Coulrophobia–the fear of clowns–is very real and for good reason. You might think these red-nosed jokers are creepy, sure, but certainly not dangerous. You’d be wrong.
Clowns never reveal their real names, and dress to obscure their identities. The rules of civilized society don’t apply to them (what other stranger could offer candy to children and get away with it?… Clowns are the scariest people on earth, and the truth is, they are coming for your valuables, your children, and your sanity.
– From Amazon description for “When Clowns Attack” by Chuck Sambuchino.
John Wayne Gacy – Serial Killer who had a daytime gig as a clown.
Pennywise – The Child killing Clown in Stephen King’s novel IT
The Chicago Bears – A professional NFL team often confused on Sundays with Clowns in Pads.
All examples of clowns in all areas of life (including fiction).
And there are numerous clowns haunting business owners too.
Clowns I call “Complexity Clowns”
These clowns come in with the idea and promise that complexity equals quality.
They often haunt corporations and actually sell smart people on the value of spending millions to fly a balloon over a stadium or take out full page ads in newspapers all across the country announcing how their logo has transformed from a circle to a square.
And then the clowns come to the SME owners.
And sell complexity for a high price by pointing the SME owners to the lobotomized corporations that are flying blimps, publicising colour changes to their logos, and freely spending other peoples’ money for their own vanity.
And many fall for it.
Because after all whoever is on the cover of Forbes must be really smart.
(And hopefully very good at taking photos with both a front and side angle with their name and number sign below them).
Complexity Clowns sell solutions that don’t have to work.. they just have to look and feel complicated.
And they are all over SME owners.
Unless of course you can spot them a mile away.
And can hold them to a simple test… “Does their solution make sense and can you articulate it back to them?”
If the answer is no…. kick that clown back into his tiny car and send him to your competitor.
If you prefer a “clown free” zone come to our next owner’s table where balloons, tricks and candy for children are not allowed. Sign up here.