Speaking from my experience over the past 10 years leading a social business, I can say that business relationships are much like the personal ones we form in life. The quality of those relationships has a direct impact on whether my business grows quickly or slowly — and just as importantly, on how fulfilled, aligned, or even “happy” I feel running it.
Some relationships have deeply moved me, opened my heart, and inspired me to dream bigger — to grow HAMPAJ’s impact. And for those, I’m deeply grateful.
But how can we tell if a business relationship is grounded in something deeper than just economic benefit? And why does it matter?
Let me share three signs that may help you recognize them — and I’d love to know yours too:
Sign 1: 💬 There’s honest listening.
Real communication begins with listening, of course, but even more important is being able to speak with honesty and clarity — even within the framework of a commercial relationship. And I encourage you to be the first to lead by example.
When there’s real listening, both you and your client can talk openly about your progress and your challenges. There’s no need to sugarcoat numbers or project false confidence for the sake of negotiation. You can talk about your fears, how shifts in your society or country might impact your business. You can express when something in the relationship isn’t serving your business anymore — and when it’s time, you’re both able to say goodbye with respect.
How does this benefit your business? 🤝
✨ It means you truly understand what your client needs — and that might not be the product or service you originally envisioned. What they need could fall within a wide range: maybe they simply need a partner who respects deadlines, or someone who replies to emails promptly and helps make remote work easier. Or maybe, even more than getting a great price, what matters most is knowing that the product they buy was created with care — honoring the work of the artisans behind it, using biodegradable materials, and reflecting the values of fair trade. The point is: it varies.
✨ And when you listen with honesty and openness, you can respond to that variety with insight and precision — making your strategies more efficient. Because discovering what your client really needs — beneath the surface — is complex. Sometimes, it’s even difficult. But when you do, your offer becomes not just relevant, but resonant.
Sign 2: 💛 Shared values guide every step.
Every time I’ve had the good fortune to work with clients and people who share HAMPAJ’s values — joy, transparency, courage, responsibility, passion, and learning — three things feel much lighter: the natural workload, the stress, the everyday challenges that inevitably show up — and a fourth: the sense that you’re not alone. Your client may even be willing to take risks alongside you, making you feel supported in a way that turns challenges into shared missions rather than solitary burdens.
Want to hear a real story? 😊
Around 5 years ago, I became passionate about understanding — and participating in — every stage of the production of our handmade gifts. I’m talking from the alpaca herself, living over 4,000 meters up in the Peruvian Andes, all the way to when the final package leaves for our client’s country. For a time, I wanted to stop going to our supplier’s shop to buy their beautiful ready-to-use yarn. I wanted to know the whole story.
So, I dove in — and as often happens when there’s real passion, the right contacts, resources, and a client appeared. One who fell in love with the idea just like I did, and committed to buying all the products we would create with this very special yarn: sourced directly from the Andes, hand-spun by alpaca owners, naturally dyed by our team, and turned into delicate hats, blankets, dresses, and more for babies. We pre-sold the entire project! It was an enormous effort, and we bought nearly the whole first batch of yarn from a community in Huancavelica, Peru. The client loved the final pieces — and the project repeated itself for two more years.
How does this benefit your business? 🤝
✨ Here’s my point: when your client shares your business values, everything flows more easily. They’ll be willing to take risks alongside you — as far as your shared values allow. If your common goal is simply “how do we earn more?” and you both agree, that works. But if, for you, profit matters just as much as creating real impact — changing something in your environment that doesn’t sit right — then it’s going to feel exhausting if your client frequently pushes to cut costs, regardless of how.
✨ That kind of pressure drains the energy you need to fulfill your mission. And over time, I’d say it’s very likely that the relationship will end — when your client finds someone cheaper, or you find someone who better values what you bring.
Sign 3: ⏳ There’s time and trust to grow together.
The best business relationships take time — even if you’ve heard it before, I’ll say it again: the best ones need time. Time is a noun, but in action it becomes patience — and its fruit is trust.
What blows my mind is that when there’s patience and trust, the solutions you and the client agree on — to whatever problems or challenges arise — might initially look like a loss for one of you. But if you wait, you may be surprised by what you end up harvesting. Surprised by what you created together with that client — by what comes back to you.
Let me explain, with a real story 📖.
In the first part of this experience, a client told me — well in advance — that it was very important for her order to arrive at her shop in Japan by a specific date. She also requested to save as much as possible on shipping costs. With things clear, my team and I planned everything: calculated deadlines and set a final production date for a batch of shawls made from pure alpaca yarn, so we could ship using the most economical way.
As often happens in the Andes, it rained for days. The shawls had been washed but wouldn’t dry. We couldn’t reach the artisan, and production was delayed by at least two weeks.
The best solution I could offer was this: we would still complete the order carefully, and then we would send it via courier — not the cheapest option — so it would arrive in Japan on time. The client would only pay the lower shipping fee originally agreed. This time, we would cover the extra cost, as it was a natural, uncontrollable situation. The client was satisfied — and surprised.
Years later, I had the opportunity to visit Japan. That same client welcomed me with warmth — and surprisingly, she had organized a presentation and seminar for her most loyal customers, just so they could meet me and learn firsthand how we’ve been working together under a fair trade model between Peru and Japan for over a decade. It was unforgettable.
I returned to Japan the following year, and together we gave talks at Japanese schools about our sustainable business model. Five years later — with all the ups and downs that followed the pandemic — we’re still working together. And now, we’re preparing a bigger project. A shared dream that might take us from being client and supplier to business partners.
How does this benefit your business?
Maybe you agree — the story itself is the answer. 😊
I summarize everything!
If the commercial relationship is meaningful to you — and you believe it’s meaningful for the other party as well — then there’s nothing to lose. Do your best. Solve problems. Even when it feels like you’re giving more than you should. Expect nothing in return. And then… wait.
Let time pass. And something tells me, you’ll harvest more than you ever imagined. You’ll harvest your client’s trust in your ability to make things happen. And your own trust that you have clients who are willing to offer respect, support, and show up for you when you need them most.
✨ Who are you walking like this with? (Maria del Pilar, speaking 🙋🏻♀️, founder of HAMPAJ) I read you and learn from you.
PS: Between so many pictures of these last 10 years, let me share some pictures of Japan 🎌🏯.
If you have questions, comments or want to talk about how to place wholesale orders for our exclusive handmade gifts, please contact me or book an appointment with me.
Thank you!
Maria del Pilar
