My Business Partner Is A Yes-Man. He Is A Devil From Hell.

Saying YES too frequently is a BIG problem.

One of my business partners is a Yes-Man. Is that a problem? Hell, Yes.

This is not meant to be a mockery piece. This story is written as an opinion piece, where I reflect on my daily observations.

Let us call him Jack. When I first met him, I regarded him as a force of nature. He is witty, thinks fast on his feet, and straight to the point. It was clear that I want to work with him, and he is a joy to be with.

Boy. Am. I. Wrong.

I adored him for the exact reason that bestowed me never-ending headaches. It happened 2 weeks after bringing him on board.

You see, Jack is an opportunist. Nothing wrong with that. We seek opportunities for our growth and future development. However, Jack is also a Yes-Man when it comes to business opportunities.

He believes in saying Yes. I had the initial impression that he would go all-in for the opportunities he thought hard about, and he is willing to do what it takes to make things happen. That did not happen. Instead, he was saying Yes to every opportunity before him.

He reminds me of the overcommitted Sales professional, who tells the prospect that their products can solve all their problems.

Jack would take on new projects and tasks assigned to him readily. At times, he would volunteer to take them because it was necessary to do so. He took many problems away from me at the very beginning of our partnership. I loved him.

And then, things took a nosedive, and we headed south very quickly. Project tasks were not completed, and financial milestones got delayed. This is a serious issue because we bill our clients based on completion by stages.

The delays started spreading like cancer cells from one project to the others. Or like a wild bush fire with a tailwind, if you will. We started to flip into a negative cash-flow position, just 2 months after Jack onboarded.

I felt the pressing need to speak to him, so I brought him to a cup of coffee. I asked what happened and if he had too much workload on his shoulders. I was shocked by his response.

He told me that he had opportunities from friends in the United States for business expansion. He agreed to help them with their digital marketing strategy.

He also said yes to support monetizing a Website with content behind the paywall. He will also actively contribute content because he wanted to earn some money from it.

I think he had a lot more money-making opportunities to tell me, so I stopped him before he continued.

Me: “Jack, do you know what digital marketing is?”

Jack: “I think it has to do with FaceBook and Google. I am not certain, but I am learning them. I should be competent in these 2 platforms.”

Me: “Competent in? Any specifics?”

Jack: “Nope. I can only tell in 2 months.”

Me: “What about the website piece?”

Jack: “It is a good opportunity for me. I can monetize my video content too. Imagine collecting money while I am working on other opportunities. I can accelerate my way towards financial freedom.”

Me: “Do you shoot videos often?”

Jack: “No. Therefore, I am learning. I should be an expert in a month or so.”

You cannot imagine how appalled I was.

You cannot even imagine how far my jaws dropped. It has crashed through the floor tiles and reached the ocean bed. I was at a loss for words, and while I was upset with my decision to onboard Jack, I remained calm while sipping coffee.

I was having coffee with a Devil from Hell. Every opportunity is an opportunity that cannot be missed, and every skillset that is required can be acquired in months or weeks.

I had a decision to make. And fast.

I decided to part ways with Jack 2 weeks after that coffee chat. The business had missed a grand total of 6 payment milestones by then, and the other team members were confused by the lack of focus.

I learned a lot when it comes to hiring people. I swallowed a big slice of humble pie.

To be honest, I felt terrible to release Jack after a grand total of 3 months. He would have changed for the better.

When I spoke to him about my decision, he had this to say.

“Yes, no problem.”

Another god-darn Yes.

Alright then, at the very least, I no longer need to hear this 3-letter word from him.

Ever again.

We Make Wrong Decisions. Correct Them.

Aldric

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About the Author:

As a content contributor, I write my observations from daily life and my business exposure.

Because our life experience is the bedrock of our unique perspectives.