Never have I been more grateful to be a business owner than when I recently caught up with a close friend and former colleague from my corporate days. This man is the definition of dependable. He's hardworking, always prioritizing work and rarely complains or asks for anything.

Recently, he suffered a major hardship and needed to step back temporarily to focus on his family. Initially, his company was sympathetic and accommodating. In the end, however, he lost the job he had dedicated so much of his time and energy to.

Related: Winning Includes Putting People First in Your Business. This is How You Do It.

As his friend, I am heartbroken. As a business owner, I am appalled. While I understand that businesses answer to their shareholders, what I struggle to reconcile is the decision to overlook loyalty and dedication of service for a minuscule amount of money. Learning how little regard the company had for my friend's hardship only reaffirmed the promise I made when I started my company and vowed never to put

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