I want to share my thoughts and do a little contributing to this forum. I have been working on and developing a new retail model. Along the way I managed to spark the interest and asked J'amy Owens of the Jamy Owens Group (the "Diva of Retail" "most influential people in retail) to help me achieve my dreams by producing a solid plan that would have the backing of her signature and that would put me into the next step with investors. After almost 8 months of working with her on and off we came to an agreement (via email, and verbal). I decided to take the risk being that I am a small down to earth entrepreneur that needs to make smart choices and spend money wisely so I don't hurt myself or fail financially while starting my business. She was the third such professional hired to help me with my business planning. However she was the only one I could find with the proper skills and background to give my project the credibility and have a retail background to help produce the financials, and the documents needed so that we could move on to the next phases and hopefully launch my retail business vision. Well I paid her a large amount of money $10,000 and her company was to produce the plans. Being one of the best in the country I figured I could not go wrong. She was very confident in writing the plans and the entire idea lifting my spirits up about my dream for over a year. It's been well over 6 months since I paid her to start my project and she hasn't produced the plans, documents. She has fallen off the face of the earth after month number six. She said she would call me a few days after the last time we spoke. The day we spoke it was a very odd conversation, where she wanted me to alter my entire dream and plans. Throwing me for an entire loop! I was expecting for her to say she had something worked on for me to review or actually work to problem solve with her team. She had a few sly remarks throwing back up into my face things that we discussed over a year ago and the negativity that I faced from others in regards to my business, THAT I TOLD HER I WAS FACING BEFORE I HIRED HER. She was very cleaver at doings it to the point where I couldnt exactly get mad at her for it. I just delt with it the best I can and actually considered her new proposal. I later informer her of what I wanted via email.
However up until October she has always called, been on time, and always positive even when I wasn't paying her. However for the past three weeks I have sent several nice emails, several different phone calls, and eventually I had to start calling business associates to find out if she hadn't died or had some type of major meltdown. Her business professionals assured me that this very much not her style and that this has no logic. I agreed being that the entire thing was odd. Two of her business partners offered to contact her on my behalf. I had asked if they think she would be this unprofessional and rip a person off like this and the partner said this would be totally unlike her. She is defiantly one of the best in the country to work with.
I contacted her CFO... Her father "Terry Owens" via e-mail asking if there was a problem and explaining the situation. I didn't hear a thing back and figuring he would never get a response to begin with I figured he would at least give the message to J'amy and she would contact me back. I would be personally shocked if people were contacting my father to get a response out of me along with my business associates.
It appears that my nightmare had been realized. The person that I put faith into and trusted and the person who was telling me that my dreams are possible and that it's not a stupid idea had TAKEN THE MONEY, IDEA and RUN. With all the things that I have gone through, all the negativity that I have received from everyone. Jamy was the one who lifted me up and help keep my dreams and my passion alive. This Powerful outgoing DIVA has built her entire career on talking about following the passion.
However, in the end she also now chooses to be the one to drop me and push me off a cliff emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Thank you jamy youre a class act. Jamy was chosen also for her ability to relate with all the emotions and feelings that one can have when starting a business, from the scare of going bankrupt, to loosing youre company. She has been through all these things and that is why she was a perfect fit. I really had no idea brewing in my brain that she would... Do on to others... As others did on to her. Everyone else i knew did! I can feed you an entire list of people from a to z. You proved me wrong, and you proved them right, and you did youre self wrong. For whatever its worth. For all the pushing you just did to push me over the edge. I would hate to think of the new low you just sunk to.
Now instead of just starting my business. I lost valuable time, money, resources from the very person at the top of the retail industry who entire life is built around following you're dreams and you're passions. More than a year has been now wasted with Jamy! She teaches and does talks around the world about "how easy it is to stop looking people in the eye and telling them the truth". Now I have to contact legal and pay legal people just to get a response from J'amy. She shows no responsibility in anyway or takes responsibility in my case. DEAD SILENCE!
A PHONE CALL! A phone call! Man was it too much to say Im not interested in doing this project, I dont have the time, I have more clients than I can handle right now, I cant work on you right now. She could have came up with a million excuses and I wouldnt have been mad or angry or writing this report. Our entire relationship had been built around Honesty. She promised she would start my project after I paid her. (her own words via email) This didnt happen, didnt happen, didnt happen, and the silence after October. She simply changed her mind like the wind. With no reasoning, response or anything.
She promised my ideas would be safe with her. She verbally said she wouldn't take them or use them in anyway. However I now have serious doubt. Maybe thats really who she is and always wanted. I really have no idea as to why the silence. Even after promises that my project was to be worked on. I have never raised my voice, gotten verbal with her, and or treated her with any disrespect. I have communicated to her in clear, sometimes disorganized thinking as entrepreneur's would do and passionate about my dreams. However it was her place to help organize and help me plan my ideas into PLANS and presentations that I could seriously take to any investor.
I am tired, stressed, and while this has defiantly set my entire business dreams, project, and planning back. I am still willing to move forward. Jamy Owens isnt going to stop me. GOD knows I would push anyone out of my way even my own family to go after my dreams. Every person I know will tell you that.
SHE STOLE MONEY, TIME, AND POSSIBLY SOMEONE ELSES DREAM. The truth is. You are not safe from any professional. Not even the people at the top. Make sure everything is in writing and make sure you have contracts for every little thing. When people turn you have no clue as to how nasty they can become and they obviously can become nasty over things not caused or have anything to do or by something I have done. I BEGGED FOR ANSWER! Did i do something? Did i make her mad? Was i rude in some way? No answers! NOTHING AT ALL!
The nice thing is I have every email from 2008 regarding the transaction. That doesn't mean I will be able to win the case. Even though I should be protected under consumer laws. The question is how much money, time and energy will be spent trying to recoup my losses. And then the time and energy to find someone else qualified who can handle my retail business model planning. Its Draining on all ends!
How much money of mine are you wanting to waste? Thanks again!
Given all the data. Would there be any reason to distrust in such a professional. No way. I would hire her again in a heartbeat. There was no logic or reasoning to this fall out. She has nothing. Just decided she doesnt want to do it. She couldnt even have been honest, returned the money, made a response, confronted, instead she decided to cut all communication. Communication. THE THING YOU DO BEST IN THE WORLD! WHAT A GIFT THAT YOU HAVE TO MISUSE!
Thanks Jamy Owens of the Jamy Owens Group! You really are TOP NOTCH! It was pleasure doing business with you!
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