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AMLConstruction

I have just started my own framing company, and was wondering how to handle a situation with a former employer. I have got hooked up with a major company who puts up lots of houses in our area.Now my former employer who also frames homes is threatning to put me under because some of his employees now work for me . They called me I did not seek them out . but he also has the other 2 major builders in our area isnt there enough business to go around for us all. He makes very durogatory remarks about me being Italian and is telling other businesses that I am a hack .the Good side of me is saying that my work will prove itself . the other side is what is a newcomer suposed to do...

Tscarborough

Work hard and ignore the crap.

Teetorbilt

Follow Ts's advice. You've flown the nest. No matter how amiable it seems on the surface, it's still a cut-throat business.

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You can't solve you're problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems.

Albert Einstein

doubleaction

Be the bigger man, in the end you'll win.

joasis

Keep quiet and let your work sell your company. Pissing contests do not impress customers, or anyone else, racism is worse....just play like I did when an established guy was trying to slander me...mind over matter, I didn't mind and he doesn't matter.....he used to show up at the gas station every morning where we meet for coffee...one day after hearing the "he said this about you" nonsense, I adopted a new tactic. Some of the guys reading this may think this is childish, but I began ignoring him...and I mean seriously...I look through him and never at him, I never hear him, I never speak to him...I just act like he isn't there, and you would be surprised at how it gets under a loud mouth's skin to be totally ignored. Before this, I told him directly we would box if he kept running his mouth, but this plan works better and won't get me hauled to court on an A&B charge.

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DaveH

I had the same issue before. When people would come to me with the info he was spreading I just laughed it off. It does get under your skin, but the people who know you will know if it's true or not, and the ones who don't will look at this guy like he's the idiot he really is for saying such childish crapola. If someone does believe it then they probably weren't the one's you wanted to deal with anyway. If the remarks become slanderous it could be a different issue. It is tough to prove in a court of law, but it is an option if he does hurt your business. As far as the former employees working for you I would just tell people that they came to you on free will, and seem to like your organization better, and are free to leave anytime they wish...You know free country and all...

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A buck a foot is not an estimate! It's a crap shoot!

dayspring

Don't let him or anyone else itimadate you. If you do good work, you will make it. His actions say that you do good work otherwise he wouldn't e worried about you at all. GO FOR IT AND DON"T LOOK BACK!

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6stringmason

You could always threaten him with a lawsuit for slander.

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Kamps Masonry & Concrete Countertop Design Green Bay, WI
920-680-3195
Visit our website @
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Mike Finley

Business is survival of the fittest. Just keeping running your business, how you treat your customers will decide who survives. Someday you will be facing yourself when you are the old established guy and the new dog arrives on the block.

copusbuilder

Good advice from everyone.
He is upset and not acting like a big boy. I agree to not stoop to his level. People can say what they want and if you hear negatives from someone you can respond with "Funny, My customers all seem to be very happy with my work"

It is amazing how a grown man can act like a total moron......Just be the better person.

And it's cool to be Italian after the world cup

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AkA Richard Cranium

Grumpy

If this guy acts like he acts, it's no wonder his employees want to work for you!

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Here is a strategy for you... "Mr. Builder, I understand My ex-employer may have said some slanderous things about my character and trade skills; however I want to assure you that these things are not true. I am new but I already have satisfied customers and trade refrences. Also think for a moment, were you pleased with those houses he framed for you in the past? Well who do you think framed them? Me."

I'd be pissed if you were one of my employees and then started going after my customer base. However I would not be pissed if you had the courtesy to leave my customers alone, if that were the case I'd be trying to help you... because that's the fair and right thing to do.

AtlanticWBConst

This type of thing goes on ALL the time, and in ALL levels of ALL kinds of businesses.

It's been going on for years, in fact thousands of years. I think you are handling it the right way.

It's childish of him to be bad-mouthing you. Especially, when there is plenty of work to go around...
Professional adults would shake your hand and wish the best of luck.

You are in the same neighborhood, but with him causing friction - it's not going to help anyone.
You may already know this, but:
The reason he is doing this is obvious, HE'S AFRAID THAT HIS CLIENTS MAY ONE DAY -SEEK YOU OUT.
That probably is based on the fact that you do really good work, and he knows that, and knows that you have the talents and abilites to become a major competitor.

So Again, simply put: "He's afraid of you!".

So he's trying to disparage you ASAP.

Keep doing what your doing - you've got the right mature attitude

(The majority of intelligent bystanders will easily figure out what is going on....no doubt, it says something about his character and I'm sure he's probably said things about others as well - Most people can usually size things up, and see the pattern pretty clearly)

BEST OF LUCK

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- Build Well -

Jonesey

This is exactly what's happening to me, and it burned me up for a while. I was really tempted to just have a showdown, but I have to agree with everyone else here. The smart thing to do is the mature thing to do. I haven't actively went after any of his clients, and I won't. But the fact is I've already gotten one of his old B2B clients, and two of his HO's.

People know who does the work, and it's work they need, not attitude. They'll get tired of the whining pretty quick, because that's what it is. If anybody asks, just say, "Well, he's not really a bad guy, and while it upsets me, it doesn't particulary bother me. I'm sorry we couldn't still be friends, but business is business I suppose."

I'm still pretty angry about it, but it doesn't really help to look angry.

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Steve Jones
steve@jonespaintingonline.com
Jones Painting Feel the difference service makes

AtlanticWBConst

Yes, it's hard not to let it get to you, because it is so personal.
I guess the key is to try and not take it personal. 'Angry people' get angry at people for alot of stupid reasons - because it's easier to get angry than it is to try and sort their own personal issues out. They can even convince themselves of an 'imaginary issue' that does't even really exist.

By letting it just go - you will always come out on top. People will always admire that when they see it. My good friend and biz. partner taught me that. Even years after a situation, some individuals have gone back to others, that they bad-mouthed, and apologized stating: "If you knew about what I said, how come you never said anything or 'fought back'???".
My biz. partner has dealt with that alot. He's good at dealing with people. His calm reply would be: "Well, I never had anything against YOU, When people would ask what is going on between you and I , I told them ..you're not a bad guy.....I don't really know what the problem is?"

Sometimes people are mad at themselves for one reason or another and dump those issues on others for what ever reason they believe in their own little warped world.

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- Build Well -

ProWallGuy

Well, seeing that you are Italian, can't you find someone to go out an whack him?

Hey, just kidding! All good advice above. Ignore him and do your thing. It will all come out in the end.

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Wallpaper Hanger St. Louis
Digital Murals Installation

Peladu

There was a case in my area in 1998 where an employee left his company to start/own his own. Many if not all of the guys he had working for him also came from the old company. Then they started bidding on the same projects. To make a long story short, the original company sued, and won in court, the new company. Now, I am sure there are details that I don’t know bout, but in that case the older company had, and won, its case.