This week a friend1 emailed me and shared a few extremely encouraging words with me. He pointed to an article by Fred Wilson2 and said, “this reminded me of TIY in general. I think this has a lot to do with your growth.”
Here’s a quote from the article:
So its conventional wisdom that being nice is a bad idea in business.
I have found otherwise. I have found that reputation is the magnet that brings opportunities to you time and time again. I have found that being nice builds your reputation. I have found that leaving money on the table, and being generous, pays dividends.
I am not saying you should be overly generous or nice to a fault. There’s a limit to everything. But I do think that thinking about others, and trying to make things right for everyone (which is impossible and will drive you crazy) is an approach that pays off in business.
It’s not the fastest way to make a buck. It takes time. But it is way more sustainable than screwing people over.
Fred’s words have proven true for The Iron Yard. Every time I see our teams interacting with our students, the level of empathy and deep care is astounding.
1. Ryan McCrary is an amazing entrepreneur. He runs an organization called GOAT. Learn more on their website.2. Read Fred’s whole article, titled “Be Nice or Leave” on his website.
