by Anyone could be your next client. The person you got angry with at the grocery store, the person driving the car you just cut off, the person you took your bad mood out on, the person you blamed a helpless situation on, the person you belittled to try to get your way.
By being a business owner, you are forever more associating yourself and your actions with your business. If you are volatile and rude to me in an interaction, and I know (or learn in the future) what business you have, it absolutely doesn’t make me want to be a client of yours. And not only that, but it doesn’t make me want to recommend your business to friends or family either.
This doesn’t mean you can never disagree on something again or stand up for yourself, but I think all too often we forget the ramifications of our behaviours outside of our business. When you choose to be self-employed, you choose to combine your identities personally and professionally. You must choose which battles are a moral fight for you, and which are just maybe a temper tantrum taken out on the person in front of you. And choose wisely, as word of mouth is worth far more than any ad campaign or marketing you will ever pay for.
Just some food for thought to keep in mind in your interactions this week āØ