Yak Shaving is a term invented by Joi Ito
Let me explain the term as I understand it. It’s when you attempt to do something simple but through a series of unfortunate events to do that simple task you find yourself at the zoo shaving a Yak all because of that insignificant event.
I underwent a Yak shaving event the last couple of weeks, and I thought I should share it with you.
Since the Corona Virus lock downs began I have been working from my dining room table, So has my wife, and my daughter, and my son is doing his own homework at the same table. It had become a bit of a nuisance and none of could seem to get any work done so I decided I would put Internet Connectivity in my In law Suite and temporarily move my office there.
Seemed pretty simple
This is where Yak Shaving commenced….
I thought it would be a simple couple of steps…..
First I called my local internet provider and they sent someone out two days later.
The nice young tech said there was no internet service cable in the ground so there was nothing to tie the internet into, he had to get a crew to come dig up the yard to put in a cable…..
4 guys showed up with a backhoe and dug up the entire yard and put in a new cable…..
The nice young technician came again and this time he noted there was no cable at the pole….
This time a crew of 8 showed up and dug up the street and ran a cable from a block away, meanwhile two guys redirected traffic…..
I finally had internet *phew* I can finally move in.
I carry my computer and my new desk over to the house and along the way I drop my lap top, the laptop is ok but the mouse that attaches through a USB hub no longer works, and not to mention I have an ergonomic keyboard because my wrists give me so much trouble…….
No problem I though I would just replace what I have, so I drove 30 minutes to get to a Best Buy only right now due to the Pandemic I am not allowed in the store so after an hour and a half of the store clerk running in and looking for what I want and then running back out and showing it to me. The clerk finally realized that they do not have what I need but they did have at another store.
I drive 30 more minutes just to find out that they just sold it……….
But they have one 15 minutes away at a third store and they can reserve it for me. I think for a moment to myself and say!!! ” I HAVE COME THIS FAR !!! I WILL NOT BE STOPPED.”
I drive the additional 15 minutes and finally I get what I came for, I then spend over an hour driving home.
So the total costs for utilizing my In-law Suite and trying to sit in there to work
2 weeks time, Fourteen Thousand Two Hundred dollars in Internet installation fees, a thousand dollars in office furniture and set up fees, We needed Industrial sized equipment, Jack Hammers, Engineers, We blocked traffic,and let us not forget that I used half a tank of gas …..
This phenomena happens all the time in business and it worth noting, that once your in too deep it might just be worth it to compromise. If I just did my work at the table like everyone else I could have saved the money.
On the other hand I am sitting in my office at my new desk and typing this while using the Internet.
so there’s that
Let me explain the term as I understand it. It’s when you attempt to do something simple but through a series of unfortunate events to do that simple task you find yourself at the zoo shaving a Yak all because of that insignificant event.
I underwent a Yak shaving event the last couple of weeks, and I thought I should share it with you.
Since the Corona Virus lock downs began I have been working from my dining room table, So has my wife, and my daughter, and my son is doing his own homework at the same table. It had become a bit of a nuisance and none of could seem to get any work done so I decided I would put Internet Connectivity in my In law Suite and temporarily move my office there.
Seemed pretty simple
This is where Yak Shaving commenced….
I thought it would be a simple couple of steps…..
First I called my local internet provider and they sent someone out two days later.
The nice young tech said there was no internet service cable in the ground so there was nothing to tie the internet into, he had to get a crew to come dig up the yard to put in a cable…..
4 guys showed up with a backhoe and dug up the entire yard and put in a new cable…..
The nice young technician came again and this time he noted there was no cable at the pole….
This time a crew of 8 showed up and dug up the street and ran a cable from a block away, meanwhile two guys redirected traffic…..
I finally had internet *phew* I can finally move in.
I carry my computer and my new desk over to the house and along the way I drop my lap top, the laptop is ok but the mouse that attaches through a USB hub no longer works, and not to mention I have an ergonomic keyboard because my wrists give me so much trouble…….
No problem I though I would just replace what I have, so I drove 30 minutes to get to a Best Buy only right now due to the Pandemic I am not allowed in the store so after an hour and a half of the store clerk running in and looking for what I want and then running back out and showing it to me. The clerk finally realized that they do not have what I need but they did have at another store.
I drive 30 more minutes just to find out that they just sold it……….
But they have one 15 minutes away at a third store and they can reserve it for me. I think for a moment to myself and say!!! ” I HAVE COME THIS FAR !!! I WILL NOT BE STOPPED.”
I drive the additional 15 minutes and finally I get what I came for, I then spend over an hour driving home.
So the total costs for utilizing my In-law Suite and trying to sit in there to work
2 weeks time, Fourteen Thousand Two Hundred dollars in Internet installation fees, a thousand dollars in office furniture and set up fees, We needed Industrial sized equipment, Jack Hammers, Engineers, We blocked traffic,and let us not forget that I used half a tank of gas …..
This phenomena happens all the time in business and it worth noting, that once your in too deep it might just be worth it to compromise. If I just did my work at the table like everyone else I could have saved the money.
On the other hand I am sitting in my office at my new desk and typing this while using the Internet.
so there’s that
