OR IS THAT WHAT BUSINESS IS?

I feel that my business partner is lazy and maybe playing me. I started a company 2 years ago with a business partner. I do the creative said of the business and making the best work possible with our 22 employees. What should my business partner be doing if he is in the BUSINESS SIDE of the company? (He has a business degree) ... Its seem as if he does not do anything, and has hired people to do his job and the company has to pay for everything. Is he getting a free ride from this company because legally he owns half? (OR IS THAT WHAT BUSINESS IS?)
I feel trapped because I have been working like 24 hours a day for the last 2 years and it seems as if he is always or vacation or something... I don't know ... can someone please explain the business said of a business and what he should be doing.
Let me know thanks all.

get rid of him. I did it with two of my partners. If they are going to do nothing or cheat you get rid them. It my cost you but you will win in the end with the company you have.

Nope. Your summation is apparently correct based on what you stated above.

If he was to do the 'business side' of things, and he's hiring the jobs done by someone else, then HE should be paying them directly from HIS pocket...not the company's pockets. He's betting on you not knowing how things are supposed to be.

The business side of things can be a lot of things. I assume, perhaps incorrectly, that you two drew up a partnership agreement of some sort? If so, then each partner's responsibilities should have been spelled out in the agreement.

Any chance you could buy him out? If he can hire the work done that he's supposed to be doing, no reason you couldn't do likewise. I believe the monies the company paid on his behalf for work he was supposed to do becomes, in effect, a debt owed to the company by him. Depends upon how things were set up and done. This is why I'd say the following:

You really need a good legal advisor to straighten this mess out, IMHO...but find your own lawyer, don't use his. No man can serve two masters. I'm not a lawyer and this is not legal advice...just acquired knowledge on my part.

Sandi Bowman

Here's an Excellent 4 page article that you Both need to Read, Discuss and use to Help deal with the Problems...

Before it's too late...

Business Partnership - The Seven Cs of Danger Signs
http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol145/partnership3.htm

Phil

Infoman,

Thanks for asking.

First. While it's good you are seeking help, in this manner it is also dangerous and you should be Forewarned of that danger. I also advise Caution about seeing a lawyer.

Now let me explained based on my Experience of being involved in Many different Business Partnerships over the years...

I don't know your situation, specifically. Let me reword what you wrote from your partners point of view...

I feel that my business partner is lazy and maybe playing me. I started a company 2 years ago with a business partner. I do the business side of the business and making the best work possible with our 22 employees. What should my business partner be doing if he is in the CREATIVE SIDE of the company? (there's no qualification to determine Creative). Its seem as if he does not do anything, and has hired people to do his job and the company has to pay for everything. Is he getting a free ride from this company because legally he owns half? (OR IS THAT WHAT CREATIVE IS?) I feel trapped because I have been working like 24 hours a day for the last 2 years, delegating tasks I am not good at to get them done better, generating business and liaising with clients and it seems as if he is always or complaining or something... I don't know ... can someone please explain the creative said of a business and what he should be doing.

I did this to show you, HE may have similar thoughts but in reverse. What you see as "hiring someone to do his job" he sees as "smart business as it gets the job done better which frees his time to get more business".

Why Asking Us Is Dangerous...

Let's say you listen to what we have to say and Act on it. You have just Introduced a Third Party to the partnership whose advise you are following. From this point you two will not be able to agree because he will be talking to you - and - our thoughts which are cemented in your head and unable to answer. You cannot answer questions about our advice, if it comes to that, and so you Stick Fast and say "no" to any possible agreement until we give more advice.

If you are a man, chances are your wife is also having input. Putting thoughts in your head about "You doing all the work while he is on vacation or something." Which prompts you to come here. In this case, SHE is the Third Party. And two people will not come to any agreement while there is a Hidden Third Party involved messing up the works - even if messing up the works is not the intention.

Say No To Lawyers.

The first thing a lawyer will say to you is, "You'll win." And it doesn't matter which side of the coin you are on - his lawyer will also tell him "you'll win". And now the Lawyer has become the interfering third party and no agreement will be necessary.

You want advice? It is simply this...

Stop and ask if anyone at all is giving you ideas about what he Should be doing, how how Unfair it is you work so much. That person - intentional or not - is causing strife. You need to remove their input first. If you do not, there will Never be resolution.

Second, TALK WITH YOUR PARTNER. Do NOT Accuse. Talk. Civilly. Ask them about the Hired Help.

Avoid lawyers. Identify third party involvement. Communicate in a civil way.

Michael Ross
How To Start A Successful Partnership Without It Ending In Disaster
http://www.michaelrossonline.com/partnership.html

Some good, sensible advice, Michael.

I'd differ on the lawyer issue, however, simply because when you have one person who knows the score and one who doesn't, the one who doesn't better wise up fast. If they cannot do that (and that appears to be the case here) they need a reliable third party to advise them who is knowledgeable in the area.

Perhaps what's really needed is arbitration if talking it out doesn't work between the parties. Try talking it out and so on first. Then consider arbitration or other options.

Sandi Bowman

I'm going to disagree here with what everyone else is saying.

I don't think he's doing anything wrong as long as it all balances out. If hiring others to do the work will cost the company less (take into account cost of time). In other words, if they can churn out enough production to cover their own costs, then it doesn't matter if he's taking vacations or not.

However, it also sounds to me like you two need to sit down and go over a list of responsibilities, and start measuring whether or not the employees are helping the company or just creating a financial burden.

I would also suggest finding someone that you can hire to do the "creative" side of things like your partner has for the "business" side.

What successful business person:

1. Comes to an open forum
2. Complains about their business partner
3. Says they have 22 employees on staff in only 2 years from start up
4. Claims they do the best work with all the employees
5. Is working nonstop for the past two years
6. But has plenty of time to find this forum
7. To complain, not that his/her business isn't successful, but about their partner
8. And wants us to believe that he/she didn't know anything about business?

Why do I doubt your claim/complaint? Because 24 employed individuals, making as little as $20,000 a year, which is minimum wage earnings is $480,000 a year, that your company is putting out annually and doesn't even cover other business expenses.

Right...Infoman, you are so abused. Get a backbone and tell your partner your taking the day off, if you really are who you want us to believe you are.

Woody Quiñones
The Promotional Guy