Handshake Currency

The importance of integrity.

by Roxanne Reed


Have you ever been in a situation where all you had was a strong “gut feeling” and a great idea but the only currency in your pocketbook was your word? It’s a common phenomenon for entrepreneurs to lead by instinct, develop something new and back it up with integrity. Many times we ask suppliers, landlords and employees to just trust us – to extend us credit, reduce their margins or work harder for meager wages for the project potential. 

Handshake currency is an asset that is developed over time and helps business grow. Without this asset most companies would not survive. Business classes teach students to focus on gaining tangible assets such as computers, office furniture and storefront space. What about the people who actually make our businesses possible?

Successful entrepreneurs have a way of making people feel important, because they are important to the overall goal. Business leaders carry a unique responsibility – one that many realize in the end is less about the product and more about the people who make the dream a reality.

In my experience, the best relationships began with a simple handshake. Of course that is not to say that contracts and legal protections didn’t follow. The premise of “trust” is too often overlooked though…and I mean really trusting that a person has your best interest at heart.

Handshake currency, if abused, is hard to get back. You have to nurture it and honor it as if your business depends on it – because it does.

My grandfather always told me “there is no coin worth its weight in gold if it is earned at the cost of others.” That’s always stuck with me and I live my life by that principle.

Business needs contracts at some point – that’s understood. However, we cannot forget business is about people. Most dreams can be made a reality with an honest handshake and the integrity to stand behind it.