POSTED BY Jennifer Gniadecki on May 22 under Blog Yumminess

There are a few people (my last count is FIVE) that have been talking this morning about an ebook that’s going to be coming out.

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1. Sharon Williams May 22, 2007 5:01 pm

   Well, well, overeacting, I’d say that’s an understatement. If you aren’t woman enough to ask me directly, I wonder about your ethics!

   I don’t have a problem letting everyone know it’s me (Sharon Williams) you are talking about, since everyone who followed the tour knows I am the person you are referring to — so let’s set the record straight!

   First, I was open to responding to your question directly, and waited for an email and/or phone call that I have yet to receive. Second, when asked by an associate of yours, whom I know was asking for you — I informed her to have the "they" she referred to in our conversation to contact me directly and I would gladly respond to the inquiry. Of course, not one individual (they") has come to the source and contacted me.

   Third, the person compiling the information did not and still does not know the answer to your question, as I haven’t shared it with her — and since, frankly, I hadn’t even made any decision about selling or not –. But if I chose to sell it, I will, since I’m the person that compiled the responses and the work is my original content, to do with as "I choose". The same applies to if I choose to give it away — it’s my decision. If you choose not to add your logo to the tour stop, that’s neither here nor there — as it doesn’t impact my writings.

   I believe as a woman and business owner, you should have approached me if you have any questions or concerns about what I do or the intention behind it — as I would you — because I am upfront and a straightshooter. If you had inquired, you would have received an open and honest reply as I’ve described above. "I haven’t decided." And, if it is sold, proceeds go toward promoting the VA industry, as have other items I’ve sold & several others I plan to sell. But again, you weren’t woman enough to come to me and ask –

   So let’s not talk about ethics or even mudslinging. I don’t have time for that or your pettiness. I have a thriving practice that I run and not have time for negativity, especially regarding a positive action I’ve taken on behalf of the industry, you included.

   My advise, next time, come to the source — even if you don’t like my answer, I usually answer the questions. That’s because I’m a straightshooter, and everyone knows where I’m coming from. I wonder where you’re coming from.

2. Jennifer Gniadecki May 23, 2007 12:31 am

   MY BUSINESS LOGO AND NAME ARE NOT YOUR ORIGINAL CONTENT…just to make that clear.

   Have fun printing the responses…but the questions are also MY original content, not yours, and you did NOT ask for permission to reprint my content.

   You can see from my skype conversation above exactly how the conversation went, and when she said that I could be excluded, there was NO LONGER A REASON FOR ME TO CALL OR EMAIL YOU. I stopped thinking about it because it wasn’t an issue anymore. If I happened to be on the phone with my FRIEND and told her about it WHILE it was happening…so what? That’s not unethical. Her then having a question and calling you is not unethical.

   What is was you starting some little manipulative dialogue with her saying someone was playing a game. I didn’t CARE. She did. Guess who got an answer…wait for it…NO ONE. How straightforward is that? Not very…so you can keep telling me how honest you are and how straightforward you are, but sorry, actions speak louder than words.

   Maybe if you didn’t use so much volunteer work for FOR PROFIT businesses, that would be something that I (and others) could see and say "Wow, she really walks the walk!" But that’s not the case.

   Maybe if I wasn’t aware of your internet marketing practices, or thought you were working on actually becoming an expert like I’ve heard you tell people, I’d understand.

   Maybe if I didn’t end up at different events listening you talk about V.A.U. and have to constantly wonder when you are going to give a real timeline for getting it accredited (or tell people why that noisy darth-vader sounding flash template site had to undergo a name change), I could acquiese and say you’re straightforward and a "straight shooter" – but you don’t! What happens to the students that were pinning their hopes on that accreditation to help them get clients? Is talking about accredidation while giving someone CE credit that are good (for sure) at one community college really "Helping the VA industry?" I don’t know.  I worry that you’re taking the trust of a lot of people who are scared and looking for guidance and just guiding them to whatever this week’s new paid service is and seeing how many  take the bait.

   Even if, after the four years I’ve been around the VA world I had seen you produce a professional headshot with the profit generated from your "thriving business" …I would hesitate to question your ethics.  I guess bottom line is, I don’t believe you. I think you’re getting by, and that’s great…more than most…but your Websites, your ebooks, your headshot, the planning, decisions, and all the other things I’ve seen in the public eye set off all kinds of little alarm bells. 

   The only thing I personally had an issue with was you (through whatever person) trying to steal my logo for use without my permission and without telling me you were going to do it until someone asked me for my logo because they couldn’t get it off of my site. That’s it.

   But if you want to call me unwomanly, unbusinesslike, and question MY ethics. I have no problem addressing my deeper reasons for questioning your ethics. It’s not so difficult when you push yourself into the public eye at every turn to see the progress your ventures have made. If you could call it progress.

   And if you want to put your name in my comments, more power to you. Now people can find your website and see that you’re so professional it’s not even finished. How long has that site been online? And it’s not complete? If I were a potential client I would wonder about your ability to finish what you start. Your MAIN website. Your MAIN business…and it’s got "latin filler" on at least two pages. My clients usually read multiple blog posts and paruse all of my webpages before calling and signing a contract. Do your potential clients not look at your site?

   For anyone else, please know that my blog comments are all moderated, and I actually approved this so you could all see what her response was. Calling names, twisting facts, and basically not addressing anything real. I don’t need to insult, or make fun, or name-call. That comment is far more damaging than anything I could have come up with.

   I’m no lawyer, but as far as I know, if you’re using someone’s business name and logo in your ebook without express written permission they’re entitled to a slice of affiliate money, no? But remember the date you posted your comment…because I’d hate for you to say you decided to make it free from the very beginning to "Help the VA industry"  because it’s now stated, by you, in a public blog that at this time you still haven’t decided if you’re going to charge for it or not.

   It’s nice that none of this has to matter to me on a personal level because I’m excluded, just like I asked to be. I just feel bad for the people that thought they were contributing to something fun for the greater good, not the potential greater good of your personal bank account.

   Even though I don’t agree with your business model, and now that I’m convinced from your response that you are (in my opinion) at least a little more than a little shady (what with the not-a-real-response-condescending-comment-that-doesn’t-address-anything-really) I would never, EVER, stoop to being so low as to take your womanhood into question.

   I’ll leave that to you.

   Jen

Jennifer was a Virtual Assistant for over four years. Now? She has been interviewed by the LA Times, ABC News and worked on campaigns for Frito Lay, Hanes, Walmart, and At-A-Glance to name a few. She's been paying her mortgage and bills from home for almost seven years now.