There’s an old saying “what goes around comes around”, there are a few others eluding to ‘do unto others as you would have done unto yourself’.  For time immemorial these sayings have asked us to treat others as we would like to be treated, put a bit back in etc etc.

I’ve been in business for over 20+ years, recently these sayings have dried up, customer loyalty and trust waned, the saying it’s not personal it’s just business is uttered so many times more today than every, so much so I begin to wonder just were the values of yesteryear have gone.  Everyone knows the cost of everything and the value of little or so it seems.

All the same I personally believe the little things are important, courtesy costs nothing, appreciation is important and helping out more important than ever.  I also personally believe in transparency in life and business, do what you say on the tin so to speak.  Another important aspect of my life is doing unto others, so when I heard of a local business struggling against all odds I personally couldn’t stand by and watch it get eaten up by the ‘big boys’ and understood what I would like to happen for me if I was in the same position.  So I offered a free website and free SEO to this business on the understanding that if they make it big they can buy me a beer one day, more importantly on the understanding that they would at very least remember the help they received and look out to do similar for someone else if they every see the need.

Is a free website a random act of kindness or more than that?

The fact that someone would have beaten the odds is enough for me, it’s happened in the past were businesses I have offered to help for free have come good, one going on to make millions.  Did I get royally rewarded, no, do I drive a fast car because of it, no, I was simply thanked, then the owner of the business got in a fast car and jetted off for a luxury holiday for 3 weeks.  I went camping in North Wales, happy that they had made it and I helped at least a little.

Sometimes in business I believe there’s a greater meaning to what I do if I do it simply because I can, because just maybe it gives someone a chance, not just because it’s Christmas or because it gives me good PR, but because it’s nice to provide service for a higher value than money alone.

So is a free website a random act of kindness or is it more than that?  I personally think it’s more than someone getting something for free, it’s about the difference it can make.  The difference in the business fortunes yeh may become obvious, but the difference it can make to the recipient at a spirtiual level can be greater, in addition the difference it can make to many more greater still.  Just as throwing a stone into a still mill pond will make many ripples, just maybe throwing some good into a world of dog eat dog and grab what you can may just make a difference in someway.  The cynics may say why when life is hard enough for you anyway, I say why not.

I’m not religious and do not do Christmas in anyway … but I believe that if we all invested a little time to help others the world would be a much better place.  It has to start somewhere, why not you.  I believe time is the greatest commodity in the world something nobody can buy more of, but we all can invest a little more were it can help the most.

Enjoy the festive period.