Welcome back to another episode of the corporate Cowboys podcast I’m your host Alex today’s episode I figured well I mean we’re doing a little bit of Education through entertainments that’s the whole point of this podcast and a little catharsis why not why not it’s trying to help you survive
Corporate so you’ve taken the blue pill and there’s no detox what the [ __ ] do you do all right well here’s another 30 minute consult as we’re going into season seven I told you it’s just gonna get hotter and hotter every season if you want if you want the fundamentals go visit
Seasons one through four right because around five and six is when I start just handing out free games to individuals with questions that I pick up offline questions that are recommended to us that are forwarded to us and uh that way we can provide a somewhat informed opinion obviously
There’s going to be some missing context if we had a one-to-one some personal time we could do better we could always do better be better hit us up you can find us on Instagram that’s at corporate Cowboys with a z the patreon is also active multiple tiers we’re on Rumble as well that’s
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More like knowledge that they could use to get ahead in their careers by all means please write to us that’s P.O box 3372 Rancho Cordova California 95741 without further Ado I wanted to hit you guys up oh with the proof of Life first today is Tuesday December 27
2022 and it’s two days after Christmas I hope you all had a great time with friends family those close ones those loved ones in your circle but there’s a question they came across my screen as I was scrolling r slash small business and this question asks they’re seeing
The business booming my partner wants back in after quitting a year ago well what do they do right the question they would like some general advice some general advice personally just right off rip right off the bat if a person your friend an associate if they leave if they leave your business Arrangements
I don’t ever see a reason to have them come back maybe in the capacity of a contractor but I mean maybe you could take them back if you mutually agree they explore other options other avenues for the betterment for the Improvement for the sake of improving existing relationships
Existing networks right but then they would have had to leave with a mission with some type of objective they’ve had to go off and Branch out with a goal right some kind of some kind of uh ultimate vision some end game in mind to be able to come
Back to be able to report back to you on successes or uh or opportunities I don’t really choose to call them failures I think uh I think the ultimate failure is when you hit rock bottom the bottom of your [ __ ] grave so a person that you were close with
What a friend a friend wants back into your life back into your circle back into your network after having left a year ago what do you do well they leave a little bit of context here in the body and they say hi folks my friend and I were Partners I am
A logo designer and he is a web designer the business was going great people loved my Logos and kept coming back and he was also really good and then his new girlfriend who I guess didn’t like me made every effort to destroy our friendship and the Business
From why I was wearing the same color t-shirts to which clients we should take and which we shouldn’t we started losing clients due to late deliveries and his backing out at the last moment seeing a sinking ship he bailed out and also stopped responding to my calls and texts
We had been friends for eight years and all that went down the drain within three months after that I had full control and I made almost every effort to revive the business and raise its potential I am still a one-man business but now I have more designed clients than ever and
My clients loved The Branding and logos I did for them I had 50 percent referrals in the past month that’s [ __ ] good a little side note if 50 of your business comes strictly from referrals that means you’ve got to I mean you don’t have to take your foot
Off of the gas as far as marketing goes but that’s 50 percent more bandwidth you have as far as marketing goes I’ll leave it there a month ago he sent me an email congratulating me on my success and telling me how his girlfriend cheated on him
Last night he and I were at the same Christmas party and that is when he asked me if I could take him back as a business partner yo if somebody that’s how you know they left a [ __ ] up situation that’s how you that’s how you know they [ __ ] up they [ __ ] up a
Situation and now want to be quote unquote taken back anyways they end by saying I am really confused and I wanted to know what you would do and why I appreciate the input well we appreciate the question really we do obviously there are some you know some some preliminary information some basic
Biographical information some experiential information that we would collect as a corporate cowboy foreign in order to inform our opinion but based on what we’re given here I believe we have enough we have enough to tell you outright you shouldn’t take this full back you shouldn’t take this [ __ ] back at
All this reminds me of Associates that I’ve had from high school Associates that I had from undergrad that I worked with and we would chop it up a little bit you know um conduct business together and it just so happens that a female would enter their life and they [ __ ]
Ghost they would disappear for weeks at a time maybe months at a time and then when they came back I mean younger me in high school might have taken them back because my network wasn’t as wide my network wasn’t as Broad my network was not as expanse back then
So I figured that my options were somewhat limited and that anybody who came and tried to extend a hand I should receive right but but even then even then I knew that my level of confidence in them was diminished it’s just how the cookie crumbles it’s how the game plays out
When you have a track record when you recognize a pattern in somebody’s Behavior that affects your that affects your ability to confide in them to trust them to depend on them to rely on them ultimately it affects their professional image and it influences how you will associate with them in the future
Now that’s not what I immediately thought because again I said I was younger but As I Grew Older that opinion that I just gave you how it influences my professional inter-workings my how I operate professionally absolutely absolutely now I limit their access to me I limit their access to my network my reputation
Precedes me just as their reputation precedes them okay very nice very nice so then you’ve got to wonder why it is they want back into your business why it is they want back into your life when whoever cut off one another we’re satisfied we’re happy to not be in
Contact with each other for what a year man I’ve got boys I’ve got folks that I do go back also plenty of time at one point in time we might have been friends we might have been best friends I mean folks might have known us folks might have known us as having quote
Unquote rolled together been in the same Circle been in the same network but I’m not gonna say push comes the shove but there is a misprioritization of interests between partners it’s possible it happens maybe one partner prioritizes getting [ __ ] over making money maybe one partner prioritizes their own self-image their own
Self-image instead of a professional image instead of maintaining a sound professional front in order to keep business alive in order to keep business sustainable and productive and perpetual now when those interests overpower and overwhelm the business itself that’s when you know that trouble is abound so continuing
My anecdote I had folks that I used to roll with and geez they were really talented they really were they were like they were a brilliant brilliant uh at computer science I want to make it as vague as possible they know today they know what terms we are on we
Are neither friends and at the moment at the moment neither Associates I know somebody who knows somebody who knows them that’s about it so maybe we’re an acquaintance we’re back to acquaintances at this point because we’re not even con we’re not even transacting business together now the day comes that I need
The day comes that I’m approached should the day come that I am approached and require the type of service the specific expertise of this person who was once my quote-unquote friend who once was my quote-unquote partner then I approached them as a contractor not not even an employee why would I
[ __ ] put them down on payroll as a contractor respectfully professionally I at least pay them that professional respect I still hold them in in high regards just don’t have that kind of extra extraordinary Trust extraordinary confidence that extraordinary dependability or reliability I might have them do
Above board work for me because I can hold them to it on contract in quote unquote the real world but if I need something done in the gray if I need something done off the books they are no longer in that Circle they are no longer in that Network I don’t
Mean off the books I mean something enter something intersircular something on in the fold right I don’t I don’t mean extra legal I don’t mean criminal it’s just it’s levels it’s levels to the trust it’s levels to the individuals you can rely on and can depend on now
This person comes back to you hand and heart as has been done with me hand and heart asking if they could be reintroduced into your life reintegrated into your life I don’t know how regularly or how consistently at least for me because I cut that [ __ ] off quick I told them
If I need them I know them and if I don’t need them at the moment I don’t [ __ ] know them but in your case because this was at a holiday party I don’t know how circumstances aligned for you to appear together at a party and for them to approach you hand and
Heart and essentially confess to you I don’t know if they acknowledged or recognized that they are the ones that [ __ ] up or whether they should again because In the Heat of the Moment you could have been egging on the girlfriend seeing that they were a threat to the
Business and maybe y’all didn’t rub each other the right way she was interested in having as much time and attention from her boyfriend as possible and your boy sadly was interested in getting wet getting his dick wet as much as possible place that over the interest over the better interest
Of your of the business venture you two had together so bringing them back into the fold is the question on a limited if any bases do so on a contractual basis if you need them as an independent contractor 1099s are no sign of disrespect putting somebody on the 1099 is actually very respectful
Absolutely cutting them off from an industry is like threatening their livelihood you don’t want to outright black ball them either unless unless they do some outright grimy [ __ ] then yeah I could see that some outright grimy [ __ ] might warrant something extracurricular something off the books but you haven’t gotten there yet you’re definitely
Definitely are not there yet and I pray to God that you never go there that you never get there it’s a last resort it’s the ultimate Resort there’s no need for that I feel like the comment section in this particular post are going to relay much much of the same opinion I’m usually
Right with this type of stuff especially when folks are mixing personal feelings personal emotions uh outside situations in their work environment it’s like the opposite of bringing your work home if you bring your issues at home to work with you it’s going to impact your performance at work you’re
Going to [ __ ] back out of contracts backed out of taking clients you’re gonna what pay attention to to to to your girl as to what clients you are going to take and what work you ought to do how much time you ought to devote to it when you you are the one in
The driver’s seat you are the one who has the heads up display who has the metrics in front of you for what work needs to be done how much work you need to do in order to be successful and yet you’re going to let somebody else dictate where you’re going to go
The uh back seats driver if you will I mean that’s if you’re gung-ho right pedal to the metal the point man the first one in last one out type deal you don’t need any any external influences dictating what direction you’re going and how fast you want to take your time
Don’t live on anybody else’s and this goes to the op as well want to take your time I mean at this point only you know only you know the type of friend they were in the past and the type of friend they could be in the future should you
Reintroduce them into your life should you reintegrate them now as a business partner I mean there’s a difference between accepting their flaws as a human and their flaws as a professional human flaws which you can work on both right an individual can work on both but but the flaws of the human
One might be more apt to accepting to tolerating even before a professional flaw especially a flaw that this person isn’t keen on working on even recognizing that they had and just outright improving it overall it’s important it’s important that whoever whomever you have as a business partner comes to the table
With a contribution and that should have happened initially they did come to the table and their contribution was web design expertise in web design and you had a good thing going now you [ __ ] it up again for some social issue for some personal issue you [ __ ]
That up for some personal issue and then expect to be taken back the next time a personal issue comes up what can we expect you already have a track record and that track record may go back from before you two were business partners together like I mentioned this is from high school
Before we had businesses together before we started making money together we could see it we could see it let’s take a look at some of these comments real quick I mean that’s just very very general advice I don’t know the extent of your situation of the circumstances in which they left the
Company I don’t have any numbers in front of me as to whether or not profits were lost but from the context it’s obvious that when this person left the business uh or in the interim while this person was having your your ex-business partner was having issues personal issues with their girlfriend
The business was suffering because the girlfriend was riding their back essentially and then after they left you put in the individual efforts to get the business off the ground to make it solvent to make it profitable and so it’s not just a float it’s not just surviving you’re actually thriving
Now and now that you’re uh your your friend sees you doing good sees that you’re up they also want to be up with you they want a little handouts they want a little hand up right I’m not saying they don’t deserve it but they were not there
When you were putting in the work they were not in the gym with you when you were shooting right and again I’m again I’m not saying they outright do not deserve it because I don’t know what you’re with the dynamic of the relationship is like I don’t know how compatible they are
Again I would dig in I would dig even more into that because this goes on a deeper level it’s both the professional influencing the personal and vice versa the first comment here says uh says [ __ ] that [ __ ] that also make sure you have legally slash properly removed them from
Any claim to the business yeah I think that’s that’s the first thing that should have been done if with if and when ever a business partner leaves whenever a business partner leaves if the option exists to outright remove them from any title from any Financial or executive interest any ownership interest or financial
Interest in a business venture do that eliminate them because that way you mitigate any risk that they could go behind your back and [ __ ] you over with providers suppliers customers clients other business to business or business to Consumer interactions give them leave them no Authority leave them no power to claim any stake
In the previous business you had together right cut them out cut them out completely it’s the best way to isolate your position mitigate any risk any liability and oh the op responds to this and says actually I took care of that legally as soon as he left we were at the brink of
Bankruptcy oh that gets thick I worked my ass off and brought back this dying business to life actually I still miss him at times we had a loot of great memories but I guess he burned all the bridges you guess you guessed he burned all the bridges I
Mean who would he burden these Bridges with you or your clients I think if he burns any Bridges he’s got a lot of amends to make right and they may not all be with you but if he burns any bridge I I feel like that tells you
I think that tells you what kind of professional you’re dealing with not a consonant professional maybe not a professional at all the second comment here says uh taken back as a friend absolutely we all mess up okay I can agree with that and they say as a business partner no
Chance he can start his own business and you can send work his way if you want actually that right there that second comment is similarly to what I did I chose not to take this person back as a friend but I still know them as an acquaintance
Right and if I have work that I cannot perform in-house and it’s something specifically it’s something Niche where it requires a level of expertise that I cannot get at an Arm’s Reach then I could reach out I could contact them I still got their number I still got their contact info
We didn’t leave off on the best of terms but we left off on working terms so if I need them I’ll contract them but they’re not invited to the barbecue I haven’t seen them in ages years pretty much but I do got them up my sleeve if and when the time is appropriate
And it needs it necessitates absolutely necessitates and warrants me having to reach out not an enemy not bad blood not the opposition not even competition really just an acquaintance again there’s levels to this [ __ ] of trust confidence reliability um the third the third comment real
Quick and says uh nope not a chance the Y should be obvious yeah the why the why is because they [ __ ] burned you the why is because they left you out to dry that’s gotta be I mean that’s gotta hurt I wouldn’t miss him much at all really
They leave you out to dry and in the meantime you’re struggling keeping the business afloat on the brink of bankruptcy and they expect what to just be let back in as if nothing happened I mean what kind of interest can they expect in their mind they could be thinking
Because you two started it that they deserve an equal share even when they were not there to help you run the business to keep it afloat to have it prosper folks have folks have the wildest expectations at times sometimes without any shame sometimes without any awareness tactical strategic or otherwise
This person may have came to you at a time that’s supposed to inspire what Christmas spirit holiday blessings may have came to you in in with the intention that you do let them back into your life but they may not recognize or acknowledge that they [ __ ] up they may
Not be apologetic they may not be really aware of the state that they left the business when they chose to burn that bridge and now they think they can cross back over by having you lay across it another thing they can walk back over by walking all over you
That’s an issue don’t let it happen do not let that happen an arm’s length is better than sometimes better than an Embrace an arm’s length is sometimes better than an embrace that’s about half an hour right there I’m gonna cut it here you guys have any questions you want to reach out
Any comments by all means we’re here to serve you this operation is not for profit obviously if you want something one-on-one our rates are more than reasonable but one advertise them here they’re from case to case have yourselves a great week catch up to you later
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