How would GD handle it?

Resident

Resident

Resident

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So the situation.

My partner and her friend held a small charity coffee morning. It went well.

Now her friend is pushing my partner into quitting full-time work to set up an events company off the basis of this, her friend is unemployed and wants my partner to be the director of this company with her (the friend) volunteering at the start as not to affect her welfare payments.

It seems to me that her friend has grand delusions of being a massive company within weeks and raking in the cash.

I want to be supportive but I can already see this venture going under very quickly and then my partner being saddled with the outcome, affecting my family as a whole. The major draw-backs that I've pointed out to my partner don't seem to sink in and I think it's because she won't say no to her friend

The drawbacks off the top of my head:

1. They know nothing about major events planning.
2. They have no way to transport supplies or travelling to to meet clients (neither drives)
3. They have no capital to by supplies.
4. They have no capital to purchase insurance (liability etc)

These are what I've pointed out to my partner

There is also the matter that the friend has been embroiled in a scandal relating to another events company that has been scamming clients & attendees, taking cash and doing a runner. The friend is related closely to the people that blew the whistle on this and I kinda feel that the friend starting her own events company when she's involved in accusing another of wrong-doing (At the moment it's under police investigation however nothing proven as yet) looks like it was done maliciously to rid the competition.
Now I know it wasn't but to the outside world I think it does.

How do I get them to see it's not a good idea?


Short version - Partner's friend is pushing her into an ill advised business venture and partner won't say no.
 
1. Watch her fail.
2. Say "I told you so."
3. Something.
4. Profit. :D

In all seriousness, I imagine it would depend on many things: what does she do now, can you both afford her to give up her job, can she easily get back into it if/when new venture fails, would she be willing to see a business advisor, etc?

Never say never, how many successful businesses would be around today if they listened to their doubters? On the flip side, you've got to talk her out of it, or at least doing it with her non-contributory corrupt friend.
 
I would suggest that as the friend has loads of time, she does all the set up. Your partner could happily be a director and help out outside of her work hours until it's sufficient enough to support them both. Your partner can then sell that as putting her friend first as she needs a job and your partner has one currently so can help without drawing anything from the fledgling company.

If it does die then it's fallout is contained
 
Run.

You can't say anything. The facts are there, scamming clients is a massive no. Why would anyone who knew this get into business with them.
 
This does not sound good, your partners friend is basically saying: "Look i have this experiment and it sounds cool but i want you to take all the risk, if its a success then take me on, but if we lose money and get in trouble then i was just a volunteer and i'll say it was all your idea and let you take the blame as you are standing director."
 
As mentioned above, the friend is not working and so should start the business and then your partner can join when it's big enough to support two people. Incidentally the friend probably should declare her voluntary work otherwise it may be considered a job (I'm not an expert so could be wrong).

Ask them what their plan is for transport. I bet you'll be expected to help out for free.
 
Resident said:
friend is pushing my partner into quitting full-time work
friend is unemployed
friend has been embroiled in a scandal relating to another events company that has been scamming clients & attendees, taking cash and doing a runner.
Click to expand...

Run Forrest run!
 
TallPaul1878 said:
I set up a football team with a work colleague. It was a disaster and I ended up £400 out of pocket.
Click to expand...

Thats the thing. I've been there too. Currently in the process of going through small claims for the last 1200 of 3k I was owed from back when modified cars were big.

Begbie said:
Run.

You can't say anything. The facts are there, scamming clients is a massive no. Why would anyone who knew this get into business with them.
Click to expand...

The friend wasn't part of the scamming but has been very vocal about it
 
Become legally responsible for an entity which will be reliant on advice from a shady fraudster? What could possibly go wrong?
 
People will crowdfund anything these days...


I’m not sure what else could be added to what you’ve already said. Run for the hills!
 
Running a coffee and cake morning for charity in your own home is pretty hard to screw up. Going from that to giving up your day job to start a business you know nothing about, advised by someone with no commitment and a set of their own issues is bonkers.

Keep notes, it will make a script for a sitcom.

As this is GD, pics also required.
 
peterwalkley said:
Running a coffee and cake morning for charity in your own home is pretty hard to screw up. Going from that to giving up your day job to start a business you know nothing about, advised by someone with no commitment and a set of their own issues is bonkers.

Keep notes, it will make a script for a sitcom.

As this is GD, pics also required.
Click to expand...


That and people study for years to acquire jobs in this field. Apart from local friends who'll use you rather than big companies. Do you actually think it'll be successful, I highly doubt it.
 
Quitting her job to start a wildly unrealistic business with no capital, no contacts and no relevant experience would be extremely risky in the best of circumstances and these are not the best of circumstances by a long shot. The friend gets a completely risk-free punt at this extremely long shot, while your partner takes all the risks. It's not just quitting her job. If the unplanned, unformed pipe dream business fails (as it almost certainly will) then any and all liabilities will be solely your partner's problem. The "friend" was just an unpaid volunteer (who might or might not do any work), so she can just walk away with no cost to her. Your partner will be legally responsible for everything. On the other hand, if by some freak of chance your partner somehow succeeds in making it work then the "friend" will no doubt step in to take half the business. No risk for her, all the risk for your partner.

While we're talking about business, would your partner like to buy the Eiffel Tower from me? The French government wants to keep the sale secret until it's completed because it's could be bad for their image and they want to present it as a fait accompli, but they authorised me to sell it. It's all legit, honest.

I think an important question is whether or not you can support your family on your income alone while also paying whatever debts your partner get lumbered with when this "business" fails. You can't forbid her to do it and you can't reason with her (you've tried that and it hasn't worked), so you need to know if you can bail her out. Which might be impossible to answer because how will you know how much debt she will be in? It won't even be entirely up to her unless she prevents her friend from doing anything with the business.

peterwalkley said:
Running a coffee and cake morning for charity in your own home is pretty hard to screw up. Going from that to giving up your day job to start a business you know nothing about, advised by someone with no commitment and a set of their own issues is bonkers.

Keep notes, it will make a script for a sitcom.

As this is GD, pics also required.
Click to expand...

I think even that's being generous. I think it's too silly to be a sitcom. Also, a sitcom would have a happy ending or at least a continuing lack of disaster.
 
1. no
2. no
3. no
4. no

Adults who recieve welfare payments when they could easily find work are in that situation because they lack basic "adult" skills.

My brother had similar ideas of grandeur and tried multiple forays in to different ventures most prominanty setting up as game development company.. his programming skills are almost savant level mind, but his business acumen is beyond non existant.. He ended up severely in debt making bad decision after bad decision that any normal person would facepalm over..

People like that need to be led through life and shut down when these ideas run away with themselves in their minds.. it is not healthy to encourage them.
 
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