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Hi Glow Getters......
How's it going in the lovely sunless industry for you? Can 'Working with your competition' be possible? It's something we think about in a business.
Yes, as entrepreneurs working with your competition is possible. When great ideas are thrown towards each other, that's when magic happens. Product line related, I work with my competition and some of them are big companies but it's a win win for all. When my spray tan artists and I are booked with spray tans, I outsource my clients (new or repeats) to other companies. But you may ask, "what if that client that you outsource does not come back to you? If that happens, it is beyond my control and there is not much I can do about it but most of the time, they usually come back to me and are happy that there is another company who can tan them if I can't. When I outsource, I always choose a company who has a good rapport, a company where I can see their work, know what product they are using, and gives great customer service. So far I have 3 companies that I outsource to. I think it's great to get a long with your competition because it allows you both to share ideas, and tips, and give advice to each other and to have get togethers.
As an entrepreneur you should always focus on yourself and building your business. Don't waste time on worrying about what your competition is doing because that is time you can be using on hustling to make your business a success or using for self care on yourself. It's like many say, stay on your lane and I'll stay on mine. Why do people wonder out of their lane and spy on their competition though? Some may not be confident in what they are doing in their business and need some inspiration. Some may be scared that others are doing better than them. And some are just plain jealous and try to see if they can bring down the successful ones. Remember.....the power is in you to make your business a successful one.
There is a downside to owning a business though and that is dealing with your competition when they start acting like shady bitches. That is where you can either turn a blind side or speak out. Remember though you can only turn a blind side so much until it gets worse, and when it gets worse, that is when you want to stomp on the bullshit. Usually when the shady bitches act up and are coming after you its because they don't like your success. Hey they say, when you have haters, it's because you are doing something right. For example....I started my business back in 2005 and I've always focused on my business, not on others. I could care less of what others were doing. Back then though there weren't many sunless companies out there because that was when the sunless industry was just breaking through. But in 2010, I found that I was in competition to a company who wanted to sabotage my business. They saw how successful I was and didn't like it. I was told from others my company name was being thrown out there from this one company and not in a good way. I ignored the jabs from that company and continued doing my thing. But then when they saw their jabs didn't work, they went further to try to bring me down, they framed me and to make a long story short.....I did research and investigated on them and found it was a set up. I called them out on their bullshit and sent them proof of their lies and they denied it. How can one deny facts and proof?
Another example.....it was 10/20/2015 which was the very first time I've dealt with this person who I didn't think was my competition and I'm not going to mention her name because I think many of you in the industry know her, but we were cool with each other and had a good conversation, but from that time till 1/11/2016 I think she was scoping out my business because on that same day she accused me of doing something I did not do. I'm a fact base person, if someone accuses me of something, they better show proof and when she accused me I showed her my proof that I was in the right and she accused the wrong person. But she ended up getting defensive so I was like whatever and moved on. But it got worse from there, in 2017 this chick ended up being psycho, thinking she should be the only one in the industry. She would slander my name on social media, talk about me to clients and mutual people we both know and this I know because they told me or showed me screen shots. So I thought, enough is enough, I ended up getting a lawyer and sent her a cease and desist letter but then she sent one back and ended up impersonating a lawyer which is a federal crime. She bought her letter on Fiverr. Oooops.....she shouldn't have done that. So now, since my lawyer said I have a huge case on her, he's just waiting for me to say 'Go for it.' All this time I'm thinking why is this chick after me? Why does she accuse me of things I have not done. I found from many people in the sunless industry that there is a pattern with her because what she did to me is what she did to them too. She accuses people of copying her when it's their own work, and this is what I've heard from many people in the industry. It all starts off in a friendly conversation and then she uses her little tactic. But this girl obviously doesn't realize that there is enough business to go around for everyone and that if we support each other, we can all be successful. I'm all for helping people, not tearing them down. This chick will tear you down if she sees you as a threat so she can get to the top. I find it interesting because she preaches and puts on a good show for everyone but doesn't practice what she preaches. Behind the scenes, she is a totally different person that many don't see. Many don't even see how she uses them which I find very sad. Til this day, she still talks about me and others but whatever, I'm not even worry about it though, but it is quite contradicting for her to do that still since she likes to preach to others. If that is someone you want to associate with or do business with then go for it, I choose to support people with integrity, not shady people. But yes.......that is what we entrepreneurs deal with when it comes to shady competition. Having competition should be a great thing but its the people who are jealous, greedy and have no confidence in themselves that are the ones that make it bad. As for me, I choose to put my energy in my business and continue making it successful and just being happy in life. So yes we can work with our competition but when they act out being shady as all shit, you have a choice to let it go or have a nice professional conversation with them about them being shady. There is no need to be worry about your competition unless they are being shady. Concentrate on you and only you.