Worried About My VA Stealing Ideas From Me

by Monthy
9 replies
Hello,

I have a VA who performs cold calls for me. The strategy is fine in its core but because that VA needs to understand how the business works in order to be able to explain it in more detail to the potential clients via the telephone, I helped him get some training. I taught him many things about how the business is run, etc.

Now I am a little worried about him closing his door on me and starting to work on his own. I am worried that if he sees the business works great for me, he will take my ideas and make it his own. At the end of the day, why would he spend an entire day cold calling people, providing business for someone else when he could earn much more acquiring all of that business for himself?

I am wondering if you have ever had a VA who eventually became your competitor and shut his door on you. Is there a way to protect yourself against such a possibility? I am not saying it is certain it will happen but I believe it is possible. I have not been working with my VA long enough to be able to thoroughly evaluate his personality and whether he would be tempted to do something like this.

I was thinking of entering into a NDA with him but I think that would not help too much? The way I understand NDA is that it is a contract whereby both parties agree not to reveal any insider information learned while doing business together to any third party. However, the VA would not need to reveal the info to anyone else - he would be able to get by by himself.

Thank you!

Best regards,
Monthy
#ideas #legal #nda #stealing #worried
  • Hi there,

    Such cases very often happen where you disclose the top secrets of business to someone. Your apprehension is right. The only option you can prevent is to keep the top secrets with yourself and do the work by your own if you apprehend to create competitor of your VA. However, If he is smart enough to find out ways to reveal the secrets by his own handwork, then he deserve it and be wished good luck!

    Regards
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  • Profile picture of the author The Cypher
    You'll need to have a NCC (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-compete_clause) not specifically an NDA.

    That being said, it's generally a non-issue. Completely different state of mind. The VA is working on an hourly basis. Work in, Money out. You're a business-minded entreprenuer. Total different ways of thinking.

    Another issue is you REALLY can't protect yourself much when it's all said and done, especially if you are hiring overseas employees. NCCs are commonly hard to enforce because it's based primarily (if I'm not mistaken) by state laws.

    This is something that you'll most likely need to talk with a legal professional about, and not Warriors. Once again, if you're not hiring from your native country, it's VERY hard to enforce anything anyway.
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    • Originally Posted by The Cypher View Post

      You'll need to have a NCC (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-compete_clause) not specifically an NDA.

      That being said, it's generally a non-issue. Completely different state of mind. The VA is working on an hourly basis. Work in, Money out. You're a business-minded entreprenuer. Total different ways of thinking.

      Another issue is you REALLY can't protect yourself much when it's all said and done, especially if you are hiring overseas employees. NCCs are commonly hard to enforce because it's based primarily (if I'm not mistaken) by state laws.

      This is something that you'll most likely need to talk with a legal professional about, and not Warriors. Once again, if you're not hiring from your native country, it's VERY hard to enforce anything anyway.
      NCC ( non-compete clause ) is not an international law. It's implications varies country to country or even state to state.
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  • Profile picture of the author Anglo Shinobi
    It is hard to prevent somebody copy-catting your business.

    However, it is unlikely that the cold callers will start their own business - they are cold callers, good at selling, they are not business owners.

    That being said - a bunch of guys who used to work for a tarmacking firm in my home town decided one day it would be more profitable to start their own company, and they became rich within a year of doing that - so, it can happen.

    In the words of the last Grand Master of the Ninja:
    "Never teach your students more than 50% of what you know" - based on the wisdom that: "the student often passes the teacher"

    I hope my answer was helpful, all the best,
    Peace.
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  • Profile picture of the author SmartTim
    "Never teach your students more than 50% of what you know" - based on the wisdom that: "the student often passes the teacher"

    Agree with this...
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  • Profile picture of the author Monthy
    Thank you guys. Reminds me of a Star Wars scene:


    "What happened to him?"

    "He became so powerful, the only thing he was afraid of was losing his power...which, eventually of course, he did. Unfortunately, he taught his apprentice everything he knew. Then his apprentice killed him in his sleep."
    Signature

    Free thanks to anyone who replies to me. :)

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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    *sigh*

    These kinds of threads depress me.

    Look, Monthy...you did it to yourself.

    And it's not what you think it is.

    The competition isn't the problem.

    The fact that you painted yourself into a corner by building a business model that relies entirely on one person and one method for leads is.

    Now you're scared this person will disappear and your lead supply will be cut off.

    Admit that this is the real issue.

    And this "never teach anyone more than 50% of what you know" stuff? Scarcity mindset. I've never heard this nonsense before and nonsense it is. If you're afraid your position will vanish, you must not have value or even a good sense of your own value in the first place.

    I could teach someone everything I know about selling, and have, and have absolutely zero worry they will supplant me. Nobody can do things the way I do them.

    If you don't have that level of BELIEF about your business, it's clear why you're nervous at this moment.

    You're afraid your leadgen guy will vanish? Hire someone to augment and provide insurance on what that person is doing. Find and develop other lead generation sources.

    Don't be a Chicken Little, scared of the world and other people. Take responsibility for the situation you caused.
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  • Profile picture of the author Monthy
    Maybe my worries are completely false and I am nervous for no real reason.

    You are right, I am nervous, because I don't have as much experience hiring people as you must have and the business is basically a startup. So I am considering things in advance, even though they might never happen.

    What I do is I provide freelance writing services and use cold calling as a leadgen tactic. I was just thinking why, if the person I hire for cold calling is able to close deals at very good prices, would want to be paid what I plan to pay him? Why wouldn't he instead create the content for the clients himself and take all the rewards?

    Nevermind, I will see how it goes instead of trying to solve a problem which is yet to arise.

    Thanks again!

    Monthy
    Signature

    Free thanks to anyone who replies to me. :)

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    • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
      Originally Posted by Monthy View Post

      Maybe my worries are completely false and I am nervous for no real reason.

      You are right, I am nervous, because I don't have as much experience hiring people as you must have and the business is basically a startup. So I am considering things in advance, even though they might never happen.

      What I do is I provide freelance writing services and use cold calling as a leadgen tactic. I was just thinking why, if the person I hire for cold calling is able to close deals at very good prices, would want to be paid what I plan to pay him? Why wouldn't he instead create the content for the clients himself and take all the rewards?

      Nevermind, I will see how it goes instead of trying to solve a problem which is yet to arise.

      Thanks again!

      Monthy
      It's fine to be a little paranoid. You definitely do not want to get stuck in the position of having your one leadgen person disappear.

      Your mind has notified you of a real problem. Take care of it!

      Employees generally do not want to be business owners. Yes, they could make more money. But they don't want to be responsible for fulfilling the solution; they don't want to have to deal with clients; they don't want the pressures of having to run a business.

      So yes, the truth is you do not know what this person is thinking. However, you do know that having a single lead generation source is dangerous. So act to develop more sources of leads.
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