Chapter Fourteen: The Business of Reactionary Commentary

Events occur every day that grab the world's attention and refuse to let go, at least until the next phenomenon comes along. Whether it's a political movement, a celebrity scandal, an offhand comment, a fashion faux pas, nothing is too big or too small to spark a litany of unsolicited opinions and reactionary commentary. The kneejerk instinct to immediately form and share a response to these events has only been exacerbated by the technology we have at our fingertips. We have something to say, gosh darn it, and the world needs to know!

As with each piece of commentary, there are equal and opposite reactions to those reactions, thus creating an endless cycle of both thoughtful dialogue and faux outrage. This seemingly endless thread of reactionary commentary sometimes does contribute to wider and more important topics in our culture, but also tends to keep the conversation going on far longer than the original incident might have warranted, blowing everything out of perspective.

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The Pros

Reactionary commentary can be a useful tool, an avenue for sharing expertise as a writer, an educator, a medical specialist, a lawyer, a philosopher, or whatever pertinent specialty the event may call for, and sometimes even being compensated for that commentary. Thoughtful and timely perspectives can add value to the conversation at large and cement the commentator’s qualifications and relevance on the topic.

This can also be a prime time to show off one’s creativity. How we choose to respond to these local, national, or global events speaks to the kind of commentator we choose to be. Some may offer thoughtful debate while others can produce clever memes at lightning speed. Our responses put our personalities and our values on display in a way that other original content simply does not.

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The Cons

Having an opinion about absolutely everything can be exhausting, as is being bombarded by opinions about absolutely everything from others. A person runs the risk of fatiguing their audience when there is no screening process for what deserves thoughtful commentary and what can just fall by the wayside without additional comment. Everything becomes a judgment while maintaining no real substance.

Another pitfall of reactionary commentary is the tendency to turn everything and everyone into a joke, a target for ridicule because we would certainly never find ourselves in a situation like that person did. We would know better and therefore, let's all point and laugh. When we forget that these pop culture events affect the lives of real people, we chip away at our own humanity, all for a few extra likes and shares.

Reactionary commentary is not going away, nor should it. It can capture the public's imagination, make us think differently, and shows where our priorities lie. Timely and relevant commentary can serve as a record of the times, a mark of progress that we can reflect on as our worldview expands, even after the incidents that inspired them fade from memory.

Noteworthy Communications is not in the business of reactionary commentary, and we have no immediate plans to change that. However, observing how others use their voices is never a wasted exercise, and just because we don't share blatant opinions left, right, and center, does not mean we don't have them. Our opinions of course influence the content we produce and even the clients we choose to work with. Thoughtful commentary comes in many shapes and forms, and we strive every day to raise the conversation for those who have something to say.

Chapter Thirteen: Why We Need Expertise

Entrepreneurs often strike out on their own because we possess a certain level of expertise in our field and we know others can benefit from that expertise. No matter the industry, we all have a specialty that we know sets us apart from everybody else. We prove our success time and again because we have the skill to back up our claims as we deliver high quality work and concrete results.

However, it seems more and more, expertise is viewed as suspect. After all, there's no one that we trust more than ourselves, right? Only we have our own best interests at heart. Why should we form opinions or make decisions based on what someone else says?

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Epistemic Trust Epistemic trust is a person's ability to absorb new information as pertinent and reliable so as to incorporate it into their own mentality and daily living. We are trained to base this trust on whether we find the original source competent, reliable, and having good intentions. If any of these qualifying factors seem off to our own way of thinking, our instinct is to doubt the expertise itself. Every day, we as entrepreneurs have the opportunity to prove our trustworthiness and our expertise to clients and potential clients. Keeping our standards high for our quality of produced work, maintaining positive relationships with clients and colleagues, and always striving to expand our knowledge and improve our skills are all methods entrepreneurs should be utilizing to make sure their title of "expert" is deserved. After all, once that trust is broken, it is nearly impossible to earn it back.

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Epistemic Mistrust Check any comment section and you'll find armchair experts with credentials from the University of Life, and while the value of life experience cannot be overstated, we can't all be experienced or educated on every topic under the sun. That's why we need people who specialize on a single focus who can then share their expertise with the rest of us. By fostering mistrust in expertise, we only deprive ourselves from reaping the benefits of said expertise. Of course, asking questions is never a bad thing. That's how we grow in our own knowledge. However, we have to consider the source when we research unfamiliar topics. The internet, though housing all of human knowledge, can also double as a minefield of false information, sometimes shared through simple ignorance and sometimes shared with more malicious intent. The same can be said of scammers. Sometimes they genuinely believe they are qualified experts to perform a certain job, and other times they are just out to make a quick buck. We must be more discerning in our judgment.

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If we have certifications, licenses, or degrees in our specialized fields, years of experience, and highly regarded reputations amongst our colleagues, most of us can claim a certain level of expertise. A proven track record of success is indisputable and priceless. At Noteworthy Communications, we strive to prove our trustworthiness every day. When other entrepreneurs trust us with crafting and sharing their business's message, we don't take that responsibility lightly. We use our education and years of experience to benefit the clients who have hired us because this is our specialty. By trusting us, they now have the freedom to focus on theirs.

Chapter Twelve: Why Start Something New?

Noteworthy Communications is a new venture, born out of the desire to help local entrepreneurs utilize every tool at their disposal to best tell their noteworthy stories. Our story, like those of so many of the entrepreneurs we work with, starts with a Why?

* Why do I feel driven to start something new?

* Why am I taking a risk on something unknown?

* Why is now the time?

These are all questions we here at Noteworthy asked ourselves before diving into the world of entrepreneurship. For those who have spent their careers reporting to and depending on others for professional development or guidance, not to mention a paycheck, the concept of changing course can seem overwhelming, or out of reach entirely.

It’s not.

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Professional Fulfillment

The compulsion to start something new stems usually from a lack of fulfillment in whatever our current situation may be. In a 2019 report from Gallup, “Not Just a Job: New Evidence on the Quality of Work in the United States,” 44% of the sample of workers in the United States claim they are working in “mediocre” jobs, while 16% claim they are working in “bad” jobs. Combined, that’s more than half of the workforce who feel dissatisfied in their employment. That's even before the pandemic and The Great Reevaluation!

On top of that, 48% of workers in that 2019 report claimed they are dissatisfied with their ability to alter the aspects of their job that are making them unhappy in the first place. And so, the cycle continues day after day after mediocre day. Professional dissatisfaction is an epidemic that is holding the American workforce by the throat. When the pandemic exacerbated all these malfunctions in the typical workplace, it’s really no wonder why so many of us feel compelled to break free, take a chance on ourselves, and start a new venture.

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Achieving Financial Goals

Financial compensation is obviously a major factor we must consider when evaluating our professional satisfaction. According to that same 2019 Gallup report, only 59% of workers reported a pay increase in the previous five years. Even worse, 11% reported a decrease in their salaries during that period of time. These numbers have only gotten worse since the pandemic.

We all have certain financial goals propelling us forward. Maybe we want to travel regularly. Maybe we want to purchase our own home. Maybe we want to be out from under a mountain of student loan debt. Maybe we want to have children and provide security for them. Maybe all of the above and more. It’s disheartening enough to feel trapped in an unfulfilling job. To not even be making enough money in that job so life can be enjoyed outside of work can lead to some real self-reflection. And we ask ourselves, yet again, Why?

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Meeting Market Needs

We can't just think of ourselves when we start something new, because no venture can succeed in a vacuum. We have to think of what our venture would add of value that is currently missing from the market. Why are our contributions valuable and necessary, and will they be sustainable well into the future?

Noteworthy, for example, was not even a thought before the pandemic hit our community. It was not until we saw the businesses around us struggling with customer outreach, consistent messaging, and keeping their doors open that Noteworthy began to take shape. By early 2021, we were ready to lend our expertise to make sure we didn't lose the organizations that make our communities unique.

As previously discussed in Chapter Eleven: The Waiting Game, waiting should never become a habit, especially if we are waiting out of fear. Life is happening right now, and it won't wait for anyone. If something new is calling our name, we need to understand why, and how we choose to respond.

For self-starters and established entrepreneurs alike, there’s always a Why? behind what we do and the chances we take, but perhaps the question isn't actually Why? Maybe it's Why not?