So last night I had a bit of a thing happen, that's still bothering me today. Yesterday was a busy day for SW, with 3 orders coming in and a major supply order from me going out. I have a flow to how I work. An order comes in, I send out the confirmation email, then I put it into quickbooks, and then I print out the invoices to use as packing slips. The invoices get set on my desk until I'm ready to start packing the order.

A friend came over with some birthday cake, and we were talking about the business a bit. I read off what was ordered from the invoices and set them down. She then reached for them asking "So what did you make today?". I took the invoices out of her hands and said "Don't touch my invoices please. They're confidential."

A little later she said "You know I wouldn't do anything with the information, right?". I said that that wasn't the point, the point is these people entrust me with their addresses, their money, and that I have a privacy policy that I take very seriously. Most of my customers have online lives, as well as their offline ones. I have information that links the two. I respect that trust, more than I can say.

The only people that ever see that information are me, the customer, the post office lady (addresses only) and my Mom. My mother is teaching me accounting, and is also my accountant.

I asked Mike later why anyone would think it's ok to touch someone's business papers. I can't imagine ever even considering it. He thinks that maybe SW is not seen as a "real business" so why would I care. That it's just something I do to fill my time. A hobby that I make money from. Nothing I would be so serious about.

So this has been eating at me. See, SW is my job. The day I got my business licence and opened a business account at my bank, it was no longer a hobby. I am deadly serious about my business, my products, and my customers. I made a decision that this is what I want to do with my life, and I don't fuck around with my life anymore.

So when someone does something that could potentially ruin my business? I'm really annoyed. Sound extreme? I asked in chat, where most of my customers are, if they would deal with a business that allowed someone not part of the business to see their information. Right across the board, not a chance in hell.

So not cool. I shouldn't have to even consider locks and passwords in my home, to protect my business. I had most of today to think about it, and I still don't know what I should do. More firm boundaries, I think.

So how to end a rant, when no longer ranty? Hmmm.

The End. Save, upload, done.