TheGreenRabbit":otimrd0i said:
I'm only a tiny business but at least I'm resting easier
I am glad you are doing so well as a tiny business you can turn down business, did you tell them why you would not hire to them ?
I set out from the start to be as environmentally friendly as possible, max waste recycling or upcycling (tyres made into doormats, knackered bike frames are passed to a friend that makes garden gates out of them)) using eco friendly (and bike mechanic health friendly) bike care/lube products, right down to veg based inks on my re-cycled paper leaflets (even the printer produces his own electric for his business). Oh and of course decent retro bike hire or new bikes from companies that have a good record i.e. Kona.
I have built up a good client base that on the whole choose me because of this reason and my honesty, that is my core product and by taking on a short term contract to supply bikes to a corporation that really doesn't give a flying dodo undoes all the bloody hardwork and dilutes if not destroys the wholistic product. the suggested routes that i give hirees are carefully thought out to give visiting people a chance to see the incredible biodiversity that exists down here as well as increasing passing trade to the more out of the way businesses.
I am all about getting people to slow down, take stock, value the more straightforward, and spending time with friends and family having fun. I have had very good feedback with clients as far away as Finland.
yeah, the business is tiny and I would be better selling coffee but I enjoy it and I like my tinpot shop, most of the world runs out of tinpot businesses. My previous sea career meant that I had regular dealings with massive corporations and nations, tbh most are complete aholes who are bottomfeeders with an ego complex with no sense of morality. But I did learn something 'do something good no matter how small and someone will appreciate it, or at least try'
AND yes I told them exactly why I wasn't hiring to them in a polite manner with a fully informed reason with a high degree of knowledge, she was still bloody rude but vaguely worried.