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I have a startup project, and my (only for now) vendor wants to be my sole vendor. I am concerned about his behaviour if I want to work with other vendors in the near future.

How do I deal with this relationship? How do I work with other vendors without incidence?

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    "Wants to be unique" isn't very descriptive. Of course a market participant such as a supplier wants to establish barriers that stop competitors from poaching his business. That's basic capitalism. How you handle that depends heavily on context.
    – Justin Cave
    Commented Nov 10, 2021 at 16:48
  • @JoeStrazzere If I say "no" then my startup never get started, I never mean to decieve him. There must be a way that open and gentle in entrepreneurship examples.
    – Digerkam
    Commented Nov 10, 2021 at 16:56
  • Does he want a contract that you will not find another supplier, and if so, for how long? Are there other suppliers out there?
    – Michael McFarlane
    Commented Nov 10, 2021 at 17:09
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    Make it a mutual objective to face the potential details, despite discomfort, while maintaining good relationship. Start by working to agree that you will, at the end of discussion, write it all down. Then talk about mutual needs, where you're at on ownership of the results of your mutual work, how you structure it so nobody gets screwed, etc. Don't avoid this for too long. You may or may not be able to have both the existing relationship, and business relationship - this varies. That part you can feel out. Some people (and some cultures) more likely to get offended, is normal but beware
    – Pete W
    Commented Nov 10, 2021 at 17:36
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    and sometimes it makes sense to choose to preserve the personal relationship and let go of the business venture
    – Pete W
    Commented Nov 10, 2021 at 17:37

1 Answer 1

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Establish a time frame for exclusive use of the single supplier and re-evaluate at the end of the period.

This is extremely common. Companies give better rates when they know they don't have to compete for volume.

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