I’m unplugged for a few days to recharge with Dee after getting the book finished. The following is an excerpt from Good Company: Making It, Keeping It, And Being It that goes on sale on Monday, August 20th.
“Guys, this is awkward and I don’t quite know how to say this … but you don’t want to hire us today.”
That’s what I said to some incredibly kind and talented brothers and their father.
Wilhour Construction – makers of beautiful outbuildings and tool sheds in Illinois (soon to be in the Midwest). I had come up to talk to them about advertising problems, and how we could possibly fix them. They were ready to hire us. Money had already changed hands.
But after listening for close to forty-five minutes, it became clear their problems weren’t advertising problems. They were already growing too quickly on the merits of the quality of their work. The last thing they needed at this point was good advertising. They had staffing concerns and systems, and policies and procedures they needed to develop to grow their company to the next level. Only then would they be ready for our services.
I left there that day losing a client, but gaining something more valuable: self-respect and the respect of others.
My father taught me that at an early age: do the right thing it will come back to you tenfold. It’s the reason why – and I’m thankful that before I started my own company that my employers understood – that from the very beginning I haven’t worked with strip clubs, adult bookstores or places of that nature. I choose not to do those things.
Sometimes the best thing we can do is tell someone “no.” It’s good for the soul, don’t you think?
My partner and mentor, Michele Miller, had some advice for me when I gave a talk to college students called All The Difference.
It’s about the lessons I’ve learned along this road less traveled. Michele suggested they wake up each morning and wonder to what they’ll say “no” to today. We say “yes” far too often. We commit to far too many things. At what expense?
To what will you say “no” today? On what will you not compromise?
That day – at Wilhour – I said “no” to a large sum of money over the next year – or possibly five years – because it was the right thing to do.
Doing the right thing hurts sometimes, don’t you think?
A great story, Tim. This is a real problem in our business; taking dollars no matter the situation. There’s little doubt in my mind that these guys will come back to you in a few years, probably with double or triple the budget they had at this point. Doing the right thing doesn’t always pay off, and sometimes it pays off down the road. Thanks for sharing.