Going into business relationships with “friends”
Wednesday, July 14th, 2010Note to self and to you. I don’t care if you’ve known someone for fifteen years. Don’t even think about going into business with friends without getting everything in writing up front. I’ve done it 3 times in my life and gotten screwed all three times. People I have laughed with hung out with helped them out in ways you can’t imagine.
Go into business, and they forget everything as soon as things start to succeed. Especially if your contribution is more your skills, talent and time than money.
Case in point. I helped a friend develop a product. I was in from day one. My illustrations or on the patten submission for god sake. A year later, he wants to sell me a partnership in the patten for 300 percent profit… Maybe?? Wait a minute, what? I know I would have remembered “hey John, help me get this registerd and developed so I can screw you next year.” claims im some kind of Johnny come lately. For God sake, what I did makes the product set on the shelf next to any product and not look cheesy. From logo, brand etc.. to product development contribution and so on.
I had another friend offer me a 7 percent stake in a company to do a pile of work. Design product, logo, name the company, design the web site etc… Every aspect of the company. 8 months go by and I say “lets put this in writing.” He comes back with 5 percent of “profit” of sales. Hell, anyone can write “we didn’t make a profit so you don’t get anything.” How stupid do you think I am.
I can tell you about a jerky company I was part of a few years ago. The Jerk sells Jerky down by Cabellas in Dundee MI now. He pretty much is just a jerk ass hole.. He put up most of the money to get things off the ground so everyone else in the company was an idiot. Kind of like a band letting someone be lead singer because they own a P.A.. I’m king shit now so what you just be glad to be around me. Had the nerve to want to Be Friends on face book today… WTF. Go to hell!!!
Don’t even ask me to get your company off the ground without a check PLUSS+++!! Im tired of making rich people richer!
I come from a background of “my word is my bond” I was so busy with my nose to the grind stone, trusting people I have known, I didn’t imagine they could be such two faced jerks.
GET IT IN WRITTING… I dont care how well you know them.
