Friendship on the Balance: The Unforeseen Cost of Mixing Business with Bonds

You know, they say never to mix business with pleasure. But what about business with love? Now that's a different ball game entirely. I mean, it's one thing to set up a business with a friend or partner, and it's a whole different thing when you're making business decisions based on feelings rather than cold, hard facts.

ᶦᵐᵃᵍᵉ: ᵖˣʰᵉʳᵉ

I remember when I first started my business. It was a small tech start-up, nothing too fancy.

ᶦᵐᵃᵍᵉ: ᵖˣʰᵉʳᵉ

I had this friend, let's call him Shajib. Now, Shajib and I, we'd been buddies since primary school. We'd been through both good and bad times together. So, when it came to hiring my second employee, I thought, 'Why not Shajib?'

ᶦᵐᵃᵍᵉ: ʷᵃˡˡᵖᵃᵖᵉʳᶠˡᵃʳᵉ

It seemed like a good idea at the time. I mean, who else could I trust more than my best friend, right? And Shajib, he was more than happy to come on board. But that's when things started to go south. You see, Shajib, he wasn't exactly the most dedicated worker. He'd show up late, leave early, miss deadlines - you name it.

ᶦᵐᵃᵍᵉ: ᵖˣʰᵉʳᵉ

But I kept making excuses for him. 'He's just having a bad day,' I'd tell myself. Or, 'He'll get everything together soon.'
The thing is, I was so blinded by our friendship that I couldn't see what was right in front of me.

ᶦᵐᵃᵍᵉ: ᵖˣʰᵉʳᵉ

My business was suffering, and it was because of Shajib. But I just couldn't bring myself to fire him. Long story short, things didn't end well.

ᶦᵐᵃᵍᵉ: ᵖˣʰᵉʳᵉ

The business began to decline, and eventually, I had to let Shajib go. It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. Not just because I was losing an employee, but because I was potentially losing a friend.

ᶦᵐᵃᵍᵉ: ʷᵃˡˡᵖᵃᵖᵉʳᶠˡᵃʳᵉ

Looking back, I realize that I made a mistake. I let my feelings for Shajib cloud my judgment. I made business decisions based on our friendship, not on what was best for the business. And in the end, it cost me.

ᶦᵐᵃᵍᵉ: ᵖᶦᶜᵏᵖᶦᵏ

So, would I mix business with love again? Honestly, I don't think so. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for giving people chances. But when it comes to business, you've got to be ruthless. You've got to make tough decisions. And sometimes, those decisions might not be the most popular ones.

ᶦᵐᵃᵍᵉ: ᵖᶦᶜᵏᵖᶦᵏ

But you know what? That's okay. Because at the end of the day, it's your business. It's your livelihood. And you've got to do what's best for it, even if it means hurting a few feelings along the way.

ᶦᵐᵃᵍᵉ: ʷᵃˡˡᵖᵃᵖᵉʳᶠˡᵃʳᵉ

So, here's my advice to you. If you're thinking about mixing business with love, think twice. Because while it might seem like a good idea in the moment, it could end up costing you in the long run. Business is business, and love is love. And sometimes, it's best to keep the two separate.