I just crossed paths with someone whom I had met LONG ago, when I was new to town, and doing temp work to keep body and soul together.

Over the years, I completed my apprenticeship, took some courses, even got my contractors' license. They, by contrast, had Daddy die - vindictive, mean person, Daddy was - and now they own and operate a small manufacturing firm.

Well, by golly .... their responses were along the lines of "we're cutting back" and "we have some major projects (implied: that you couldn't possibly handle)" and "we're tied into the guy we use."

The little detail that I had built, from the ground up, two neighboring industrial operations didn't seem to make any impact.

Now .... injured pride apart .... is there ever any hope for folks like this to update their assumptions?

It's not just a matter of this one encounter. As a new contractor, I am sure to encounter others whose last experience with me may have been completely unrelated to electrical work. Just how common is it to encounter someone who can't 'update their database?' Any specific advice on how best to do this?