[🐝U] How to lie, cheat & steal your way to success ... ETHICALLY!

I first heard, “lie, cheat, steal your way to success” at a financial services conference.

It did NOT have “ethically”.
I added that because unlike a live talk, you had to click to read this.

We live in a TikTok-reels world. You’ve got 2 seconds & 1 thumb-scroll. That’s it.

Starting with that in any situation, especially a highly regulated industry, gets attention.

You know what else it did?
It stuck like super glue.
20 years later, I still remember it.

You know what it wasn’t …
All the shady stuff your brain just imagined.

That disconnect … the “wait, what?!” between what you expect & what’s meant … that’s the whole point. It’s not about sleazy shortcuts or scamming people.

If assumptions derail our thinking at a live conference, imagine what they do online. You’re not there to clarify things before people leave.

Now what?

From shock to substance

It’s an attention-getting “gotcha” & “made you look” because you made an assumption.

What happens when you assume?

Assumptions lead us astray.

You assume “lie, cheat, & steal” is a bad thing.
& you have your own assumption of what that means.

That impacts your judgement & behavior.

Ever lost a sale/client & thought, “what just happened?”
They said “too expensive” or “not a good time”.
But that wasn’t the real reason.

That’s assumption at work … you thought the client “already understood” the value in your offer.

That’s not just philosophy … it’s practical.
Because it muddies the message & completely confuses our audience.

I learned this the hard way …
Early on, I landed clients through referrals & recommendations from people I knew. I didn’t have to explain things.

Credibility & authority from those making the introductions landed the client.

But when I started reaching out, I assumed they already understood the value in what I offered.

I forgot to ask & I never clarified.

The result … “thanks but no thanks”

Yeah, I was crushed, confused & (at first) questioning what was wrong with them

How this applies to your marketing…

You, your customers, your friends & family have “The Curse of Knowlege”

You’re biased.
You make assumptions based on what you know.
& you assume others have that same knowledge

That’s a problem in our marketing. It creates mental whiplash that leaves people confused.

& the strongest ingredient in that curse … the language we use.

“corporate mayonnaise” (aka jargon)

My first 2 clients had music PhD’s & taught at schools like Princeton!

Brilliant in conversation.
Miserable to read.

“copywriting is conversational” I’d say … “remember to write as if you’re speaking to me”
“I AM!” was the consistent response.

“nooooooo, you’re not. I never need a dictionary during calls”

They were both trying to write dissertations.
They were lecturing to advanced degree students instead of chatting with fans.

All those acronyms, technical terms, & $10 words seem impressive, to you …
But to them, it all bends into wah-wah-wah, like listening to Charlie Brown’s teacher…

Your audience doesn’t wake up hoping to be sold to.
They have questions they want answered.
They have problems they need solved.

Your job isn’t to “sell” them anything.
It’s to be a leader, a mentor, & a guide.
That’s the role people trust & actually buy from.

& when someone sells by spewing (what sounds like) nonsense, they become a sleazy used car salesman.

That’s because they ASS-U-ME we understand the jargon & know everything in their head.

That means you become one too if you make assumptions.

So how do you break the curse & fight back against those assumptions, biases, & jargon?
You flip the script.

“Lie, Cheat, & Steal” … ethically

Before I break down the lesson from the financial services conference, let’s be clear …

These aren’t sleazy tricks to scam anyone. They’re memorable survival tools protecting your business from your self-doubt & outside crabby-ness.

Each piece is a counter-punch to the jabs knocking most of us off our feet before we get a chance to step in the ring.

Think about it…

You launched your business.
You’re stoked!
Then your best friend makes a snide remark. your cousin ghosts you, & your first client nitpicks your price.

That’s a reality most of us face … especially when we don’t have an entrepreneurial inner circle.

We need survival tools so we don't quick before we get momentum.

Here’s how a little “selective honesty” keeps your confidence intact when you’re starting out.

the lie → protects your momentum

In the beginning, your friends & family may cheer you on. But soon after? You’ve got crabs in the bucket.

Whether it’s a jealousy or concern, there’s going to be a time they start criticizing or dropping passive-aggressive comments to get you to stop.

You can avoid that with a lie …
Technically, it’s not a lie but you’re not being completely honest either.

You use some ambiguous descriptors in your answer
→ it’s incredible / amazing / unbelievable
→ I’m inspired by what I’m learning
→ I never realized how big an opportunity it is

Talk about the good.
Put a positive spin on the challenges

Avoid complaining.

The truth, the whole truth, & nothing but the truth, doesn’t serve you in the beginning.

Write down 1 ½ true line you’ll use the next time someone asks, “how’s it going?”
Keep it in your back pocket.

the cheating → imitate before you innovate

You’ve got to cheat to get started … & that’s not a bad thing.

Because no one starts (or creates) from scratch
We learn by watching, then doing.

First our parents, then our teachers & friends.
Now, you cheat by copying the experts.

Imitation before innovation.
Mastery starts with mimicry.

You can’t break the rules until you know them.

When I first started writing copy, I didn’t try to reinvent the wheel.
I followed instructions.
I copied the greats … literally.

“hand copy 10 times” … ✅
“read it out loud 3 times” … 👌

“now reverse break it down to understand the framework” …

for example …
the headline should:
→ capture attention
→ frame the problem

So look at headlines that capture your attention

focus more on the structure than the specific words…
“the man who perfected the laugh track”
⬇️
“the [noun] who perfected the [topic]”
⬇️
The marketer who perfected selling authentically
The driving instructor who perfected parallel parking on the first try

hand cramp? yes.
carpal tunnel? maybe.
cheating? kinda.

There’s a reason almost 100 years into this copywriting “thing” the most-successful & biggest-earners, STILL give you the same advice … it works!

I can’t tell you how many times I see clients trying to cherry-pick which things to do, then complain “it doesn’t work”

UGH

That’s like punching an address into the GPS, then taking a detour & complaining you got lost or arrived late.

Learn the fundamentals … copy them for the next 30 days … don’t skip steps … then start tweaking.

the stealing → time is the real currency

The stealing applies to time.

& this stings the most because it’s the most limited resource you have … it’s something once used, we can never get back.

You can’t really steal it … you get what you get.
The important part is what you’re doing with it.

You’ve got to dedicate productive time to your business
Not stuff that sucks up time & keeps you in motion.
You need momentum.

As a small business, surrounded by crabs, you’re “too busy” killing your business before it gets a chance to grow.

Bottom line is:
We avoid the reality of trade-offs.
You can’t do it all … not at first.
You need to choose.
Sometimes that choice means your business steals time from your friends & family
you can’t always say “yes” to the interruptions.
If you do, there will never be time for your business.

There is freedom & flexibility in being your own boss.

My business is built around my life … not the other way around.
I’m not trying to squeeze life in & around work.

What no one stops to consider is that’s the goal … that’s what we want to achieve.
That’s NOT where we start.

Start stealing 30 minutes a day for your business. Schedule it. Protect it. Make it untouchable by any other distractions.

Again …
These aren’t tricks. They’re tools.
& the only way they work is by using them.

Your turn → put “lie, cheat, & steal” to work for you

What lies do you need to tell?
How do you plan on cheating?
Who (or What) is your business stealing time from?

Reply & tell me the biggest “lie, cheat, or steal” you’re using to build momentum in your business

Make it a great “ethically-successful“ week!
EG

PS:
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