Set up a business with my ex-gf and regretting it
I never imagined coming here, but I really need a space to let out all my frustrations because I can’t afford a shrink LOL. Here’s my story:
3 Years Ago, I left my job (sales background) to start an ecommerce business on 3 major online retailers with my GF. It was a success! We became a preferred seller on S, and a power Seller on Q (L platform still a challenge till today)! I do the all the marketing and sales online (content to generate the sales, everything sales related and platform management) while she does the procurement and operations(warehousing, logistics, finances).
We generate a monthly revenue of close to $30,000 monthly and I pay a salary of $7500 Gross (including company CPF) to my GF (as part of an agreement to give her allowance when she quit her job so she has something to be proud of). Since inception, I have only taken small payouts for myself to invest in my own portfolio and my investment in the business 3 times way higher than what she has invested.
I have not taken any salary for myself because I have always believed in investing back into the business to expand it (when we did a breakdown I found out almost all the profits goes to her salary for the past 3 years), she has always believed in taking salary so she can feel proud of herself and won’t feel inferior when compared to her friends (they are in their late 30s and the peak of their careers)
We have many disagreements in operating a business, when it comes to pricing strategies and marketing budget, I always will do whatever it takes to get a sale, such as selling it at a lower price(by giving vouchers to claim and follower prize) when sales season is over, she on the other hand believes in selling it at a very premium price and never giving a discount (we always lose our competitive advantage due to this).
Due to a recent quarrel we split, and my now ex-GF has recently asked for an increment despite the business not generating an extra revenue, if not she will quit, stop all operations and threaten a lawyer for compensation (she claims to have very powerful connections that can sabotage me in many ways should I choose to start a new business).
I have no idea on what to do. I feel at a loss because all the effort I have put in is now gone to waste for the past 3 years. We each have a 50% shareholding. Should I put the business on sale? Should I ask for compensation and bleed it dry or should I give in to her demands? Or should I just quit and say, “screw it, it’s all on you now to generate your own sales.”
Off note: I have paid for everything throughout the relationship (guess the number of bags(LV, Gucci and Chanel) I bought for her), that includes food, bills (phone bills, cc bills, etc.), rent for staying over and groceries for her recently retired parents. Nevertheless, everything is different from her POV so I’m wrong to the eyes of her people. Hard to accept the hard truth that I have worked for nothing.