What would you do?

If her kids are that bad then when something happens to her you are pretty much out of a job anyway. For a 20K raise I would have been gone. You have to look out for #1. If she really felt that you were like a son to her seems like she would have made an offer for you to become a part of the company by now. It is a very tough decision you have but I have found out in this life you have to come first. No matter what others say 99.9% of the time they will look out for the family before anyone. You are the only one can look out for you. Best of luck
 
Make sure you really know your partner or that can get ugly. Don't ask how I know. Don't matter how good of a person he is, make sure you put everything on paper to cover your behind. Other than that it's an easy decision IMHO. Good luck :thumbsup:
 
She is the way she is because she wants to take care of her family ,sadly when the time comes and her family does take over the business most likely they will not want anything to do with the business so they will be left 1 of two options, sell the business or put someone else to do all the work so they can get the profits. Meaning everything will be dumped on you and you probably won't be getting the money and benefits you deserve. This is America the land of opportunity if you see one take it. I assume you have responsibility's of your own to your family and yourself. May the best company win. :thumbsup: Hope its you :whistle: :laugh:


Not to mention some Busa Bash discounts are in order for the advice:poke: :rofl:
 
WTH is a "Cabin Rental Company" :dunno:

If you can start your own Cabin Rental Company without cash,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I'm confused? :alcoholic:
 
I sense you feel some loyalty to your current employer. That's good and honorable - regardless of the situation, the time you spend in their employ has given you the training and skills necessary to run this kind of enterprise. However, you can also look ahead and see this as a dead end. If the kids are not capable, you will eventually be working for them as they destroy what remains.

If the owner really doesn't seem to want it anymore, maybe she might consider selling it to you under terms. That would seem to accomplish all her goals. She'd have to understand her children's continued employment is 100% YOUR discretion. Your partner might be willing to invest in the purchase, as buying an existing business (and therefore all the contact lists) is MUCH easier than starting a NEW business, and takes out a competitor at the same time. Know that once you propose this to her, that in all likelyhood your days there are numbered if she's that paranoid, and be prepared to move on if it doesn't work out.

You must be VERY VERY careful with any privileged information (contact lists, etc.). I would avoid contacting your existing customers PERIOD. Go hang a shingle, advertise and make sure your name is out there - if indeed it's YOU that your existing customers identify with, then they will come to you when they see your name tied to the other company. Them coming to you on their on violition is not grounds for a suit. This one sounds like it's going to eventually fail anyway.

How well do you know this partner offering you this deal? Have you done any background checking into them? What kind of agreement are you getting? Are they going to participate or just fund it? Can you get a by-sell agreement or right of first refusal?

My family business been on the receiving end of an employee leaving and starting a competing business without benefit of a non-compete, 30 years ago. One of our Division managers AND the salesperson actually COPIED the contact lists when they left. The salesman continued to walk into our existing customers and take orders and the customer didn't even know it was for another company until after they got an invoice with a different name on it (in fact, the invoice actually LOOKED like our invoices except the name was different on them)....It was dirty and lowdown.

It was felt that the time and money spent on lawyers wouldn't be worth it, so we just decided to beat them the old fashioned way - outperform them. They were a pain in the azz for about 15 years with some dirty underhanded tricks, but they are out of business and we are still here....because of that experience, I INSIST on a fair non-compete when hiring anyone who deals with our customers directly (salespeople, sales managers, etc.).
 
I'm in a similar situation, but have come to the conclusion that you must find for yourself in your situation.

I did some serious soul searching and have determined that I can stay with my current company, be comfortable but ultimately I'm not growing my skills nor is the company particularly concerned with me as an individual. The owner of my company will not pay my bills should the company fall on hard times, the company owner will not fund my retirement nor anything else should a time come that we part ways. I have other options that allow me to grow as a person, professional and yes my financial side as well. I'm exploring them because at the end of the day I know I'm just a pawn/money generator for the company that will be played as such if the time comes.

Sounds like if the old lady was actively working it with you and saw the kids for what you see them for, you could perhaps take the company over in time as your own. Unfortunately thats not how its playing out from what you are saying. Without knowing the answers to your soul searching on life if you stay or anything more than you have posted, I would run, not walk to the new job. The money aside, it's an ownership interest doing the same thing you do now. If you are comfortable with the terms of the partnership and feel that it can be made profitable as your current job, its a move forward/upward. Those types of deals don't come along very often, make sure you weigh it carefully but sounds like the right move.
 
You have to take care of you. First and foremost. If her company fails, so be it.

You could approach her with a make me the GM, or I am gone.

Good luck.
 
I wouldn't contact the guest list. I would contact the owner's though. There would be no way to open up a company without units. Customers will follow once the units are on the program and up on the web. I wouldn't say hey you need to come to my company. Even though I know all there names and numbers. I will go to courthouse and get there names numbers that way. I want to just contact and let them know that I have left the company and started my own. If they proceed to ask about the program, then I will continue the conversation.

The partner actually works with me now. I have worked with him over the past 6 years. He is our IT guy. Very knowledgeable when it comes to advertising and IT stuff. Maybe I shouldn't have said he came to me. We kind of kicked the idea around months ago and its becoming more and more reality. His wife has a trust and is going to allow us the start up money to open the business.

I definitely don't want to run into legal trouble. I wouldn't think a phone call to owners, telling them I left and where I went is hurting anything. It will be up to them to make the move or not to ask about the new company etc.
 
Sounds like a plan for sure. I would not offer any information about where you are going to be at or what you are doing to the old boss/company. Let them know that you have a great opportunity with another company and leave it at that. Tell her it's not about the money just opportunities you don't have there if she asks. She can't counter that statement unless she gives you exactly what you want.

Also I would make sure the new company was 100% set up and protected from any legal stupidity the current company might try. Get a good attorney to make sure you know exactly what is and isn't legal.

Good luck!
 
I definitely don't want to run into legal trouble. I wouldn't think a phone call to owners, telling them I left and where I went is hurting anything. It will be up to them to make the move or not to ask about the new company etc.

To be clear, I don't believe what you are suggesting is illegal in any way, but consider this --

Suppose you hired a guy, he worked for you for a lot of years, he built personal relationships with most/all of your clients. At some point he decided to start his own company competing company and continued to work for you while he was getting it off the ground. After he quit, he called all of your clients (Owners are clients just the same as guests) and told them he was leaving to start his own competing company.

Would you be angry? If it impacted your business would you consider suing him to prevent it?

You don't have to break the law for someone to sue you and losing in court is not the only way to lose a lawsuit. In fact, you could prevail in a lawsuit and still lose. Contacting your current employer's list of owners regarding your new company is a very dangerous game -- if your current employer finds out about/suspects it and is in any way litigious, you could be headed for a lawsuit that you may likely lose.

Even if all you do is contact owners and let them know you are leaving, and don't even tell them where you are going, a lawyer will paint it as if you paid them money to abandon your former employer in favor of your new company.

So ask yourself this question;
If you shared everything you've said in this thread regarding your intentions with you current employer (probably leaving out the comments about her kids), do you think she would be OK with you calling the owners who list with her to tell them that you are starting your own company?

If your answer to that question is 'No', then you should be very careful.

If there is another directory of owners that you can use that does not belong to your current employer that hopefully includes owners you know and those you don't purchasing/renting/leasing that list, then calling owners you know from that list would be a much wiser way to go. When you call them, don't mention anything about your previous employer. When they ask you, you should have nothing but praise for her and her company and best wishes for her success. Do not draw comparisons between your two companies -- focus on what you do and why you are the best. Don't let anyone bait you into saying anything negative. When asked about my fiercest and most hated competitors, I always respond with "They do a great job and I wish them all the success in the world." If asked again, I respond the same way. Eventually people will stop asking about my competitors and focus on what I'm doing. Don't give anyone anything that they can take back to your previous employer and get you in trouble with.

Good luck man -- and be sure to let those of us on the .Org know what your new company is so we can use you if we're looking for rental cabins in your neck of the woods (unless that constitutes advertising that is not allowed on the .Org without proper compensation :laugh:).

--Sky
 
Everybody need / wants to grow , move up to bigger things in life and you are getting that opportunity now. You need to look out for your interests in the long run. Just like the lady you work for looks for her interests when she interacts with you. You are her asset but she still wants/thinks her son would lead one day. The thing is , in a family oriented business the family more often than not will have the first right to succession and you always remain at the level of employee no matter what rank. I worked for a law firm for over 8 years and when the chance came to promote i was given a fancy designation but the owner made his own son partner. Lastly , do what your heart desires and go with it.
 
To be clear, I don't believe what you are suggesting is illegal in any way, but consider this --

Suppose you hired a guy, he worked for you for a lot of years, he built personal relationships with most/all of your clients. At some point he decided to start his own company competing company and continued to work for you while he was getting it off the ground. After he quit, he called all of your clients (Owners are clients just the same as guests) and told them he was leaving to start his own competing company.

Would you be angry? If it impacted your business would you consider suing him to prevent it?

You don't have to break the law for someone to sue you and losing in court is not the only way to lose a lawsuit. In fact, you could prevail in a lawsuit and still lose. Contacting your current employer's list of owners regarding your new company is a very dangerous game -- if your current employer finds out about/suspects it and is in any way litigious, you could be headed for a lawsuit that you may likely lose.

Even if all you do is contact owners and let them know you are leaving, and don't even tell them where you are going, a lawyer will paint it as if you paid them money to abandon your former employer in favor of your new company.

So ask yourself this question;
If you shared everything you've said in this thread regarding your intentions with you current employer (probably leaving out the comments about her kids), do you think she would be OK with you calling the owners who list with her to tell them that you are starting your own company?

If your answer to that question is 'No', then you should be very careful.

If there is another directory of owners that you can use that does not belong to your current employer that hopefully includes owners you know and those you don't purchasing/renting/leasing that list, then calling owners you know from that list would be a much wiser way to go. When you call them, don't mention anything about your previous employer. When they ask you, you should have nothing but praise for her and her company and best wishes for her success. Do not draw comparisons between your two companies -- focus on what you do and why you are the best. Don't let anyone bait you into saying anything negative. When asked about my fiercest and most hated competitors, I always respond with "They do a great job and I wish them all the success in the world." If asked again, I respond the same way. Eventually people will stop asking about my competitors and focus on what I'm doing. Don't give anyone anything that they can take back to your previous employer and get you in trouble with.

Good luck man -- and be sure to let those of us on the .Org know what your new company is so we can use you if we're looking for rental cabins in your neck of the woods (unless that constitutes advertising that is not allowed on the .Org without proper compensation :laugh:).

--Sky

The catch is, I have to have owners on the program to start the company. Without units on the program, the company is a blank sheet of paper. Nothing on website to show potential owner etc. So taking what most ppl say here. I should start the company, but not call cabin owners. Without calling cabin owners I might as well not even waste my time or investors money and my current job.

I thought it would be ok to contact owners via email or phone call to let them know that I had left and let it take its course from there.
 
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