The Richly or Poorly Show - Show Transcript

The Richly or Poorly Show
Show Transcript
shdawson-20260512.mp3
Episode 05/12/2026
05/12/2026

Hello! Welcome to The Richly or Poorly Show!

My name is Dr. Stephen Dawson, and I am your show host.

Thank you for joining me.

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The show's motto is unmistakable: RICHLY IS GOODLY!

Please consider how you define the term good as we journey through life together in your pursuit of defining the term richly in your life.

The plan for my presentations to you was to first establish a foundation of shared understanding between you, the listener, and me. Then, proceed to build on that foundation with subsequent episodes. I recommend that you review the nine episodes between December 2nd, 2025, through January 27th, 2026, as you see fit to help you remember the foundation of our shared understanding as we proceed through each episode you hear in the coming weeks, months, and years.

Last week, I presented on the topic of Determine Compensation. I shared that this topic is where most people check out of listening to what I share with them. They not only check out of listening to what I say, but also begin to skim read what I write. I emphasized that the result of these two choices is unnecessary money flying out of their pocket. I cautioned listeners that those who choose these two choices then wonder why they are not living their life more richly.

I presented, over the past several episodes, the example of you remodeling your kitchen to illustrate some project and teaming concepts. Let's continue with this example today for the sake of simplicity, especially since you have been thinking about this topic over the past few weeks.

I presented on December 9th, 2025, the first principle I have found as paramount, undeniable, and non-negotiable to living life more richly:
Understand Your Data Lifecycle

Today, I will present on the topic of Determine Quality. This topic is where most people ignore the consideration of quality altogether. The result of this choice is unnecessary money flying out of their pocket. Again, they then wonder why they are not living their life more richly.

I tell you now, without reservation, that you will most likely not like this episode. You will most likely not like it because of the effort necessary on your part as the buyer to gain a commitment to a quality level from a supplier. The commitment involves direct questions, all demanding irrefutable proof, to move to the agreement of buying their materials and services. This step is where trust does not exist in the seller as trust is replaced with irrefutable evidence from the seller. Operating on trust alone is an unwise choice. Few today are willing to put forth the effort to do this work. The evidence I have to prove this assertion is the combination of widespread decreasing materials and services quality, matched with widespread increasing prices from sellers. If the quality were that poor, then buyers would not purchase from suppliers. If buyers have no other option, then the quality goes down while the prices go up. Is this not the widespread condition of the world today?

Do you really want a remodeled kitchen containing poor material quality and poor service quality? I doubt it. I doubt it because you would not be listening to The Richly or Poorly Show. Listeners of this show have spent years trying for some specific form of success, but have not achieved their desired level. They each have reached a point of being sick and tired of being sick and tired of not being able to live their life in a way that they define as more richly. They have reached a breaking point, tired of not living a richer life on their terms. This combination of circumstances motivates them to seek help to achieve their specific goals.

Now, Determine Quality. I will now present a wisdom-based process to you so that you can decide the quality level of your materials and services supplier. It is a four-step process that occurs in linear order only. I segment the steps by materials and services. You will need to memorize the outline of this process. Memorization of the outline will help you have it so clear in your mind that you have no problem in remembering the specific steps comprising the Determine Quality conversation with your prospective team member.

The result of poor quality can occur due to poor materials in the hands of good service. The result of poor quality can also occur due to good materials in the hands of poor service. The same result occurs through both combinations, causing you problems in accomplishing your project scope of remodeling your kitchen.

A supplier of materials is not your seller. The materials manufacturer is your supplier. You have to decide whether you buy your materials directly from manufacturers, who would then be your seller, or you buy materials from a reseller of the materials. The reseller who is not responsible for the quality of the materials is a seller trying to steal from you.

A supplier of services is your seller. A supplier of services that is reselling the services of another company to you seldom goes well for the buyer. I urge no one to purchase services through this combination of circumstances.

Now, the four-step process. All communications from the supplier about each step, both materials and services, are provided to you as the buyer in writing from the supplier only.

STEP ONE - THE RETURN POLICY:
This step is the SIMPLEST of the four steps. Get the return policy facts in writing from the supplier, who is the seller to you. The return policy facts only come from the seller. You are not responsible for the return policy of where they buy their materials or services to resell to you.

Materials:
All aspects of the materials. Size, weight, ingredients, substances, color, finish, and anything else you need for your material. If the materials do not have what is stated in the materials manufacturers documentation, then you, as the buyer, deny further payment and have your paid money refunded to you. The specifics of how a purchase return can happen are the focus here. You get a copy of business license here.

Services:
A single page statement of what they will and will not do for them to receive your payment in the sale transaction. If the services are not received based on what is stated, then you, as the buyer, deny further payment and have your paid money refunded to you. The specifics of how a purchase return can happen are the focus here. You get a copy of their commercial liability insurance policy here in addition to getting a copy of their business license.

STEP TWO - THE WORK TIMES:
This step is the SHORTEST in time of the four steps. Suppliers have hours they want to work, and then have hours they will work only when they must work them. The rest of the hours are hours they refuse to provide work.

Materials:
Accepting materials to your work site is the WORK TIMES of the materials. You, as the buyer, gain a written statement from the seller of when the materials will be at your work site. If there are no materials, then services are being paid to not work. You have a written statement from the seller of the materials on what they will pay you when the materials are not delivered to your work site during the WORK TIMES.

Services:
Accepting services at your work site is the WORK TIMES of the services. You, as the buyer, gain a written statement from the seller of when the services will be at your work site. If there are no services, then the materials are sitting and not working. You have a statement from the seller of the services of what they will pay you when the services are not delivered to your work site during the WORK TIMES.

STEP THREE - THE INSPECTION TIMES:
This step is the LONGEST in time of the four steps. Match everything you find in your inspection steps to the STEP ONE - THE RETURN POLICY. You and the supplier must agree to the inspection process before you purchase from the supplier.

Materials:
You, as the buyer, are the only inspector of the materials. You could subcontract out this part of the work. However, you would then have the need for a new agreement from your subcontractor. This agreement impacts your other agreements with your other suppliers. Simple is best here. Define the process for you as the buyer to accept the materials you have purchased from the supplier. If the materials are not a 100% match to the STEP ONE - THE RETURN POLICY, then activate the return process of the STEP ONE - THE RETURN POLICY.

Services:
You, as the buyer, are the only inspector of the services. You could subcontract out this part of the work. However, you would then have the need for a new agreement from your subcontractor who is a supplier to you. This agreement impacts your other agreements with your other suppliers. Simple is best here. Define the process for you as the buyer to accept the services you have purchased from the supplier. If the services are not a 100% match to the STEP ONE - THE RETURN POLICY, then activate the return process of the STEP ONE - THE RETURN POLICY.

STEP FOUR - THE BONUS AMOUNT:
This step is the HARDEST of the four steps. Few suppliers, from my experience, know how to handle receiving a bonus. They are confused about how to respond to the bonus. Focus your bonus on something other than money. Think of things like food, beverage, tickets to an event, a gift card, or something that you have reason to believe they will appreciate.

Materials:
If you get all of the aspects of all of the materials that you agreed to in your purchase, then show them your appreciation with a bonus. Some may view it as a gratuity, but it is more than an expression of thankfulness. It is an incentive for them as your supplier to continue to deliver the level of quality you require in the materials you purchase from them. Take each bonus event as unique. People can change their worldview, and circumstances will most likely change. Expect each bonus event for materials to be unique in both recipient and amount.

Services:
If you get all of the aspects of all of the services that you agreed to in your purchase, then show them your appreciation with a bonus. Some may view it as a gratuity, but it is more than an expression of thankfulness. It is an incentive for them as your supplier to continue to deliver the level of quality you require in the services you purchase from them. Take each bonus event as unique. People can change their worldview, and circumstances will most likely change. Expect each bonus event for services to be unique in both recipient and amount.

Now, let's review the RETURN POLICY, WORK TIMES, INSPECTION TIMES, and BONUS AMOUNT steps for wisdom.

Why each piece? Simple. A person who is going to treat you as a target for theft will not supply you with the information on each step in your Determine Quality conversation. Yes, they can lie to you and supply you with nothing but falsehoods for each step in your Determine Quality conversation. However, they will not like STEP ONE - THE RETURN POLICY based on the premise that they are a licensed business. You have the issuer of their business license on your side. You have the issuer of their commercial liability insurance on your side. They will tell you they are not interested in gaining you as a customer when they are unwilling to accomplish STEP ONE - THE RETURN POLICY during your Determine Quality conversation. Move on and find another supplier.

Say they plan to cheat you during the WORK TIMES step. They are canceled as your supplier after the first time they are not ready to supply you as agreed during your WORK TIMES.

Say they plan to cheat you during the INSPECTION TIMES step. They are canceled as your supplier the first time they do not supply to you as agreed during the process of your INSPECTION TIMES.

Say they plan to cheat you during the BONUS AMOUNT step. They plan not to do 100% of their part of steps one, two, and three, but expect to receive the BONUS AMOUNT from you. They are canceled as your supplier after not receiving the BONUS AMOUNT the first time they do not supply 100% on steps one, two, and three to you.

What you have is a four-step process that will help you avoid many problems from suppliers who either cannot or will not deliver their part of the project scope to you as a member of your team. Each supplier doing their part in each project for you is unique. What was wonderful yesterday has no guarantee of occurring as wonderful today, apart from you selecting your team members based on what I have presented in the past episodes of Determine Duration, Determine Trust, Determine Scope, Determine Team Members, Determine Compensation, and then Determine Quality.

It is easy to feel tired at the end of the Determine Quality conversation. You are asking a supplier to prove their words by way of their actions in the form of written commitments consisting of irrefutable evidence. It is not a matter of how long it takes to have the Determine Quality conversation. It is a matter of having the conversation that results in tangible and viable outputs from the seller in your hand as the buyer.

Now, we covered much material in the episode today. It is best that you take the time and review this material over the coming week to settle in your mind how the two parts of the four steps interact and interrelate with one another. You have a clear list of items you need from a supplier for them to be a member of your team. They may not see life this way. Your Determine Quality conversation with them will bring much clarity to the sincerity of your buyer-seller relationship with them.

I suggest you visit SHDAWSON DOT COM SLASH PODCAST and review the transcript of this episode. It awaits you so you can copy it to your device and have it with you to practice your Determine Quality conversation privately, to polish how you want to have the conversation occur. Think about your tone of voice, your body language, and where you want to have the Determine Quality conversation with your prospective supplier. The more confidence you have in how you conduct yourself in the Determine Quality conversation, the more you are able to stop being sick and tired of being sick and tired of not being able to live your life in a way that you define as more richly.

Well, that's it for today.

RICHLY IS GOODLY!

Thank you for joining me for this episode of The Richly or Poorly Show!

I have enjoyed presenting to you today.

Until the next episode, I hope you will be safe and join me next week.

Until then.

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