Work and Money
Must a small company accept being looked down on?
English translation draft · Based on the Chinese article. This is not a word-for-word translation approved by Master Shengyuan.
Small companies also deserve respect. Presenters put effort into proposals and should not face discourtesy because they are small or unfamiliar. Many large companies began small.
Running a public-relations events company, I once joined a pitch through a friend. During introductions, I felt the host looked down on us and questioned aggressively. It was uncomfortable, and I thought cooperation might be poor even if selected. Still, I believed the referring friend sincerely offered an opportunity rather than deliberately using us as a token competitor.
I then wanted to grow the company so the person would know us. Later I entered practice and left the industry, but the experience reminds me not to determine respect through scale or familiarity. The hurt can motivate and also prompt checking whether we unintentionally make others feel the same.