HELP! Just had to fire my painter. Right decision?

Background Story: I started face painting last year when a friend of mine and I decided to do something together to make ends meet. She's a 40 yr old disabled artists who can't work and her husband got fired from his job for failing a drug test and then suffered brain damage from being robbed at a local store where he was working. both of them were in bad health, spirits, and financial slumps. They actually planned to off themselves.
wanting to help- I offered her a shoe in on my business. I knew she had no monetary contribution, but she's had small businesses before and spent much time as a child doing work at fairs and festivals. A year has passed and i've paid for our tent, paints, advertisement, cards, website, etc. She's paid for 1/2 booth fees occasionally. I started tonotice that she was ending up making more money than me! Then she started trying ot take over. Trying to make rules that i didn't agree with and pretty much disregarding some very important things that she knew i was not happy about. Like bringing her husband to every event- he's not tactful and really pisses me off sometimes /w his uselessness and constant talking. She got mad at me Sat for having to pay a part of the booth fee and so while i wasn't there she bad mouthed me to my other employee (in front of customers) and smoked a cigarette in my tent! I was furious! i left a wedding early so I could come down there. I had a feeling she was planning on stealing some $ out of the money pot before she split it w/ my other painter. She was not happy that I showed up to split the profits. I told her last night I didn't need her anymore and now she's sending me nasty evil text and voicemails. Telling me she's going to ruin my business and be my competition. How could a friendship go from starting a business together to hatefulness?
Sorry for ranting- i feel so sick over this and need some insight.

I'm sorry this happened to you. Don't worry about ending your relationship, you did the right thing. I've found that most people who get down as far as this couple was probably did it to themselves and are beyond help anyway. It was nice of you to try, but forget about her and go on if possible. (By the way, it is against the law for her to leave the type of messages she is leaving. I'd report her to your phone company and have her blocked from your phone.)

If you decide to help someone in this way in the future I'd recommend that they split the booth fees and everything else appropriate from day one. They might have to take it out of their earnings for the day, but so what?

She won't be your competition, she doesn't have the right stuff for it.

You did the right thing. And dont worry about her being competition.

1st off to be competition you have to have supplies, money up front for vendor fees, a tent, ect....but most importantly...people skills and customer service.

She doesn't seem to have any of this so you are fine finacially with cometition.

Now with the friendship, sounds like you did everything to help her and she is just one of those vampire types. Sucks the life and soul out of everyone else. It was time to let her go so you can grow as a person. They will only bring you down. I know it is a hard fact to accept, but once you do ... you will feel so much better.

Thank you all on the insight. I feel a little better about my decision now. I've made up my mind that i'm not going to respond to any of her ugly texts and voicemails and just let this go. I know that will prob make her even more upset and angry with me but I feel like talking about it won't solve anything and we'll just end up in a heated argument.

I will be more worry about the legal part like is the business in both names? can she claim half of it?

No nothing was ever in her name. I do have to give her the sign she made and her brushes.

What a relief to free yourself from such negativity! She made the choice for you by repeated non-compliance! Good for you!

Oh, no! How terrible that this happened to you. Thankfully, it should be the end to some of your problems, though.

Re: the business end, I wouldn't worry about it. A), her behavior doesn't sound as if it's going to attract a lot of new customers, and B) she likely won't be doing much if she's not willing to put money into anything. Businesses take investment. Also, as a prospective client, I'd be weirded out by the husband.

Good for you, not paying her any attention. This is the perfect time for you to move forward with positivity. :-)

YOur probably not going to want to do this - but keep all the messages she is sending you.
Then in the future if something happens - you have this to show of her intent toward you.
I would of done exactly the same as you.
Good on you for standing up for what is right and not letting her trample you.

Know that you did all you could - use it as a learning experience and move on.

Tash has a good idea...If you respond to her at all, I'd say "Thanks for putting it all in writing. Now I have proof of your intent for my lawyer." ....or something like that...

I wouldn't even respond to her. Just be professional, return her brushes and sign (preferably by post or when she isn't home so that you don't have to see her again....maybe get someone else to do it), and then cut her loose and try not to give her another thought. It's a terrible situation but you made the right decision.

It's these types of stories that make me hesitant to want to hire and train someone to help with my business. My husband will bring this up and I kind of dodge the discussion. Yes, it would be good to have someone to assist or act on my behalf if i can't make a gig, but I just think that eventually the person will 'bite the hand that feeds them' and go off on their own and try to compete.

I would mail it to her, certified and with signature required, so you have paper proof, and signature proof that you have sent her things, and that she has received them! So sorry you had to go through that! I just brought a friend into mine, and am praying it works out!

Thank you all for the uplifting insight. This was a very hard decision and as each day goes on I feel better about it. She even texted me today to ask if I saw her artwork on a local TV newscast. She wrote "too bad i'm fired, oh well God still loves me". I think she was trying to say that I needed her publicity. Well the publicity wasn't even that great and I've decided I do need another painter, but it won't be her!

You did the right thing by firing her. You did the wrong thing by entering into a business with someone else without a contract that layed out exactly how compensation/splitting booth fees/materials costs would occur.
Save the nasty emails/texts but don't respond to them - don't acknowledge them - be the better person here.

Smoking cigarettes during business hours and badmouthing your coworker/boss? No decent employer would ever put up with that alone!