so, friend decided to open a cupcake business and thought i would make a good partner. We decided to rent a kitchen to bake and then buy a food truck and drive around and sell our cc. I told a friend about this and she told me to make sure we get all the little things figure out before we start the business we would spend a lot of time together and any little thing would get on our nerves. for instance, what if her little kids get sick and what are her plans for them in the summer. man, i didnt think about the kids!!! so i called and asked her what she was planning to do with her kids if they got sick and where was she going to put them over the summer. her answer - i was thinking of bringing them with me !!! I told her that i was not going to work with kids, imagine a sick kid around food!!!! not to mention where are you going to put this kid for hours while we work in the kitchen. they dont have beds or couches so where is this sick kid going to be? around the hot ovens or the food????? not to mention a sick kid riding around in a hot truck and being in the back with the food in a tiny space with both of us. now, imagine 3 months of kids in the kitchen and then in the truck with us. anyhow, i told her that bringing her kids is a no in my book and i would not bend. she said that she was going to bring her kids and she would not bend. so now plans for months have gone out the drain and she never called back. is there a way to convince her what a horrible idea this is?

Have her call the local HD and ask if they would allow this. My thinking is that they would tell her NO.

Maybe you can either go online, or call your local health dept. I'm sure there has to be some code that addresses this situation.


Plus, you can let her know about why it's not good for children to be cooped up in the truck all day long. Talk about being bored! ! ! But it's especially not good for their emotional or physical development.

Could you ask her exactly how she sees it working (in a non confrontational way just that you are trying to understand)? I cant imagine she has thought it out properly but she might have a plan that makes sense in her head but will have huge holes in it when she says it out loud or with some gentle questions on your part she might realise a flaw in her logic?

Btw I really cant imagine her idea ever working in a business outside the home (and even then it depends on the ages of them and how much you could just leave them alone playing, etc what would they do all school break?)

Could you suggest an alternative idea to her that you think she might be open to?

you might also check the rules of the rented kitchen. They may require everyone in the kitchen to be health department certified and have a minimum age to be in the kitchen. If it is shared space - where other bakers will be present - I doubt they would appreciate any child anytime in the kitchen.

I think you've dodged a huge bullet here. This was only the start and she is showing that she's not being reasonable nor responsible.

She isn't looking for a business partner but a babysitter.

Sometimes when things don't work out, it's really a good thing.

Wow! I know how you feel. I too tried to go into business with a friend. Come to find out she was looking more for an assistant to call on as needed than an actual partner. I do not think you are being unreasonable.

Aside from the obvious health issues you'll need to have that very difficult talk. Until you both are on the same page there will not be success.

As Dave Ramsey says "The only ship that won't sail is a Partner-ship".

Seriously, cut your losses before they happen and run far away from this. If YOU want to open up your OWN shop and then hire her as an employee, fine, but treat her just like any other employee that isn't your "friend"

From a blog about business partnerships: Ramsey thinks most people go into partnerships because they are insecure. "The majority of partnerships last a maximum of 10 years due to all the baggage involved. This can include family issues, how much time one partner spends over the other working, equal rights in the business. These types of problems surface regularly," he says.

If she hasn't thought things through about dealing with illness/absence due to her kids.... what ELSE hasn't she thought through?

Do it yourself, by yourself, your way. This person has already proven that she is not serious and she definitely has no business experience to even make a statement like this. It may take you a little longer, but DO IT BY YOURSELF!!!!!!

She definitly hasnt thought it through.

I've work from home and have four kids, aged 14, 12, 5 & 3 and there is no way I'd even consider dragging them round in a cake truck all day long .

The younger ones would be wanting attention all the time and the older ones would just be bored stiff.

What about toilet facilities/changing for the kids, where will they eat, sit, play.

How big does she think this truck is going to be once you two and all your cakes/supplies are in there?

I think she just wants to be able to earn money but not pay any childcare so this seems a good idea to her but if you can afford to I would do it all by yourself and maybe she can work for you while her kids are in school.

She thinks owning a business means "I'm free to do whatever I want; bring my kids to work; come and go as I please, blah blah blah."

The old stereotype of what people THINK owning a business means!

thats rediculous. shes going to have to factor in some kind of emergency child care. When I was looking for my job and when I got my job I had already made sure i had someone available on short notice to watch my kids if they had to. be it a relative, a friend you can exchange a favor with, or even someone you can hire like a babysitter who is available short notice. But taking them with you to work? no profession allows that, food related or not.
However you have inspired me to post my own topic regarding something a little similar. good luck.

I agree with the partnership thing...been there done that. NEVER again. You will never have the same work mentality as the other person or the same ideals. I know there are exception to the rules, but they are few and far between. If you can do it yourself....do it. After getting out of the so called partnership I restarted out on my own and am so much happier for it. My rules, my way. I take on as much as I want and do the cakes I actually want to do and not told (last minute mind you) I need to make 30 cows.
Being your own boss sounds so good..until you have to actually start working! That may be issue. She may think that since she's her own boss she makes the rules and doesn't realize there are still a set of rules that apply to her.

This is your SIGN. LOL. Count your blessings. This thing is being nipped in the bud before you invest a lot of time, energy and money.

I have to agree that working with family isnt always a great idea either

My dad has had a HGV garage most of his life with my mom, then having me and both my sisters working accounts/office between us over the years then the brother in laws working there and my uncle at one point.

The arguements were terrible especially between mom and dad lol, I left (to homeschool my autistic son) then my other sis and her hubby left to start by himself and now there is just my parents and my oldest sis and her partner there.

My mom kept asking when I was coming back! NO WAY I'd rather stack shelves in a supermarket than go through that stress again haha

I'll stick with my cakes thank you and only having me to answer to