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Question

Do I cut ties one week before the project is due?

Jul 10, 2015 9:04AM PDT

I have a web design company and we promised a nonprofit a feature for free. The feature we are working on is a quality of life improvement for their management. The only problem is that we aren't done and my business partner has checked out.

My business partner is leaving because he cannot afford to live off of the small amount of money the company has to offer each month (we are a new company). Because my business partner is leaving, I do not have the resources to finish this project. He is technically still on board until the project is finished but he is really phoning it in.

I am worried about the relatively new businesses' reputation in my city. I don't want to be known as the company that didn't follow through with their promise to a nonprofit. We do not have any sort of contract with the nonprofit but I know they need this finished by next week for one of their projects.

My business partner was the one to set up this project with the nonprofit. His family is involved with it and he has been the main point of contact with the nonprofit. To make matters worse, my business partner and I are long time friends.

I know this doesn't paint the best picture and I will gladly follow up with more details if you have questions. However, is it better to cut ties now or should I keep trying to finish it for the week and maybe complete a sub-optimal product?

Discussion is locked

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Answer
I'd be honest wtih them.
Jul 10, 2015 9:39AM PDT

I can't guess at your people skills but I found being honest about such things keeps folk from expecting what isn't getting delivered or on time.

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Answer
well
Jul 26, 2015 5:53PM PDT

if your partner is still in then finish the product and call it a day. you said they need it in a week, so if it doesn't take more than a week to do, then I say do it so its complete, you save your rep, your current projects get pushed back a little but u eventually will catch up and be a head of schedule because you will have this experience of knowing how to manage multiple tasks at once.

if you are a new company and already starting to go down then eventually its going to fail.

treat your friend like a business partner and nothing else. tell him you have an obligation to get a project done and need to complete the task. I hope he isn't trying to make you do all the work, when he isn't.

my .2