you be the judge

[cookiekittens]

So I have a joint venture company with a partner that we initiated a year ago. Yesterday I sent him some business expenses and asked him to send me checks so that I no longer need to file expense reports. He writes me back that I can get checks but that I will need to clear expenses with him first and that expenses need to be documented properly. It went further on to tell me which travel agent I needed to use when booking our travel and other stuff. I was furious... furious to the point that I got this letter two days ago and I am still steaming mad. I am a partner in this firm, I don't need to ask permission to pay for legitimate business expenses. When I related this to one of my clients, they told me that he my business partner had bad mouthed me and talked about my probable lack of capacity to manage the projects that we have. That got me even madder. I literally bet I looked like an angry charging bull when I was told that. The funny thing is the one contract we have in our joint venture was landed by me, and given to me for my reputation in the industry and for the trust that the company had in my management skills. This jerk is making profit off me and going around bad mouthing me at the same time. Its ridiculous. I don't know what to do to stop his behavior. Unfortunately walking out of the business is not an option, at least not for the next four years. Today I went on the accounting system and saw that he had logged all his expenses and none of mine. I wrote him a letter in which I told him that I will not clear expenses with him and that if he wants to continue earning money in this business he is going to need to treat me with respect and not like his employee and subordinate. I have heard from many others that he is a scum bag. I just don't know how I will endure the next four years. for the last two days I have been crying myself to sleep.

[CC12]

I'm not sure exactly which part you want us to judge. I have a few thoughts. You're probably going to hate this, but I hope you can see it as constructive criticism.

 

Try to handle your anger better. I can see why this is upsetting, but to have cried yourself to sleep over this for the past two nights is not good for you. It's an overreaction.

 

Don't talk to clients about this stuff. You both badmouthed each other. And then you went angry bull right in front of a client. That's not professional and you can't go around undermining each other, especially in front of clients.

 

Expenses do need to be properly documented, your partner was right about that. It sounds like it's mainly been him keeping the books, so if that's the case, it's not unreasonable of him to ask for a heads up if you're going to be spending money. There's only a limited amount in your business checking account, right? Your new, small business needs to be careful not to bounce checks.

 

Now, he may have been a jerk about it, or may be using this as a way to exert control over you or some weird thing and if that's the case, it's something that needs to be dealt with separate from the finance issue. But you guys should be communicating and clearing expenses with each other.

 

Feel free to correct me on any assumptions I've made.

[d0nnivain]

You two need to talk. You need a better way of communicating. He will hurt the company if he bad mouths you but so will you if you say any of what you posted to someone who knows you.

[clia]

I actually think you are the one being unreasonable. It's totally normal to expect documentation and proof of business expenses, and to establish a consistent process for incurring and submitting expenses.

 

So I have a joint venture company with a partner that we initiated a year ago. Yesterday I sent him some business expenses and asked him to send me checks so that I no longer need to file expense reports.

 

So, you just want him to reimburse you without filing an expense report? Any legitimate business I've ever seen requires filing an expense report and submission of receipts. Why are you trying to get out of doing that?

 

He writes me back that I can get checks but that I will need to clear expenses with him first and that expenses need to be documented properly. It went further on to tell me which travel agent I needed to use when booking our travel and other stuff.

 

Why are you so furious that he wants you to document your expenses or use a specific travel agent? These sound like very normal things. He is trying to establish a process for your business. What is the problem with that?

 

Today I went on the accounting system and saw that he had logged all his expenses and none of mine.

 

So log your own expenses, then.