Alright, let me tell you about this thing I got into a while back. Wasn’t really planned, just sort of happened. I was trying to get a small project off the ground, just something on the side, you know? Put a bit of effort into it, see where it goes.
So, I started setting things up, getting my materials together, figuring out the logistics. Spent a few weekends hammering things out in the garage, then started looking at where I could actually, well, do my thing. And that’s when I first really noticed these two characters dominating the local scene. It wasn’t direct competition right away, but you couldn’t miss ’em.
The ‘Diddy’ guy
First, there was this one fella, real smooth operator. Everything was polished, presentation was top-notch. Knew how to talk the talk, reel people in. Had all the fancy displays, always seemed one step ahead with the marketing, even if it was just small scale stuff. Reminded me of that whole flashy, entrepreneurial vibe, hence the nickname ‘Diddy’ stuck in my head for him. He was all about:
- Image: Everything looked slick and professional.
- Networking: Always chatting people up, making connections.
- Promotion: Knew how to make noise and get noticed.
Watching him was something else. He clearly put a lot of thought into the business side of things, maybe even more than the actual product sometimes, felt like.
And then, the ‘Tyson’ type
On the other side, you had this other guy. Totally different approach. Big fella, didn’t say much, kinda intimidating presence. Didn’t need fancy stuff. People just knew him, knew his reputation. He relied on sheer force of presence and maybe a bit of that old-school ‘don’t mess with me’ attitude. Like Tyson in the ring, just raw power and reputation. No frills, just direct. If ‘Diddy’ was smooth, this guy was blunt force.
My spot in all this? Man, it was tricky. I wasn’t slick like the first guy, and I definitely didn’t have the heavy reputation of the second. I just had my own little thing I believed in. Seeing them operate made me second guess myself a bit. Do I need to be flashier? Do I need to be tougher?
I spent a good few weeks just watching them, figuring out their patterns. Saw how people responded to each. Saw the gaps they left. Decided I couldn’t be either of them, wouldn’t work for me. So, I just stuck to my guns. Focused on my own work, kept it honest, talked to people one-on-one without any big song and dance. Didn’t try to out-Diddy ‘Diddy’ or out-Tyson ‘Tyson’.
It wasn’t easy. Felt like playing in a different league sometimes. But slowly, people started noticing my quiet corner. Found my own little niche. Didn’t get huge overnight, wasn’t the goal anyway. Just found a way to operate alongside those bigger personalities by being myself. Learned that you don’t always have to play their game. Sometimes just doing your own thing consistently works out fine. Took a while to figure that out, though.
