When my mum celebrated her graduation at the University of Ibadan, she hired me as her photographer. I travelled down from Ile-Ife. She paid me enough money to cover my travelling expenses and the cost of production.
I was still a student whose business was just growing. Although I did not make any profit from that deal, I did not lose either. Rather than feel entitled to my services, she supported me in her way.
I once had a babe who hired me to cover her birthday. Because she knew that I had employees to pay too, she joyfully paid for my services. That is wisdom. Wise people know that relationships and pleasure should not come in the way of business.
Not all your families and friends may be wise enough to do this. Some may even get angry at you for demanding to be paid for your product or services, despite knowing that you have loans to repay.
Any family and friend whose patronage will make you run at a loss in your business is an enemy of your business. Tactically stay away from them!
Because they see the value you offer, they are only attracted to ‘use’ you. Once you go out of business, they will move to another person. Don’t encourage such parasitic relationships in your business. Parasites kill business. They are parasites because they usually do not add any value to your business in any way.
Parasites are loved ones who will make you feel bad about your actions but will never take the blame for the wrong they do to you. They will tell others how bad you are, but they will never tell others what they did wrong to you.
Parasites are usually loved ones who will never engage with your posts on social media. Parasites will neither broadcast your business fliers nor refer you to others, even when they are sure of your excellent work. You know them. Right? Somebody is coming to your mind now. Right?
Parasites are the least people you expect will refuse to pay. If you have ever worked with some celebrities and some so-called big people in society, you will agree with me that they hardly pay for the services you offer to them. They often make unfulfilled I-will-give-you-exposure promises to get away with these acts (a story for another day).
To those VIPs in my life whom I may not be able to verbally ask for money because of what we share or how good and supportive they have been, when I offer free services to them, I pay back from my pocket into the business account or deduct it from my business salary. This was what my friend, Gabriel did when I came to lodge in his hotel during one of my visits.
Nothing is free in business. Even NGOs are not free. Someone has paid for it through grants, donations, and sponsorships.
As a business person, you must understand that when you offer your services or products for free, you are not only giving away your profits, you are also giving away your capital. That is the fastest way to fail in business.
You are ignorantly cooperating with your family and friends to dig the grave of your business in the name of generosity.
If not because if you throw a stone in the market, it may hit a loved one, I would have recommended that these ‘parasites’ should be dealt with the way a cattle rearer will treat a tsetse fly.
But family remains family and friends are still friends. You cannot cut them off totally. Hence, you have to be creative in how you handle them.
© Kingsley Ndimele
Your Reliable Consultant