So, here's the full story.
A while back, I got in touch with a company.
Because I like their products
and I basically wanted to see if we could do a sponsorship.
So, I sent them an email.
And we had this conversation.
about how I could promote their products
and they could help fund this show.
So, it was all going well...
And then literally two days later...
I got another email saying
"Hey, we've seen your videos and...
wondering if you'd like to do a sponsorship."
But the weird thing was this was the same company.
So, at first, I thought "Okay, this is odd"
But then I looked closely at the email and realised that
this was just a different branch of the company
because they are big enough to have, you know
different marketing people
for each country.
So, I've been speaking to American side
and this was the UK side
And they were oblivious of
this sponsorship we've already talked about.
So, I saw an opportunity.
And I basically pitched to them
the original idea.
And emm... You know...
They were up for it
they wanted to do the sponsorship.
So, I was in a position to have
two different people
paying me for the same sponsorship.
So, I was feeling pretty good about myself
that I managed to -kinda- come up
little trick that meant this big company
I think I told a few people that
you know, this company is so big
from realising they were paying twice
because the different countries.
And emm...
The way I justified to myself
was that because my channel - obviously -
is seen - you know - worldwide
and they have the marketing for each country
So, why shouldn't they pay
in UK when my videos will be seen in the UK
and then also pay separately
for America where
I would be also be seen there?
So, I also tried to -kind of -
make it okay in my mind, at least.
But then I got an email
I think two weeks after I basically
sealed the deal with both people
So, I got this email
and it said
"You know what?
I've been talking to the other branch
and they said that they've already got
the same sponsorship deal worked out.
So - you know - what's going on there?
We've thought you were - kind of -
we thought you would tell us about that kind of thing."
So, all of a sudden, I'm realising - like -
"Oh, crap!"
I've been found out
and now suddenly
this doesn't seem like such a great idea anymore.
I think it's often when you have a
third party come in
that's when you realise
whether something you did was
right or not.
So - like, you know -
the only way that this little
trick could work was if
they'd stayed in the dark, you know.
So, the truly honest thing to do
would've been to say
"I got that second email"
to say "Great! Yeah!
I've already got a sponsorship with this company
so, you know what I'm gonna do?
I'm gonna...
I quite like two both of you pay for it
now I'll get twice as much as money, happy days!
But obviously I didn't say that
So, by that withholding that
by not telling them that
I was being dishonest.
You know, obviously the truth comes out
and suddenly you do feel that feeling
of like "Ah! This is embarrassing!"
So, my first thoughts when this happened
were "you know what I'm gonna do?"
Can I...? Is there any way
that I play this off as a mistake?
You know, because it is embarrassing like
you don't want people to think that you were
trying to take advantage of them.
But basically there were no
good excuses I could come up with
It was pretty clear what was going on
But also
this whole thing had happened because of
not being honest.
So, it was
- you know - after that kind of realisation
it was like "Okay, we need to just be upfront here"
So, I sent an apology email
saying "You know what?
Yeah, that was dishonest of me - to do that -
And sorry about that.
And writing that email... It doesn't feel great...
The whole time I was thinking that
I wish I'd just said this from the beginning
said that I've already had the sponsorship
So, in the end,
they actually did.. They took it very well
and they did say "Okay, fine"
"Don't worry about it but obviously in the future let's be more open."
I suppose - in some ways - I'm glad that it happened
because it's a little moment to realise that
it's very easy to become selfish and to act selfishly
But the main reason why I'm telling about this
is just because if I'm gonna put
some of my life on the internet
I'm gonna make sure I'm just putting the best bits
I feel like it would not be right
to just show some of films projects I'm working on
everything's great when actually like of course
everyone makes mistakes, you know.
So, yeah, the conclusion of the story if you like
was that I tried to get double payment
and - of course - didn't manage it.
But all I had to show you for it was - you know -
basically, embarrassing myself in front of
at least two different employees.
So, that's the story
about integrity and you know...