u/Starlyns

During the whole interview process the Owner son and the General manager explained they were aware of their total lack of tech knowledge or marketing. That they even had a weekly meeting called "modernization" to talk with the 1 IT guy and the 2 marketing girls "that never had any marketing experience until hired" how to improve the company. That's why they needed me.

They outsource the web and marketing to a parasite agency that literally does nothing. send them a monthly report with zero backup like "website traffic: 100 people" This is a real report. and they claim the spend $350 a month in ads. they write a 3 paragraph post in the website and that's it. $2500 a month for that.

So I came in and start my thing: the first week revise what is going on Puff! they are spending $70k a year in a bunch of services that could be free or maybe less than $1000 a year. Start fixing the websites, social media, print materials +. as am new of course I start asking questions to all managers how everything works in their departments.

Quickly find some million dollar opportunities that could be implemented. I feel great! This is going to be amazing am sure they will be happy with all the value am adding without asking for any budget or money to spend.

Then I notice managers don't send the info I ask. The owner son do not read any email. the GM doesn't know how to open a jpg if is attached to an email, and the whole business runs in a DOS (with no mouse support) software from a company that doesn't even have a website.

So last week I noticed ppl are not talking much to me or at all. then it hit me. I fuqed up. I remembered no one wants to feel dumb or behind, I literally brought the 48 rules of power but haven't read it yet. I know there is a phrase like that somewhere.

I screwed up coming in with all my experience and plans in a laid back company that is ran exactly like 40 years ago (and haven't updated yet).

How can I fix my image and relationships with the staff, now they all see me as the guy that wants to change everything and think he knows more than us in this industry.

We always hear the same advice: find a niche to open a biz in it so u have less competition etc then we go thru life and we really don't see this niches because everything feels oversaturated.

I have worked with over 200 companies in all sectors, I learn about their biz in order to do proper marketing for them but never felt that I found a real "there's hardly anyone working on this niche" do you know what I mean?

4 months ago I saw a job post asking for a marketing manager, I applied, research the company. Never heard of this type of biz before, research competition just 2 more. even in their website there is an article from 2007 saying how niche their business is and it was making 4.5 mill back then. it had 25 employees in 2007 and still has 25 in 2026. their whole marketing is literally stuck in time. Still the owner he does everything and decided after almost 3 months interviewing me not to hire anyone "we talked every 2 weeks and he always forgot what we talked previously" every other staff approved me for the job.

Anyway, I still intrigued. because not only they lack competition in USA, is mostly global. This company Won't grow. the owner wants to do everything himself and dont want to change anything. I talked with staff and based on our meetings he is all the time flying around in sales meetings etc but nothing can get approved if he doesn't edit it himself. They sell a very unique type of products they manufacture in USA. their competitor makes a similar one but more expensive and harder to use.

What would you do in this case? knowing that in a few years they reached 4.5 mill and 19 years later have hardly any competition and they are doing nothing to grow. and theres a need for their product globally.

Time to blow your bubble sorry.

Ai will tell you that every idea you mention is the best idea in the world.

It was designed for that. is a yes person. A bubblehead software to you make u feel good.

Test it. Ask it the must stupid idea of a business. Not only will tell u is the best idea ever it will guive u a complete guide how to do it (without u even asking!) Isnt it amazing!?

Ai is just a dopamine redbull app. Did social media gabe u dopamine when getting likes? Well now u have a "person' that will praise everything u say which is worst.

Thats why u just see post after post trying to sell the most basic and dumv "problem solvers"...

This sub is for devs but is a non stop shill for ai from vibecoders.

Ok are u exited u discovered claude code? Good for u. But why every time an actjal dev shows the data that prooves ai just create insecure slop you come running like a shinny armor knight to defend ai?

Ai is not a person or cares for you defending it... this has kept me puzzled lately.

I understand the languaged war: is php dead is react better than svelte etc because after someone spends 4 years mastering a language someone comes and say soemthing negative you feel attacked too.

But ai?