So picture this:
You get a Facebook message from an old friend (more like a good acquaintance) who you haven't seen in close to ten years. It's a short message, briefly updating me on his life, saying that he ran into a mutual friend and they were wondering how I was.
You are pleased by the unexpected communication, tell him what you're up to, and ask the friend more questions about himself.
He replies, mostly telling you about his start-up company. And by the way, he adds, there's a company he's interested in investing in with a healthcare background. Might I be able to give him some feedback on the company and possibly covest/syndicate him?
What do you do?
a) Politely decline
b) Feel pissed off that he pretended to be interested in your life, but was actually using you
c) Ignore email entirely
d) Look at the company and possibly invest
e) Look up what "covest/syndicate" means
Right now, I'm going for a combination for b and c (and e). OK, admittedly, I have emailed or called someone out of the blue and pretended to be interested in reconnecting, when I was mostly in need of a favor. But that doesn't make it any less annoying.
B+C
ReplyDeleteAsking for a favor is different than asking for $. I've done the former, but NEVER the latter.
C. So much C.
ReplyDeleteBesides the issue of how tacky it is, anyone who can't see that this would logically lead to you being irritated doesn't have the foresight required to run a start-up. Seriously.
definitely C
ReplyDeleteI'll say C until D. I say this largely because of what happened to my father, when a similar acquaintance of his asked to help invest in some real estate out in Quebec. My dad refused, and this land was subsequently bought out by IntraWest (a large resort company, who runs Whistler/Blackcomb and Tremblant), and this acquaintance retired at the age of 35.
ReplyDeleteOf course, for every story like this, there are 10 deposed Nigerian kings who just seen some money to wire you their bank account information...
I feel like the times I asked for a favor, I at least had been once pretty good friends with the person and invested a much involved phone call before springing the favor. And actually, the two times I can think of that I did it, both times were asking for a referral for a job at that person's company for my husband.
ReplyDeleteHello doctor fizzy!
ReplyDeleteI would choose C, too.
B first, but then A.
ReplyDeleteI did this today...asked someone I hadn't talked to in one year to be my reference, but LUCKILY, I had read your post and I started it out with, "Hey, I'm a terrible person, I'm writing to ask a favor."