Southern Living

A week ago today I was traveling back from Hootersville in a driving snowstorm after a brief weekend of business (monkey and not). I learned quite a lesson in Southern manners. Doing business up North especially in the cut throat world of the East Coast is a universe away from in the South. If you have a goal here, you make several contacts, directly explain your requirements, exchange information (yes I can, no I can’t, recommend an alternative, sign a contract, the end) which results in a completed transaction. It’s just business – it’s not personal. In the alternative universe (truly Whirldes Collide) of Mayberry RFD (my reference to the “bigger” local city down there), business is ALL personal and you better not let slip anything that won’t get repeated and repeated all around town and back again. We went to search for a potential facility and to also get an idea of the neighborhoods for me. By the end of the day we had 2 new life-long friends, a nearly perfect business location, a visit in my dream house, a good dinner and nothing was direct. It’s a new world with a new language that I need to learn. Coming out direct with your requirements can be seen as rude and aloof so take that offer of coffee, open with a few personal facts, don’t rush, ask questions about everyone’s “people” and chat. I’ll never learn to chit.