Molly McBeath  0:03  
So I want to tell you guys something. I just like it when I enjoy words. And I like it when people invent new words, especially words that you like instantaneously know what it means. And so I ran across a new one, like, half an hour ago. And I was just highly entertained. I know some people will find this offensive or obnoxious or they’ll be annoyed by it. One of those people will be my husband. But it’s a woman. And he’s the ironically, he’s the one who sent me this email, a woman. And it wasn’t, that wasn’t why he sent it to me, a woman that he follows who’s in the software, industry and as a software engineer, and she was talking about a conference that she was doing, where she was on a panel. And then she so she’s describing what the panel is in case people want to attend. And then she said, Oh, and by the way, this is the exact opposite of a manel. And I just, I laughed, I just had not seen that word before.

Betsy Muse  1:18  
It has been on Twitter for a while. Just when I hear when I see women, especially talking about manels. And it’s just, seriously it’s a panel is made up of all men. Yeah, it is hilarious, though. I love it.

Molly McBeath  1:34  
Yeah. I was just, they just made me happy. Word makes me happy. That’s it exists just that people are going to come up with things like that. I just think humans can be so clever.

Kathleen Fealy  1:50  
In this episode of Yes. But however, Molly, Betsy and Kathy talk about how curiosity and expertise are catalysts to training. After all, we need to make our clients look good.

Molly McBeath  2:10  
I find that I want to take on training, either because there’s something that’s come up that I need to solve. And that’s the quickest way for me to do that. Or because I’m bored, and I want a new challenge. And I do think that that’s part of the entrepreneurial spirit. Uh huh. Um, that I think that we are doers by nature.

Betsy Muse  2:38  
And, yeah, I agree.

Molly McBeath  2:42  
So then we’re sort of inclined to constantly be doing something else. Say, Okay, I’ve done that. Now. Now, I want to know more about this, or is that just sort of the natural process of the curious mind?

Betsy Muse  2:54  
Perhaps, it could be, but you know, also, we, as entrepreneurs, often hire people to do something. And it’s, if, before I hire someone, it’s helpful to know, at least a little bit about what I’ve hired them to do. And so sometimes, I might learn a certain type of copy, you know, how to write a certain type of copy, or how to do. I don’t know, Google Analytics or something like that, that I have absolutely no desire to become an expert in. But I need to know actually, how to hire someone, what do I look for, and sometimes knowing a little bit about it allows me to have an intelligent conversation with the person I’m hiring. So I’ve taken Google Analytics courses, I’ve taken SEO courses, I don’t have any desire to become an expert, or a master in any of those skills. But I do want to be able to communicate with the person I’m going to hire to do that. But also, like you said, it’s that little bit of curiosity, it’s just, it’s wanting to have a certain amount of knowledge about that topic or about that skill.

Kathleen Fealy  4:07  
Taking what you just said, let me ask you this question, because I’m finding this is happening more as I look at ways to reach my clients, customers. And I often feel that the one thing I need to get more training on sometimes is actually what they do, and what their clients are, what’s important to their clients, like, what kind of information is of value to them? What kind of information would like be a trend that they’re very interested in learning more? 

And I feel like I am trying, you know, I can read, you know, some publications and stuff, but since I don’t know and have the background in those areas, you know, if it’s like, I’m working for an attorney, I’m not an attorney. So A lot of times, I don’t know that information, when I’m reading it, it’s like, oh, that sounds really complicated. And I have a lot more respect for my clients. Um, you know, if I work with somebody that isn’t a technical or an engineering field, trying to really grasp what they do, to the point that it would be of value to their clients. So I’m finding now that while I want to make sure I keep up on the training that I have, in usability, and, you know, SEO, and all of the various, you know, strategies and strategic directions, etc, etc, ways to go forward with all that, I’m finding that I really feel like I’m missing the boat sometimes when I don’t know enough about my clients work. And they’re always surprised that I want to learn so much. But it’s hard to do Marketing Strategy, if you don’t know enough about your clients work. It’s hard to hold interviews, it’s hard to do a lot of things. And I do try to surround myself with good people. But it’s one of those areas where maybe because I’ve been trained with a jack of all trades mentality. I feel like I need to know more about this in order to make sure I’m covering my basis.

Molly McBeath  6:19  
Yeah. That’s one of the real challenges in what we do. You know, whether it’s writing or some other aspect of marketing, is that you, you do have to become the expert in your clients subject. Yeah. And that can be really, really difficult. But you can’t write well about something just like you can’t explain. You can’t give a talk on something unless you’re a master. But well, you can’t. I can’t write a content piece for somebody that’s going to be particularly good, unless I deeply understand what I’m writing about, which means that I suddenly have to become the expert on certain, you know, some weird,

Betsy Muse  7:06  
combustible dust.

Molly McBeath  7:07  
Yes, I wasn’t gonna say that. But that is everybody’s favorite example of combustible dust, dust, because

Kathleen Fealy  7:13  
you amazed us when you knew so much about combustible dust

Molly McBeath  7:16  
because I had to become an expert. And it’s fascinating. It’s an important subject. Everybody be safe. Please be safe. 

Betsy Muse  7:26  
while you did amaze us, Molly. It’s really it’s just fun to say. Yeah. And

Molly McBeath  7:29  
it’s all Yeah, it’s like spatula. It’s just, it’s fun to say. I love words. When I was going

Kathleen Fealy  7:45  
Molly, let me ask you that this sense? How do you become enough of an expert to write well on a specific topic, because you tend to write very detailed articles, technical articles, so you can’t possibly know all of those topics going in? Is it just by asking questions? Or how do you choose your research? To learn that kind of training?

Molly McBeath  8:13  
It takes a lot of time is the is the unpleasant but real answer. It just takes time. And you have to you have to push yourself and you have to be willing to ask for help when you run into a wall where like, I just don’t have the background understand this information. And so then you go and reach out to the hopefully your client has a subject matter expert that you can talk to who can explain it to you. But yeah, that is one of the frustrating parts of my job is, I mean, I love to learn stuff. But it can be hard to suddenly have to become an expert in four hours. on something, there’s no I mean, I’ve been faking it, and then I feel bad. So that’s why a lot of writers and journalists, they specialize in certain fields or industries, that they, they really do know how, you know, Congress works. They really do know the medical industry, they really do know the energy industry, you know, whatever topic they tend to write on. Because it’s impossible. You can’t be you can’t write well on every subject under the sun, you just can’t.

Kathleen Fealy  9:31  
And Betsy you write for a lot of different kinds of people. What are your tricks or maybe not tricks and might not

Betsy Muse  9:40  
be the right word, but it’s, I mean, honestly, sometimes it’s hard to find information. And you have to but you when you’re taking on a new topic, I just have to or when I’m taking on a new topic, I just have to to make sure that I’ve left myself plenty of time. To do that basic research because it’s I don’t know about y’all but but the busier I am, the harder harder it is to find that free space in my brain to learn something new. And I really need some quiet time where I’m not frazzled. I’m not thinking what I have to do next. When I’m I’m taking on a new subject matter.

This has been Yes, but however, I’m Betsy Muse with my co host, Kathy Fealy. And Molly MacBeath. This episode was written, edited and produced by the three of us. Our theme music is tourist and Puntacana, which is available through Audio Hero, the show’s website where we post show notes, transcripts and more information about us can be found at yes but however podcast comm you can contact us through the website or email us at talkers at Yes, but however podcast.com Thanks for listening.

Molly McBeath  11:07  
It’s time for the disclaimer. The information opinions and recommendations presented on yes but however for general information only, and any reliance on the information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. No part of this podcast should be considered professional advice. Any products or services mentioned on this podcast come from our personal experience and no person or company has paid for a mention our placement