Answered How Do You Define Office Outlaw?

[Zwielicht]

Did you know when I was setting Office Outlaw up back in November 2024, it was originally being set up as an anti-work/anti-corporate forum?

It's similar to the black hat internet marketing niche in the sense that it's looking for loopholes to make work culture and just office work in general more tolerable.

In March 2025, when many of you were asking me if I had a forum, some of you will recall I said no at first, but then I decided to repurpose this one I was working on into an IM forum.

Anyway, one year on, I was looking over the thread stats, and here's what they are currently:

• 927 Saloon threads (I'm still re-sorting these, so the number will be a bit lower)
• 1,766 IM/work threads.
• 59 Trading Post threads.
• 400 total feedback threads.
• 189 intro threads

As you can see, there are a lot of Saloon thread. They don't outweigh the "on-topic" discussions, but still make up a large majority of the discussions.

Of course, this got me thinking on how the community here defines Office Outlaw. Is it just a black hat internet marketing forum, or is it more of a grey hat internet marketing forum? Maybe it's a just a general grey hat forum? A casual discussion forum for those who are mostly self-employed? None of these and something else?

The reason I'm asking this is because I've been interested in (finally) doing some promotions for OO. I believe having a definition for the forum would help reach our target audience a lot better.

 

[Spicy Nug]

I use this site to talk about regular work and my etsy shop. But sometimes I like sharing news pieces about social media and stuff that I come across. I like seeing what the people here have to say especially since the responses seem more fleshed out here at least from my experience.

I don't really know how I'd define this site but maybe that helps?

 

[t2van]

There's not enough people here who need help or post questions in regards to topics that will outweigh the saloon.

Some complain about it being dead or they can't find information here but those same people don't post asking questions either. It's not down to members to constantly share it has to be a two way thing where you need to ask for help, understand that replies are not attacks and take them on as criticism.

There's only so much sharing people can do.

Once it hit's a point the place turns into more of a resource hub rather than a community base discussion.

It's a hang out for me.

 

[Zwielicht]

I use this site to talk about regular work and my etsy shop. But sometimes I like sharing news pieces about social media and stuff that I come across. I like seeing what the people here have to say especially since the responses seem more fleshed out here at least from my experience.

I don't really know how I'd define this site but maybe that helps?

So it’s like an internet news sharing and work forum for you. I can see that since I also find myself reading those news threads.

There's not enough people here who need help or post questions in regards to topics that will outweigh the saloon.

Some complain about it being dead or they can't find information here but those same people don't post asking questions either. It's not down to members to constantly share it has to be a two way thing where you need to ask for help, understand that replies are not attacks and take them on as criticism.

There's only so much sharing people can do.

Once it hit's a point the place turns into more of a resource hub rather than a community base discussion.

It's a hang out for me.

Yeah, I agree that it’s a two way thing. I know some lurkers have wanted more IM discussion threads, but anyone can start those threads just like anyone can post in the existing ones. But like you said, there’s only so much sharing people can do.

The forum being a hang out isn’t a bad thing and I often treat it like that myself as well.

Thank you to the both of you for sharing this with me.

 

[SilverClouds]

Somebody explain if it's only forum for side hustlers with full time jobs and projects on the side or are full time entrepreneurs allowed? Should we leave?

It's understandable that someone that does this full time and doesn't want or have an option of getting a job will have different needs, normally when you're full timer you have to fix your business (or maybe start another one, people having 2-3 businesses for various reasons isn't uncommon) when you have problems, you don't get a job. Each time I try to have a discussion as a full timer WW3 starts in these threads. Are entrepreneurs not allowed? What is the problem? Maybe you guys *do* prefer to keep it a hangout and a little bit of a discussion on side hustling next to your full time job, this isn't a good place for full time entrepreneurs (unless you want to just hang out at the saloon and you don't do anything business related here)?

 

[t2van]

Somebody explain if it's only forum for side hustlers with full time jobs and projects on the side or are full time entrepreneurs allowed? Should we leave?

It's understandable that someone that does this full time and doesn't want or have an option of getting a job will have different needs, normally when you're full timer you have to fix your business (or maybe start another one, people having 2-3 businesses for various reasons isn't uncommon) when you have problems, you don't get a job. Each time I try to have a discussion as a full timer WW3 starts in these threads. Are entrepreneurs not allowed? What is the problem? Maybe you guys *do* prefer to keep it a hangout and a little bit of a discussion on side hustling next to your full time job, this isn't a good place for full time entrepreneurs (unless you want to just hang out at the saloon and you don't do anything business related here)?

I think in some cases when someone says they are flat broke, stuck, cant get clients, cant get work, has commitments, bills to pay.

Saying go set up a landing page isn't the answer. Someone has to break the news and give a dose of reality and say get a job.

There's nothing wrong with that advice, you might not want to hear it but that's what needs to be said.

I don't know why you take that so personal! It's honest and straight up advice.

You your self posted recently you have struggled and claimed getting a job is 10x harder than getting a client, but also couldn't land a client..

 

[SilverClouds]

I think in some cases when someone says they are flat broke, stuck, cant get clients, cant get work, has commitments, bills to pay.

Saying go set up a landing page isn't the answer. Someone has to break the news and give a dose of reality and say get a job.

There's nothing wrong with that advice, you might not want to hear it but that's what needs to be said.

I don't know why you take that so personal! It's honest and straight up advice.

You your self posted recently you have struggled and claimed getting a job is 10x harder than getting a client, but also couldn't land a client..

I don't want to discuss this and I disagree. Honestly I think it's just a bad place for me to hang out, even if I (at least morally) support Z & Imp creating competition to the other forum. There's like, just a couple of full timers, some of which actually are anti-entrepreneurship for some reason, like you. I don't need people like this in my network. There are couple of knowledgeable people here and there like @BlogPro for example. You know, it's a mix of people, not everyone is the same (thankfully). But there's very few people here that I perceive as valuable potential contacts. Also quite a bit of people wanted to be my friends, 2 dudes here even hitting on me, one wanting to marry me even (dude forgot to ask if I'm interested or not ). And for all these people that claimed they want to be my friends or more, I get like ZERO moral support during hard times other than moral support I got from Zwie & Imp. So basically people here are unsuitable for friends, for business and for learning tbh we're in times when it's easier to just ask Grok and he'll make you a table. Here it's just a couple full time entrepreneurs and then mostly 9 to 5ers with side hustles and I'd need proportions in my network to be the other way around . Like, you know, it's ok to know a few employees here and there, they also can share some info about their work and struggles and it's valuable too. But I need relatable people, someone that also doesn't want a job and goes all in since this is more extreme, more bankrupcy risk and it'd make sense to exchange information and motivate each other in situation like this and not put each other down and cowardly suggest to get a job. It's cowardice. Not everyone wants a job. I'm so tired of explaining this over and over again... It's a waste of time. I want to focus and do what I should do, fix stuff, and not explain to random strangers on the internet what I do and why and why not a job. Honestly I think maybe you should get a job @t2van , you seem very unhappy. I know it's not so simple, you gotta earn the money somehow, but maybe you should sell it if you're so anti-business. Not trying to flame even, I just think it's abnormal that you're so anti-business while running a full time business, it's weird. It's such a long post already, such a waste of time. I have quite a bit of energy, right. Better I use it elsewhere.

 

[tomtom]

I don't want to discuss this and I disagree. Honestly I think it's just a bad place for me to hang out, even if I (at least morally) support Z & Imp creating competition to the other forum. There's like, just a couple of full timers, some of which actually are anti-entrepreneurship for some reason, like you. I don't need people like this in my network. There are couple of knowledgeable people here and there like @BlogPro for example. You know, it's a mix of people, not everyone is the same (thankfully). But there's very few people here that I perceive as valuable potential contacts. Also quite a bit of people wanted to be my friends, 2 dudes here even hitting on me, one wanting to marry me even (dude forgot to ask if I'm interested or not ). And for all these people that claimed they want to be my friends or more, I get like ZERO moral support during hard times other than moral support I got from Zwie & Imp. So basically people here are unsuitable for friends, for business and for learning tbh we're in times when it's easier to just ask Grok and he'll make you a table. Here it's just a couple full time entrepreneurs and then mostly 9 to 5ers with side hustles and I'd need proportions in my network to be the other way around . Like, you know, it's ok to know a few employees here and there, they also can share some info about their work and struggles and it's valuable too. But I need relatable people, someone that also doesn't want a job and goes all in since this is more extreme, more bankrupcy risk and it'd make sense to exchange information and motivate each other in situation like this and not put each other down and cowardly suggest to get a job. It's cowardice. Not everyone wants a job. I'm so tired of explaining this over and over again... It's a waste of time. I want to focus and do what I should do, fix stuff, and not explain to random strangers on the internet what I do and why and why not a job. Honestly I think maybe you should get a job @t2van , you seem very unhappy. I know it's not so simple, you gotta earn the money somehow, but maybe you should sell it if you're so anti-business. Not trying to flame even, I just think it's abnormal that you're so anti-business while running a full time business, it's weird. It's such a long post already, such a waste of time. I have quite a bit of energy, right. Better I use it elsewhere.

I feel the same. I’ve been a full-timer for the past two years and have gone through many ups and downs.
I think what you said also applies the other place: in general, very few people are full-timers and can relate, so the majority just say “go get a job” because that’s their experience.
Since discussing other communities here is allowed, I’d like to ask if anyone can recommend other places where people connect or do business.

 

[t2van]

I But I need relatable people, someone that also doesn't want a job and goes all in since this is more extreme, more bankrupcy risk and it'd make sense to exchange information and motivate each other in situation like this and not put each other down and cowardly suggest to get a job. It's cowardice. Not everyone wants a job. I'm so tired of explaining this over and over again... It's a waste of time. I want to focus and do what I should do, fix stuff, and not explain to random strangers on the internet what I do and why and why not a job.

The problem is probably a language barrier.

The whole get a job argument is from my perspective of:

• Flat broke
• Can't get clients
• Can't get land work
• Can't sell
• Has commitments and people relying on you to pay for food
• Bills to pay
• Rent & So on.

Having sympathetic people around you doesn't help, telling you to pay $100 on ads or some book, or some "method" when you can't piss in the pot you got to start with, doesn't help.

Yeah, it's a reality check, being self-employed is NOT for everyone, that's a fact, that's why many people fail. While I fully understand people have ups and downs, we all do, including myself. IF you find yourself hitting the same old problems as I mentioned above, then I'm sorry, getting a job is the answer because we live in a world where you need money to function and to live.

There is nothing wrong going back to get a job, something part-time while you hustle to get your business up and running. It can actually help ease the financial pressure on you and your family, which takes the pressure of selling or getting clients and once that's lifted, things can actually work and function.

It's straightforward, honest and practical advice.

Honestly, how long can you go in life ducking bills, debts, tax and so on? At some point it all comes knocking and all it does is hold you back later in life.

There is nothing wrong with working in a job to ease pressure to help you grow your business.

IF you can't understand that or understand that's the point I and many others make when we say "get a job" then there is no hope for you, regardless of what advice you need, because you need someone else to do it for you.

It's easier to blame others than take action, sadly.

Honestly I think maybe you should get a job @t2van , you seem very unhappy. I know it's not so simple, you gotta earn the money somehow, but maybe you should sell it if you're so anti-business. Not trying to flame even, I just think it's abnormal that you're so anti-business while running a full time business, it's weird. It's such a long post already, such a waste of time. I have quite a bit of energy, right. Better I use it elsewhere.

How am I anti-business when I have a business?

I have a job. I work for my company.

 

[Zwielicht]

Somebody explain if it's only forum for side hustlers with full time jobs and projects on the side or are full time entrepreneurs allowed? Should we leave?

It's understandable that someone that does this full time and doesn't want or have an option of getting a job will have different needs, normally when you're full timer you have to fix your business (or maybe start another one, people having 2-3 businesses for various reasons isn't uncommon) when you have problems, you don't get a job. Each time I try to have a discussion as a full timer WW3 starts in these threads. Are entrepreneurs not allowed? What is the problem? Maybe you guys *do* prefer to keep it a hangout and a little bit of a discussion on side hustling next to your full time job, this isn't a good place for full time entrepreneurs (unless you want to just hang out at the saloon and you don't do anything business related here)?

From what I can see, the hangout culture does dominate the forum at many points, and it can make it feel like entrepreneurial discussions aren't well received here.

I don't think anyone who is self-employed full-time should leave, and there are a lot of other members here who are like this, including me.

How am I anti-business when I have a business?

It does make sense. I was anti-work when I had a job.

Doing the thing doesn't mean you're all for it, especially if you're stuck feeling it's your only option.

Since discussing other communities here is allowed, I’d like to ask if anyone can recommend other places where people connect or do business.

Can you start a separate thread in the Social Media section for that?

Social Media

Discuss social media tactics, growth strategies, and methods to boost engagement. Social networking sites, image or video sharing platforms, discussion forums, and messaging apps all fall under this category.

officeoutlaw.com

 

[GoldenGlovez]

I'm here to socialize with individuals that have an ambition, ideas, and goals in life. I'd like to pay forward any relatable life or business experiences I can share, much like my predecessors did for me in my younger days. It doesn't matter to me if someone joins here looking for advice on entrepreneurial activity or simply wanting to climb the corporate ladder.

I'm not here to denigrate those who work a 9-5 either. In fact, I'd say their contribution and insight is worth their weight in gold to any entrepreneurial-minded people, and should be highly welcomed. Understanding the pain points of different industries through the eyes of an employee is far more valuable than any feedback you'd receive from yet another entrepreneur in the same boat.

 

[Zwielicht]

I'm here to socialize with individuals that have an ambition, ideas, and goals in life. I'd like to pay forward any relatable life or business experiences I can share, much like my predecessors did for me in my younger days. It doesn't matter to me if someone joins here looking for advice on entrepreneurial activity or simply wanting to climb the corporate ladder.

I'm not here to denigrate those who work a 9-5 either. In fact, I'd say their contribution and insight is worth their weight in gold to any entrepreneurial-minded people, and should be highly welcomed. Understanding the pain points of different industries through the eyes of an employee is far more valuable than any feedback you'd receive from yet another entrepreneur in the same boat.

I really like this perspective!

 

[RiskyStuff]

It's a business and motivation related forum.

I just use it for self improvement because that's my biggest obstacle in life. Well, all we got in life is our body and how we control it.

It's an unusual way of seeing things but everyone has their prism through which they see their world.

I think business forum and self improvement correlate a lot with each other.

 

[demonic_man]

I am here to learn and learn from the OG guys here because they have great experience that might be useful for my future life, as I do not have that much experience in my life

The environment is very friendly, not like the other forum, full of rules and AI spam, warnings, blah blah

i think this forum is the best place to learn about new things for me, and it is also very beneficial for the business i am building right now

because as a teenager you need a lot of knowledge and some experienced guys around you

 

[TheVigilante]

Basically here to learn, grow and contribute in anyway I can

So you can say all things IM related and also personal growth

 

[Zwielicht]

I suppose what I'm getting from everyone's responses is that the forum is what you make of it.

I'm going to leave this thread open for now, just know that threads auto-lock in this section if they don't get responses after 2 weeks.

Thank you everyone who has responded so far. It's given me a better idea on what kind of subforums we can add here, that we don't have a dozen prefixes in one section.

At some point, the staff here want to (finally) get around to doing promotions for the forum, so this has given us a better idea of what to highlight when we do those.