Business & Love Can’t Coexist : Avoid Drama

Blood is thicker than water, but business is business - Italian Proverb

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Some years back I started my own business with the help of my parents and since it was during the Covid period I had so many customers. Everyone was buying online and it was a plus for my little business. You’d just place your order and I’ll send a delivery guy to deliver your stuff to you.

Everything was going smoothly and I was making profit even though it wasn’t much. I knew I was just starting so it was okay to not make a lot of money. I was happy I had something of my own doing and I had so much support from my family and friends.

Unfortunately, everything went sideways when the lockdown was over and we all returned to our normal lives. Things went bad not because Covid was over or because we went back to our normal lives but because I gave out my goods to a friend on campus who promised to send me money for them once she arrived at her hostel.

Let me explain how everything went down. So, I was in university then and we were required to return back to campus for face to face lessons. I was excited because I could finally get the opportunity to advertise my goods to so many people and that could possibly bring me a larger market. On one particular day, I met with some ladies in my level after lectures to show my goods to them so they would buy. Some of them bought and payed at that instant but this particular lady told me that she didn’t have money in her mobile wallet and all her physical cash was at home so I should give her the stuff so she’ll send me the money once she gets home.

As an understanding person, I decided to give them to her thinking she would send the money and also because she portrayed herself to be a rich girl.😂 Long story short, weeks came by and it was almost two months and this lady still hadn’t payed me yet. I actually gave her the stuff because of the level I was on with her. Even though we weren’t close friends, we were cool with each other and we spoke a lot. During this time, she never reached out to me and she alway tried to avoid me. When she sees me also she just gives me excuses all the time.

I finally got fed up because it was a lot of money and it was affecting my business so I decided to go to her hostel one day for my money.Upon arrival, I met some people in her hostel and I decided to advertise my stuff. She knew I was around so she quickly turned off her fan and locked her door. I knocked and knocked and she never came out so I went away to prepare for my next move.

The next day, I went to her hostel and she was there with her boyfriend. Her hostel mates told me her boyfriend was around so I should just spare her for today. I wasn’t hearing any of that because it was almost two months after I gave her the stuff and she was even wearing them. How can you wear something you haven’t payed for. I wasn’t leaving without my money that day and I left with my money.

Since that incident, I learnt not to mix business with friendship , family or whatever it may be. Some of these people we consider as friends and family will actually be those to ruin something we have invested so much energy, money and time in. My one rule for myself and any business owner out there is, there’s nothing like family in business and everyone should pay for your goods and services equally, whether family or not.

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