Business is ‘terrible’, we learnt today, from someone we’d worked with. ‘It’s hardly better than last year’.
‘Great!’ Was our response, as we waited for this individual’s usual stoic resolve and general philosophy to give us their punch line. ‘And how was last year?’
‘Best year we’ve ever had!’
We already knew that. We’d also known this was someone who didn’t just talk the talk, they took their business seriously and were at the walk the walk level; very aware that there’s no magic formula to a successful business and especially applicable for a small business.
We were therefore very happy to have this catch up conversation with someone who isn’t the easiest of people to get along with, although they are incredibly popular with their staff members and, we therefore assume, their customers. Which is in great contrast to the person we spoke to recently who we’d love to ‘out’ but don’t relish the lawsuits that could follow. This person, in a place of authority had such high self assurance that he neither wanted or felt the need for conversation, he was considerably, in his self-opinionated way, more knowledgeable than anyone and he ran his business merely as a hobby. Doubtless, he isn’t the easiest person to get on with either.
It’s going to be interesting to watch as the future unfolds which of these two ‘difficult’ characters will take the full advantage from their businesses, the one who is curious or the one who is closed off?
(Image credit: J D Hancock Article credit: Copyright SUF)
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