Working with People and Clients You Dislike

Many moons ago (that makes me sound old) a business owner gave me inaccurate advice that I must work with people and clients I dislike. Folly. I shall tell the tale of how I received this poor advice and provide a critical amendment, a one word change that fixes everything.

Let us begin.

In my first years of running a business we landed a software job with a large firm here in Adelaide, for anonymity I shall refer to them as SkySafe Lifts. The managing director of SkySafe Lifts, I shall call him Bob, found us online and reached out to contract our services.

For more context, Bob built the business from the ground up over a 20 year period into a successful company that works with firms across Australia. He was charismatic, kind, approachable, and excellent to deal with as a client.

They required help with an inventory system and hired us as software consultants to help them find the best software for their sized business. Bob requested that I must speak with their accountant because he knows the financials of the company back to front. I booked in a time and called him.

Me: “Hi this is Sav from…”

Sudden Interruption

Accountant: “Yeah yeah this is that software guy, right?”

Me: “Yes I was told to…”

Sudden Interruption

Accountant: “yeah yeah yeah I wanted them to hire my software guy but they chose you.”

Sav: “Well…”

Third Annoying Interruption

Accountant: “I’m picking my kid up from a school, what do you want?”

The call continued for an hour back and forth with this overly arrogant, rude, and unpleasant accountant. In my next discussion with Bob, the managing director, I told him of my experience. Bob laughed and explained that they all found the accountant unpleasant and horrible to work with. I felt shocked. Why would Bob, a polite, charismatic, and kind man choose an awful accountant and continue to work with him?

Bob went on to explain that in business you MUST work alongside people you dislike.

I respected Bob and took his opinion with merit. He worked for two decades and built a successful company. In contrast, at the time, I owned my business for about 2 years, how could I refute his experience and wisdom?

I disliked the advice but swallowed it like that awful medicine from the doctor, it tastes s**t but you know it’s good for you. I started my business because I wanted to forge my own team of top software developers, work with fantastic clients, and build impactful software. Could the advice of Bob be true?

The short answer: No. Bob was 100% wrong. As wrong as pineapple on a pizza.

The long answer…

After I gained further experience building my software business from the ground up, landing contracts with clients all around the world and across Australia, hiring several fantastic team members, and building amazing software, I forged my own experience that refuted the proclaimed advice by Bob.

Let me illustrate my advice through the amendment of the earlier statement by Bob:

You MUST CHOOSE to work alongside people you dislike.

In my journey as a business owner I discovered fantastic, kind, and respectable accountants that crunch numbers with expertise. I hired team members at my business that I love to work alongside and require zero micromanagement or “cracking” the whip for them to perform high quality work. I serviced clients with the biggest hearts that I looked forward to work with.

Did I meet bad accountants along the way? Yes. I chose not to hire them.

Did I find bad team members? Yes, I chose not to renew their contracts.

Did I work with awful and rude clients? Yes, I chose not to work with them again.

For every rude accountant that crunches the numbers well, another respectable and kind accountant exists that crunches them even better. For every unpleasant and careless team member, another kind and hardworking one exists. For every awful client that pays well, another fantastic and warm-hearted client exists that pays even better.

My Dad always used to say: If you look, you shall find.

Don’t take may word for it, go out and try it.