I've Changed My Position 180 Degrees

I've been reading Make Something Wonderful, a collection of Steve Jobs's own letters, emails, and talks.

One chapter reprints an email exchange from 1995 that I haven't been able to put down.

It's a thread between three men. Andy Grove, then the CEO of Intel. Steve Jobs, who at the time was running Pixar — a company quietly becoming the most important name in computer graphics. And a young Intel engineer who goes unnamed in the published exchange.

Intel wanted to learn. Pixar was doing something with graphics that Intel knew it needed to understand, and Andy Grove — never a shy man — asked Steve whether his people could sit down with Pixar's. Andy tapped his engineer to make the connection.

The engineer sent Steve an email. And Steve read it as arrogant.

Steve wrote back with an edge. If Intel wanted what Pixar knew, then Intel could pay for it. This was valuable information, and Steve wasn't inclined to simply hand it over.

Then Andy Grove replied. He didn't argue economics. He reminded Steve of something simpler and older than any licensing deal: this is how friends and partners operate. You help each other. Sometimes you give more than you get; sometimes you get more than you give. "These things," Andy wrote, "balance out."

And Steve — not a man famous for backing down — read that, and corrected himself:

The most stubborn man in technology paused, saw it, and chose the relationship over the invoice.

These Things Balance Out

In business, we need these kinds of associations — built on reflection, friendship, loyalty, respect, and love. Some never grasp this concept. They will forever be looking for what they can get, and without feeling will trash a friendship of many years' duration for the sake of financial gain.

Friendships are built on what money can't buy. Reduce everything to a transaction, and you are dirt poor — no matter your bank balance.

A Few Things Worth Your Attention This Month

Peak Season Is a Cash-Flow Illusion

Money is pouring in right now — but a good chunk of it was never yours. Sales tax, lodging tax, and your own income tax are all riding inside those summer deposits. Set aside a fixed percentage of every busy-season dollar in a separate account now, so the slow months and the tax bill don't catch you flat.

Stay Current on Sales & Lodging Tax

For our Gulf Shores and Orange Beach short-term rental, retail, and hospitality owners, monthly filings (due the 20th) stack up fast in season. Confirm that Airbnb and Vrbo are actually remitting on your behalf, and that the split is landing correctly in your MAT account. A five-minute check now beats a penalty later.

Do a Mid-Year Reconciliation While It's Fresh

Reconcile your books through June while the season is still roaring — you'll catch the messy stuff now instead of next April. And your Q3 estimated payment is due September 15; project it now, not in the last week of August.