Running A Small Business Is A Pain In The But

Issue #37 of The Two But Rule

Before we get into this week’s 2Buts story, I’ve been promising that today I’d have an announcement. Here it is. Wiley is publishing The Two But Rule, and it’s available for preorder.

The Two But Rule Book: Preorder Offer

The Two But Rule, by John Wolpert

Preorder and Get Stuff

Now through the end of September, if you show me proof of preorder from any of these fine establishments (Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Target, Wiley) by sending a pic to john@jwolpert.com, you get:

1. A permanent paid subscription to 2buts.com, which is going to be important:

   1. Full 2Buts stories and archives now available only to subscribers

   2. Subscribers get exclusive 2Buts investigations and invitations to upcoming 2Buts live sessions.

2. The first five people who provide proof of preorder will each be offered an hour one-on-one with me to work through any business, product, technical or personal challenge they choose. Given I charge $1.17 million dollars an hour — ok, usually less than that after discounts — that’s a significant value!

Details here.

Would You Like A Free Freewrite?

But wait! There’s more! You might remember the story about the reMarkable and the Freewrite. So…I’m holding a beautiful, pristine Freewrite Traveler, and I will gladly ship it to the person who refers the most new subscribers (minimum of five) by the end of September 2023. I haven’t checked recently, but it’s worth…a lot. (And if you are a writer, it’s very special.)

Simply click the Refer a Friend button below and add the link in a text, email, or share it on social media.

Freewrite Traveler

OK! So that’s the news! I hope you’re excited about the book. I’m sure excited that the manuscript is done and it’s into typesetting, production on the audio book (thanks Recorded Books!), and gearing up to hit physical bookstore shelves on January 24, 2024.

In the meantime, stay tuned for an announcement in October of the upcoming 2Buts show and regular live session for aspiring ButHeads.

And now…here’s the first exclusive story for subscribers:

Running A Small Business Is A Pain In The But

Small businesses are a big deal for the neighborhoods they serve, especially the ones that create and maintain the 'third places' that form the backbone of a community's sense of belonging, its common ground. Speaking of common grounds, there's no more iconic example of this kind of essential small business than the local independent coffee shop.

The Third Place Cafe

In 2004, Raleigh sculptor Dave Bennet, at the age of fifty-four, decided to change careers and buy a local coffee shop. Conveniently for this story, it's called The Third Place. One of the first independent coffee shops in Raleigh, it occupies a spit of land that juts into an oddly shaped five-way intersection north of the city, called Five Points. Dave quickly learned a lot about everyday buts running this place.