Be Good to Each Other
I’ve been really needing to get some things off of my heart that’s weighed heavy. However kept quiet because I hoped a resolution would come and it did not. So I’d love to do nothing more than take what I learned, take this experience and at least send out a positive message to my community.
Being a small business owner has definitely given me a sense of pride in what I do and how I do it. Specifically how I treat others. I have an appreciation for every other business owner doing it on their own.
From learning local state tax, marketing, branding, customer service, product development, pricing, editing, and being your own response team, most of the time running a small business is truly a one person show. My goal has always been to support other small and local businesses to ensure we’re all able to make it happen for each other.
Backstory: About 4 months ago, I was excited that a local graphic designer that I had been a fan of agreed to work with me on a new logo and branding for my website. Especially since I had other friends and local businesses use this designer.
Unfortunately, my experience with this designer was beyond unprofessional. Every deadline we agreed to was not met, final designs were never sent to me for approval. In fact designs were not sent at all except after the 2nd month and the designer advised what he sent was his “junk pile”. Communication was never initiated on his part, and I left on a business related trip without the business cards I hoped to have.
I reached out to the designer when I got back and advised If he was overwhelmed with projects and unable to finish he could provide me my deposit back and there would be no hard feelings as I understand having to juggle your passion and a job to pay the bills. I left the resolution open to him so that we can continue to be amicable and supporters of each other. However, a month passed without a response. I tried to dispute the deposit due to no response only for my case to be closed by PayPal because the designer sent a screenshot of what he called his “junk pile” as proof of work and for some reason paypal believes that meant that was “proof of delivery” When I reached out for the last time to ask for an amicable resolution I was turned down. The designer only advising that he would send me his vector sheet of what he himself called his “junk pile” but would not refund me and would not continue the project. I was left with months of excuses on why the project wasn’t worked on, no new branding, out of my deposit, and a tarnished business relationship.
After much research I found out this designer had his page removed from Facebook years ago for stealing other artists designs and reselling them as his own. He was so known for this that when I searched his name in google three articles come up after his website with write ups for what he did to the art community and fellow artists.
My point in telling my story is, please be kind and understanding of each other. Unfortunately, there are people out there that will take advantage, there are people out there that will step on your neck to get to the top. As a small business owner I expect other small businesses to have each other’s back, to be fair, so that we don’t give clients/customers a reason to go elsewhere and it’s possible to still hope and succeed at cultivating your own business. if I was an unkind person I’d blast this graphic designer’s name, and share all my screenshot for all his ugly to be seen but my heart won’t let me.
So at last, my message…just be good to each other man. There’s a seat at the table for everyone 🫶🏽
