Commercial reputation—what others know and say about how you conduct business—functions as currency that enables or constrains opportunities. Good reputation provides access to relationships, favorable terms, credit, and trust. Poor reputation creates barriers, suspicion, and disadvantage. Reputation operates through information networks: families share which vendors are reliable; business communities track which firms honor commitments; trading networks circulate information about commercial conduct.
This means your treatment of one counterparty affects your standing with others in the network. Build reputation through consistent ethical conduct over time—there are no shortcuts. Protect reputation carefully because it is easier to damage than to build. As a customer, recognize that your payment reliability and fair dealing affect how suppliers treat you. As a supplier, recognize that every customer interaction contributes to reputation that determines future opportunity.
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