This year marks two significant milestones in my professional journey: Reputation Matters turns 21, while Re.Bag.Re.Use celebrates its fifth anniversary.
On the surface, these two entities could not be more different. Reputation Matters is built on research, data, spreadsheets and strategy. Re.Bag.Re.Use is built on colour, creativity, crochet hooks and what I often refer to as organised chaos.
One measures reputation. The other creates products from upcycled materials.
One is a Type A personality, driven by structure, goals and measurable outcomes through productivity.
The other is my creative child, the wild spirit who lives comfortably in ambiguity and expresses emotions through creativity.
Yet despite their differences, they have taught me the same lesson.
People do business with people
Over the past few months, it feels like I have spent more weekends standing behind a market stall than sitting in boardrooms. It has been a refreshing reminder that the principles of reputation are universal.
Whether someone is purchasing a handcrafted product at a market or selecting a professional service provider, the fundamentals remain the same. It all starts with relationships: People want to be respected, heard and valued.
Business success and reputation have very little to do with reports, strategies, presentations or even the product or service itself. Those things matter, but they are not what people remember.
People remember how you treated them.
They remember whether you listened, whether you followed through on a promise, whether you showed appreciation for their support and whether you showed up when it mattered.
Ultimately, people do business with people, not entities.
A two-way street
Relationships are also a two-way street. As businesses, we often focus on building relationships with customers, employees, suppliers and other stakeholders. Yet meaningful relationships require effort from both sides.
Every interaction either strengthens or weakens the bridge between two people.
An employee who leaves on good terms may one day reappear as a customer, supplier, advocate or strategic partner. Careers are rarely linear. The bridges we build, or choose not to burn, often shape the opportunities that present themselves years later.
I have also seen the reverse happen. Someone is difficult to reach or dismissive while employed by a large organisation, only to reappear years later when they have started their own business and suddenly need support, advice or an introduction. The person you overlook today may be the very person you need tomorrow.
People move. Careers evolve. Roles change.
That is why relationships should never be built around titles or positions. They should be built around respect.
Consistent touchpoints over time
Relationships are not built through grand gestures. More often, they are shaped through small, consistent touchpoints over time. A thank-you message. A follow-up call. Delivering on a promise. Taking the time to acknowledge someone’s contribution.
Individually, these actions may seem insignificant. Collectively, they build trust, strengthen relationships and ultimately shape reputation.
After all, reputation is not built in a single moment. It is built through hundreds of interactions that signal to others that they matter. Reputation is like crocheting. One stitch does not make a finished product, but thousands of small stitches create something colourful, strong and lasting.
Whether in a boardroom or behind a market stall, I have come to the same conclusion: relationships remain one of the most valuable investments any individual, business or organisation can make.
Regine le Roux is a reputation specialist and managing director of Reputation Matters, a reputation management consultancy promoting sustainable organisational growth. She completed her Communication Management Honours degree Cum Laude at the University of Pretoria. She is also the founder of non-profit, Re.Bag.Re.Use.
