Four steps to approaching me the first time

I'm constantly hounded by potential vendors and partners. Let me make very clear what I need you to do. If you want to do business with me, you must start with these four+ things:

1. Be honest. I have more than 40 years of experience with dealing with charlatans. Most of those who call me seem to think they are paid to lie. If you trigger my baloney detectors, we are done -- forever. But if you can demonstrate candor, we have a shot.

2. Be informed. Do some research. Don't just read my company's website. Google a little. Ideally, know a few people that I know and ask them about me, my interests and my style. Also, have some sense of what I'm likely to want from you. If you don't know, ask. Preferably, know my current partners. They're not hard to find if you try a little.

3. Be relevant. I need partners. Partner relationships (all of my suppliers, clients, and colleagues are partners, in my book) are all I have and if you are honest, informed and relevant, I will do just about anything to help you. Being a partner means being on the same side of the negotiating table. It means wanting the same things most of the time and being honest (see #1) about when our interests conflict, as they sometimes will.

4. Care about what I care about. I care about helping clients solve their problems. By doing that I trust that they will help my company by providing revenue. In turn, I trust that my company will provide what I need (a paycheck, interesting things to work on and recognition.) Client, company, and employee. 1, 2, 3. Nobody else left to play with, Simple. But it all starts with the customer. I care about your quota only to the extent that it motivates you to help me solve clients' problems. I care not one iota that your founders came from the IC. I care even less about what happens on CNBC, Shark Tank, and similar circuses. I care about clients. You must do the same.

Prepare to listen. (This is for bonus points.) But if you are willing to listen I will tell you (or at least try very hard to tell you) exactly what you need in order to be successful with me and my associates. 

By the way, before you quote them, know that I take a dim view of the opinions of industry analysts and investors, most of whom are fools.

I can't be any more clear than this.