I had an experience which made me come to the realization that the cornerstone of building a successful business empire is loyalty. The type that goes beyond mere transactions and profit margins. This type of loyalty creates an unbreakable bond with clients such that we win some, and other times, we lose some for our clients to benefit.
You know, there is this certain satisfaction that comes from knowing that the progress one has made in business is built on trust, mutual respect, and a deep understanding of one another's values and goals, which often leads to referrals. Basically, it's a sense of community that extends far beyond the confines of financial exchange for goods and services.
Quite unfortunately that despite this knowledge, I have witnessed businesses falter and fail. Usually, these failures can be attributed to the myopic focus on short-term gains.
A narrow perspective really, because I see these individuals prioritizing immediate financial rewards over the long-term benefits of nurturing meaningful relationships. On few occasions, I have also seen such businesses experience a fleeting moment of success which ultimately crumbles under the weight of their own self-interest.
I vividly recall the day that my friend invited me to his potato farm, eager to share with me the intricacies of the planting process. As a seasoned entrepreneur with a passion for exploring diverse business ideas, I couldn't resist the opportunity to immerse myself in this new endeavor.
I made sure to clear my pending task and accept the invitation which kept my mind buzzing with anticipation.
Finally, the day came and upon arrival, I was greeted by the lush green expanse of the farm, which was an acre.
The air felt clean, and as I inhaled, the scent of freshly tilled earth engulfed my nostrils. Not pnly
that but my friend's enthusiasm was infectious, and I was equally as excited to roll up my sleeves and get involved in the planting process.
However, my expectations were soon tempered when it was discovered that the quantity of the potato vines supplied was lesser than the amount that had been agreed upon.
Despite this setback discovery, we weren’t deterred as we pressed on. Together with the labourers, my friends and I carefully planted the potato vines till we exhausted it all.
It was already mid day and as the sun began to beat down on us, we called it a day and headed to my friend's place with the farmer who supplied the vines to finalize the negotiations of final payment.
Given our discovery, my friend had informed the farmer and concluded that he would withhold a portion of the payment from her. A decision that didn’t go down well with her as she was far from pleased with my friend's actions.
We retired to my friend’s home and as we gathered to resolve the looming conflict, a palpable sense of tension engulfed the surroundings.
Her distress was evident as she placed a call through to her husband. Not only that, but her voice was laced with desperation, so much so that the situation escalated quickly and with her husband threatening to involve the authorities. On another end, it was my friend's fiancé daring my friend to take action.
The scene was chaotic, as I felt overwhelmed, but I managed to devise a strategy to negotiate with both parties separately for peace.
I approached the lady first, as I took her aside and attempted to reason with her, appealing to her to accept my friend's offer so the dispute could be resolved amicably.
I went on to also share with her some of my own experiences with failed businesses, emphasizing that sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. I also explained the importance of loyalty and building strong relationships for future opportunities and referrals.
Despite my efforts, she refused to yield, as she became increasingly agitated and threatened to transfer aggression from my friend to me.
In that moment, I withdrew from her and turned to my friend. I inquired whether he had informed the lady farmer of the conflicted amount of potato vines before planting. He admitted that he had not, because he trusted the woman to be honest.
At that moment the problem became clear as his negligence was the result of the comflict.
I informed him about the consequences of his actions, and went on to suggest that he pay the lady in full, as he had already accepted the vines without scrutiny.
Thankfully, my friend saw the logic in my argument and agreed to settle the outstanding amount. As the lady departed, feeling that she had won, I couldn't help but caution her that her actions might have repercussions in the future.
True and true, my friend called aftwerwards to inform me that the lady had reached out to him for assistance. I was not surprised, because I saw it coming.
Apparently, she and her husband had been affected by a devastating flood that ravaged a significant portion of southern Nigeria, destroying their homes, farmlands and belongings. She had hoped that my friend would provide her with a farmland in his community and a room in his family home, to accommodate her and her family.
My friend bluntly refused her plea for assistance and I couldn't even intervene on her behalf, as her previous actions had ruined whatever good words I would have put in for her.
It was quite an unappealing moment for her bearing in mind that her inability to forfeit and let go when she had the chance had led to this outcome.
After all said and done, I could only hope that she would learn from her experiences because in the grand scheme of things, every connection matters.
It could be personal or professional which in the end, both have the potential to yield positive outcomes if carefully nurtured.
