Encountering *special* people
I don't know how many of you know that I'm in the process of growing my
web-design business...I'd like to share with you all some little tid-bits about encountering *special* people and how to handle them. Trust me, I've been at practice at this for a lifetime, so I *could* be considered an expert at this. I'm sure a lot of you have great experience at it too as we all know, these *special* people come across our paths many many times.
To give you some background, just yesterday, I asked my "business partners" a request to recommit themselves into this business - that means giving whatever they can whenever they can into the business to make it grow and improve and make a difference to our clients and their businesses.
For more context:
This was AFTER they made the assumption that The Company was not going to continue and that their own involvement would not exist. They had made this decision without consulting me.
In light of that news, I then turned the situation around after having several "epiphanies" during the past few days. I was not going to let them destroy what we had worked for the past six months. I was more determined to make this company work, and it required their personal commitment firstly.
What I asked of them was to choose one of the following:
1. No. (Thank you for being honest in relinquishing your involvement in the company. Have a good life.)
2. Yes. (I would like to become a business partner as well as help in the designing.)
3. Yes. (I'm in it only for the money so being a subcontractor would be in my interest.)
..and then with these instructions:
"I am giving both of you a deadline of tonight, 11:59pm to make your decision. Please email me in either, "Yes, I'm in." or "No, thank you." in the subject header. Please bear in mind that if you say "No." then you will not know of my plans for The Company and thereby terminate your involvement. "
"If you decide "Yes." then, and ONLY then will there be a meeting to which we will discuss the full extent in terms of business strategy as well as structure."
And so, to make matters even more "special", one of my, now ex-partner, decided to take another route. He writes me a belabouring and wishy-washy email stating that he was "surprised" and though it wasn't professional of me to ask them of this decision. I won't get into those emails, but I bet you know what I'm trying to convey here.
After reading and replying to his email, I finally received another one (this guy won't stop) this morning. I then proceeded to reply with the following (the name has been changed to protect the *special*):
>Subject: RE: (no subject)
> Date: Wed, 04 Feb 2004 10:49:03 -0500
>
>Special-boy,
>
>I just read the first couple of sentences of this email. There's no need to read any further.
>
>There's a saying that it takes a genius to make a complicated matter into something simple. It takes an idiot to turn something simple into something complicated.
>
>The choice was simple, and you failed in it. Sorry. As a "business partner", you're not what I'm looking for. Perhaps when you've finally "gotten over yourself", you might be business partner material. I'd rather be straight-forward about it as possible.
>
>Thank you for being you.
>
>- - B.
>
>
>
>
>
>>From: Special-boy
>>To: B.
>>Subject: (no subject)
>> Date: Wed, 04 Feb 2004 10:21:39 -0500
>>
>>B., I thought you were out of line yesterday and I expressed that in no uncertain terms. But I also wanted you to know I was still extending a hand in friendship...
So there you have it...some people..
I thank you for your comments. Please try putting yourself in my shoes before you reply. And if you're having a hard time trying, or if you're severely disagreeing with this, you probably don't have the mental toughness in being a business owner just yet.