
How Entrepreneurs Decide Which Meetings to Take and Which to Refuse - jprocopio
https://medium.com/@jproco/how-entrepreneurs-decide-which-meetings-to-take-and-which-to-refuse-ad080fe562b5
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doodledashdot
Pretty good advice. I work a full-time job in IT security and own a low seven
figure lifestyle business on the side. Here’s what I do:

1\. I always email screen and ask for more information specifically questions.

2\. Always have them meet you where you’re already going to be (ie, coffee
next to where you live or work, community event) That way if you end up with a
no-show it doesn’t impact you as much.

3\. I give out my number and email often. Nowadays people don’t like to call
which means they don’t but I get brownie points for offering my number up. I
screen both calls and email so it’s still a win-win.

4\. I gave regularly calling recruiters my big number which includes my
business income. This has reduced their calls to 0 but they do email me at
times.

5\. I often take meetings where I get an opportunity to learn from others or
give back. Without disruption, life becomes routine.

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jprocopio
Thanks for the feedback and the extra points you listed.

#2 is intriguing. I started a "rant" on this but it made the post too long so
I cut it. What do you do with no-shows? I mean, it's on me for not seeing it
coming in the first place, but I've never figured out good etiquette for
dealing with them.

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doodledashdot
No-shows usually go to the bottom of my list and I’ll only engage with them
via email after they’ve burned me once. I don’t lecture them because I
understand life happens but further engagements are on my terms.

No-shows don’t affect me now because I have all meetings come to my workplace
or to my small business office if I’m working from there. Once they’ve arrived
if necessary we’ll then go to our intended location TOGETHER (ie. lunch,
coffee).

When I’m traveling I rarely have meetings outside of the hotel I’m staying in.

I got burnt twice by a founder of a local hot startup a few years ago and made
this change after dealing with him. It’s made things much easier.

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rdlecler1
As hard as I try to say no to meetings, a lot more than one per month gets
through. The toughest ones are from people who may have helped you/supported
you in the past or when you are trying to build a relationship with someone
and they introduce your to someone. These are meetings where there is some
kind of social obligation. Very hard.

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jprocopio
Totally get this. This is where the email screen can be a lifesaver. You fill
the social obligation, maybe even lend a hand or get done what you need to get
done, and you can prioritize it -- meet now, meet later, meet never.

When you're an entrepreneur, you can easily get up to 50% of your time meeting
people outside of your company -- sales, hires, partners, help, funding. It
can get tricky real quick. My basic guideline has always been no more than 1 a
week unless I'm doing something that specifically requires me to meet external
people.

