I don’t play — I deliver.

The other day I noticed a colleague deeply immersed in her headphones, blasting Avril Lavigne. Without even realizing it, she pulled me straight back into the past.

From college dorms to university halls, from being on the customer side to running IT integration projects, and then… everything faded into fog. That’s when the realization hit: the divide between Customer and Supplier isn’t just an IT market thing — it’s a fundamental dynamic present almost everywhere.

I’m a Supplier. And I’m genuinely proud of it.

You sometimes meet someone full of drive and restless energy and think “same blood.” Then you take a closer look and realize — no, they’re a Customer. Different operating system entirely.

It’s like football (especially with the 2026 World Cup in full swing): there are clear positions on the field. Attackers and defenders. Both essential, yet playing very different games with different pressures and metrics.

A manager with 14 direct reports on €3k salaries effectively controls a ~€500k annual budget — comparable to the investment needed for a solid IT system. Yet the mentality often differs dramatically. For me, the customer side sometimes feels like a swamp: careful steps, trying not to sink, navigating internal politics. The supplier side is constant motion — search, creativity, calculated risks, measurable results, and real accountability. Activity = conversion. Intuition meets execution.

I’m not diminishing anyone. Just sharing an observation.

Working inside a top vendor, one thing is crystal clear: the fridge stays full of cold soda only thanks to the suppliers. So dear Customers — share it wisely.

What side are you on? And are you proud of it?

© 2026 Michaił Domalewski / Naked CyberSec. All rights reserved.