Deception is a lot like sleeping, you never know when you’re being deceived, and you’re usually always in the dark. When it comes to doing business and making the great American dollar, a little white lie never hurt anyone right? Whether you’re questioned about how many years you’ve been in business to how many sales you’ve made, deception will come back to bite you.

So, what’s the difference in a notable business with a recognized reputation and the used car salesman who goes out of business for selling lemons. The shrewd businessman with the honorable reputation cares about his name. And the way to build a good name and keep it, is being honest and let the quality or your product speak for itself. Why? Because “word of mouth” is the best advertising tool available to the business world. The car salesman who knows he has cars that are defective, but he tries to pass them off as the best cars that have come off a production line, isn’t going to build a worthy business name by his former sales. Not only will you obtain a damaging name by trying to get one over on those who are oblivious, but you’ll go out of business as well.

Yea, there are those enduring businesses who cut corners and deceive even their own mothers if that’s what it takes to make sales and stay in business. So how does deception come back to bite the successful hand that feeds it? Well…we’ve all heard, “What goes around, comes around,” and whether it’s the BBB or a scorned, betrayed business wife, you will fall through the hands of deceit. And when you do, you’ll hit rock bottom…and you’ll hit it hard. Staying honest in business is putting the fence at the top of the cliff, instead of the ambulance at the bottom.

Dale Young