Friends with Deliverables

What Jerry & Elaine taught us about bad agreements, fuzzy expectations, and expensive friendships.

Author

R.J. A.
May 22, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

Table of Contents

"You're not in the mood? Well you get in the mood!" - George

TL;DR

When your business relationships lack clear boundaries (like Jerry & Elaine’s “Deal”), confusion turns into cost. Structure prevents drama. Agreements should outlast good intentions.

Previously on Seinfeld

In The Deal (S2, E9), Jerry and Elaine try mixing “friends” with “benefits” - using vague rules to keep it simple: no calls, no emotions, no expectations. Predictably, it fails.

Same thing happens in business.

One client (a growing marketing agency) had no clear SOPs for onboarding contractors. Payment terms were inconsistent. Internal ops? Even murkier.

With our help, we dialed in their agreements, clarified deliverables, and aligned cash flow expectations - bringing consistency and control where there was once chaos.

Turns out, when you skip structure, confusion always collects the tab.

Yada Yada Insight

The “This, That and The Other” Syndrome: When good vibes replace good ops.

It always starts with good intentions… and ends with expensive confusion.

Here are the three traps I see most often:

  • Friendship Fallacy

    Mistaking rapport for alignment. Just because you like someone doesn’t mean you share the same goals—or work habits.

  • Rules Without Reality

    Policies that sound great in a slide deck but collapse when met with real-world friction. (Looking at you, “net-15” with no tracking system.)

  • Unspoken Expectation Gap

    Both sides think they “get it”… until one of them doesn’t. That’s when scope creeps, delays pile up, and trust erodes.

The fix? Anchor every relationship in two things:

  1. Quantified expectations – metrics, KPIs, timelines, dollar amounts.

  2. Operational hygiene – clear contracts, consistent onboarding, no mystery meetings.

When we help clients implement just a few of these fixes (metrics, structure, clear roles) it’s like flipping on the lights. Suddenly, relationships work without the drama.

Just like in Cut the Cord: When “Male Unbonding” Becomes Your Business Blueprint , the moment you stop being afraid to set a boundary is usually the moment clarity kicks in.

Unlocking the Vault

Are You in a “Deal” Situation?

Rate yourself 1–5 on each:

  1. You use phrases like “reasonable timeframe” or “market rate” instead of specific numbers.

  2. You’ve said “I thought we agreed…” in the last 90 days.

  3. You avoid hard convos to “keep the peace.”

Score 10+? Your business might be running on vibes instead of structure. Remember Scarcity, Strategy, and the Illusion of Opportunity: Lessons from 'The Robbery' ? Scarcity makes us say yes to messy relationships we should’ve structured - or skipped. Here’s the fix:

The Clear Boundaries Protocol:

  1. Turn every “understanding” into a written agreement.

  2. Set up escalation channels before the fire starts.

  3. Align expectations quarterly. Avoid surprises.

One pro services client realized they were hemorrhaging time (and money) just managing their VA contractors.

Once we calculated their effective hourly cost (including the owner’s time), it was obvious: they were paying a premium for inefficiency.

A single strategic hire, a part-time ops manager, cut the noise, freed up the owner’s time, and restored profitability.

Meme of the Week

When both sides think they’re on the same page… but no one actually wrote anything down.👇

What’s the Deal?

Businesses love “flexibility”… right up until the invoice confusion, scope creep, or role drift kicks in.

At Yada Yada Advisory, we help founders fix the messiness that friendly handshakes, vague emails, and wishful thinking leave behind.

Scope creep? Vendor weirdness? Team expectations that change more than George’s job titles?

Let’s fix it.

Book a 30‑min Clarity Call, and we’ll unpack one relationship causing chaos.

No jargon. Just results.

💳 The Yada Yada Plug ⇢ $500

If Jerry and Elaine had used Ramp, they might’ve avoided a lot of awkward “Where’s that charge from?” drama.

Here’s what you actually get:

  • Smart expense rules, alerts, and vendor-level tracking

  • Bookkeeping that syncs itself (no more end-of-month chaos)

  • Zero “What the hell is this charge?” moments

👉 $500 for you, $500 for me - start here: forms.fillout.com/t/gMVaKDcitLus

(That link helps me track the referral so we both see the cash - don’t skip it!)

Let’s Catch Up at Monk’s

☕ New here? Start with Avoid the Guesswork – the Seinfeld pilot that launched this whole thing (and your business strategy).

👀 Forecasts built on gut feeling? High-Stakes Hunch breaks down how “The Stock Tip” exposes your blind spots.

📌 Fix-it loops wearing you down? Tape-Switching Strategy explores how cheap repairs lead to expensive do-overs.

💬 Got a “Deal Moment” in your business? Hit reply — I read every story.

📈 Business relationship feeling more “vibes” than viable? Visit Yada Yada Advisory for fractional CFO support that turns handshake deals into healthy, structured systems - no “This, That and The Other” drama required.