To be annoyed at my best friend for copying my business

[Flippinlife72]

I've been a therapist for 15 years, have had my own successful business for 5 years and slowly added to it as well as selling neals yard products. My best friend who I've know from school, decided to do a reflexology course , using an on line company I was pleased for her if not a bit miffed as when I did the course I went to college and had to a proper practical exam and assessments and also. She never got any of that , anyway that's how it is now, she did that then she did an Indian head massage course like me, I was still pleased for her. Then she followed in all sorts of other ways including all my other business ideas , then started selling neals yard stuff. I mean it's not major we don't live in the same town so she's not taking my customers or anything but it's literally everything I do . Other people have noticed and I feel like screaming 'get your own ideas' ffs ! Would it annoy you, she literally has copied everything 😳

[LittleBoat]

If she's not direct competition I would try to take it as a compliment.

Time will tell if she's as successful as you.

[CoraPirbright]

Yes it would annoy the piss out of me. But thank goodness she is in a different town and so will have no actual impact on your business.

[Meemolly]

Ah, she must be really impressed by you! I have a formal Reflexology qualification and am struggling to get any clients at all so I wish I had your touch!

[Flippinlife72]

Well I'd be really annoyed if it was around here. Fortunately it isn't, at first I was oh well ! But now when u see her repeating things word for word it's like what!? I've just let it go and not let it effect our friendship but 😤 It's really pissing me off now, we all pinch ideas but word for word wtf!!

[Dozer]

Ya both U for practicing and selling woo services.

[fibrecruncher]

Why does it bother you, she's seeing your success and following you. Between my brother and my closest friend we have often ended up in the same workplaces, given each other referrals generally helped each other out.

[DangerousMouse]

Tell her you're working on a phone sex line in the evenings

[SantasJockstrap]

why does it bother you? you had a great idea and a friend copied it, would you rather a stranger copied?

[Daisyfrumps]

we all pinch ideas but word for word wtf!!

What do you mean? She's plagiarising your Facebook posts or something? If so have a gentle word.

[Ohyesiam]

I would understand of it was undermining your business.
You are obviously an ideas person, and very go ahead. Not every one is.
Would it have helped if she had talked it through with you?

[Ahickiefromkinickie]

Ya both U for practicing and selling woo services.

Reflexology and head massage are woo? 😂

They're massage techniques. I love them.

[WetNovemberDay]

Tell her your now offering anal massage and business is booming!

[Flippinlife72]

It didn't bother me at first, but it's just annoying you think of an idea then without them speaking to you within a day she does exactly the same thing, it's not the worst thing in the world and I don't begrudge her success and like I said it's not effecting my business but after a year of it it becomes a bit grating if we were in business together that's a different thing. I copy people's ideas we all do but in a daily basis same status's on her business fb page, same website just different name, same products, same uniform all without mentioning it first , it just feels a bit weird and I just sometimes think just think of your own ideas sometimes. I can live with it but blimey just makes me roll my eyes sometimes 🙄

[Flippinlife72]

No I'm not really angry with her, it just annoys me sometimes

[Bluntness100]

I'd have thought it would give you more in common to discuss and help each other. A shared interest. She's in no way damaging your business or you, she's not even competing with you. If this is how you react to your best friend, I'd hate to be your enemy, 😞

[Newbrummie]

My own mother tried to do this and was competition and fell on her Arse. I did snigger. People are sheep

[OhMrsQ]

This happened to me. An ex co-worker copied my entire business model. I was doing typographic prints, and she copied the font, colour palette, idea and design. The whole lot.
I had her shut down.. :)

I know you can't really do that, but I totally get why you're pissed off.

[TheABC]

That is annoying. Suggest rolling back a little on the friendship and perhaps keeping quiet about new promotions or products so you can "enjoy" the work before she nabs it.

[VeryBitchyRestingFace]

It would certainly annoy me if she were plagiarising my work (more than annoy, we wouldn't be friends).

Is that what she's doing?

At least she's not impacting your business.

[amammabear]

Plagiarism is another thing entirely, but other than that, I've always remembered the saying "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery", perhaps she genuinely thinks she's doing the right thing?

[cdtaylornats]

Presumably you got your ideas from somewhere?

[BathshebaKnickerStickers]

Off to go into partnership with her and start your own chain...

[Flippinlife72]

Bluntness what? No an enemy I would just delete them from everything. My friend I was quite happy to advise , give her ideas to start off answer questions and yes discuss the benefits of these therapies, etc etc. We've discussed each other's relationships and health problems for years but it's just got a bit weird now. I probably won't do anything about it just wanted to moan somewhere she couldn't see.