Sometimes you don't realise how bad it's been until it's over

Finding the right fit is everything, but how do you know when you’ve met your perfect match?

I’ve always known that client/supplier fit is like any relationship - it needs mutual respect and appreciation to thrive, good communication is key, and clear expectations should be set from both sides so each party understands what ‘good’ looks like. I’ve worked with all kinds of suppliers over the last seven years of running my own businesses, from print to carpentry, digital agencies to hair and makeup artists and everything else you can probably think of, but I have never really taken the time to think about what actually makes for the perfect pairing. It’s only now, since I’ve tried lots of options for size, that I’ve realised that also just like any relationship, it can be really positive and equally as detrimental, if you put your faith or trust in the wrong one.

What you need might be different at different moments. At times, you might benefit from the support or advice from a company or individual who has worked with the world’s leading brands, but other times, you might need someone scrappy and used to start-up life. Understanding what you need and when is key to success, but it’s not always something you can really understand, or know for a fact. It’s something I think you often select via your instinct, or, by learning through trial and error. The trouble with trial and error is, it can be very costly in terms of your time and your budget. It’s very easy to get swept up by someone who sells the dream, but then doesn’t always deliver. It’s also key that whoever you do work with, you see it as a partnership, and understand that you are going to need to feed into the project for it to thrive.

Across the brand right now, I have sussed out that what I do need or rather, who I need, and that is trusted individuals who want to nurture and support me and my goals. That’s not to say I haven’t worked with great people in the past, but if it hasn’t been the right time, it wasn’t always the right result. An example is when you opt for someone that’s used to working with brands who have a £2m marketing budget, but whilst they’ve worked with the best of the best on the best of the best, it doesn’t mean they’ll be able to do the same with your much smaller budget. So actually, you’d have been better off working with someone who’s experienced with stretching £200. But right now, I have a good thing going.

It’s also hard when you’ve never done something before to know if who you are working with are the right fit. All I will say is trust your gut. It’s a cliché of course, but for a reason. There’s been suppliers that I have persevered with as I’ve been told that my expectations are off and what they are delivering is fine, even to a good standard. And whilst it’s felt off, I ignored my gut and continued on. Last week, I had a call with a new potential supplier, who was giving me a breakdown of what our partnership could look like (just doing their job) and I cried. They might have thought I was a little neurotic, but I explained just a couple of the things that had happened with their predecessor and they were a real comfort. It wasn’t even anything remotely emotional that we were discussing, but my reaction told me a lot. Sometimes, you can endure something for so long that you feel like it’s normal and it’s only when you go to make a change, when it’s ending, that you realise what an impact it has had. My vow moving forward is to continue to trust my gut and only partner with those that see it as just that, a partnership, a mutually beneficial relationship built on kindness, trust, respect and joint goals and shared work ethic. That might sound dramatic, but nobody you work with should ever make you feel bad about wanting that.