What time is it in China?

So I'm getting back from a completely amazing vacation in Sweden. My wife and I are freshly recharged and have set clear, concise directions for the next few months, both professionally and personally. We get back, pick up the dog from the doggie farm in New Jersey - She swam in the ponds, ran free and collar-less with about a dozen other dogs of her breed, including a litter mate who keeps trying to mount her (not sure what that's about, but whatever). We get back to the apartment, flip through the mail, start to unpack and basically settle in to return to our "regularly scheduled programing".


In Sweden I was reading a business book that proposes some bold ideas on how to maximize my time. Time is, after all, money, right? Right. So I thought I'd put one of these bold ideas into practice.

On a tangential note, boldness is the topic of this weeks Visceral Quote of the Day. To start receiving them, click here http://www.visceralcoaching.com/vcregister.html Just check the box labeled Quote Of The Day.


Now this bold idea dealt with the sometimes touchy subject of overseas outsourcing. As in, to India. Bear in mind, I'm not making any decisions here. I'm simply doing some research. After all I'm a coach with a conscience. I'm aware of the social, political and economic impact of outsourcing. But I reiterate, I'm simply doing some research - a google here, a google there, you know.

So I come up with two companies where an enterprising businessman such as myself can, you know, outsource various business and personal tasks to a dedicated virtual assistant. The assistant is an actual person, so I don't really know where the "virtual" label applies. But either way, I continue my research. For both outsourcing companies, I needed to register an inquiry with my name and email address. A senior level consultant would then call me directly to discuss the intricacies of using their services.


"Ooooo" I thought. "Here I sit, just returning from a Scandinavian vacation, and now I get to be called from and perhaps do business with someone from India. That would make me an international businessman" ( I know, I gotta get out of my own way.)

So off I go to register. Full commitment. After a nano-second pause to think if I should use by business email or my junk email account, I go with my business email account. I am an international businessman and this is a matter of important business, so I had better represent my business, right? Right.


Awesome! The clear objectives Anna and I set for ourselves as we sat by the lapping water of the Baltic sea just one or two days before are being put into action right away. I get the automated thank you response from both VA companies and think nothing more about it. I'm off to do more business. Coaching, marketing, updating, you get it. As the first day of "Back from vacation" business draws to a close, I'm taken by how well it's going. After a bit of dinner, a check in with the Yankees, a "sit down" with Anna to recap our re-introduction to non-vacation life along with some other evening activities and then it's off to bed. G'night.


The next morning, I awake with the same amount of focus and energy. I'm looking forward to speaking with my potential new employee in India. After all, I am an international business man, right? Right. I go through the morning routine, sit at my desk in my home office, turn on the computer and log in to my email account - my business email account, that is. And what do I see? A strange and unusual message from China marked urgent to the CEO of Visceral Coaching.


"Ooooo" I thought. "Someone in China thinks I'm a CEO. How very international."

Well I am, aren't I?


I opened the message and it was very formal and business-like, the tone of which sounded something like this: (I'm paraphrasing of course.)

"There's a Chinese company who wants to buy domain names using your business name. Do you own the following list of domain names? ( List, blah, blah...) If so no problem, If not, you better buy 'em now or they will and your business will forever get confused with Asian conglomerates who have no intention of releasing you from their grip without a truckload or two of Chinese cash."

I sat back in my pseudo-reclinable international businessman chair and thought to myself,
"Hmmmm, Perhaps, just perhaps, I should have NOT put my business email address in the registration inquiry for these outsourcing companies after all. Perhaps, just perhaps, there is an unsecured electronic pathway in between New York City and Mumbai where a person or company could hack in and exploit small businesses that inquire about hiring an overseas VA!"


*Sigh*

Now what? I thought. This will put the brakes on my forward moving progress for sure. I need to do something about this.

"I'll pick up the phone to a business attorney I know. He'll help me to decipher this message. I thought "He's a real international businessman."

So I did. I called my friend and he snapped into action by deciphering the message and, as a friend, offered some clear feedback as to what my next step might be. We hung up the phone and I sat back again in the same pseudo-reclinable international businessman chair and thought,

"Oooooo...this is all very international. Here I am consulting with attorneys, talking to India, now China and vacationing in Scandinavia." ( I know, I know. I gotta get out of my own way.)

As I sit in my "North American" office, I cant help but realize that when ever I set a goal, I'm usually not able to see what kind of twists and turns the actions can take. So the moral of this particular story... Yes, it's important to set the goal, but it's also just as important to enjoy the international journey that takes you there.