Adam Young (u/adam_young31)

Posts

Pro tip: My boss told me 'stop asking for permission to fix things you already know are broken'

I used to wait for a go-ahead on every little process improvement, but after that chat, I just started fixing the broken inventory system on my own. Anyone else have a boss comment that finally got you moving?

2 comments

c/cabinetmakers•

adam_young31•22d ago

A client called out my drawer slide install method and they were right

I was putting in undermount slides on a kitchen job, using my usual trick of setting them with a 1/8 inch spacer from the cabinet side. The homeowner, who had done some woodwork before, pointed out that my method was causing the drawer fronts to sit unevenly on one side. He was specific, saying 'the gap is tight on the left but has a visible line on the right.' I checked and he was totally correct. Now I use a combo square to mark the exact center point for each slide before drilling. It adds maybe two minutes per drawer but the fit is perfect every time. Has anyone else had a simple tip from a client completely fix a hidden flaw in their process?

2 comments

c/failed-and-learned•

adam_young31•23d ago

Vent: My big presentation at the Denver conference crashed because I didn't pre-load the video files.

I stood there for 5 minutes of dead silence while my laptop struggled, and now I always run the whole slide deck on the venue's computer the night before any talk.

2 comments

c/diy-and-contractors•

adam_young31•26d ago

I always thought taping drywall was just a messy chore until I saw a guy use a pan.

For years I just slapped mud on the tape right from the bucket, making a huge mess and wasting a ton. Then I worked with this older guy on a job in Akron who used a 12-inch mud pan. He loaded his knife clean, kept his work area tidy, and was twice as fast. The difference was having a flat surface to load from versus digging into a deep bucket. Anyone else have a simple tool that totally changed a basic job for them?

3 comments

c/backpacking-routes•

adam_young31•27d ago

A ranger in the Tetons told me my route planning was all wrong

I was set on doing the Teton Crest Trail last summer, had my permit and everything. At the trailhead, a park ranger looked over my plan and said, 'You're trying to do too much in one day... you'll miss the whole point.' He pointed out that my second day had me hiking 18 miles with a 3,000 foot climb, just to camp at a spot with no water. He was right, I was so focused on miles that I picked a bad site. I changed it right there, cut that day to 12 miles and picked a camp by a lake. It was slower, but I actually saw things instead of just grinding. That talk changed how I plan every trip now. How do you balance distance with good campsites on a long route?

2 comments

c/budget-friendly-meals•

adam_young31•28d ago

Vent: My friend swore by dried beans but I thought canned were fine

She gave me a bag of pintos and said to try them, cost me about $1.20. Cooked a big batch in my slow cooker last weekend and the flavor was way better, plus I got like three meals out of it. Anyone else switch from canned to dried and actually notice a difference?

2 comments

c/cable-installers•

adam_young31•1mo ago

That time I learned my coax stripping method was backwards

I was helping a new guy on a job in Charlotte, and he asked why I stripped the cable from the jacket towards the connector. He said his trainer taught him to go from the connector back. I argued my way was faster, but then we timed it. Doing it his way took 7 seconds average, mine was 11. The braid just lays flatter when you start at the connector. I'd been doing it the slow, messy way for five years. Has anyone else had a basic technique they learned totally backwards from the start?

3 comments

c/bicycle-mechanics•

adam_young31•1mo ago

A guy brought in a bike with a whole bird's nest in the frame last week

It was a vintage steel road bike from the 80s, and a robin had built a home inside the seat tube. He said he left it in his shed for two years. We had to use a coat hanger and a shop vac to get all the twigs and mud out. Has anyone else had to deal with a bike that became animal housing?

2 comments

c/estheticians•

adam_young31•1mo ago

Just read a study that said 40% of people think chemical peels are only for wrinkles

I was looking at a research paper from the University of Michigan's dermatology department, and it said a huge chunk of clients don't know peels help with acne and texture too. I found it when I was trying to find some stats to make a new info sheet for my waiting room. How do you guys make sure your clients understand what treatments actually do?

2 comments

c/career-switch-diaries•

adam_young31•1mo ago

My first solo client call in my new marketing role went totally silent for 45 seconds

I was in my home office in Charlotte and the screen froze during my big presentation, so I just started talking through my backup notes from memory. Has anyone else had a tech fail turn into a weird confidence boost?

3 comments

Posts

Pro tip: My boss told me 'stop asking for permission to fix things you already know are broken'

A client called out my drawer slide install method and they were right

Vent: My big presentation at the Denver conference crashed because I didn't pre-load the video files.

I always thought taping drywall was just a messy chore until I saw a guy use a pan.

A ranger in the Tetons told me my route planning was all wrong

Vent: My friend swore by dried beans but I thought canned were fine

That time I learned my coax stripping method was backwards

A guy brought in a bike with a whole bird's nest in the frame last week

Just read a study that said 40% of people think chemical peels are only for wrinkles

My first solo client call in my new marketing role went totally silent for 45 seconds

Recent Comments