Michi

Today I would like to talk about the differences between business and friendship and when you have to separate them for the sake of your business. Every owner has this problem in some way, though more has it than some. But I mean, who wouldn't want to give their friends some extra advantages from the business you own. Especially when its a pet site. A few cash shop items here, or a few rare pets there, why should it matter what you do. Ok, giving gifts isn't so bad, but you need to learn not to do it as much. People do notice when these things happen and will comment. Showing favoritism to a group of your friends isn't the best way to go. Friends come and go as well. Its especially a problem when you make one of your friends a staff member. Yes, a friend might understand how you want to manage your business, but you have to remember and think if they are really the best person for the job or if someone else might be better.

A business owner must separate their business and how they are with their friends. Using site money to buy their friend a laptop isn't the way to go or giving them a high position on your staff when you know they are rude to others and sometimes can be a troll. Am I saying you have to totally separate it? No. You can still give gifts here or there, but it would be better to make them on a small scale. Even then people might get mad for favoritism, but you will always have that problem. If you know indeed they are the proper person for one of your jobs, then hire them. Just because they are a friend shouldn't stop you from considering them, but it must always be looked at from a business point of view.

Let's say you did hire your friend as a staff member, for let's say, modding. You notice they are being rude to members or maybe letting their other friends get away with things they should be warned or banned about, but you don't want to fire them for the fact they are your friend. Forget it. If they are not doing their job you fire them. You can't have one member bringing your company down just because you don't want to hurt a friend's feelings. If they are doing something wrong, they need to pay for their actions. If you lose them in friendship, then maybe, they weren't a good friend in the first place. A true friend would understand you had to make a decision for the company.

The gifts are still a major problem though. All I have to say is this: If you give a gift, don't brag about it. Use funds you made yourself from using your own system. If you use your personal funds that was your income from the business, fine. That's your money to waste away. But if you brag about it to others, it will seem to them you used the funds of the site itself to pay for the gift and it just screams favoritism to them. Keep it private between parties. Even if you give them a virtual item that you bought with your virtual funds that you got from selling your own art and whatnot. Just keep it on the down low.

One last thing, which I think is major. Do not set the odds of a giveaway, raffle, or site run event in favor of your friends. You will be found out quickly. And there will be complaints on a high level. You might say you don't, but when results seem to point out to it they will say it did. Make sure your business is run as fairly as possible in those areas. Don't give friends tips about upcoming events, don't give them hints unless its a site wide announcement, or favor them in anyway in this part of the business.

If anyone has anything else to add pm me and I can add it to this blog, or just make a comment. I am hoping business owners will take the advice to heart when dealing with this kind of situation.