Mentor Wisdom: “A friendship founded on business is better than a business founded on friendship” - John D. Rockefeller, American Businessman
Mentor Lesson: The friendship mistake that costs millions
Most people get Rockefeller's quote completely wrong.
They think he's saying to ditch your buddies and become a heartless tycoon. Cold. Calculated. All about the money.
But that's not what he meant at all.
He wasn't telling you to avoid friends in business. He was warning you about something way more dangerous - starting a business JUST because you're pals with someone.
You know the story. Two buddies get excited over beers, shake hands, and boom - they're business partners. No clear roles. No hard conversations. Just vibes and hope.
Six months later, they're not speaking because one person's doing all the work while the other is "the ideas guy" who shows up twice a week.
He flipped the script.
Meet someone in business first. Work together. See how they handle stress. Watch if they actually do what they say they'll do. Then maybe, just maybe, you become friends because you respect how they operate.
It's like dating but for your bank account.
The friendship that comes from surviving hard business stuff together? That's real. That's built on something solid.
But slapping a business plan onto an existing friendship is like building a house on sand. Looks good until the first wave hits.
So yeah, friendship founded on business beats business founded on friendship.
Rockefeller wasn't cold. He was just realistic.
Talk soon,
-Chris
P.S. Since we’re on the subject of avoiding expensive mistakes, here’s one more worth keeping an eye on.
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