Need help with a big problem

A close friend and I created a business together. I did all of the internet marketing and seo for the business and successfully dominated the local market.

we went from a small 40k a year business to almost 300k+ due to my marketing work. We easily get 50 to 75 calls a day.

However, he literally has gone crazy and is as hard headed As a rock. His negative attitude is unparalleled and the things he says to me and customers is wild.

I put years of work into all of this, will be having a son soon, and have decided to walk away from it since my happiness and sanity were deteriorating daily and no amount of money is worth that.

I am at crossroads of deleting all the sites or not.

We spoke a few weeks ago about selling the company, but now he's essentially blowing me off.

I feel like deleting the sites and the Google places accounts. We have 3 successful sites and 3 successful Google places.

I don't mean to bring this into your life, but I am not into making hasty decisions and I like to believe I am good person.

I would package up the sites and sell them with the places, but the places all goes to his cell and the business locations are no longer valid.

He is still continuing on with the business and I feel like I played into his hand, leaving him with everything.

What would you do?

I bet you've learned a lot in that business so why not create a new one.

If you delete the site, you give your former friend a target to blame which will be you. Let his craziness and hard-headed attitude be the cause of his company's demise and not you.

You on the other hand can be the better person (you did mention you believe you are a good person) and focus on making a new business that can rank and bank.

Also, you did not leave him everything. You wouldn't have dominated the local market if you weren't good with internet marketing and seo right? You can use that when you start over.

Hard to know since we're not privvy to the details and history of your relationship, any agreements you may have had regarding ownership, exit strategy, and so on...but I might consider finding a buyer on your own, present it to your partner as a fait accompli and see what he says. He might take the easy money and things would be tied up nicely.

Thanks for the input. I did leave out details.

We didn't create any agreement other than we were both the owner with a even split.

We have known each other since we were children.

I retain control over the sites and hosting.

My problem is I am a trusting person and alway try to find the best in people.

I never thought it would come to this.

upstarter, I am creating a few sites right now, not in the same industry.

the biggest thing on my mind is do I let him continue to profit off of my work or delete it all, walk away, and put it behind me.

Also, if I do bundle everything for sale, I don't know how to change the places numbers since it will trip a mailer. I can't have a mailer since the addresses are old.

You have pretty good business going on. Do not sell or close that business, you have put your efforts on business and it takes years to settle a business. I will suggest you to coordinate with your partner and ask him What makes him behave negative toward business?

He might facing some personal issue, he might have some problem which making his behavior negatively toward business.

Don't delete or close the sites. He could actually hold you accountable for damages.

SYKing, I have tried to talk to him and even put up with the negativity, personal attacks, and etc for months.

I try not to let anger be a determining factor in anything I do.

He would frequently state "it's who I am".

Talking to him is as useless as writing with a broken pencil, pointless.

Our last conversation was about selling the business together, but now since he is making 100% of the profits, it seems he is quickly changing his mind.

I thought it would happen and now it has.

Also, the business is under his name, but all the sites are under mine.

We were going to put everything into ink this year, due to money coming in, but he kept wanting to wait or quickly change the topic and move on. (should have been a red flag I know.)

He now only contacts me, when he needs something, like a password or basic info.

I do not really see selling the sites and etc as a realistic option.

I really appreciate everyone's input.

I am not going to make any hasty decisions and will carefully think over my actions, your input, and input of family and friends.

Kick the shit out of him.

Sometimes a partner in a semi-hostile situation responds to a dispassionate person acting on your behalf better than you directly. Have you considered talking with an attorney and seeing if he has some thoughts as to how this could end well for you and your partner and him mediating things?

that's why I always do things alone , I don't know what to say , the situation its really messed up , ask a mod to move the thread to the lounge and hopefully someone will help you with your current problem

I feel for you as a few years ago I was in a similar situation. I took a shitty little business that was doing $3000 per month and in 6 months turned it into one doing $18000+ per month. My partner did exactly the same and more, kept the money and stopped paying me my share.

You just have to accept all his delays are because he is trying to get out of paying you your share and the business relationship is over.

If you feel you can talk to him one more time. Give him an ultimatum to buy you out for x and explain if he does not in x days, you will delete the business from the internet / sell what you have done to a competitor.

Change all the passwords etc before you give the ultimatum though and make sure you control everything and deny him any more access.

When the deadline expired I sold what I could and the rest I did as below...

He annoyed the f##k out of me, claiming I had stolen HIS websites! So instead of deleting them I simply edited the sites etc that were left and pointed out what a scumbag he is and that people reading this should be wary of doing business with him! Then I watched from afar as his online reputation and business evaporated.

As others have said you learnt how to build it up. You have the skills to do it again. So move forward and learn a lesson that at some point everyone gets greedy and they are going to try and f##k you. So don't put your eggs in one basket.

I thought about going the legal route, but in all honesty I feel it is better to move on with as little resistance as possible, save money for the baby, and continue to improve my life.

Hence, why I thought deleting my work, and letting him drive himself into the ground would be best, but it seems childish.

Every challenge is a door to a new opportunity and I figure this is my door to something bigger and better.

It just eats at me, that I walked away and left it to him, and figured it could be handled once our emotions were settled.

I am going to take the weekend and think about it and reach out again to him and hopefully find a resolution.

I truly appreciate everyone's feedback.


To Mods: Please move this conversation to the lounge.

Give himthe last ultimatum about selling bussiness, change the passwords and everything, that should get him talking. The sites are on your name, hosting too, SEO work and marketing done by you, I think all he has is his bussiness name.

Don't make rash decisions without thinking things through. Deleting anything from the web can cause a huge legal problem for yourself. Given the fact that your relationship has deteriorated so quickly I would highly recommend hiring a mediator to help with this. You need a third party to help facilitate the conversation and come to a solution.

You learned lessons and take those with you. Don't rush into a partnership. Set your legal agreements forward from the beginning and if you do plan on having another partnership spend time having important conversations like what happens if/when things deteriorate.

If you built a real business then I'd advise selling, you can get a decent multiple on your business and both walk away with cash in your pocket. I bet your partner doesn't even know the possible sales price and if he did he'd rethink things entirely.

PixelMoney said:

I thought about going the legal route, but in all honesty I feel it is better to move on with as little resistance as possible, save money for the baby, and continue to improve my life.

Hence, why I thought deleting my work, and letting him drive himself into the ground would be best, but it seems childish.

Every challenge is a door to a new opportunity and I figure this is my door to something bigger and better.

It just eats at me, that I walked away and left it to him, and figured it could be handled once our emotions were settled.

I am going to take the weekend and think about it and reach out again to him and hopefully find a resolution.

I truly appreciate everyone's feedback.


To Mods: Please move this conversation to the lounge.

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Just remember he is bullying you, so you have to give him an ultimatum if you wish to be taken seriously and you have to follow through on it to actually be serious. That's not childish that is simply showing you are a serious businessman - plus you will feel better.

You could legally fight if you had made an agreement. But, in ur case there is no agreement..

You have very clearly mentioned that "Business is in his name, but the websites are in your name". So legally you are the owner of the website..

Put up a word that you would sell all the websites as it's in your name which will force him to give you your part of share. Take your share & move on..

Sometimes bad things happen for a good reason.. I am sure something better is waiting for you..

i think you should sit down and discuss on how to split up your company assets (websites/accounts) and move on from there. tell him that the meeting is compulsory, and if not attended, you get to keep all company assets, by changing the passwords/etc.

that's what i did to my previous venture that didn't work.