I was reading an interview with a noted Seattle real estate developer and when asked about what he learned from his first mentor he stated it was the value of relationships, and the value of integrity.
Pretty good lessons I’d say. It’s tough to do business without great relationships and integrity. Sure, people can make a lot of money with questionable ethics but, in my opinion, at some point it catches up with them.
As many people know, I preach the power of relationships to my clients in the buy-sell world. In small to mid-sized deals nobody buys from or sells to somebody they don’t like (or trust). When one client disagreed with me I pointed out how the seller gets along with the customers and employees and if the buyer and seller don’t get along how will the buyer keep the customers and employees, which are what is really being bought.