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Admirable Effort to Support Neighborhood Business
Q: I am a small business owner who depends on and am grateful for every customer I have. A small cupcake shop opened down the street, and I like to support local businesses, so on my way to get coffee, I thought I would stop in and buy a couple of …Read more.
Defending Oneself Is Always Worth the Effort
Q: A former supervisor falsely accused me of things in order to fire me, so I resigned before she had the chance. She had no proof of any of the accusations, and she did not report anything to the authorities. That was five years ago, and I have had …Read more.
Dressing Appropriately Shows More Than Style
Q: I started a new job after being unemployed for some time. While I was unemployed, I gained weight and can no longer fit in my work clothes. I can't afford to buy new things right now. I need to catch up on my bills. I did buy new jeans and a pair …Read more.
Partner Moves Funds Into Own Account, Leaving Other Partner With Bills
Q: I am going through the biggest fight in my life right now. My husband moved our personal and business money into offshore accounts in his own name before I realized he was having an affair and I filed for divorce. He is colluding with a banker …Read more.
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Neighboring Store Steals BusinessQ: Two years ago, I moved to my mom's town to help her with her business and eventually take over. For the past 10 years, she has owned a large consignment store that sells gently used furniture and home accessories. She was doing great during the boom years, but when this recession hit, the business began to struggle, which is when I entered the picture. I cleaned and renovated the store, created an online presence, re-evaluated our advertising program and chose more successful avenues. In one year, our sales rose 100 percent. A lighting company leased the 3,700-square-foot space next to our 8,000-square-foot space. The problem is the lighting company went out of business, and a woman leased the space and opened a business identical to ours. The woman never came over to introduce herself, so I went there to say hello and to see how we could work together. She was curt and cold. She has taken advantage of all our advertising and done none of her own. When we put up a "sale" sign, she does the same on the same day. All she did was hang an "open for business" sign to zero in on our customers. It's very frustrating, and we want to know what we can do. A: You need to read your existing lease, talk to a lawyer and then talk to your landlord. Many commercial leases have clauses restricting similar businesses from opening in the same mall or complex, much less directly next door. For example, if you owned and operated a specialty wine and cheese store, your lease probably would contain a clause not allowing a competing wine and cheese store to lease in the same building. It's surprising that after 10 years of your mom's leasing her space, the landlord did not call or meet with her to report that this identical business was opening next door.
You may not have the upper hand if your lease doesn't have a noncompete clause, but hire a commercial real estate lawyer anyway to try to negotiate this new neighbor out of business. If nothing can be done to shut her down, create a sign she can't take advantage of: "Successfully serving our neighborhood since 2000." Employee Gets Interviews but No Job Offers Q: I started my job search before I was laid off last year. I have gotten interviews but never the job, and I feel something is blocking me. How do I check into this and find out why I can't seem to get a new job? A: People usually know when they are being blocked from getting new employment because of negative work histories or bad experiences with their previous employers. If you have no personality clashes in your employment history, then relax and appreciate that you are getting interviews at a time when the economy is tight and the unemployment rate is very high. You may come across in interviews as too desperate, or you may exhibit some personality quirk of which you are unaware. Large companies are too knowledgeable now to open themselves up to lawsuits by bad-mouthing former employees, and a lawyer's confronting your former management about a questionable situation can stop small companies quickly. Please send your questions to: Lindsey Novak, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045. E-mail her at LindseyNovak@yahoo.com, or visit her Web site at www.LindseyNovak.com. She answers all e-mails. To find out more about Lindsey Novak and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2010 CREATORS.COM
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