Doing business with friends: Why You Shouldn't

**This post is a part of a 3 part series on doing business with friends**

Check out Doing Business With Friends (Part I: Five Things to Be Upfront About & Part II: Why You Should Do Business with Friends)

You've told them what you expect, how you conduct business, your pricing, and tried your best to be the great professional you are. You've weighed your options and now you've come to the decision that maybe this budding professional relationship just shouldn't happen. Here's 4 reasons why you probably should not do business with your friends.

4 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Do Business With Friends:

• Remember that time you guys were at the restaurant and your friend cussed out the waiter even though she was in the wrong? The same situation could happen...with you. You know your friends almost better than they know themselves. If they have an all around bad attitude and has a tendency to be a bad customer, it won't change just because you are his or her friend. You shouldn't do business with them if they a. are overly opinionated, b. don't listen or take advice well, and c. have a problem giving up control. Even though you want to help your friend out and provide them with quality service, it would just be best to tell them "No Thank You" and keep the relationship strictly personal.


• If you know your friend has a problem paying full price for ANYTHING. That should be a red flag to you. You've already been upfront with them about why you charge what you charge and you may have even given them a discount. If they can't see the craftsmanship in your work but only see dollar signs, your better off providing them with the information to someone else.


• You guys are getting ready to go out. Your friend has gone through 12 outfit changes and now you guys are about an hour behind schedule. If you are in the business of time or need quick and sound decisions, it might not be a good idea to do business with your indecisive and unpunctual friend. They can come off as being unreliable and a headache, to which you don't want.


• This one I'm going to keep it simple. Don't do business with friends if the two of you cannot differentiate between your personal relationship and your professional relationship.

Yes, they are our friends. And yes we love them and want them to have the best, but sometimes the best when it comes to business is someone else's. But it is up to you if building a professional relationship with your friend is something you want to do, just make sure you weigh all the possibilities.

The Unemployed Entrepreneur