I received some news today that upset me a bit and to be quite honest, it kinda effed up my whole day.  Basically, without going into too much detail, I performed a service for a client, a service that I don’t typically offer.  I told him this and specifically stated, “you can pay me what you feel is fair”.  I left the ball in his court.  The next time I saw him, he told me to “invoice” him.  Now, I interpreted that as a counter to my original statement that subliminally meant, “just invoice me as I don’t want to overbid on the project”.  So that’s what I did.  Then today, I hear from a mutual acquaintance that the client feels that I price-gouged him.  The mutual acquaintance then gave me a mini-lecture about building relationships and networking, saying that I shouldn’t have charged so much.

Now I’m a humble and nonchalant individual by nature, I get that from my Mother.  However, I do have a “I don’t give a shit” type-A side that I get from my late father.  You see, my father was an entrepreneur as well, he owned multiple businesses.  He was a Pharmacist and owned two pharmacies as well as other real estate in

Saint Louis, Missouri (my hometown).  Many times, I am way too nice and deep-down I know that trait doesn’t mix well with business.  I’ve been trying to pave a new path in that respect, but it’s not working out well.  It seems that the aggressor/shark always is the victor in business.

So, I give that background information, to say…”I officially, am going to change the way I conduct my business”.  I can be a grade-A asshole when I want to be.  Just ask some of my friends.  I just don’t enjoy being “that guy”.  You may never expect that of me by the way I portray myself in my YouTube videos and the way I blog.

So back to the subject at hand.  When I heard this “price-gouge” reaction through the grape-vine, it kind of set me back.  The truth is, I don’t want to hear it, because I gave this guy the chance to pay me whatever he felt.  Then he had the nerve to not tell me, but a mutual acquaintance that I “gouged” him!?  What a puss!  He could have said spoke-up like and effing man when I gave him the invoice!  When I first heard the news, I was ready to give this guy his money back  and just say “fuck it” because I’m a person who prides himself on honesty and integrity.  Bad-blood is just not worth it.  I would never take advantage of anyone, nor do I want to be perceived as someone who would.

I had a good talk with my good friend Kandace and she set me straight.  She is a soon to be attorney and is very good at providing arguments in or against my favor, whatever the situation.  After speaking with her, I just don’t see where I went wrong with this arrangement.  I think, I was just way too informal at the beginning when discussing the costs and that’s were I went wrong.  So I’ll chalk it up to a learning experience. Never again!

I’m posting some pics below, just to show you what I was accustomed growing up.  And you should see that I’m destined for greatness!

The BMW 80-something 528 and a Porsche 911 ’76 owned by my Dad.

2 German automobiles in front of our 4/2.5/2 house in a nice Saint Louis suburb.

I love this pic of my Dad in front of his 911, I think this was shortly after he bought it brand-new in ’76. I was born in 1980, by the way.

This is me, I think I’m about 5 years old in this pic.  I can hear my Dad now saying, “stay away from my car boy, I paid big-money for that shit!”  A verbatim quote.  And I don’t exaggerate.  My Dad always kept it real!

My Dad’s friend, my Dad, and I at a Clark Terry Jazz concert.  My Father had much class.

My sisters, Mom, Dad, and I before my college graduation in 2004.  He passed away in 2005.

These pics remind me that life is short, do whatever you like and how you like it.  Eff what other people think/say!  I can’t wait until I can take a pic in front of the classic, Porsche 1976 911, that I inherited, and my 2010 Porsche or whatever sports-car.  When I do that, I’ll post a comparison pic with the same exact-same pose my Dad had and I’ll know that “I’ve arrived”.

- Justin

P.S.

I’ll blog tomorrow in a non-rant like fashion.  I do have alot of things going on to update y’all on.  Peace and hair-grease.

Sign-Up for access to the JustinMcClelland.com exclusive content

Random, Real Estate Automobile, BMW, Business, Entrepreneur, Kids and Teens, Porsche, St. Louis Missouri, United States