What an amazing 6 weeks it’s been. The people Chris & I have been encountering have been so fun. The saying that people don’t remember what you do, but how you make them feel is absolutely true. Which, I must say, is in complete contrast to a couple of weird encounters we had last fall.
I was always taught to say what you mean, keep your word and don’t say anything about someone that you wouldn’t say to their face. Luckily for us, the 40 year old motocross industry pretty much plays by these rules. We were able to do business with most of the 150 business we did business with, without any contracts, trusting that these businesses had our backs, just as we had theirs. I have always been a watch and learn kind of person. Observation has been something that has served me well in my 44 years on this planet, and combined with intuition, this has never let me down.
Fast forward 2 years… here’s what I’m finding… if you enjoy what you do and go about doing it without getting into other’s business, this is considered a weakness. If you walk into a crowded room and spread discourse about others & their business falsely, this makes you strong. Um… gonna to have to pass on this behavior.
Here’s my tale from last September:
I collected on invoices belonging to a “30 something” new business owner that were 3 months past due, which is just a part of my job, having this person ignore all attempts for collecting the amount due (luckily this is only something we’ve had to do twice in the last two years). On the same day as I had received two payments from this business, this person walked into a meeting with other local business owners and trashed my business, stating that we were highly unprofessional, while the very same day the checks bounced. I found out about this declaration of our businesses poor ethics from someone who was at this meeting (I have the declaration of having to defend us in writing). As well, we had financial damages arise because this occured that were rather traumatic to our entire family. Instead of hopping on Facebook, Twitter, or rather stand in a room and defame this person, I just moved on to lessen the damage done. Smart? Yes. Satisfying? No. Does this make me a doormat? Absolutely not. Does posting this experience make me a tattletale? ABSOLUTELY not. It is illegal, but really, who would it benefit to take such crappy behavior to court? This person’s business is just finishing it’s first year, so there wasn’t anything to gain.
We had never had this happen, ever in motocross, and honestly, I had no idea of what to do next. I handled it through our District Attorney’s office and until I did this, this particular business owner was first non existent, then rude, un apologetic, made excuses and even tried to state there was never any contract until I sent it over. Then it was about questioning the validity of said contract, which lasted about 3 minutes. It ended with the business owner finally paying us 6 weeks later via PayPal. In full, no questions and no apology.
This kind of business ethic isn’t acceptable, it is really just the sign of an immature business owner not taking responsibility for their words, actions and intentions. Some have called it professional bullying. As for the damage this behavior caused my family, it had a weird twist with a bittersweet happy ending. I am highly aware of the damage it could have caused and am thankful every day that it didn’t go any further.
Why am I sharing this? It’s pretty therapeutic, for one, but more so as a cautionary tale. This person has paid mentors who claim ultimate accountability for this business owner. Which means a new lesson in business after all of these years for me: Referrals don’t mean anything. Making up your own mind about who is who is a much more timely way of figuring out your way in the business world, but worth it.
People often say one thing and do another. Promises are broken. People say things to tear each other down instead of lifting each other up and encourage one another. Yep, this is just a fact of life & being competitive.
I am highly competitive but I have to say it’s highly unintelligent if you feel you have to compete on this level. There’s no satisfaction in it. It’s better to “win” by being good at what you do and being a person of your word. This is real, not just perception. This means you have solid credibility. Your past is a huge part of who you are. What you do now will someday be your past. Mind it well.
Your words have the power to impact many. Use them wisely my friends. It’s better to have heart with no words than words with no heart.
)! He has been a professional photographer & editor for national magazines for 23 years and is currently teaching me photography as a way to express myself. Photography and writing are quickly becoming a passion of mine and a fantastic way to express to the rest of the world how I see it.
