How Friendships (and Clients) Are Like Chili in Your Teeth

I had a weekend getaway with my best friend in Singapore, and it was exactly what I needed. Dinda is the one person who knows me best, apart from my husband and family—we’ve been friends for 25 years. Naturally, during one of our many “therapy” sessions that weekend, we touched on how bad we’ve become at managing our circles of friends (not the under-eye circles, which somehow keep getting darker). Dinda, an actress, rarely hangs out with fellow celebrities or actors, and I realized I have a similar approach—I don’t hang out with coworkers or colleagues to avoid friction and drama. So, year after year, our friend circles have gotten smaller.

And you know what? I’m okay with that. Fewer, but better-quality friends means more focus. It's not about how few, but the quality of those connections. The same principle applies to business relationships at Lunash. Having fewer, high-quality clients who truly believe in what we offer is far more valuable than maintaining a long list of superficial clients. Less noise, more signal—like upgrading from store-bought sambal to the perfect homemade blend. This focus on meaningful relationships, both personal and professional, has been a guiding principle in my journey.

When it comes to building Lunash, though, I’ve found myself caught between this ideal of focusing on fewer, high-quality clients and the pressure to secure logos for the sake of growth. Let’s be honest—logos look great on a pitch deck. Investors love seeing them; they’re proof of traction. But I don’t want to load up a slide with companies that don’t align with our Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). I see my clients as more than numbers for VCs; they’re partners in a long-term journey. The real question is: do I focus on building deep, lasting relationships with clients who truly fit our vision, or do I chase logos to meet expectations?

Deep down, I know I lean toward quality. The first clients you work with often stick with you. They’re not just clients; they become advocates, the ones who can help refine your product. But here’s the flip side—they can also be potential detractors. A poor fit with your ICP can lead to friction, where you’re spending more time managing expectations than actually building relationships. It’s like having too many “acquaintances” in your circle but lacking true friends who tell you when you have chili stuck in your teeth.

I’ve experienced this before, during my time at Insider. The clients I connected with on a deeper level became more than just numbers on a spreadsheet. Even years later, they still reach out for advice. Those connections were built on trust. And that’s the key to knowing your ICP—they’re not just clients who buy your product; they’re the ones who help you grow by offering honest feedback. Much like a good friend who tells you the hard truth, these clients help you improve because they care.

At Lunash, we’re still early-stage, so VCs aren’t necessarily focused on how many clients we have—they’re looking at the cofounders and whether we have the grit to navigate the journey toward product-market fit. But I know in the long run, relationships matter more than logos. In a crowded market, humanizing the client relationship is what sets us apart. People want solutions, not just sales pitches. They want to feel seen and understood, not treated like just another number on a target list.

One experience that stands out is when we worked with a digital bank. After a POC with us, they created a detailed deck summarizing their experience. This wasn’t just a quick email—they put serious effort into that deck. And that level of respect doesn’t come unless there’s mutual trust. We might not have the most features, but we invest in building strong relationships. That’s something you can’t slap on a pitch deck, but it’s worth far more in the long run.

And yet, the question still lingers: do I chase more logos to show investors we’re scaling, or do I keep focusing on building relationships that become a moat around Lunash? Honestly, it’s a question I’m still answering. But if this is my biggest challenge, it’s a “happy problem” to have. The balance between growth and deep client relationships isn’t easy, but it’s one I’m glad to navigate. For now, I’m leaning toward quality over quantity—because whether in friendships or business, that’s where the real value lies.

(Photo source: Unsplash)