Treat Your Bottom Line as Your Client Treat’s Theirs

I remember having a meeting not long ago. My assistant and I sat with a director, an investor / co-producer and two cast members for a play to be brought to the stage in 2010. The meeting purpose, as I understood it based on previous conversations, was for me to meet with the director and investor to discuss what contribution I could possibly make to the production. Specifically, music and how much I would charge them for my services.

As we are seated, an attractive young actress joins us at the table. While not part of what I thought would take place, I did not question her presence. The first topic of discussion was determining parts in the play . . . what? While I did not react outwardly, I noticed that a second change from my perceived reason for the meeting had taken place; the first being the inclusion of an actress to the meeting.

An envelope was passed to me containing a script. While prior to this meeting, I was aware that there was an interest in me playing a role in a stage production associated with this investor, this was not the same director I met the week before.

I made a mental note and flowed with the meeting. While the meeting went well in terms of information shared and grand expectations for success expressed, it was really just about their agenda. To be expected, yes; however, vague information registers to me as one of two things: they didn’t have the specific information to share; or they did have the specific information and were not freely sharing it.

Lots of vagueness was being communicated in this meeting. Money was alluded to in the form of this statement, “Everyone will be getting paid,” but the specific answer to the specific question of how much was responded to with, “Our finance people are working on that equation.” Well, not an entirely un-plausible answer, but clearly leaving much room for speculation.

Over the course of a week and several additional conversations, here is what I discovered:

The director and co-producer were not on the same page, which was evident when I asked both individuals the same questions in separate conversations and got different answers. I allowed my primary questions, “What do you need me to do?” and “What is your budget for the music?” to be treated as afterthoughts.

Time was spent travelling to and from a meeting (transit time) as well as time spent on the phone and even time considering the possibilities, all of which is gone. I found out in roughly eight hours what I could have known within an hour. We can’t reach an agreement that is win / win for both parties.

The individuals I met with have some great ideas, great intentions, and the fire to get results, but five-year olds have all of these, too. I believe they even mean well, but in the end good business is about service and dollars, not good intentions and well meaning. They wanted my gift, but couldn’t afford my price. OK, fair enough; I move on.

The value you place on an hour of your time will determine how much a lesson like this can cost you. Whatever you want out of a deal, be willing to ask for it and make it the main thing for you, because what they want is the main thing for them.

Know your bottom line! Art, love and passion aside, this business is just that: business. What you give to your customers / clients and what you will receive for it in return; service for money.

Wisdom from the Grind: Treat your bottom line as important as your client treat’s theirs!