Trapped with gf, could lose everything

[stupididiotbastard]

Trapped w/ gf who’s listed as co founder on our company

I stupidly listed my gf as a co founder on our shared company years ago. Trying to separate while maintaining the company (extremely profitable) would mean that I would lose a proportion of wealth that I’m not prepared to do.

I have fallen out of love with her after almost a decade together. I’ve met someone else and I want to leave her but I can’t. The current compromise is that we will be in an open relationship. I’ve fallen in love with someone else who is not comfortable with the open relationship.

I honestly don’t know what to do. Is there any way I can separate without her nuking my life and finances? Anyone have any experience with separating from a co director?

I would love to hear her take on your falling in love with someone whilst still being in a relationship

Your thread title is melodramatic. You wouldn’t lose everything if you bought her out at a fair market value. Stop being silly.

I stupidly listed my gf as a co founder on our shared company years ago.

If it's a shared company, which you describe as "ours", then it sounds like her being listed as a co founder was the normal, fair and sensible option.

If you want the company to switch from "ours" to "mine" then obviously you'll have to pay accordingly. Just as she would if she wanted it to be hers rather than joint.

Get real.

So shes invested time, money, effort and a decade of her life into 'your' business and you are denying her a fair portion of that in order to move on a start her life again?
You sound like one of those twatty men who is angry that their wife has the audacity to want a chunk of 'their' hard earned pension because she hasn't worked for the past 20yrs!!!
Fuck off you complete arsehole and I hope she takes you to the cleaners and back again for good measure and uses 'your' money to fund her legal support in doing so.....

The OP never mentioned a threesome. They said “The current compromise is that we will be in an open relationship” The OP is seeing someone else, that doesn’t mean a threesome.

Too bad, so sad.

So you are cheating on your girlfriend of 10 years while trying to work out how to stiff her from her financial entitlement to the company she co-founded.

Aren't you a prince.

You’re being extremely inconsiderate right now. There are other people involved, and their needs matter too

This has got to be a reverse surely? No way is anyone this thick skinned as to why their partner might be upset etc.

OP if you are the gf whose partner is cheating on you but won’t end the relationship because they dint want to give you your fair share, YOU can end things. See a solicitor to learn what you are entitled to from the business.

If it really isn’t reverse, end the relationship, see a solicitor and work out a fair way to buy her out OR agree a way to co time as co-owners when not together.

Struggling to understand how breakup = unable to manage a company?

why have either of you got to lose the company?

So you want your (free) cake and to eat it, too?? Knob.

See a lawyer. But you haven't much option other than to pay her off.

Finally - someone actually referring to the company's constitutional documents as being determinative rather than saying 'oh, he's got to buy her out'

Oh that's OK then!

Obviously you need proper legal advice, but I'd say you'll have to offer her a lump sum to buy her out. This will have to be negotiated and handled by professionals.
If I was her, I'd want a substantial amount.

Did you create the company and just added her name as co-founder? Or did you both indeed co-found the company? Is your girlfriend involved in the company day-to-day? Regardless of the answers, you need to seek legal advice, but it's likely questions a solicitor will ask you. It may be that you will need to buy her out of her share of the company, at market value. I suggest you seek legal advice asap. You can't stay in a relationship you're not happy in, because you're frightened of losing some money. You chose to add your girlfriend's name, so it's on you, if you do lose money! You need to let her go, so she can find someone else, and you can move on with the OW. Don't be a selfish arse and try to hang onto your money, whilst cheating on one woman, and stringing the other along! Neither deserve that.

You're not married. Your girlfriend's shares in the business are exactly what they are (50%?) independent of your relationship. You could stay in a romantic relationship with her, and she could sell her shares. Or, you can break up with her, and she can choose to keep the shares. Totally separate: business/romance.

That is, if she has shares. Is it a limited company, listed with Companies House? I am not sure what 'listing as co-founder' means. If it is 100% your business, but you are worried she will make a claim for part of it if you break up with her,on the basis she founded it with you, then see a solicitor.

Is she a director? As not sure why that matters - unless she’s also a significant shareholder…I doubt this is genuine given you seem unaware of the difference between a director and shareholder.

If it is genuine then you need to check your shareholder agreement. Also you wouldn’t need to buy her out - if she wants to sell her shares then that’s her prerogative otherwise she just gets the dividends she’s entitled to each year. You’re not married so there’s no splitting of assets necessary so you just crack on with the business as you have been doing. My guess is that you haven't been paying her the dividends she’s entitled and you’re well aware that once you split you will no longer be able to get away with exploitation

So she's co founder? What was her input? Money, time, contacts, experience...?
You need legal advice and be prepared to buy her out at market value if she agrees to it. If the business is as successful as you say, this would be a financial set back without long-term impact. If not, you have to work out a way of running the company together without sharing a bed.

If it’s a shared business how did you “stupidly” listed her as a co founder? It sounds normal.

Buy her out instead of trying to find ways to fuck her over. Sounds like you’ve done that enough.

Hoist by your own petard! Why on earth do you expect a load of women to help you fuck over your girlfriend who hasn't done anything wrong?

So you just want advice on how to fuck this woman over financially.

Lovely. You're a right charmer. What does the other girlfriend think of this?
Mind you, she hasn't got any morals either, having entered into a relationship with a man who already had a girlfriend.

Buy her out. Think of it as an expensive lesson you needed to learn.