Starting and growing a business is exciting and ambiguous – and that’s the fun. It’s a time of possibility, experimentation, imagination, and showing the world what you can do. But, progress is not a straight line and being a leader is incredibly demanding, stretching you, spreading you thin, and spiraling you toward burnout. Become the leader your vision requires – cultivate the clarity, discipline, and momentum you need to explore boldly and lead intentionally. Get a weekly nudge to think differently, lead intentionally, and keep exploring.
🚪Ethics at the Front Door
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Late afternoon recently, the door bell rings. Normally, I check the camera, notice the salesman with their branded polo and clipboard, and ignore them. As I’ve previously shared, I’m not a fan of this style of marketing. Most pitches, in my experience, while designed to maximize and speed up trust, actually have the opposite effect. This time, I check the camera and – to my great surprise – I see a young girl, probably elementary school age. She seems to be alone and she looks scared. As a parent, my heartstrings are immediately tugged and the what-if scenarios are endless (what if she needs help?). I open the door. In a split second, I’m reading her face and body language. She looks to the ground. Shame? She’s obviously uncomfortable… Just as I’m about to ask her a question, I learn why. The salesman who I assume is her father, pops his head around the wall where he had been deliberately hiding out of sight. “Oh hey, boss!” I hate when they say that. “We’re doing tree trimming for some of your neighbors, do you need any work done?” This guy. Used a child. As a prop. To get me to open the door. It was a trick. Using a child. I almost don’t have words to describe how outrageous this is to me. But allow this brief screed: What kind of father would use their kid in this way? What example does he think he’s setting? I get that some families don’t have childcare. But to force your kid to be an unwilling participant in your scheme to sell your services? It’s widely inappropriate. It certainly doesn’t build trust with me as a potential customer. What a schmuck. Now, even in observing behavior that’s out of bounds, there are lessons we can extract. Through the lens of what we can control: 1) We can reaffirm the example we want to set in the world and let that guide our decisions. 2) We can choose simply to not deceive people and to make choices that actually build trusting relationships with customers, friends, or coworkers. 3) We can go about our work, lead our businesses, interact with strangers with a simple idea in mind: do the right thing. There’s a phrase that’s common in coaching circles: “how we do anything is how we do everything.” Are you taking shortcuts? Are you being honest with others? Are you “getting yours” at the expense of others? The person you are when no one is looking, how you act with strangers, the way you treat people when there’s money to be made – that’s who you really are. 📫 If this sparked an idea, or if you’re feeling stuck, I’d love to hear from you. You can reply directly to this email to share what you’re working on, ask a question, or suggest topics you’d like me to cover in future newsletters. I read every response. Until next time, Michael
Michael Schefman | 321 Liftoff Copyright © 2026 by 321 Liftoff LLC |
Michel Schefman, 321 Liftoff
Starting and growing a business is exciting and ambiguous – and that’s the fun. It’s a time of possibility, experimentation, imagination, and showing the world what you can do. But, progress is not a straight line and being a leader is incredibly demanding, stretching you, spreading you thin, and spiraling you toward burnout. Become the leader your vision requires – cultivate the clarity, discipline, and momentum you need to explore boldly and lead intentionally. Get a weekly nudge to think differently, lead intentionally, and keep exploring.
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