In Internet marketing circles, the name ‘Joe Kumar’ evokes painful memories. It’s the ultimate insult to liken anyone with him.

And that’s what a prominent marketing guru just did - to me!

Tony Blake said this on Twitter:

“You’re beginning to remind me of me of Joe Kumar — think about it - Are you even a REAL Dr. anymore?”

Over the ten years I’ve worked online, this is not the first time someone has voiced a similar question, in different ways.

Some ask, in disbelief, how it was possible for a heart surgeon to dabble in anything else. Others more cynical say I likely am not an actively practicing surgeon. And some wonder how I get so many things done if I’m a REAL doctor.

However, this is the first time someone with influence has asked the question in such a public manner - with such a rude comparison to a proven scammer.

In a sense, I’m glad - and relieved - that this question wasn’t asked ten years ago… when it would have been harder to answer convincingly, especially when it comes from an influential blogger/marketer.

Today, I have a long track record to point to, a big list of people I’ve known, met and trust to back me up, a ton of proof to pull up in answer.

For instance, I can offer this PDF document for download. It’s the performance report of the Dr.Mani Children Heart Foundation, last updated in 2007, which contains details of the 23 children who have received a heart operation through funds raised by my online activities (business and fundraising).

And I can give names and addresses of people to contact, call, write or visit who will tell you exactly what I do as a heart surgeon treating congenital heart defects.

No, I am not a mere figment of someone’s imagination out there in cyberspace.

I’m a real-life heart surgeon who has invested 15 hard years learning and refining my craft and skills.

I’m a real-life online business owner who has survived the battering and bruising of ten years of working online to achieve a semblance of success.

I’m a founder of a registered non-profit organization that has raised funds and sponsored costly treatment for little kids who had few other options.

So, let’s come to Tony Blake’s ‘accusation’.

Lately, he’s on a ‘guru bashing’ roll. There are a slew of IM gurus who make my bile rise too, so I can see where he’s coming from. Unfortunately, when you wield a tarred brush carelessly, you run the risk of hurting everyone you ‘target’.

Yes, asking pointed questions is fair. However, assuming guilt before the fact is stupid. Posturing as being the ‘voice of the people’ is presumptuous.

Controversy does sell. It does get attention. And that’s what I meant by titling this post ‘Influence Gone Wrong’.

Influence can be used in powerful ways. But with great influence comes greater RESPONSIBILITY. Just as I said about the way Robert Scoble went about ‘testing’ Facebook.

Influence can - and does - go wrong.

Tony Blake could have asked the questions - and been as probing, cynical or searching as he wished - and I’d have gladly answered them. I would have happily provided all proof he desired… because he has influence. It is in my best interest - and the best interests of my non-profit work - to have influential supporters who are convinced about the things I do.

But considering the way he chose to carry out his ‘inquisition’, I will provide the necessary data - but with a frown of disappointment, rather than a smile on my face.

Let’s get going, then… I’ll take this opportunity to share parts of my strategic planning from December, too.

Tony Blake on Twitter:

“So in 24hrs your time is 1/24th Dr. (45min from 1130a-1215p) and the rest is all marketing — how things have changed, how they have changed.”

(This was in response to my pointing Tony to this post about “A Day in the Life of an Infopreneur“)

I’ll not get into the mechanics of how medical practice works, because it’s not relevant. Suffice to say duration of time spent has little to do with efficiency or productivity.

A bit of background about congenital heart defects will help explain things better. 7 in 1,000 children are born with CHD. In my home state of Tamilnadu, this leaves a patient base of over 50,000 needing treatment.

To perform one operation costs Rs.115,000 (on average) - that’s around $2,950.

The patient population I work to help has household incomes of Rs.2,000 to Rs.4,000 per month. Obviously, most cannot afford to pay for the expensive treatment.

In the entire State, around 1,800 pediatric heart operations are performed every year. There are many hurdles to increasing this number, like lack of awareness about CHD, non-access to facilities that detect and diagnose congenital heart conditions, and paucity of centers that deliver surgical services.

Of all the limitations to having treatment, the biggest is the lack of money. If financial support can be made available, many more operations can be done. Therefore, my focus has been mainly on the generation of funding for our program.

Progess has been slow, yet steady. Bit by little bit, the Dr.Mani Children Heart Foundation has raised over $100,000 in 4 years. The contributions are growing every year, but not as fast as I would like them to. So most of my efforts are focused on this component.

Ask yourself this question:

Having trained for 15 YEARS to perform heart operations, given the excitement and thrill of actually carrying them out, is there any sane reason I would PREFER to do anything else than operate all day?!

I’d love to perform 3 or 4 surgeries daily. But there’s not enough funding to enjoy this luxury. So I do the less tasteful work, all the while encouraging myself that in time this process will become self-sustaining enough to allow me to focus on what I WANT to do - operate on children with heart defects all day long!

We’ve made a LOT of progress. A proposal that’s been supported by our State Government will subsidize 30% of the cost of each operation. A big donation is anticipated that will allow us to purchase a lot of new surgical equipment. And partnerships with other NGOs in India will help in our awareness building efforts and create a channel to bring patients needing care to medical facilities sponsored by our group.

Does this happen by sitting in front of a computer and Twittering?

Of course not. It takes work. Hard work. To convince a group of hard-headed business people and politicians about the vital necessity of taking care of sick kids.

My friend Tony Blake would (correctly) label that work MARKETING - and without that ‘marketing’, my ‘heart kids’ will not get the chance they deserve, and their families will be forced to continue along the path they’ve done for decades past!

Other comments Tony made in follow up Twitter posts are:

“And sometimes someone has to ask questions that have been bugging then… I’ve never been one to keep my mouth shut and go along.”

Q coming from me is more important: I know heart surgeons. They barely have enough time to take a crap let alone be full time marketers.

I’m not alone in wondering this. I know LOTS of people thinking the same thing, same Q’s. They are just afraid to ask.”

There have always been questions. And also, there have always been more questions I’ve asked myself than anyone else has asked me!

I’ve tried to anticipate many of them - and answered them on my various websites.

• There are RECORDS and DOCUMENTS - to prove my credentials and track record.
• There are ADDRESSES and PHONE NUMBERS - to call and ask for more details.
• There are PEOPLE - to vouch for my authenticity, professional capabilities and integrity.
• There are ANSWERS - to questions that are hard to answer convincingly, but that I still tried as best as I could.
• There are PUBLICATIONS - including an interview with FAST COMPANY magazine.

And still, there’s always the risk of being called a scammer.

It’s a risk I’ve learned to accept. No, it’s not funny or nice when it happens.

But it’s completely justified for anyone burned by the unethical activities of a few fellow Netizens to look with cynicism at everyone else.

It only hurts when that someone is a person who has known me for years. Like Tony Blake.

It is also potentially very much more damaging when that someone has ‘influence’.

Influence gone wrong is a dangerous thing.

And everyone with influence needs to constantly remember that.