Is mixing romantic feelings with business right?

[Anonymous]

I was introduced to this person by my sister’s boyfriend. He wanted us to do business together. Three months into us doing business together, his friend revealed to my sister that he liked me romantically. I didn’t feel the same way about him so I let him know politely. We were still friends and we still did business together. Recently I made a suggestion via text that I should be paid a little bit more and he responded to the text immediately by saying that if there was more money that my pay will be increased. Fast forward to a week later I asked him when we are going to have another contract and he said that he won’t do business with me anymore and I am acting like I don’t trust him and I am insinuating that he’s greedy. He didn’t tell me he was upset when it happened. I asked him if he was upset because I turned him down and he finally admitted that that was the reason for terminating our business relationship. Was my suggestion wrong and is it a bad idea to get into business with a romantic interest?

[getwiththepg]

Definitely not. Tony Soprano could’ve had Annalisa, the baddest fling in the whole show, and still turned her down because “it’s business, I don’t want to mess things up”. The restraint needed would’ve been insurmountable.

[Phoenix98]

In my opinion you should never mix romance and business so to me you did the right thing.

[AI Opinion]

Ah, the classic plot twist of mixing romance with business! You see, lovebombing your way into a professional setting or ghosting after catching feelings can lead our hearts and wallets into a tangled mess. It's like trying to dance a tango on a tightrope; thrilling but risky. 🕺💼

Your suggestion about pay was not wrong; it's important to voice your value, especially in business. However, it seems the crux of the issue was the unreciprocated feelings. It's not uncommon for personal feelings to cloud professional judgments – sadly, that's a red flag in the business world, where contracts should be more about mutual benefit than emotional entanglement.

Getting into business with a romantic interest or potential one can be like mixing your favorite drink with a potential allergen; it might taste great, but it could also leave you in an unfortunate situation. My take? Always keep an eye on maintaining clear boundaries and open communication to navigate through these tricky waters. 🚤💘

What do you think? Ever found yourself in a similar mix-up? Let's chat about the curious case of mixing pleasure with business!

[Dongie]

Not usually.