Underwear Is Essential

This week another cake company attempted to irritate me, and they ended up regretting it. The short version is, we had an agreement about the use of some equipment - and in the 10th hour (not quite the 11th but close enough), they changed the rules of the agreement. If there's something I really hate, it's when you have an understanding of something and then the other party decides to changes the rules. You know, just because they think they can mess with you - they mistakenly believe they hold all the power in the relationship. Call me crazy but I thought 'mutual agreement' means both parties are getting something out of it, not that one is getting the goods and the other is getting a lifetime of debt (unless of course this IS the agreement you've come to, in which case I think it's time you thought about getting out of business entirely.) 

This other company's rule changing left me in a really uncomfortable position - and if there's yet another thing I hate, it's that feeling of being beholden. Potentially I could have been left with my ass hanging out in the wind and that, my friends, is not how I do business (I much prefer my ass be covered.) I took some swift and decisive actions, and then politely but firmly told the other company to go fuck themselves. Oh, wait. I think I actually said, "Thanks so much for your kind and generous offer, but we've secured the services of another company." Which, for those who know me well, is equal to, "Kiss my arse, you morons. You attempt at messing with me just blew up in your face spectacularly."

The end result was a good one for me, a bad one for them (which  is pretty much how I prefer things overall...) but the interesting thing is how it's cemented for me a basic business idea - that I don't want to associate with, provide services to, align myself with, or otherwise get anywhere near companies which behave in unethical or unscrupulous ways. Maybe this is a failing of mine, where other businesss owners might say, "Screw them, play the game and make the money." Nope. Uh-uh. Not me. Not going to do it. It just irritates me to no end. Of course, my version of business probably has it's pitfalls as well. I'm honest to a fault, I overly communicate, and I basically put it all out there. I'm practically incapable of lying about anything, and I nearly always offer more information than is strictly required. There is just none of this game playing bullshit with me, and even if I tried I'd probably suck at it (a bit like networking, isn't it? I'm no good at the bullshitting stuff.)

That being said, as a very wise Biz Guy once told me, "It's YOUR business. You run it YOUR way," and my way means there is none of this messing about business. Not in the 10th hour, the 11th hour, or in ANY hour.

If it means I'm potentially losing business because I won't 'play with the big boys,' ...well, so be it. I'd rather have my ass covered by a pair of cheap Target underwear than not covered at all.