UPDATE: We've had many enquiries as to how we handled this issue in our regular Monday Kick-Off LIVE event. You can watch it here!
ORIGINAL POST: Have you ever had a dream that you’ve gone after? Something in your heart that you really want to do, and you go for it despite the odds?
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ORIGINAL POST: Have you ever had a dream that you’ve gone after? Something in your heart that you really want to do, and you go for it despite the odds?
I have. It’s
called The CraftStar. And I know you
have too, otherwise you wouldn’t know this post exists.
My dream was to create an e:commerce platform for
small businesses, that was fair, open, and honest. I wanted to give small businesses (like me) a
chance to grow, with a community who wanted it as much as they did.
I have worked non-stop for over 2 years in building
this dream of mine. I have gone through
hell. I have been beaten up left and
right for what I believe in. But I’m
still here. Do I want to be ALL the
time? No. There are days I don’t want to get out of
bed. There are days that are full of
tears. There are days (like the past few) that
I honestly can’t believe the hoops that I have to go through to try to make my
dream a lasting reality.
But I’m still standing … when 80% of self-funded
start ups close before they hit their one year anniversary. Why?
Because I totally believe in what we’re doing as a community. And I will continue to pursue my dream.
I read a quote yesterday which touched me … exactly
when and where I needed it: Many of life’s failures are experienced by people who did not realize how
close they were to success when they gave up. (Thomas Edison)
And this one is pretty good too: Tricks and treachery are the practice of
fools, that don't have brains enough to be honest. (Benjamin Franklin)
I have dealt with negativity that I didn’t
expect. I’m not naïve enough to have
thought this was going to be an easy ride, but I was naïve enough not to ever
have even imagined some of the things I’ve seen written about me. And to me, for that matter.
Last week, a former team member of The CraftStar
(Queen of de Tile), intentionally tried to shatter my dream (again), with a calculated
post on Etsy about The CraftStar basically stealing from her. She claims she’s sent me "numerous" emails demanding we stop charging her.
She has sent me ONE email, which I replied to within 6 minutes,
explaining what she needed to do, and I even offered to do it for her. She never replied.
First of all, stealing would be illegal. It’s very easy to close your shop and stop your membership payments on The
CraftStar. It is clearly written in our Terms and Conditions and FAQs. She hasn’t bothered to read
that, as she was so intent on sticking another knife in her former “friend” and
employer.
Our legal consul requested that Queen of de Tile issue an apology and retraction to her very damaging statement, which she has refused to do. Based on this refusal, we are now going to file a lawsuit against her in Los Angeles County Court. We are also requesting Etsy close her ability to conduct business until this matter has been settled. According to Etsy’s Terms of Use: content and use of Etsy may not "Be defamatory, trade libelous, unlawfully threatening, unlawfully harassing, impersonate or intimidate any person (including Etsy staff or other users), or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with any person, through for example, the use of similar email address, nicknames, or creation of false account(s) or any other method or device."
That employee relationship went way beyond my
means, both personally and financially.
She never balked, or come to think of it, never really appreciated, when
I gave her extra money to feed her kids.
Or to send her on special days out with them. Or to listen to her latest “drama” which she
thrives on and which I really would have preferred not to have been part
of. She didn’t like it when I stopped
being the sucker, and I’ve been paying for it ever since.
Her post last week on Etsy is libelous, it’s a lie
and is being dealt with by the lawyers. It’s not the only post on Etsy that has torn me apart. The one that says I deserve to die was
really charming. Especially when I
complained about this to Etsy’s management and they “thanked me for my concern”.
And yes, that post it still up. There’s
something seriously wrong with that thinking and reflects that destructive
atmosphere. An atmosphere we do not
tolerate on The CraftStar.
I am a self-funded entrepreneur who has put
everything I have into building this site.
I am more accessible as a CEO than any other company similar to ours
that I can think of. I have nothing to
hide.
Also, as a self-funded entrepreneur, I don’t have
the resources for a court battle. However, my
dad was so disgusted having seen Queen of de Tile’s post that he’s paying for
the legal fees to sue her for libel.
Why? Because when I flew her to
Los Angeles, she quite happily sat in his house for dinner.
It’s not easy being an entrepreneur with the
responsibility of running a site like The CraftStar. If you look up “tendencies” of entrepreneurs,
I tick off many of the boxes. I’m
focused on building my dream, probably too much at times as I haven’t had a
proper social life as there’s always work to be done. I am self-centered at
times because I’m trying so hard. BUT …
I would NEVER ever hurt anyone intentionally.
In this day and age, it’s very easy to hide behind
a keyboard and be hurtful. I don’t get
this. I was not brought up this way (the
dad I mentioned earlier would have grounded me for life if he saw me writing
such things), and I don’t understand the mindset of grown people and their need
to hurt others.
But … again ... I have a dream. And for those who
are on this journey with me, I really appreciate it. For those who aren’t … that’s absolutely fine
… there’s just no need to be vicious about it.
Bethan
FOUNDER / CEO
The CraftStar
7 comments:
aWW =( This sounds like a very unfortunate situation =(
I'd like to take a second and share my experience with Bethan and The CraftStar.
Just last week I decided to close my store on The Craftstar. No bad feelings about TCS or Bethan or any of the staff, just a step in the direction I'm taking my business. I contacted Bethan and within a very short period of time she got back to me with the directions on how to close my shop & the directions to log into my PayPal account and cancel the recurring payment agreement.
There were no problems at all and it took me all of 3 minutes to complete the process.
Bethan, I'm sorry you have to deal with this and I wish you success in your endeavors! I have to teach tonight otherwise I'd be joining your live show.
Take care,
Suzie
Bethan we love you and so appreciate all the extra effort you go through to make all our small businesses thrive. We are here supporting your efforts with love and gratitude. Thank you, Sunscape
Bethan, I had no idea anything like this was going on until you mentioned it on the show tonight. I'm so sorry you're having to go through this. You've done so much to help and encourage us small entrepenuers, and you don't deserve that kind of backstabbing. I'll be praying for you. And for all of us, as the outcome of TheCraftStar really affects all of us.
It is sad when people turn on you and especially someone with whom was thought to be a friend. It hurts like no other. We are hoping for a positive outcome to the lawsuit and that she has to eat her angry words. There is always one bad apple, but the rest of the bushel is perfectly good, so throw that apple away and keep the bushel of good close to you. You have done amazing things and this person evidently is spiteful which she will be judged by a higher power one day. Kudos Bethan for sticking to your guns.
I couldn't be there to watch and support Bethan, but I will watch the re-run :) This is the first I have known about this - and to be perfectly honest, I shocked beyond belief :(
However, I have learn't hard lessons in life, and one was incredibly similar to this story - it managed to make me so sick and sad that I stopped the self financed start up business in its tracks... cost me a packet, but worse was my self esteem... I was just so horrified and gutted that people who didn't even know me from Adam, could make horrible accusations :(
And now, because of that and some other things, I trust no one, and have learnt to spot the 'hangers on' a mile off.
Re Queen of the Tile - I could never understand why she was promoting her own business so much on TCS space etc. I don't mean working on her own things on your time, I mean promoting her own business in marketing drives, banners and so on. I often thought that there was way to much self promotion and sure to be conflict of interest :(
I am so so so sorry that this has happened - but chin up Bethan - you are an incredible, strong, real woman, with integrity and love for others - don't let the users and loosers win :)
Love Amanda Jane x
Bethan,
I am not a current member but have liked Craftstar on FB and followed the Blog. You posted some quotes earlier and I would like to add to them if I may.
"Don't be pushed by your problems, be led by your dreams." ~Proverb
"Be thankful for all the difficult people in your life, learn from them. They have shown you exactly who you do not want to be."
and "Sometimes people try to point out what's wrong with you because they cannot handle what is right about you."
Chin up!
~Contina
BayouGlassArts
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