At the root of any business partnership is trust.
You don’t need friendship—in fact, that can get in the way of getting things done—but partners have to believe that they are working towards the same end and that they have each other’s backs covered.
When trust erodes, the dissolution of the partnership isn’t far behind and no amount of legal paperwork, or complicated agreements, can really put it back together again.
The Chinese may not understand this better than anyone else, but in practice the emphasis they place on relationships is more important than legal mumbo jumbo. The question is always the same. Do I trust someone enough to become their partner? If the answer is no, then ultimately no amount of legal boiler plating will make things work. If yes, then you can almost skip the paperwork.
As simplistic as that seems, it forms part of Ava’s ethos. A verbal agreement and a handshake, or in the case of May Ling, a hug, are more binding than two hundred pages of legalese.
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There are just a few more chapters until the conclusion of The Dragon Head of Hong Kong. If you aren’t caught up, there’s never been a better time for an Ava Lee binge. I've also been informed that on Friday there will be a special promotion for those of you who can't wait to find out more of Ava's stories.
Stay Tuned!