THE MOST CRUCIAL LESSON

JUST LIKE IN LIFE, WHEN YOU'VE OUTLIVED YOUR USEFULNESS TO SOMEONE, YOU THEN BECOME DISPOSABLE, THIS EXISTS IN BUSINESS AS WELL.  THIS IS A HEADS UP FOR PEOPLE ATTEMPTING TO COME UP IN ANY INDUSTRY.  WE SPEAK OF RELATIONSHIPS IN BUSINESS, BUT, THIS IS NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH FRIENDSHIP.  FRIENDSHIP DOES NOT EXIST IN BUSINESS, AND NEITHER DOES LOYALTY.  YOU MAY HAVE FRIENDS IN THE BUSINESS THAT YOU ARE LOYAL TO ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, BUT, WHEN IT COMES TO ACTUAL COMMERCE, NO.  BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS THRIVE ON BENEFIT.  IF YOU NO LONGER, BENEFIT SOMEONE IN BUSINESS, THEN AS I STATED BEFORE, YOU NO LONGER MATTER.  WHAT MATTERS IS MONEY, BUSINESS, TRANSACTIONS, AND ACTUAL COMMERCE.  WORD OF MOUTH, PROMOTION, ADVERTISEMENT, ETC., EH.... NOT SO MUCH.  LEARN TO BE VERSATILE, AND, LEARN TO NOT TAKE THINGS PERSONALLY, AFTER ALL, IT'S JUST BUSINESS.  JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE A BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP, WITH SOMEONE, DOESN'T MAKE YOU FRIENDS.  IN THE SAME WAY, JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE FRIENDS WITH SOMEONE, DOESN'T MAKE A GREAT BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP EITHER.  YOUR COMPANY IS AN INDIVIDUAL ENTITY, JUST LIKE THE ONES YOU WORK WITH, AND IF THEY ARE PROVIDING A SERVICE OR PRODUCT THAT BENEFITS YOU, THEN THAT IS THE EXTENT OF THE RELATIONSHIP.  THEY ARE PROVIDING FOR YOU, BASED ON A SERVICE OR PRODUCT YOU ARE PAYING FOR, PERIOD.  BEYOND THAT, DEPENDS ON QUALITY AND TIME.  THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE LOYAL, BECAUSE THEIR CLIENT LIST, IS JUST THAT, A LIST.  SO, YOU MUST ALSO DEVELOP A LIST, AND LEARN HOW TO MANEUVER THRU YOUR INDUSTRY, LIKEWISE.  AS BRUCE LEE STATED, BE LIKE WATER.  DON'T ALWAYS BE DILUTED INTO THE HIP HOP WAY OF THINKING, THAT YOU COME UP TOGETHER WITH THE SAME CREW YOU STARTED OUT WITH.  THAT'S YOUR HOMEBOYS.  BUSINESS IS VERY DIFFERENT.  I HOPE THIS HELPS, BECAUSE, IT HAS HELPED ME UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHERE I STAND, AND WHAT I NEED TO DO MOVING FORWARD.    -  925