I have a friend who I've known for years, who didn't even want to keep her child when she found out she is pregnant and is now doing exactly what my husband and I started when we where pregnant with our child we always wanted and tried for very badly. I want to confront her because I feel like this is just a huge blow in my face since she has tons of cash and can just buy her way into the business and we've been working so hard on our pregnancy and parenting site and did it ALL from scratch ourselves. This is so completely frustrating and I want to scream everytime I read her tweets!!!! AGH!
I hear ya.......I started a business.................my idea, my everything I took in someone to help and lo and behold somewhere down the line she thought it was her business! I got rid of her thank g-d!!! Either tell her but don't expect a great answer. Or go on and like the other mom said try for a trademark. You gotta be careful what and whom you tell the world is full of nuts!!
Well, I just want to say that I was told I couldn't have kids. I got a beautiful daughter. Nine years later, wanting out of an abusive and unhappy marriage, I found out I was pregnant. I cried to my mom and told her I wanted an abortion. I really felt that way at the time.
I couldn't go through with it, and my son is the greatest joy of my life, but I don't think you can automatically knock someone for not being sure about keeping their baby at first.
Don't read her tweets. I have never twittered in my life and I don't feel I've lost anything.
Don't confide anything about your personal life.
She may start up a business with a parenting site, but it won't be what you have to offer.
Let go of the "she didn't even want her kid" thing because that's not fair. I know from personal experience voicing those things isn't the same as really meaning them. And, that has nothing to do with you.
Don't use something like that to try to tear her down.
Many people are starting up their own sites. You can have your own flavor that won't be affected by her at all.
Do what you do. Keep it close to your vest.
And stop reading her tweets.
That is keeping you from being focused on moving forward with your own thing and that isn't in your best interest.
Confront her if it makes you feel better, but it won't stop her from doing what she wants to do.
At least that's my take on it.
Separate her from what you have going on and move forward in a positive direction.
That's my best advice.
Best wishes.
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Block her. Stop reading her tweets and any other social media. Don't keep her in the loop at all about what you are working on and distance yourself from her. Also, if she posts something that you recently posted, why not call her out? I would do it publicly.. many bloggers do. I would just say, "Hey! Why is it that your posts almost always exactly mirror my earlier original content that comes out the day before. Why is that? It happens far too often to be coincidence." If she isn't truly passionate about it, she will burnout soon. I'm a blogger so I know that burnout happens easily! If she begins to steal your ideas and posts them, you actually can have a lawyer send a cease and desist letter, since that is your intellectual copyright and she is stealing your pageviews, seo ranking and possibly business if you are earning any sort of income or ad revenue. Be sure to watermark any photos with a signature.
They say that immitation is the best form of flattery. She idolizes you therefore she wants to immitate you. Yes it is frustrating because she is strealing everythign from you. I had a room mate like that and it pissed me off. I wanted to tell her to get her own life. Stop reading her tweets and copyright all of your stuff. Then she can't steal from you. Distance yourself from her if you think that would help, I found that once I got rid of my room mate she stopped copying me and started copying someone else.
Don't get involved about her pregnancy problem. BUT, don't say one word about what you're doing day-to-day. She may be your friend, who may also look up to you, but is doing things a bit selfishly. Just keep your mouth closed and go about developing your business. She'll eventually run out of ideas taken from you :)
Look into the Copyright and Trademark laws and practices and see if that helps at all... It might if you can register your company before the required amount of time, you may have some legal recourse.
Good Luck!
I "second" what Mama L says.
Do just that.
Brilliant.
It will be ok!
The thing is, with any 'great' business idea or invention.... NEVER tell anyone... except yourself. Or your Husband, if he can keep his mouth shut about it.
Because, anything is up for grabs.
Unless you have already protected it via Copyright or Trademarking it.
And, there are MANY 'duplicate' sites and ideas out there. Many variations of the 'same' thing.
ie: like all these Mommy sites, even like, MamaPedia.
Tis' the nature of the market.
Why don't you just tell your friend?
She is your 'friend', right?
Tell her she stole your idea.
Just DO NOT tell her anything, anymore.
I sooo understand how you feel... I have a friend that has copied, bought or done everything I do since we were in high school.. We are now in our 30's and I realize it is what it is.. Is she a good friend other than that? I have taken breaks from our friendship due to her crossing the line.. so that's an idea or if she doesn't offer anything in the frienship department.. focus on you and your family and delete her twitter so you don't have to see any of her messages.. Life is too short to let people bring you down...
