Sometimes the biggest business lessons come from the people you least expect.
Ever think you've got everything figured out, only for life to slap you across the face with a reality check?
Yeah. That was me.
Minding my business. Running my little empire. Making money. Helping people. And then BAM! Betrayal.
One thing I've learned about being an entrepreneur is that you can build relationships, invest in people, and do everything with good intentions, but you can't expect everyone to operate with the same integrity.
And sometimes, the lesson comes with a pretty expensive price tag.
But before we get into that mess, let me give you a little backstory.
I Was an Entrepreneur Before I Knew What to Call Myself
Long before I became a coach or launched my virtual assistant agency, I was working my 9-to-5 as an executive assistant in Silicon Valley, making nearly six figures while hustling on Craigslist.
Yes, Craigslist. I'm THAT old. LOL.
Back then, nobody was calling themselves virtual assistants. You were either an independent contractor or a consultant if you wanted to sound fancy.
I spent my free time searching Craigslist forums for opportunities. One day, I responded to a random posting and landed a ghostwriting gig for the VP of an Australian domain reseller.
Suddenly, I was writing blogs and press releases, getting my work published, and making extra money.
That income allowed me to launch an online marketplace selling templates and HTML website designs.
I was in my mid-20s, building multiple income streams before entrepreneurship became everybody's favorite personality trait.
I didn't have some elaborate business plan. I saw opportunities, figured things out, and made them happen.
And that mentality followed me into my VA business.
Building My Business Meant Building a Team
When I eventually went all in on my virtual assistant business, I quickly realized I couldn't do everything myself.
My client roster was growing. I was managing projects, supporting executives, recruiting talent, and handling responsibilities that went well beyond traditional administrative work.
I needed help.
So I hired my first VA through Upwork.
She was young, eager, and based internationally. I saw potential in her, and I figured we could grow together.
I started her with a small workload. She helped organize content, curate social media images, manage onboarding tasks, and even interview other virtual assistants for client placements.
She was consistent. She did good work.
Naturally, I started trusting her with more responsibilities.
I also started mentoring her.
I taught her how to find clients, encouraged her to build her own side hustle, and shared the strategies I'd learned throughout my career.
Why?
Because I've always believed in lifting people as I climb.
Eventually, I was paying her approximately $800 to $900 every two weeks. It was an investment, but my business was generating enough revenue to justify it.
Everything seemed to be working.
Until it wasn't.
The Plot Twist Nobody Asked For
At the time, I was supporting several high-ticket clients as their executive virtual assistant.
We're talking executive travel, marketing activations, recruitment, and even hiring and firing responsibilities.
Some mornings started at 3 AM because I had East Coast clients. Other weeks involved traveling between Los Angeles and New York.
I was BUSY.
But I loved what I was building.
Then, one day, I received an email from my VA.
She was quitting.
Okay. No problem. People move on. That's business.
Except something else was happening.
One of the clients she'd been helping me support suddenly started ghosting me.
And eventually, I discovered why.
My VA had gone directly to my client and negotiated an arrangement to take over my responsibilities for less than half of what I was charging.
They both decided to move forward without me.
Ruh-roh!
I felt like I was in a Scooby-Doo episode, except I was the one getting played.
And baby, THAT ONE STUNG.
The Part That Actually Hurt
Losing the client wasn't what bothered me most.
It was the betrayal.
I'd invested time, money, training, and mentorship into someone I genuinely wanted to see succeed.
I wasn't upset that she wanted better opportunities. I was disappointed by how she went about getting them.
There's a difference.
Later, I learned she was trying to cover her father's medical bills.
That information gave me a different perspective.
Desperation can make people do things they wouldn't ordinarily consider. I could understand her circumstances without agreeing with her decisions.
And that's exactly where I landed.
I wasn't interested in revenge. I wasn't going to spend months being bitter, either.
My mama raised me to be stronger than that.
Proverbs 19:11 speaks about the wisdom of patience and the grace found in overlooking an offense.
For me, that meant learning the lesson without allowing the experience to change who I was.
Forgiveness didn't mean I had to forget what happened.
And understanding someone's circumstances didn't mean I had to excuse their behavior.
Two things can be true.
The Business Lesson That Changed Everything
Here's where all those years of hustling paid off.
I had savings.
I had other clients.
I had additional income streams.
And, most importantly, I had people in my corner.
Losing that contract hurt my pride, but it didn't destroy my business.
That experience reinforced three lessons I carry into every business relationship today.
1. Trust people, but protect your business.
Relationships matter, but so do contracts, boundaries, and clearly defined responsibilities.
2. Never build your entire business around one client.
Multiple income streams gave me the financial breathing room to recover without making desperate decisions.
3. Invest in people without sacrificing yourself.
I still believe in mentoring and creating opportunities for others. One disappointing experience wasn't going to take that away from me.
But I became much more intentional about how I structure partnerships and protect the businesses I've worked so hard to build.
And that lesson was worth more than the contract I lost.
Life Goes On, and So Does the Glow Up
As I'm sitting here reflecting on everything, my dog is barking at the wall like it's plotting against her.
My cat is giving me the judgmental side-eye because apparently her second breakfast is overdue.
And I'm reminded that life keeps moving.
Sometimes you lose money. Sometimes you lose relationships. Sometimes you discover that the people sitting at your table have been making reservations elsewhere.
Let them eat.
I'll be over here building another table.
I've worked too hard and survived too much to allow somebody else's decisions to determine my future.
I still believe in helping people. I still believe in mentorship. And I still believe that there's enough opportunity for all of us to succeed.
I just understand that generosity and boundaries belong in the same business plan.
Because my glow up doesn't require anybody else's permission.
And it damn sure doesn't require revenge.
CURRENT MOOD 🎶
"Who Let the Dogs Out" by Baha Men
Loud, chaotic, and unapologetic. Sometimes you have to laugh at the madness, turn up the music, and keep moving.
PEAK OF THE WEEK ✨
I'm proud of myself for choosing growth over grudges. I protected my peace, learned from the experience, and kept building.
And having a loyal support system that always has my back? That's the icing on the cake.
#YouKnowWhoYouAre
XXX,
M💋
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