My main business contact ghosted me right before a big deal closed

This happened last Thursday, the day we were supposed to sign the final papers for a project that would have brought in about $25k. I'd been talking to this guy, let's call him Mark, for three months. We met at a local meet-up, built what I thought was a solid connection, and everything was moving forward. Then, radio silence. No replies to emails, texts, or calls. I spent the whole weekend scrambling, trying to find another way to reach him or someone else at his company, but nothing. It made me realize how fragile a network can be when it's built on just one person. I got too comfortable and didn't build a backup plan. Has anyone else had a key contact just vanish, and how did you save the deal?

2 comments

2 Comments

charlie_schmidt25d ago

Man, that's brutal and I'm sorry it happened. It's crazy how this stuff shows up everywhere, not just in business. You can have a solid plan with one person at work, your kid's school, even your gym, and if that single link vanishes the whole thing falls apart. It makes you want to build connections with at least two people in any important group, just as a safety net. Really hope you can find a way to salvage that deal.

the_derek25d ago

Yeah @charlie_schmidt, that "single link" idea is so true, but how do you actually build that second connection without seeming fake?