When you cast your net out into unknown waters, you stand a good chance of either catching fish for dinner or random junk from the sea. That is how I can best equate the search for clients as an entrepreneur.
In some cases the clients are great and the potential projects easily turn around to actualised projects (fish for dinner). But there is just as much a chance of meeting the ‘project baiter’ as I choose to call them (the random junk from the sea).
Definition of project baiter:
This type of client has no project to give but is seeking an audience to flex.
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In retrospect I should have known better when he started off by saying that he had worked with other previous Architects and there was something specific he was yet to find. These are my colleagues out here and the callout is unwarranted.
Insisting that we have to have a coffee meetup because he likes to gauge the connection and read the vibes of the potential Architect. So when was I available?
As soon as possible - was my thought process, hungry to keep the cash flow tap running- of course you meet the potential client. Driving to his mall café of choice I can’t say I had any expectations going in. This is part of the entrepreneurial job description - business development. Meet potential clients as often as possible with the hopes that at least one out of ten potential clients turn into actual clients.
I kept time - so did he and we sat down to order. As an introvert, I thrive on a one-on-one level and I listened and asked about him more than I did talk about myself. He spoke of his travels and how Architecture in Kenya was subpar. How Vegas is trashier in person and why the US was overrated. Who his favourite African Architects were as well as his sole favourite building in Kenya. Insisting that Kenya had almost nothing to offer in terms of good Architecture especially having been to several countries over the recent years. (ahem the current mall we were in? - okay let’s not fight that one too much)
I knew his career journey and how he managed to move up from the countryside right through to the suburbs in Upperhill - down to details of how his estate was not densely populated and well-designed to match his lifestyle and needs. How being a man and providing for his family was of great pride to him and he intended to continue doing so by growing his portfolio further. That’s where I came in. He was thinking about investing in an airbnb property to be built back home. The views were insane.
He had seen the A-frame cottage style and that appealed greatly to him and was the direction he was seeking. What would that involve so that he could begin to plan? A couple of concept sketches from him and a general description of his plot at home, I expressed my excitement to work on it.
The coffee meeting lasted four hours…Four hours! You read that right. It looked promising, after all he kept circling back to his senior position at work and the obligations and exposure it had brought with it. He was the advisor to the CEO and had vast knowledge about business development. Being intrigued by the business end of Professions, I was eager to exchange notes as well on how running a Practice needed serious skills in business development.
Rush hour long past, it was the end of the meeting. He had gauged our connection and was interested in working with me on the holiday home project. Going down the elevator, I was excited…he had exposure and the budget, this looked promising!
The following day, and as promised, I emailed the related fee proposal including timelines and related output. All fairly considered to cover the company expenses as well as pay me and the team involved.
Then there was silence.
After a respectful time period I reached out to see if he had had a chance to review the email. ‘Work has been crazy, and in fact I have not been within the country’ I suppose email works within the country’s borders only.
Five months later, no response, oh well- we move regardless. I usually give myself three check-ins ‘professionally’ spread out to count that catch as a bust.
Having a catchup with the friend who recommended the fellow to me, she was so embarrassed by the guy’s non-action and especially the rude lack of response…and that’s when she processed everything!
It was not the first time this fellow had requested for recommendations only to disappear after the initial coffee meetup. And another common and perhaps disturbing factor is that it was almost always with women - women in business. With the promise of engaging in business.
He NEVER engaged any of the contacts on any project! Talk of it being more of a coffee date than a business meeting - we concluded. Four hours!
I will let you draw your own conclusions about his possible intentions.
-THE END-
This article is part of an ongoing series - The Diary of a Kenyan Archipreneur. To read the previous article click here.