When my sister-in-law Tanya\u2019s house was damaged by a spring storm, I agreed to fix it, thinking I was just helping family. I own a small contracting business and, even though money was tight, I paid for everything upfront \u2014 nearly $18,800 \u2014 trusting her promise to repay me once her insurance check cleared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For three weeks, my crew and I worked hard: a new roof, garage door, siding, and custom gutters. But months passed with no payment. Then one day, Tanya pulled into my driveway in a brand-new SUV. When I asked about my money, she laughed and claimed it was \u201cfamily help\u201d and that my work would be \u201cgreat exposure\u201d for my business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Furious, I came up with a plan. Tanya was throwing a big housewarming party, so I printed brochures showing before-and-after photos of the repairs \u2014 along with the unpaid balance in bold: $18,800. I dropped them off at her party for all her friends to see. By the end of the night, whispers spread, and Tanya\u2019s reputation took a major hit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A week later, karma struck. Her new SUV was stolen, and since she\u2019d skipped comprehensive insurance, she got nothing back. Meanwhile, neighbors who saw my work called me for quotes, and my business grew. Best of all, I finally bought my son the sneakers he\u2019d been waiting for. Tanya learned her lesson, and I learned to never mix business and family without a contract.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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