I don’t look like your typical beancounter.  I don’t wear glasses, have skinny arms, or wear a green eyeshade, either.  I look more like a construction worker.  One former boss once said that I look like I should be wearing a hardhat and sitting on an I-beam on a skyscraper.  I took it as a compliment.  My wife said that when she first met me, that I looked like I could be a rapist.  I didn’t take that as a compliment.

See, I’m not a pretentious person.  I come from humble beginnings, and I’ve never forgotten that.  Neither does anyone else who has heard me speak, for I speak rather, err, let’s say plainly.  I can hold my own when I have to give a presentation (or write a blog post), but generally, I get straight to the point, without any flowering language.  To put it another way, I don’t ever have to tell anyone that I’m from Long Island.  Unfortunately, I sound like an unholy union of Joe Pesci and Tony Danza, with a little Joey Buttafuco thrown in for good measure.

So, while I’m educated and reasonably well-read, when I’m out of my element, people tend to mistake me for “the help”.  At first glance, people get the impression that I’m not that intelligent or successful.  My earthy appearance does get me acceptance with the blue-collar set, who welcome me as one of their own.  My mechanic thinks I’m just a regular Joe, and always tries to keep the price down for “the working man”.  Who am I to crush his illusion of me?

I also got to mingle with the guys who installed my swimming pool.  I got the whole inside dope about which clients get the best construction crews, and who to request.  See, they thought I was delivering the brick pavers.  Must have been my five o’clock shadow.  When the lead man found out I was the homeowner, he apologized profusely for his foul language, and asked if I was going to report him to the pool company.  Not to worry, compadre; your mouth is cleaner than mine!

Looking rather brutish has gotten me some extra cash.  I used to help a family member on the weekends.  The job involved some heavy lifting, and I guess my toiling made some customers feel bad for me.  I usually came away with some nice tips.  I bet they would have thought twice had they known I had an MBA.

Come to think of it, I’m sort of a double agent.  I walk in both camps; stodgy, buttoned-down Corporate America, and sweaty, hard-working Middle America.  I’m from the latter, but I dwell in the former.

And I never forget where I come from.

 Print This Post

• To Freelance, or Not to Freelance? CNNMoney had an article on the growth of freelance hiring.  Freelance professionals now make up 26% of the workforce, up from 19% in 2006. "As the economy contracts, there are not only more people looking for new ways of earning money, there are also more companies looking to make their......
• Ineptotism From the Free Online Dictionary by Farlex: in•ept 1. Not apt or fitting; inappropriate 2. Bungling or clumsy; incompetent nep•o•tism Favoritism shown or patronage granted to relatives, as in business. And from my twisted brain: in•ept•o•tism Putting an incompetent relative in a key position, to the detriment to both a company's......
• Shark Tank Photo by Kecko I started watching the TV show Shark Tank a few weeks ago.  It consists of an entrepreneur pitching his or her business model to five "sharks", rich investors that can buy a piece of the entrepreneur's company.  While there are some viable ideas, most of the......

• Mlm Systems Are Becoming Obsolete Are You Ready? Keep your eyes and ears open. There is a movement going on that might be right under your nose.  Most people don't see it coming because they are so focused in using all these mlm systems going around.  I wonder what all these owners are going to do once......
• Blackhead Treatment - 8 Ways To Remove Blackheads Since you may find it hard knowing which blackhead treatment to use, you could be touching your skin more than you need to. Most of us usually squeeze them, sometimes without even realizing it. But against what many experts say, gently getting rid of blackheads can help clear up your......
• How Do I Cut Costs to Help Make My Budget Work? Many times people only try to increase their income to cover expenses and refuse to look at ways that they can cut expenses to help in meeting their monthly budget. Here`s some easy things at which one can look in order to accomplish this task: Start Small. Look for what......