Can't help but feel I might have gotten ripped off

[lashed11]

Hello!

I'm annoyed! Basically I found a "salon" to rent within a gym in Edinburgh, on Gumtree. There were a few enquiries back and forth between me and the gym manager before we agreed to meet up to discuss potential plans.

So I met him, he showed me the rooms, they were literally two "office" type rooms next to the changing rooms in this gym and he wanted £1000 for them. So I obviously went in there asking him tonnes of questions ie where can I have my branding, will clients book in through reception etc, and his reply was "oh I haven't thought of any of that". He told me they were just meeting up with people to get a general feel of who would be successful, and he told me if I'm interested to go away and make up a business plan.

Which I did. I made a 30 page business plan explaining EVERYTHING you could possibly need to know about running a salon within the gym, all the relevant products and treatments etc... And I emailed him with my ideas and he was VERY eager to meet up and discuss in detail my plan!

So I met up with him, must have spoke for a couple of hours in detail about my plan, he genuinely seemed really excited, told me he felt "really positive", asked me question after question about what would work and I had to explain the trends in beauty therapy / skincare and how I would cater to their clientele in the gym. I had alot of questions for him and he didnt know the answers so told me he would get back to me and then in could see how i feel about it. I'm not going to lie, i am an anxious person and tend to always think the worst, but I actually left the meeting feeling like it was pretty much up to me to decide if I wanted to go ahead!

So you can imagine my shock when he sent me a very short email one week later saying "thanks for your business plan it was a great piece of work but we are going to run the salon in house instead". Part of me feels like he's basically just met me, stolen all of my ideas, realised e potential to make alot of money, and then decided to just employ staff instead!

I'm pretty annoyed, why all of a sudden would they decide they want to employ people? I went to such an effort to get together my business plan, took me one week to bloody complete and now he's sitting in his office with it lol.

Annoyed!!

 

[smallandcute]

Could you not go in and ask for it back? I suggest you find a way of proving that business plan was yours ie post it via royal mail to yourself but do NOT open it and file it away. When this salon opens you can check your saved plan on the computer and if it matches seek legal advice. They may well be done for theft of intellectual property. You should have also stated that you needed your business plan back so they couldnt nick it. Some people are scum like this, cant think for themselves or be bothered to do the work then steal someone elses work. I have also had this happen but have managed to get my plan back after the lady put it on the side of the desk and on my way out i took it back. Hope things work out ok for you x

Sent from my GT-I9300 using SalonGeek

 

[TanBird]

I think Lashed11 may have emailed a copy of the business plan? So she unfortunately can't get it back without the guy having a copy. But I suppose that will mean she has a copy in her "sent" email, for what that's worth.

I agree you've been used as "free consultancy" Lashed11. Makes my blood boil, but I'm not sure there's anything you can do about it.

Apart from never ever give so much upfront again :-(

 

[lashed11]

Hey guys,

The thing is, the second meeting I had with him he basically made me feel like it was going to happen and it was more up to me to decide if I want to go ahead, so I was really comfortable leaving him with my plan. If I knew he was going to pie me then I would have taken it back he said he was going away on a business trip for a couple of days so was taking my plan for "plane reading". I really never got any vibes that he wouldn't want to go ahead, I'm so annoyed!

But I don't think there's anything I can do really

 

[stacy]

What an awful way to do business by a very unscrupulous person! Hopefully karma will kick in and allow you to just sit back and watch him crash and burn whilst you'll be safe in the knowledge that you had a very lucky escape from entering into any binding dealings with him.

You sound like a very proactive person so don't let it put you off and I wish you all the luck in finding somewhere that is perfect for you.

 

[Annemarie]

The rat. He'll fail and the gym will have to close. That's what I'd like to happen. Sorry to hear this but as already mentioned I don't think there is much you can do about it. Just put it down to a bad experience and move forwarded. What goe around comes around.
These things happen for a reason and I'm sure something much better is just around the corner for you.:hug:

 

[lashed11]

Thank you

That's what my boyfriend said too, karma

I will def be more cautious about giving someone my plan next time!

You know what's annoying too, is one of my clients actually goes to that gym and has personal training 3x a week and she's now quite "pally" with the personal trainer, and she told me that apparently this manager guy isn't very popular in the gym and he treats the women like crap! And she told me to be wary of him!

I know that lots of people open salons without being a therapist but for goodness sake he's a 45 yo male with absolutely no clue! He will need alot of luck I think!

 

[Baggybear]

To be honest I don't know why you felt he had any right to ask to see your business plan etc...

If he is taking in a self employed therapist then he will be a landlord and has no need to know any of your business plan details.
All he needs from you is for you to agree a weekly/monthly rent and sign a contract (that you need to read through carefully).

 

[lashed11]

I know what you mean... I guess it's because the way he worded everything was that they needed find someone "business savvy" and who had a long term plan for the place, which is what a stupidly gave him. For nothing. Ahhhh!

It's definitely a lesson learned!

 

[Baggybear]

I get that he said he needed to know you were business savvy etc.. BUT he had no right to ask you anything other than to commit to a set rent per week/month.

You need to see that your business plan is your business not your landlords, the only people I would be considering showing my business plan to would be a bank for a loan or something like that. I wouldn't show it to a potential or current landlord.

If he needed to know you were serious about staying long term then he could have asked you to sign a contract for a minimum term of a year or something like that, meaning you have to pay the rent for a year even if you decide to move to another place earlier (similar to having a contract mobile, you have to stay for 24 months or pay the remaining months amount if you wish to end it sooner).

 

[lashed11]

I know, I totally see what you mean now. It's my own fault for being kinda naive and assuming he wouldn't f me over in the end!

I just really wanted the rooms I thought it was a really good opportunity, I got over excited

I'm definitely never ever handing one out again! Unless its for a bank loan etc...

 

[fozzyo]

Just put it down to experience and learn from it.

Then take your hard work and find somewhere better.

 

[happyfeet]

Sorry to hear this honey, I agree with what the other geeks have said too. On another note, having someones business plan in front of you, doesn't mean that he will be able follow it. Meaning it's one thing it all being written down on paper, it's whole different ball game actually putting it in to practice- so fear not my lovely. And just think, thank god you found out that this is the way he does business now, rather than going ahead and renting the rooms and finding out later. Chin up lovey xxx

 

[angelina221]

I'd be tempted to email him back saying thankyou for considering you and hope it all works out well with employing staff. Also tell him that obviously the business plan was written for someone who already has an existing client base, such as yourself, and that anyone starting from scratch would obviously need 3 years or so to get to the figures mentioned. Therefore, the business plan would not be relevant with employed staff as they would probably be working at a loss for the first year or so

 

[lashed11]

I have asked for my business plan back!

Kinda pointless because he already knows it cover to cover,lol. But it's the principle!

 

[Lash N Load]

Think what a lucky escape you've had!

What a mean thing to do. Could you
imagine the kind of problems you would of had renting from him?

I also think the rent was too high.

One day you'll be so glad you never rented from him.

 

[Dani04]

That is terrible :-(

Sent from my GT-I9300 using SalonGeek

 

[steph_x]

I'm not one to bad mouth and gossip but I'm from Edinburgh and I am 99.9% sure I know what gym you are talking about.

It's hard but believe me it's just a lesson in life you have to learn from and you are better off it may not seem so at the moment but wouldn't of been worth your time.

Chin up what's for you won't go by you

 

[cabby]

I think you have had a lucky escape, they didn't seem to have morals and at some point in the future they may have done the dirty on you. On saying that you know what they say alls fair in love and war and in the future you will never give that much Information away again will you. So at least you have learnt from that. You sound very savvy so I am sure a better opportunity will come your way soon xx

 

[lashed11]

Hey

So I emailed him asking for my business plan back and he was really polite with his reply. I wonder if these people actually feel bad or if they are just weird emotionless people lol.

I will be very intrigued to find out what they do with the place and if it will work out! Xxx