Hopkinton Resident Pens Third Book
by
Anne Mattina
January 6, 2008 — Hopkinton resident Michael J. Katz has just published
his third book. The first one, he explains, “was entertaining, but not
very useful.” The second, according to the author, “was useful, but not
very entertaining.” This latest? Well, “is neither useful, nor
entertaining” he explains, his grin revealing a wry sense of humor.
It
Sure Beats Working: 29 Quirky Stories and Practical Business Lessons for
the First-time, Mid-Life, Solo Professional provides a humorous view
and a lot of practical wisdom for people
considering making the leap to working for yourself.
Katz, founder, owner and sole employee of Blue Penguin Development
located at 1 Ash St, left corporate life a few years ago because things
“were just too predictable.” He explains, “The way I look at it, working
for someone else, particularly when it is a large company, is like
living with your parents: you’ll never starve but you’ll frequently be
bored to tears.” Logic like that is hard to argue with, but it is Katz’s
perspective on the whole process that is most persuasive.
Katz’s belief in the positive potential of being a solo practitioner is
infectious; and he presents his ideas in pithy, down-to-earth vignettes
to which readers may easily connect. He shares his own experiences as a
mid-level professional, having gone the route of “college, business
school and Corporate America.” During his final stint in that world, he
thought “Life’s okay, I’ve got a job,” but didn’t feel as if he was
“firing on all cylinders.” He found a creative outlet in writing a humor
column for his then hometown newspaper, The Reading Advocate. Encouraged
by a New England Press Club award for his work, he thought writing
professionally might be his just the thing to get him out of his rut.
READ MORE...
Utilizing additional skills as a marketing consultant, he created a
niche for himself producing electronic newsletters for professional
service companies, a business that has successfully evolved over the
last 7 years. Katz is “living his dream,” and enumerates the many
benefits of working for himself including being able to spend more time
with his family, lack of stress that often accompanies the “undercurrent
of competition” in even the friendliest of corporate environments, and
being able “to dress the way you want!" When asked if he missed the
relationships found at work, he asserted that he has just as many as he
did, through membership in various professional groups. The biggest
difference is now he can “pick them,” which makes the relationships all
the more meaningful.
Why the book? According to Katz, he found himself telling the same
stories over and over again to people who, upon discovering his path,
confessed to a similar desire to go it alone. His advice is based on
what he wishes someone had given him as he made his decision. “Taking a
leap is based on believing you can do it,” he insists, and that message
comes through clearly throughout the book
Katz clearly enjoys motivating and inspiring people, all complemented by
a good laugh along the way. Some of the lessons in the book include the
very straight-forward “Make Yourself Accessible” to the reminder “Don’t
Ignore Your Flashes of Insight” to the not-so-obvious “Beware of
Successful People” using everything in life from his son’s preschool’s
pet turtle to his experience as a rec basketball coach here in
Hopkinton. This is not to say that the book should be taken lightly, as
it is filled with accessible, useful advice. “In the end," Katz notes,
“starting your own business is not always easy and not always fun. But
...it sure beats working”
NOTE: Anne Mattina, Ph. D., is an
Associate Professor of Communication at Stonehill College.
