Morning Folks!!
Can Friendship hurt your Overall Business? Ever think about that one? Ever think that getting too close to business associates can work against you just as it can work for you? Can cloud your judgment, your business sensibilities and responsibilities and even values?
I think when you examine it there is a very fine line. It’s not easy to come to decisions to begin with, but how much should the friendship weigh when you are in a business environment and making business decisions?
As time goes on this will be a question that more and more domainers will be asking. They have to ask. We are dealing with survival in many cases if not all cases.
These are not easy questions. They may not even be questions you have thought about. But when you are faced with the crossroads, what do you actually do? I often describe myself as “Loyal to a fault.” It is actually something I am fighting. Sometimes loyalty can go too far. Can flirt with what you believe is acceptable, unacceptable and what you believe in is right even when they are your friends.
The industry is becoming a very tangled web. So many folks doing business with other folks and friends and there is a point where the cross business can actually become a hindrance. So many “Type A” personalities., so many egos, lots of peer pressure, so many desires and dreams, so many this and that all rolled together and here we are. We will experience the good, the bad and the ugly. As it should be I guess. However much more interesting when you can pull back for a moment to separate the positives from the negatives, the good things from the bad things, the understanding of the role each of us play, and how we interact.
Friendships can be the foundation of a business or the undoing of it.
We are an industry of friends and associates and personalities networking together with many that irritate this one or that one. At some point the irritation can poison the water but so too can the friendship. Can override the main mission. Can distract and destroy. Business has no friends. Business is all about friends. Two sides of a tight rope.
Just something to think about and how it relates to our little universe. Einstein once said something like he really was not that smart, he just spent more time thinking about things and went deeper than others.
Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz
Kevin
Much wiser to look at your loving dogs and cats as your true friends because they truly are the only real deal 100% honest loyal to the end”Friends” you’ve got in life. They’ll stay by your side even when the house is on fire or the boat is sinking.
The people you deal with in business and even in your personal life are just that, the people you”DEAL WITH” in business and in your personal life. Most everyone learns this fact the hard way.
So it’s fine to label them”friends”, but never kid yourself, because behind the smiles, laughter, buddy hugs and comradery there is always an”agenda” of one kind or another. Always.
Donna Mahony
I must be one of the lucky ones. With just one exception, my friends in business have all been assets, as I hope I have been to them.
Rick Schwartz
Donna,
Just for the record, you used my board and the resources to try and undermine me, TRAFFIC and had your own agenda promoting a competing event. You don’t think that was wrong. I do.
I said from day one”There was a conflict of interest”. Nothing more, nothing less. You just can’t accept that as the answer even tho it is.
I have not posted the vile things you have posted over the years about me at most every opportunity. You are about personalities, I am about business. Time to just let it go and get over it. I never cheated you, took advantage of you or even talked ill of you.
Let’s move on!
Altaf
In this modern world, I trusted every one but my wife didn’t. Lastly, I found her to be correct in all respects. Whom I trusted, he/she cheated me. This becomes the norms of modern life, while my father told that at their time people sold their properties on verbal promise.No paper documents were required.That’s it. No dispute.But now! no trust in business.
Kevin,
The dog is 100% trusted, loyal,but cat.We found dog will suffer & go with you being the only master wherever you will shift your house/or it’s on fire while cat will remain in comfort zone with the old masters or run away from the fire. Have you observed it? I Don’t trust any one than dog.
Have a great time!
Donna Mahony
Rick if you were aware of what went on a year ago, you would know you aren’t the one I referred to.
Your post was about friends and business. You and I were never either by my defination. We were acquaintenances in the same business. Yet you took the opportunity to attack me because in your head it had to be YOU! You are not the center of all things.
As far as using your board to promote anything, it never happened. If you have any post with me promoting anything I would love to see it. I asked one time who was attending DomainFest, they were your biggest supporters and you always spoke well of them. Folks always asked who was attending other events. I am not a mind reader and knew nothing of your problems with another event happening. I assumed since they supported you, you supported them. You wrote and told me not to do that, I never mentioned it again.
You banned me for conflict of interest. What is that? We are all competitors of each other. Our own agendas are simply that..we all have agendas. Not all have evil intent. I supported you in every one of your agendas right up til the day you banned me. My only crime on your forum was that I was also loyal to Oversee, who had always been good to me. I can have 2 friends and like them both even if they don’t like each other.
I would LOVE to have you post these vile things I said about you. They don’t exist, just like me
promoting anything your board doesn’t exist.
Many folks here were on your board when I was there and not one of them could say I promoted another event on your board. Many also read all the other forums and won’t find any posts, past or present, where I said”vile” things about you. Worst I ever said was that I think you are greedy and I still think that. Yet you lie here about my postings on your board and in public forums.
As far as moving on. I did that long ago. Perhaps you forget that when there was a group wanting to
register a particular domain to thwart your effort here, I was the one who alerted you before they
regged it. You registered it right away and thanked me.
And I also asked you to open communications between your board and mine to help unite the community
and make it more comfortable for members of both boards. You declined. I moved on.
I wish eveyone well in this industry. Even our old friend Ristanbul..A success for one is a success for all.
Rick Schwartz
Donna,
No lies, I stand by every word and then some.
As for greedy, funny how my board was responsible for so many life changing relationships. Never asked for anything. Never charged anything. Shared whatever things I learned. You call that greedy? I have been more than generous to this industry and the folks in it than I ever needed to be and for that I get labeled greedy? That’s not very nice. That IS vile and you have said it in really hurtful ways on multiple occasions and multiple places.
That said, I am glad you are ready to move on.
Donna Mahony
“Never asked for anything. Never charged anything.”
Really? Might want to read your board from 12/06 and an email you posted which I suggested you remove.
You deserve credit for what you actually deserve it for and are entitled to make money any way you wish for what you wish in your livingroom, but lets keep it real.
Christian
Great post Rick!!
owen frager
Next!