Why Trust Is the Final Ingredient

You’ve built the right team.
You’ve got the right product.
You’ve followed the plan.

But the traction still isn’t there.
The deals you thought were sure things? They’re stalling.
And doubt starts to creep in.

I’ve been there. More than once.
And I learned something the hard way:

People don’t do business with who’s best.
They do business with who they trust.

Your Reputation Is Your Leverage

You can check every box — product, price, pitch — and still lose the deal.

Why? Because trust is the one thing that can’t be faked.

“Every tough decision you make is like placing a brick in the wall of your reputation — a wall you’ll spend your entire life building.”
— Success, Intended

If people don’t feel like you’re in it with them… they’ll walk.
And if they sense you’re only there to win the deal? You’ve already lost.

One Client. One Moment. Everything Changed.

A year into our contract with one of our largest clients, we had to raise rates.

Right before our meeting, the client handed us a proposal from a new competitor.
It was almost a carbon copy of ours — pricing, design, even fake client logos.

We were stunned.
But the client wasn’t switching.

His words stuck with me:

“If they’re willing to lie just to get my business, I can only imagine how they’ll treat me once they have it.”

That moment made it clear — it wasn’t just about pricing.
It was about the relationship we had built.

Relationships Outlast Pricing

Good service is expected. Trust is earned.

“If you treat a deal like a transaction, you’ll be treated like a vendor. But if you invest in the relationship, you earn the right to stay at the table.”
— Success, Intended

Whether it’s clients, teammates, or investors — trust is the multiplier.
It gives you time to fix mistakes.
It gives you breathing room when challenges hit.

And most importantly — it gives you more than one chance.

Try This 👇

Write down 3 people you want to build deeper trust with
Ask: What would change if they fully believed in me — and how can I earn that belief?
Focus on adding value before asking for anything in return

Because if you earn someone’s trust, the opportunities will follow.

Next up: What to do when things finally start working — and why most people slow down right when they should be speeding up.