Try Livin' Off Of It

As Keith says in a response to "All You Need Is Love"; the hippie Beatles tune:
Yeah - try livin' off of it.

Back from a meeting with the bank, where they still wear suits all day, everyday.
And it made me reflect on how Keith would handle the finance folks, speaking
in numbers and demanding clear sights of future income.

Then again "Stones Aren't In It For The Money" and neither am I. 
I need to feel like I'm part of a daily adventure, out to conquer the whole bloody world
- find meaning in my collaborations, be a valued & kind person as well as a kick-ass
& upfront advisor to my clients. I don't do bullshit!

Still, I can't just "Wear some shades and don't say a thing" as Allen Klein instructed
when negotiating the Stones' record deals.

I'm not rich enough to buy off questions I don't want to answer.
I have to focus more on the cashflow of things, and still not sell out any of my
personal freedom to choose.

It is indeed an ongoing battle, but as Keith says on dealing with (inner) demons:
My policy is to identify one and deal with that.

Dealing With A Brenda

So I recently ran into a real prick of a client - a first! For real!
One true asshole, like Mick in the 80's, so by all means let's call him "Brenda".

His real name is Johan Håkansson, and he's behind the company JM Kommunikation
- as we speak crumbling in his unethical hands.

Håkansson ordered up one - with the potential of many more jobs to come - big job in January.

As a new client he had me slaving away to meet insane deadlines, breaking new grounds
and dealing with a bunch of unknown targetgroups. And a decent job I did!

It then turns out the bastard doesn't pay the bills! 

He's now gone into hiding, doesn't answer phone or mails, is filing for bankruptcy and has been in the process to do so since before he ordered a load of articles from Kadence.

What would Keith do?
...probably chase the idiot with a knife in his hand, or simply kick the wimp in the face...

At the end of the day you don't mess with me. There's no point in doing it.

So in trying to find my own knife-to-live-by I go with words. Mind you, they can be pretty powerful, once out there, you have to deal with them forever.

Johan Håkansson will have to face his shit like Spanish Tony Sanchez.

But for the sake of your self-respect and your pocket; Don't go near the bastard!

What Would Keith Do?

So what would Keith Richards do if he was pres of my company? 

And how will Keith and his outlook on life & love, music & work inspire me to
run a rolling business?
 
THE KEITH WAY OF DOING BUSINESS:

- know, understand and live with yourself
- stick to your guns..."I'm a lousy plumber"
- speak the truth as you know it
- expand your mind, soul and knowledge
- stay away from the overblown and pretentious
- use your voice as a means of expression
- look for ambiguity
- you're an antenna, it's not all down to you
- if you can write one song, you can write nine hundred
- let it bleed

Not the worst set of guidelines to bring along for the ride...