Case File 1: When Talent Turns Into a Gamble

Some guys don’t lose jobs because they lack skill. They lose them because they can’t manage greed.

This artist was sharp. He had style, he had presence, he had just finished a parapet for us that came out clean. So, when he was suggested for the artwork phase, it seemed like a no-brainer.

But here’s what people miss: talent doesn’t automatically mean reliability.

I started hearing whispers — the guy had taken on three other jobs while still halfway into mine. I did my math. His balance with me could cover refunds, so I paid two of his victims back directly. Made it look like I was protecting his integrity by not letting money sit idle. He thought he was clever; I made him look noble. And that’s how he calmed down enough to finish my job.

But once the artwork contract hit, the cracks widened. Suddenly, he wanted advance payments for “labor.” My site supervisor couldn’t even tell me how many boys he had on site. My instinct said: cut the supply line, not of materials, but of cash.

That’s when his lottery tickets surfaced. His wife whispered he was “sick.” He played stranded. He played unavailable. He played me.

So I played him right out of the project. Quietly brought in another artist, handed him the contract, and told him to finish the first guy’s abandoned work as a bonus. No extra cost to my client. No noise to his brother. No scandal.

A ₦300,000 disaster? Neutralized.
A flaky operator? Replaced.
My client? Safe.

Lesson?
Never mistake likability for dependability. You can’t protect investor money with vibes. You need a system that cuts off waste before it grows fangs.

👉 CTA: Want your projects safeguarded from character failures like this? Step into the Mission Control Blueprint. That’s where safety is designed before execution begins.