The Vendor You Love Will Bury You
11,000 startups died in 2025. Not because the market was cruel. Not because the funding dried up. Not because the government didn't clap loud enough at the next T-Hub inauguration. They died because they fell in love. Not with the customer. Not with the product. Not with the problem they set out to solve. They fell in love with their vendors. The Comfort Trap If your vendor actually gave you the best price, the best quality, and the best service — what would he sell you in the next quarter? A vendor that creates real value has no dependent client. So he creates NONE. Instead, he creates relationships. He creates nostalgia. He creates the warm, fuzzy feeling that because you started this journey together in a co-working space in 2016, you owe him your 2026 procurement budget. He calls you "brother" while invoicing you like a stranger. He brings you Diwali sweets while your unit economics bleed. He remembers your birthday but forgets the delivery deadline he missed for the...
