Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

If my first employees are friends, should I have them sign an NDA, or any other paperwork to avoids that if things go wrong, they tell my ideas to someone else, become competitor?

I think it is a good idea to do things in writing, even with friends.  In fact, good friends should understand that this is a smart way to run a business and will be glad to do it.

It is a good idea to go about it as if they were not friends or family. Sometimes it is even more difficult with friends or family because they may feel the regular rules and job duties do not apply to them. Follow the same procedure as if it were someone hired that you do not know..this will help to avoid situations later on. If you are having difficulty setting this standard..tell them it is policy and that your attorney advises you to have this done before ANYONE can work for you.

 

Erin

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Our Goal Is Your Success!
Founder Girls with Goals

My father told me something when I was 18, starting my first band: He said "You can be a manager or someone`s friend, but you can never be both."

Of course at 18, I knew a whole lot more than my father. And, as Mark Twain pointed out, the older I got, the dumber I got and the smarter he got. I think it`s a function of age.

For many years, through all sorts of bands and other business organizations, I continued to believe in the ideal (rose-colored glasses) view of life that I could, in fact, be both a manager and everyone`s friend.

Now, years later, I`ve come to understand the wisdom of keeping the two separate.

That doesn`t mean you can`t be friends with people who also work for you. But what it does mean is that when you both enter the workday, "friends" goes away, and it`s "business."

To that end, you shouldn`t ask the question whether or not a friend should be exempt from business procedures. Instead, you should question whether or not your friends agree that business is one thing, and friendship is entirely separate.

Personally I strongly suggest if you value your friendship, I would not hire them. It may be fine for a year, 2 or even more but when something goes wrong you can pretty much count your friendship over. If you truely value them, stay friends and no more.

Example: A friend asked if we could hire her sister, she needed a job and we had a chair open. We specifically told her that if things didnt work out, dont hold us accountable as friends. Well things didnt work out and we were forced to let her go. Guess what those strong friendship bounds that lasted 14years were tossed out and she started bad mouthing us to people. Really sad.

It`s just not worth it, stay friends.

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He who gets greedy like a pig, gets slaughtered like a hog!

Having been down this road and having lost good friends and caused ripples in the family by hiring family.  I strongly recommend you avoid hiring them.

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Ken Galo
Empire Building isn`t easy but it`s fun.
www.lk-clean.com
www.cleanpeers.com
www.icasupplycentral.com
www.globalcleaningassociation.com

I too have lost some very good friends because we worked together.  It always seems like a good idea, but most times it does not work out.  If you ahve to hire a friend, get everything on paper and remember if they leave you will loose a friend. Sorry to be a poo poo on the idea but It really never works!


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