I consider Joshua Steimle a local associate and friend, despite the fact that his company sells competing products with mine (web services). In a recent post on his blog, Josh responded to unfavorable comments about another competing web agency like this:

“To be fair, there are probably [unsatisfied customers] for every web development firm out there, including my own. The nature of the business is such that it invites misunderstandings and ensuing client/developer disputes in which both parties at parting feel that they have been wronged by the other. I’ve learned to steer clear of clients that complain about the last web development firm they worked with, and to steer very clear of those who complain about the last five or six firms they worked with, as the chance of my firm being next on the list is probably a high one.”

Having had my share of “non-good fit clients,” I couldn’t have said it better myself. To The Children’s Place: can you hear the classiness of said statements on one’s competition?