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- Negotiation ≠ Combat
Negotiation ≠ Combat
It may feel like a battle, but remember that you're on the same team... here's why
Simon Trask
March 07, 2025
Negotiate everything.
Most people hate conflict, and a few people enjoy it. Rarely are people “fair to middling’” on confrontation. But dealing with conflict is a secret skill that can be a superpower as a business owner.
If you haven’t shopped around pricing from your supply chain in a while, it’s time. In fact, it’s always time.
You can probably negotiate with your vendors right now.
This can be a delicate conversation, so tread lightly when needed.
Negotiation reminds me of the hit show Stranger Things. Jaded and sarcastic Police Chief Hopper finds himself unexpectedly fathering a quasi-adopted teenage girl, and has to explain the concept of compromise.
He brilliantly uses the phrase “halfway happy”.
You can work together and find a middle ground that everybody is “halfway happy” with. Think about what makes your supplier happy, and align what you’re doing with that goal.
Remember this truth: if you and your suppliers both need each other, then you can create a new win-win scenario.
Find that middle ground.
 | Onward and upward, (I’m a small business owner, advisor, and advocate – learn more here) |