Partnership, a game of luck

Greetings!

There's one thing I strongly believe and have faith in the time past. My believe in that thing most especially when I was growing up was so strong that, there's nobody that can convince me about it. Then I used to be like two heads are better than one and even going by one of the biblical verses that says " one shall chase one thousand and two ten thousand. " I used to believe it will work for me. Though it's worked for many people, but not for me and that's why I'm not against the principle of the two heads are better than one. But if two heads are to be better than one, the two heads must be good heads and not one good and the other bad or the two even bad ones. If one head is good and the other bad, things will surely not work as it supposed to be , the bad head may be an accursed head that will or may be bringing bad luck to the good one and vice versa. To cut the long story short, one thing I strongly believe in is "PARTNERSHIP. "

Partnership which is a state of being associated with a partner or another person, or in a business wise, a form of association with one or two people to conduct or venture into a business. Partnership is a very good thing to behold or to be involved in. It's really lifted many people from their lowest state to the peak of their business venture, it's also connected people to the outside world. This is simply because, partnership helps in harnessing the individual members resources such as time, money, energy, wealth of experience and expertise just to mention but a few. The bringing together of these resources and coming together of the individual members has always been of a greater advantage to the partnering individuals and their businesses. Though, there's also disadvantages to people coming together to start up a business. Due to the individual differences, the partnering members may face series of issues at the initial stage of the business, but notwithstanding, if they are in unison, it will pay off at the end. But as good and profitable partnership is, coupled with my believe and orientation about it and with the popular saying that says," if one has nobody to make wealth with, making wealth may not fast or not even come." Partership has not really worked for me. I have tried partnering with people on many occasions, but it's not worked out at all for me, maybe not everyone is expected to partner with people, so, due to my experiences which I will share with us, I have lost total interest and confidence in a partnership business and I no longer do it again.

My first business partnership journey started years back, 2014 to be precise, in that year, I had an idea of supplying building materials, such as stone dust, granite and sands of various type. Then I was in my second year at the university, so, for this reason, I couldn't do the business alone and I was looking for a way to go about it, I discussed this issue with a friend, I and one of my friends rubbed mind together and we both reached a conclusion of which he recommended a cousin of mine to me as whom to partner with, though I have my reservation about that my cousin just because of my past experiences with him but, I have no other option than to partner with him. Though I have the resources, but no time, but this cousin of mine, have both the time and energy and his availability cannot be negotiated as he has nothing doing then.

Though I have once introduced him to the business before then, but he didn't do it. So, the business started as it was written and I committed all I have into it . I printed cards, meet my engineer friends. In fact , I have made all the provisions needed for the business to thrive, the only thing left for him is to go to quarry, buy the product and supply to sites. So, like I said before, we kickstarted the business, but as the business was ongoing, I started seeing some negative characters from him, he was trying to play smart by not telling me the number of tons supplied to sites. People started complaining and I was receiving call left and right, with people telling me to discontinue with him as he's not trust worthy, at some point, we started losing customer because of this his bad attitude, I called him and told him about people's complaint, but this my cousin denied. Before then, anytime we have supply, he would call me for the money to be used, it was later I noticed he no longer call for money, so I was wondering what's gone wrong, is it that we have no supply again or what? But it was later, a friend of mine called me and told me about him. He told me about the last supply that we made the previous day, he said my cousin was now doing well as the supply really make sense, so when I heard this, I was shocked but didn't say anything. Immediately that friend of mine dropped the call, I put a call to my cousin and I asked him why the business was not moving as before, he then answered by saying maybe it's because of the economy situation. It was then I cut in and asked whether he supplied my friend , Engineer Anthony, at first, he wanted to denied, but when he realized I have got to know what he's done and what he is up to, he scattered everything for me, using one kind strong head, I got angry and reported him to his mum, so, when we got to his mum for the settlement of the issue, he told his mum point blank that he's not interested in the partnership again, he said and I quote, " why would I be working for Samson? When I'm not mad." I was shocked with the statement he made, but there's nothing I could do to that effect.

So, after all the whole issues, both of us went our separate ways, though I tried to continue with the business but it's not working again and this is because he has hijacked most of my customers. what a failed partnership. Though nothing takes away our being a family, but business wise, we are no longer together. One lesson I have learnt form all this happenings is not to start what you cannot handle yourself. Don't trust anybody with your business, as time goes on and the business is growing, you can now delegate functions to people. That's where the first partnership ended.

The second experience of mine was very recent. It all started last year January, when I went into partnership with a colleague of mine at work, though, he was the one that started the business of the pig farming himself, but due to lack of fund, he was planning to quit the business, so, when I heard about this, I met with him and we discussed, we reached the conclusion of partnering together with me financing the project and the business. So, after that, I dropped money to raise the business and we started on a fresh note, thank God we were both making progress, but it got to a time that he started behaving somehow and I was not so comfortable with his acts, though he knows much about the business and I was just like novice in the business. So, one thing I realized is this man extorting me all in the name of partnership and my being a newbie into the business. He extorted me to the extent that those people around us were complaining about his act. One day, a pig farmer at the same pen with us, called me and asked me how I am to the man and I told him the man was my business partner, so, he replied me by saying if it's possible I discontinue with the partnership and go my separate way to do or start my own. He said doing business with this man will not end on a good note, when I heard this, I was not happy, but i have to put the advice at the back of my mind. So, the last straw the broke the camel back was what he did. On a particular day, I went to farm as usual to feed and clean the pen. On getting to the farm, I didn't see like five of the piglet out of the 17 piget we have together, so, I called him on phone and he said he would explain the whole thing to me when we see, so, when we met the same evening, he had nothing concrete to tell me than to say, he was sorry about how it goes, he said he needed money to offset his debt and that he has no other means than to sell out of the piglet, I was shocked when I heard this, but remember that a man has called and told me that this our partnership of a thing will not end in a good note. I was angry when I heard this. So, the following day, I called him to meet me at the farm. And right there at the farm, I told him that I'm going my separate way, he asked me why and how long I have been planning such a move. I told him not quite long. So, right there at the farm, we divided all the pigs into two and immediately we did that, I sold my own pigs to the available buyer and that's how the second partnership ended.

Ever since these two partnership experiences of mine, my belief in partnering with people waned and seriously, I could not embrace partnership with anybody again, instead of that, I would rather use my meager resource to start up my small business. Don't forget that the scripture even says, " Do not for the humble beginning. "Like I said earlier, partnership was what I believed in, and it was even my best belt then. But since I noticed it's not working for me, I stopped believing in partnering with people, not only in business, but in other aspect of my life, marriage not involved ooo, as I love my wife with everything within and without me.

The lessons learnt so far are;
*not all two heads are better than one.
*trust nobody.
*believe in yourself.
*start with what you have.
*always discover yourself.

This is my entry to the hivenaija weekly prompt.

Thanks for reading.

All pictures are mine.

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