Time-Conscious Negotiation Frameworks

Most founders underestimate the power of deadlines in acquisitions. Buyers won’t rush to close a deal unless they have to but when you set clear time constraints, you control the pace of negotiations. Deadlines force action. Without a time limit, buyers will drag out discussions, looking for better terms or delaying until they lose interest. A clear deadline makes them move. They prevent deal fatigue. The longer a deal drags on, the more likely it is to fall apart. Momentum is key, and deadlines keep things moving. They create competition. If buyers know there’s a timeline, they act faster to avoid losing the deal to someone else. They give you leverage. Buyers want control but a well-placed deadline puts the pressure back on them, making them more likely to agree to your terms. Deals don’t stall because buyers need more time. They stall because sellers don’t take control of the timeline. Set the pace, create urgency and keep leverage on your side.

Your vendors are bleeding you dry—not money, time. After managing 100+ vendor relationships across Microsoft, Instacart, and our portfolio companies, I built a system that cuts project timelines by 70%. The problem: You think hiring experts means abdicating responsibility. Wrong. Your vendors manage 50 other clients. You're not their priority unless you make yourself one. Four Frameworks That Actually Work: 1. Deconstruct Your Blockers Don't ask "what's the update?" Ask "what specific approval are we waiting for?" Financial? Technical? Legal? You can't fix what you can't name. I've seen 6-week delays resolved in one call once we identified the actual blocker. 2. Own the Project Management Your vendors are specialists, not coordinators. Schedule the calls. Create the docs. Connect the dots. Yes, you're doing their job. It's also the highest-leverage work you can do. 3. Demand Time Boxes "We're working on it" = infinite timeline "Engineering review takes 5-7 days" = accountability Even vague deadlines beat no deadlines. One portfolio company cut deployment cycles 60% just by requiring time estimates. 4. Confidence ≠ Commitment "We're confident about approval" isn't "It's approved." Push for binary answers. This distinction alone prevents countless surprises. The Process: Monday: Status email to all parties Wednesday: 15-min sync if blocked Friday: Document decisions + next actions Rule: Never let a week pass without documented progress Real Results: Applied this to 6 portfolio companies last quarter: Project completion: 12 weeks → 4 weeks Cost overruns: Down 40% Vendor performance: Up 70% Best part? Our vendors started using our process with other clients. Advanced Play: Create quarterly vendor scorecards. Measure response time, timeline accuracy, and technical competence. Share transparently. Performance improves within one quarter. Why This Matters: Every week of delay costs runway. Every vendor inefficiency is a competitor's opportunity. The companies that scale aren't the ones with the best vendors—they're the ones who best manage them. Your Move: Pick your worst vendor relationship. Apply one framework this week. Document what changes. Vendor management isn't sexy, but neither is running out of runway because every project takes 3x longer than it should. What vendor challenges are you facing? Share what's worked (or hasn't) below. — Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Kevin Henrikson for more. Weekly frameworks on AI, startups, leadership, and scaling. Join 2000+ subscribers today: https://lnkd.in/gstGkhJF

“You should just say no.” Sounds simple, right? But for some of us, saying "No" is like trying to swim against the tide — 🌸 As women, we’re expected to be agreeable (I'm actually feisty 🔥. Hubby will attest to this) 💪🏽 As Asians, we’re stereotyped as hard worker (I'm actually lazy like a koala 😴. Hubby will also attest to this). And in the workplace? Saying No is like stepping on landmines. The moment I started saying no, I didn’t get applause for being assertive Nor respect for boundaries. I got raised eyebrows. I got whispered labels: 🙅🏽♀️ “Not a team player” 🙅🏽♀️ “Selfish” 🙅🏽♀️ “Not ready for progression” But here’s the truth: This isn’t about personality. It’s about bias and assumptions that binds us in a box. ✨ The turning point? I didn't say No. But I learned how to negotiate with heart and strategy. I call it my T.R.S. Framework of Negotiation — 🕒 Time ⚙️ Resources 📦 Scope Here’s how it works: ➡️ 𝐈𝐟 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐞 & 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐱𝐞𝐝, 𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 “Yes — and let’s talk about realistic deadlines.” ➡️ 𝐈𝐟 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 & 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐱𝐞𝐝, 𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐞 “Yes — and let’s prioritise the most impactful parts.” ➡️ 𝐈𝐟 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 & 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐱𝐞𝐝, 𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 “Yes — and we’ll need your support for resource to deliver it right.” You always have one of these 3 levers to pull. Train the muscle to negotiate Even when you can do it all. Because 🚀 The higher up the ladder, the more unrealistic the demands. Large scope, with miniscule resources, to deliver yesterday. 🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️ fainz The more we need the negotiation muscle. 💡 Negotiation it’s a quiet revolution in systems that expect us to burn out to prove our worth. So build our muscle to negotiate. 💪 Keep this in your toolkit to use. T.R.S 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞. 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞. 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐞. Always. 👇Have you ever been caught in this bind? 👇How do you approach negotiation? Koon Executive Coach #careerhackwithkoon DM me 👉 1:1 coaching 👉 Leadership Training Program 👉 Keynote speaker/panelist