Tara McMullin (explorewhatworks.com)So here’s my not-so-wild hypothesis:
Services are stigmatized because they are feminized.
A service-based business is a care-based business—to one extent or another. All that client care, relationship-building, and personalization? That’s women’s work.
This is interesting stuff to think about as I start my consulting business. Also interesting when I think of how many solopreneurs in my field are women — and that they are often offering direct outreach services.
Information products… are services with the care work removed, automated, or embedded within them. The care work—to the extent it’s there at all—is deemphasized or made invisible.
Like companies hiding real workers behind AI pretending to be human.
With few exceptions, a high-end information product with glowing reviews and a passionate student community incorporates a massive amount of care work… Understanding and creating systems for care work is critical to the success of an information product.