Money Changes Things

A couple of days ago, I saw someone who owed me money from awhile back. I had done some photography for her and she had used the pictures on her website. This person made it obvious that she was not going to pay me, because she went on a rampage proclaiming that all I care about is money, and tried to make me feel guilty for even asking. I did not feel guilty or appreciate her attempt. I could have handled her saying "I don't have it" more than trying to make me feel as though I had the problem. The interesting thing is it has been about 2 years since I've really seen her, but the moment I saw her, all I could think was "where is my money?" Not hello, how are you, or anything that reflects concern for her well-being - just "where is my money?"

But I learned a valuable lesson from all that. First, always have a contract between two parties so that the expectations are clear and can be enforced in court of law (even among friends). You see, I thought that because we were friends that she would respect our relationship enough to honor our verbal agreement. BIG MISTAKE! Second, especially in my line of work, always require a deposit before any services are rendered, so at the very least your personal expenses are covered. Third, beware of people with sad stories and who always appear to be victimized (because soon you will be the big bad wolf in their latest saga).

Also, never loan money to a friend - it tends to put a price tag on the relationship. For example if you loaned a friend $250 and for some reason they did not pay you back, you pretty much lost the relationship for $250, because with the friend's failure to pay back, there is a certain level of trust and respect that is lost, and that will inevitably affect the relationship. If you do "loan" money to a friend, then do it with no expectation. In other words, either give your friend the money or if you can't afford that, then offer moral support.

I wouldn't go so far as to say never mix business with friends, because my business is based on word of mouth, BUT keep it professional.