Why I WILLINGLY gave American Airlines $200 of my hard-earned dollars.

Like you, I work for my income. As a business owner, my bank account is a DIRECT reflection of my ability to provide a service that someone else will pay me for.

If the answer is YES, then I have to deliver that work. I then send an invoice. Then, I wait (sometimes a little, other times a lot). During that time, I’m paying my own expenses, keeping our staff and contractors paid, as well as paying the taxes (yes, even on the outstanding invoices!). 

So, when I have to make a financial decision to GIVE UP $10 or $50 or even $100, you MUST know that choice hit my bottom line. So, why would I willingly give American Airlines $200 of my money? Let me explain...

A while ago, a friend-of-a-friend asked if I wanted to contribute a “video course” to a entrepreneur she knew was creating a Channel of expert-led classes. The preliminary details sounded good: I’d fly to their city, be in their studio, have them edit the course I teach, and best of all…the content would be based on our newest book, “Get Momentum."

As we got closer to the date, I made my plans. I blocked the day off the calendar - turning down other work that had come in along the way - as well as made my travel arrangements; including a non-refundable airline ticked with my airline of choice: American Airlines.

Then…things started unraveling. With less than 3 weeks to go, I got an email, with a link, to review the “Contract.” Well, I immediately forwarded a PDF version of the contract I’d received (THAT was an issue in an of itself!) to my corporate attorney. 

NOTE: Please, if you are in business for yourself - no matter how small - have an attorney on your side. 

Ok, I’m going to make this next bit really, really short.

Three emails, and 4 phone calls later (between the “video course” folks and my attorney) it turned out that the fine print of the contract was going to open up (a) some liability, and (b) my content would be free for them to re-edit and re-use.

Well, I had purchased a non-refundable ticket from American at $323. So, I had to make the big decisions to:

• NOT sign the contract.
• NOT fly to Austin
• NOT get a $300+ dollar refund
• Give up $200 to American Airlines as a “change fee” the next time I want to use that ticket.

And, you know what? I’m happy. That $200, sure it eats at Jodi and my “bottom line.” We won’t be able to do “SOMEthing” this month, cause we’re 200 bucks Short. BUT, in the long term it was the best choice.

Just ask my attorney.