When we started our business, we had an opportunity to build something amazing.

 

Unfortunately, like many businesses, the people and their behavior hadn't changed

since the last company we worked in together, I use this term loosely.

 

For various reasons, being undervalued (not paid enough for the level of performance),

the toxic environment, and a threat to the elevated/special position

one of us had of himself, we believed that we could do it better.

 

We had worked in an environment where it was wise to think carefully before saying anything

to any of what were supposed to be your colleagues, the office manager, or the owner's assistant.

 

There were several large personalities there; some were great, knowledgeable, and eager to help.

While others were empire-building, hanging off the boss's shirt tails, yes men.

 

Backstabbing and gossiping were regular occurrences, and there was a distinct lack of trust.

 

In the early days of our business, it was new and exciting, an adventure we had all set out on

together, it was going to be better for our clients/customers and ourselves.

 

We worked together, helped each other, because this is what you do in a new environment

when you're building something, a new business/career/working life.

 

Over time, money and share holdings became an issue, manipulation, and mutually beneficial

"friendships" became apparent, clear signs of jealousy and control, more common.

 

Where we'd initially "worked together" for the greater good of our business, things had started

falling apart, big personalities, narcissistic behaviors, a need to dominate, while forcing each others

model of the world onto each other, judging, pointing fingers, and blaming.

 

When our clients called the office to talk with my business partner(s), wishing to confirm

that what I had suggested was the problem, or resolution, to them was correct, everything

was fine, it allowed certain people to feel comfortable with their level of importance.

 

While I, on the other hand, being the youngest, was already starting to feel undermined

not taken seriously, dismissed by my clients and business partners due to my age.

 

This dynamic changed when our clients accepted, I held the knowledge, and was fully

capable of doing the job at hand, resolving their issues, and getting them back up and running

in a timely fashion, they'd acknowledged my abilities, and so, stopped asking my business partner(s)

to confirm my understanding of their issues and the resolution to them.

 

At this time, one of my business partners' attitudes towards me worsened dramatically.

I'd become an even greater threat to him and his fragile personality, so he'd now go all out

to discredit me by berating my behavior/lifestyle to the other partners.

 

It also didn't take long before he suggested we, as a business, stop doing what we once did as a service

together, then mostly on my own, because there was no money in it for the business.

 

What had happened in reality, he no longer wanted to invest his time or efforts into something

he felt below him, wasn't interested in, or no longer required because the business was established.

 

All he wanted to do was what he deemed important: programming,

training our clients in the CAD/CAM/CAE systems we provided, customization,

and maintaining our website (this infuriated me; he was earning far too much).

 

It was almost unbelievable to me at the time, we managed to replicate the environment

we wished to escape from, of course, I've understood how this happened for many years.