I once worked with a vendor who embraced the motto, “Demand What You’re Worth!” At first, this seemed fair and honorable—after all, who wouldn’t want to be compensated according to their value?

However, after working with this vendor, I realized that this singular mindset has a downside: it overlooks the contributions and investments of everyone involved in the project.

During initial negotiations, the vendor demanded a high fee based on their promises of what they could deliver. I agreed, believing it was exactly what we needed, even though it meant my company would take a smaller share of the overall contract. Unfortunately, it became clear that the vendor didn’t fully live up to their assurances of quality, leaving my company looking subpar in the eyes of the client who had hired us to provide a valuable service. By the end of the project, I had to significantly discount our services to satisfy the client, which left me with zero profit.

For months afterward, I kept thinking: What about the worth of my company’s contributions? What about my value in this deal? Why wasn’t this a consideration from the start? It felt one-sided, with the vendor showing little regard for how others involved—especially the client—could also benefit from the collaboration.

In hindsight, I realized the responsibility was mine. I missed the chance to say to the vendor, “What about my worth, and the investment my company made to create this opportunity?” I didn’t factor that into the equation when deciding on the compensation.

This experience taught me a valuable lesson: while it’s absolutely okay to demand what you’re worth, it’s equally important to recognize the worth of everyone else involved. Business is about collaboration, and true success comes from ensuring that all parties feel valued and rewarded for their contributions. Only then can we walk away feeling that the project was truly “worth” it for everyone.