Just had a chat with a fellow business owner about a strange phenomena. Both of us have been running businesses for years now. And we consistently get the most respect & good treatment in working relationships where "No, I can't do that" is freely and commonly said.
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When you say "No, I can't do that" you look like you know what you want, are in control, are independent, don't need their business and have lots of backups and customers. Break free of the idea that caving into demands & taking whatever money comes your way is good for business
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Replying to @sehurlburt
There is a stupendous amount of leverage to declining to do anything but your best work for the best possible customers.
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Replying to @patio11 @sehurlburt
You're (structurally) going to be disproportionately exposed to successful projects, improving your reputation and day-to-day happiness. You'll rack up credibility with marginal prospects by saying "I could take your money, but I care too much about your outcomes to do so."
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Replying to @patio11 @sehurlburt
You quickly get out of the rat race, where you close *just* enough business to squeak by while miserable, and ensure that you have *just* enough bandwidth to get enough leads next month to continue being miserable. Instead, you get your pick of projects, clients, and prices.
1 reply 1 retweet 8 likes -
Replying to @patio11 @sehurlburt
And when prospects/customers/employees/etc look at your business from the outside, they see (exactly as you said) a confident professional, routinely succeeding at producing great work, surrounded by happy references, charging premium rates that are entirely justified.
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Replying to @patio11 @sehurlburt
And the thing that really made me doubt my own sanity: half of the time when I told someone "Actually, I don't want that business." they would start trying to *sell me* on why they deserved to be given the chance to pay.
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The other half of the time I got annoyed reactions, especially for the cheaper tiers of my software products. "The customer is always right!" "Ma'am, with respect, a customer is someone paying money for the service, and I am refusing your money, so you are not my customer."
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