The Cool Kids Don't Get Paid

The all-too-common story of the groundbreaking African-American artist getting screwed by their record company for millions is well documented by now. So common, in fact, that it even inspired a Soprano’s episode.

Sammy Davis Jr, beloved actor, dancer, and rat-packer, died of throat cancer owing millions to the IRS.

The New Kids On The Block were the hottest thing on the market in the late 80’s. Until their recent reunion, one of them was selling real estate.

Striving to be (or even being) hottest player in the market is no guarantee that your efforts will be rewarded over the long term - those bright lights not only blind, they can burn if you’re overly focused on them and not on developing and maintaining your core business. And with Twitter, Facebook, and now Google + providing everyone with a chance for internet stardom , flying headlong into the bug-light has never been easier.

To put it another way, Twitter and Facebook may be fun, but they rarely pay the bills (unless, of course, you’re Mark Zuckerberg). Most of the time, these tools prove to be a distraction, a clever toy that provides the illusion of productivity so you can avoid the troublesome burden of...well...finding and securing new business.

Although striving to be a social media superstar in your field is admirable, those efforts can’t (and shouldn’t) take the place of research, networking, and working hard to produce exceptional results when it comes to building a successful, profitable business.

Not merely the temporary illusion of one.

Added bonus - if you haven't yet checked it out, go here to how social media almost destroyed John Mayer's creative output. It's a great cautionary tale for anyone who partakes in creative (and business) endeavors.