The Business of Relationships: What Entrepreneurship Has Taught Me About People

By: Acceptance Paralegal Services LLC

They didn’t always call themselves that.

Some were hustlers. Some were providers. Some were just trying to make a way. Some owned corner stores. Others ran repair shops, pool halls, real estate portfolios, or barbershops.

My grandparents, their siblings, and their children were entrepreneurs all the same, building something from nothing and keeping it going with grit, intuition, and vision.

We just buried my cousin not long ago. He was 83. And right up until his transition, he was still moving deals, making calls, still building. That kind of legacy doesn’t disappear, it settles into your bones.

So when I think about contracts and clients, I’m not thinking about “business” in the way some people do.

I’m thinking about relationships, How we listen. How we honor time. How we avoid overpromising.And how we protect each other, in writing.

It’s Not Just Paper. It’s People.

Contracts aren’t just checkboxes or tools to avoid lawsuits. They’re reflections of trust. They show you how people operate under pressure, how they protect themselves, and how they value you, or don’t.

I’ve seen people at their best at the deal table. And I’ve seen them at their absolute worst.

I’ve experienced:

·       Decision-avoidant personalities making circular redline edits

·       The “meeting for every draft” crowd

·       Folks who intentionally offer as little compromise as possible

I’ve negotiated with some of the biggest names in the industry, names you’d instantly recognize, who showed up to the table like it was a heavyweight title fight.

And yet, as a paralegal, I hold my own. Often so well, they assume I’m an attorney, even after I’ve clearly introduced myself with full transparency.

Through this journey, I’ve learned that:

·       Some people only see value when you hand them an invoice

·       Others won’t respect boundaries unless they’re on paper

·       Some won’t hear your knowledge until someone else repeats it louder

But I’ve also learned that:

·       Real ones refer you when you're not in the room

·       Community forms when you lead with clarity

·       And alignment, not followers, builds legacy

I Never Fit In. That’s My Advantage.

I’ve never truly belonged.

Not in corporate.Not in social circles.From childhood to adulthood, I was always the one who didn’t match the room.

Too direct. Too bold. Too experienced. Too honest. Too sensitive.Too “not like the rest.”

But now? I see it for what it was: refinement.

That same instinct helps me negotiate better terms, draft cleaner language, and read between the lines when others only see bullet points.

When I’m in my element, it’s almost psychic.I can pick up on everything, tone, energy, intent. I’ve looked into someone’s eyes, exchanged a handshake, and just known how the deal would (or wouldn’t) unfold.

I even notice the colors people wear and what they subconsciously signal.My brain doesn’t miss much. It never has.

"We are only as good as the reality we’ve chosen to face about ourselves. And I’ve faced mine".

Relationships Are the True Currency

Yes, I manage contracts.Yes, I provide legal support.But more than anything, I protect relationships.

Whether it’s between:

·       a site and a sponsor

·       a founder and a vendor

·       or a client and their business

I help people define how they treat each other. In plain English. With dignity. With clarity.

Because people forget:You don’t just agree to terms, you agree to behavior.

And if this world is going to change, it’ll be because more of us lead with integrity, in both speech and service.

If you’re looking for a contract partner who values the human element behind every agreement, you’ve found her.

Acceptance Paralegal Services

Legal Support Rooted in Respect