You never know

I read a neighborhood blog (in this case the neighborhood is Hyde Park in Chicago) once or twice a week.

I read it because the people that host it have a similar worldview about the neighborhood, namely that we want to see it evolve and improve.

The blog mentions a new cafe in town.  They review it.  The review is positive.  The comments that follow the review are positive. 

Weeks later I'm finally around the cafe.  I check it out.  The owners are nice, the food is good, the coffee is strong.  I'm happy.

Now of course the owner's of the cafe don't know that I'm affiliated with an organization that can probably drive some business their way.  But they will soon when I offer to help.

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Here's what I want you to consider:

What if the whole experience had been a disaster?

Then the cafe would have hurt themselves on two levels:

1.  They would have lost a future customer.

2.  They would have lost a connection with someone that may be able to help them.

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Here's my point:  Be good to people, because you never know who you are dealing with.