Advice on how to announce small business split to clients?

[SER324]

I am co-owner of a small, local pet care business (we visit client animals in their homes) in upstate New York. My business partner and I are discussing splitting the business in half, due to disagreements in approach to business, and improperly handled business account money, which has given me a trust issue with her. We would be splitting the existing clients between the two of us. Given the nature of our business, in which we both have regular communication (typically, via email) with our clients, I am trying to devise a "smart" way for each of us to announce this split, when it happens, to our respective clients, without making it look like my business partner and I had a falling out. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

[SER324]

I should have also stated that we would both be changing our name from the current name, and conducting business on our own from that point forward.

[huggytree]

there is no good way to do it....you cant hide it because you are changing your name

if you can hide the fact i would...somehow

what if the customer you assigned to you wants your partner?

what if your partner goes after all the customers assigned to you?

you may end up with nothing in the end if your partner is aggressive

my gut tells me to go negative on your partner and tell your customers what she did and why your splitting....this will get them on your side and keep them from going to her in the future...bad mouth her, but in a honest/fair way....dont be angry, just straight forward and tell the story..

hopefully you will survive this....

yet another story of a partnership gone bad....id like to see statistics on the % of partnerships that succeed...ill bet its less than 5% in 10 years

[Steve B]

I wouldn't "go negative" - save that for the presidential candidates.

Just pull the bandage off and get it over with. You will definitely lose some that will want to stick with your partner and hopefully, vice versa. Pet sitting is all about trust.

[huggytree]

politicians tell 1/2 truths or outright lie

im saying to tell the truth.....find a pleasant way to tell the story w/o you looking like your angry over it

id also prepare for your ex partner to go after your customers....it may or may not happen, but you should guard against it

politicians go negative because it works.....your ex partner may go negative on you and take your business away from you...if you arent there defending yourself and telling your side of the story you may lose...just like a politician does

i guarantee your partner see's things differently than you...i guarantee she blames YOU

i would have fought to keep the same company name....even flipped a coin for it if it came down to it....that way you could have just kept going and slowly broke the news that your solo now......by changing names you have no choice but to explain the issue to customers

[KristineS]

Since you communicate with your customers via e-mail, I would send out a joint e-mail, signed by both of you, that simply states that you and your partner are dissolving your partnership due to differences in business philosophy. Spell out the new arrangements for your current clients and wish each other well and let that be the end of that. If customers ask you in person what happened, I'd essentially say the same thing, that you had difference thoughts about how the business should be handled and so decided to dissolve the partnership. You wish her well, but you're now moving on solo. Then start talking about what your business can do for your customers.