Is It Okay to Lie to Protect Your Startup Tech Company?

In some cases, you may be tempted to lie to protect your startup tech company.

You may want to build your startup on a foundation of honesty and integrity, but what if you knew that a little white lie could help you close a deal with your first client, or convince your main investor to give you the next round of funding you need to keep going?

Determining whether to lie as an entrepreneur is an important choice, and one you shouldn’t take lightly. There may be benefits to minor, appropriately timed lies, but the consequences can be dire.

Types of Lies

Let’s take a look at some of the lies you might be tempted to tell:

In some cases, you’ll want to exaggerate how your business is doing. For example, you might claim to have more clients than you actually do, or you might pump your sales numbers to hit one of your targets.
You could also lie by omission. For example, you might fail to tell a client that one of your partners is planning on leaving in the hopes that they’ll be more incentivized to renew their contract with you. These are easier to get away with, but are still somewhat dishonest.
Intentional misrepresentations are more egregious, since they’re deliberate attempts to make someone believe something that isn’t true. For example, you might claim to have certifications you don’t have in reality. These tend to come with the harshest consequences.

Understanding the Costs

Before you engage in any of these misleading or deceitful activities, you need to understand the ramifications of lying. If you’re caught, you could lose the trust of the people who need to trust you the most—both within and outside of your company. And even if you aren’t caught, you’ll have to live with the lies you told to get ahead.

Maintaining Your Integrity

Never underestimate the value of your integrity. Even if it means missing out on a deal or losing ground to a competitor, remaining honest will help you build long-term trust, and in most businesses, that’s more valuable than anything you’d lose by telling the truth.

If you’re interested in mentorship or more advice on building your first startup, be sure to contact me today.

About the Author

Jose Vasquez is a serial entrepreneur and tech specialist dedicated to helping startup tech companies grow and succeed. As the founder of Build. Brand. Blast., Jose has worked with dozens of enterprises to find direction, gain momentum, and achieve results.