It doesn’t matter how great your product is. Or how tight your business plan looks. If you’re working with the wrong people, the whole thing is doomed.
Bad people rot good companies from the inside. They cut corners. They lie. They manipulate. They take more than they give. And over time, they drag everything down — your team, your culture, your reputation, your bottom line.
Talent Isn’t a Free Pass
Don’t confuse skill with character. Someone might be brilliant at closing deals or building software, but if they’re toxic, that brilliance comes at a cost. One ego-driven hire can erode trust, poison morale, and create constant cleanup work for everyone else. Suddenly your A-team is spending more time managing dysfunction than doing their jobs.
It’s not worth it.
Character Is a Business Asset
Good people own their work. They admit mistakes. They communicate clearly. They show up for others. These aren’t just soft skills — they’re the foundation of real business momentum. Trust cuts through friction. Integrity builds loyalty. Accountability drives results.
Surround yourself with people like that and you’ll feel the difference fast: fewer surprises, smoother execution, and a culture you don’t have to babysit.
No Deal Is Worth Your Integrity
If a client treats your team like garbage, let them go. If a partner plays games or fudges the truth, walk away. If an investor shows signs of greed, control issues, or bad ethics — don’t take their money. The short-term gain is never worth the long-term damage.
Bad people cost more than they’re worth, every time.
Your Standards Are Your Brand
Every decision you make about who to hire, who to work with, and who to serve is a signal. It tells the world what you tolerate, what you protect, and what you’re building.
Raise the bar. Keep it high. And remember: you can’t do good business with bad people – Ever!
So stop trying to.
