This is a reminder for myself. A lesson for my team. And a wish for you. To create value for people you admire in business to earn their trust. And win their friendship.

Any successful person I’ve been lucky enough to call a friend, I’ve went out of my ways to create value for them first. To earn their trust. To show my respect. 

I did this well early on in my career but my ego later blocked me from doing it more. I’m coming back to my senses now, I’m putting my ego aside, to begin serving people I respect again. Humbly. 

To earn someone’s trust, you need to pay a deposit. That upfront payment, shows your commitment and understanding of the potential of the given opportunity at hand. In a simple word, it communicates respect. 

That deposit will either be paid back or it will be lost. That depends on the quality of your service. But if you do it well, that deposit will turn into a life lasting investment. One that determines your true wealth. In a rainy day, when your business is near bankruptcy, it’s the relationship with these people that will save you from falling. Their relationship builds business.

To do this well, you need to learn a few things. 

First, you have to be present. The gift of being present is noticing all that is life as it passes you by. Be aware of your place in time. The bigger picture of your life, your timeline. Are you on the high or the low? Or floating in the middle? This will help you to prioritise the right opportunities and people at the right time.

Second, you need to study your people. Learn about their history to find your common ground with them. Ask them questions about their past, the pain they had to go through, to understand them better. To deepen your respect. To learn what made them who they are. The necessity in their sometimes pulsative comments. 

Third, you need to uncover their current challenges. Their headaches are now your puzzles to solve. Learn all the dependencies in the tasks you are given to see what else you could be taking off their plate. The more end to end ownership you can take on, and deliver on, the more you will be trusted with bigger projects. 

Ironically, the most successful people, pay the least. Sometimes they even ask for probono. But take it from me, it’s yours to pay. Their relationship is worth more. And they know it. 

If you do this well, for an extensive period of time, you become an irreplaceable person in their mind. Because you’ve been giving them the gift of time. 

The work once occupied most of their mind is now yours to lead. You win their business and they win time. That’s a dynamic relationship to bet on. 

Nothing worthwhile in business is given. Earn it by paying a deposit. Serve until you are given the gift of time. 

It’s all a loop. 
Make it a meaningful one.