205 years ago a young widow by the name of Barbe Nicole Ponsardin inherited her husband’s champagne business after his premature death. She was only 27.
Her stoic determination to build a prestige Champagne House became assured in 1814.
Showing great foresight – just ahead of Napolean’s blockade – she shipped 10,000 bottles of her branded Veuve Cliquot Ponsardin Champagne to Russia, ahead of the competition.
At some point in the process she had to decide whether to say no or yes!!
No one else could get their product into the country and overnight she became known as the ‘Grand Dame de la Champagne’! Veuve Clicquot
Now as my good friends will tell you, I, like many others. enjoy the occasional quaff of fizz and tonight I’m having a glass to celebrate my decision to say ‘No!’ to a prospective client.
It’s the first time I’ve decided that saying ‘No’ was far easier than saying ‘Yes’!
No one likes turning business away in these troubled economic times and because I always deliver beyond expectations I know new clients are a vital stimulus to help build a signature brand.
However in this instance my prospective client – an intelligent and ‘successful’ business – lacked genuine vision and the ability to discern between value and worth!
Quality – in an age of change – comes at a price, and so does self respect!
This might be the most expensive ‘No’ of my life but nevertheless it tastes very sweet indeed!
So to my non client this evening I say thank you, and “A la votre!”
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