Visible mess

How nervous would you feel if you had to spin the webcam around and show us the rest of your house? And your life? If you’re hiding the mess, the quirks, the chaos, this episode is for you. Most of us are hiding things we deem unprofessional. Col Fink’s Zoom background is neat and tidy, complete with a colour-coded bookshelf. Beyond the curated frame? Some friendly sheep, an untouched woodpile from 2022, and a rogue step balanced on a tree stump. But here’s the thing: Col’s best clients already know he’s allergic to email, works part-time hours, and lives in the middle of a messy paddock. He's open about it. None of this “unprofessionalism” gets in the way. If anything, it builds stronger more human connections. If you do great work AND show your real life, you’ll likely attract more of the right people. Sure, you need a baseline of credibility and conviction before you invite people into the circus. But once you’ve got it? You don’t need to fake the full 360° to be taken seriously. You can admit your chaos, your niche interests, your foibles. You can build a business that fits around your actual life, not the other way around.