I once recommended a company build a content marketing team — starting lean: one writer, one designer, test the model, scale from there.
They hired three writers and two designers. They wanted to go all in.
So I adapted my strategy to make the best use of what I had. Except the resources weren’t at the level we needed. Instead of hiring experienced people, the company had hired interns — people better suited for a learning environment than a production one. I spent the first six months training them in fundamentals — copywriting, design, content strategy — work I wasn’t paid for, work that wasn’t in the plan, work that consumed half my contract term.
I raised concerns early. Leadership encouraged me to invest a little more time, a little more energy. Get them up to speed. And I half-assed it instead of taking a stand — because I felt they were right. We’d already invested so much money and time. Might as well go all the way.
It was a mistake.
The company lost 100% of six months’ salaries to train people who should already have been trained. I lost 50% of my contract term and a 100% of my professional satisfaction toward the end, which is a massive cost for an independent contractor. The organization lost considerable opportunity costs at a time when its competitors were playing the smarter game. The team was pulled out of one school and into another — except now they were getting paid for it, which sounds like a great deal until you realize everyone was being pushed to the edge, expectations weren’t being met, and there was a mountain of work still to do.
By the time my contract ended, I couldn’t get close to the KPIs I’d formally agreed on. I was paid in full. But that professional inside of me knew better. It wasn’t a job well done because I focused too much on sunk costs rather than the reality staring me in the face.
Plans can change. The onus is on the planners to be open about changing them when there’s a concrete need — instead of obsessing over how great the plan is, or hiding behind “we’ve already invested too much to stop now.” That’s not how business works. Definitely not how life works.
If something isn’t working, do something about it. Ignoring it or tolerating it isn’t the answer.