zack’s future rock band name or to Jason’s hypothetical college nickname, but simply a colorful way to tell you to learn when to trust your instincts, and when to seek a second opinion.

We’ll talk about learning to look for red flags, finding someone to serve as a sounding board, recognizing the difference between a gut feeling and simple doubt and determining when something is simply not a good fit for your business.

Trust your gut but have someone to keep your gut in check. Know that sometimes, your gut can be wrong. Sometimes you can let hope or excitement override your gut feelings, despite Jason’s desire for an emotional readout of his current state of mind.

All that, plus Jason fails to pronounce “inevitably” correctly in nearly a dozen tries, Zack toots his own horn, we demonstrate some invisible semaphore, Jason shows off his handy dandy notebook and we even slip in a oblique Captain Planet reference at one point. Add on to that more mentions of “gut bugs” than you’ve ever heard in one place at any point in your life.

Yes, it’s just another extraordinary episode of Hustle Machine ready for your listening pleasure. Have at it!

Next Episode

Rotisserie chicken at the back of Costco

Because we know you’re here for our witty banter as much as our extensive business acumen, we once again start off on a lighter note this week, talking about the etiquette of headphone fashion choices and castigating Zack for his debilitating Apple products addiction. Still, he makes up for it this episode with a proper shout-out to our championship Georgia Bulldogs, so we’ll let it slide this time.

This week’s topic is on loss leaders: when do you create something for a client just to gain exposure, versus when do you stick to your guns and demand payment for service?

We don’t issue hard and fast rules here at Hustle Machine very often, so we don’t outright tell you not to provide something for a client for free. Circumstances are wildly variable, so it may work out for you. A free job for the right client really can lead to a great deal of paying business down the line if things work out well and you can reap the benefits of a loss leader project for a long time to come.

Still, we tend to advise entrepreneurs to avoid outright free loss leaders. What works well for a retail business is often less effective for a small business owner. You’ll want to be careful about doing anything for exposure alone. After all, once you’ve opened the door, where does it close?

To quote Jason’s better half, “No is a complete sentence.” Don’t be afraid to ask for payment, even if it’s only to cover costs, rather than a full price bill. Charge something, negotiate for your needs and know that your work is more valuable than a rotisserie chicken at the back of a Costco.

We also take time to talk about when it's appropriate to lend help to a friend, discuss proper technique for unpacking after a vacation and listen to Jason sing a snippet of “Schoolhouse Rock” for your listening pleasure.

Know that we believe in getting paid here at Market House, even if we do offer Hustle Machine for free. Exposure is great, but cash is much better.

Go Dawgs!