I agree with the above.

bonny, at my university, the hourly pay is somewhat fixed based on level of education. The higher the level of education and/or experience needed for a position, the higher the wage.

So, you might want to think of that as a yardstick to gauge the hourly rate.

I think a contract is key, as well as how many hours you are willing to work. The latter will likely inform how much of the above work (and may I say, it made me exhausted reading it) you can realistically do.

The beauty in that is all compensation does not have to be monetary. You can structure an agreement that creates sweat equity that can be converted for a percentage of the profits or an equity stake in the business (doesn't have to be 50%), plus a correspondingly chi-chi title.

THIS is what I had in mind.

I had every expectation that we would have a couple of conversations, craft a contract and set a scope of work we could agree on...much less manic than DO THIS NOW!

le n, in terms of education and experience, I have two relevant master's degrees and have performed these duties for both non-profit an gov't organizations.

Granted, this is a small company and one if the reasons this woman is so successful is that she is very judicious about the way she spends money...but, again, I would be 'the face of the organization' (she hates being in the limelight), be responsible to hiring and maintaining the workforce, shepherding her reputation and expanding into a new phase that would include a HUGE new physical plant and additional services.

When she told me her plan yesterday, I walked to my file cabinet and pulled out the 'dream sketch' of the exact same business that *I* have been dreaming of for a few years.

I would really enjoy it, I could keep Bartleby with me, raise my doggy lama profile and do some real good.

There is no guarantee of that, however, in the current conversation.

Ergh. I was really hoping this would not be so complex.

girl,

that rate is LOW. period.

I was really hoping this would not be so complex.

She jumped the gun on the announcement. Unless you sent her mixed signals on how firm your commitment to her company is, none of this is on you.

Unfortunately, you now have to deal with it. She's either trying to co-opt *your* dream business without proper compensation for the ideas involved, or she's totally clueless about what's involved (both time and money) in taking a business to the next level. Regardless, you need to put the brakes on the current announcement, and really sit down and hammer out the details, and you can't be nice and friendly about it. Quality costs, especially proven and time-tested quality.

I figured that people survive, and I might as well be one of them.

Damn right.

I am forcing my newly adopted monogamous ideals on the laundry. No more partnerless socks!

This made me laugh.

Today, prior to our having a conversation about what I want to do vs, what I _can_ do, she announced to her company that I was coming on as a the Director for HR and Communications/PR.

Do what now? She has ALREADY MADE this announcement? Prior to you saying yes? Without a contract, without a discussion of duties and benefits? And her manager ALREADY gave you another assignment?

It is true that I'm good at a lot of this, but I won't be if I have to do it all.

A very valid point, and if she can't understand that, you don't need to work for her.

At the same time, there are things, including emotional fortitude, that she does not have. Even she said so, "The two of us compliment each other so well that together we would make an amazing whole."

Hm. Is THAT what she's paying you $20/hour for? Be careful you don't end up becoming her de facto therapist/shoulder to cry on/Rock of Gibraltar, too.

I honestly feel like I will be doing a VP's work for an admin's salary.

Yeah. And more.

As for the market, errand running businesses on the Hill get a fairly standard $40 per hour.

I pay the petsitter who comes over to feed the cats and clean the litterboxes $20/hour. Granted, it's oone hour a day, for no more than a week when I'm gone, but still - $20/hour.

BUT, the new growth won't happen the way she wants it to without me. I've already given her tons of free consulting that brought her to the ideas that she is bringing into fruition now.

I bet 1) she knows that, and 2) she knows that too.

This is your problem. You've devalued your services from the get-go. Now you have to bring her perception in line with reality--that kind of work costs money, and you've already given her a big discount with the freebies.

Maria is wise.

When she told me her plan yesterday, I walked to my file cabinet and pulled out the 'dream sketch' of the exact same business that *I* have been dreaming of for a few years.

She isn't interested in growing YOUR business.

so complex

Of course I don't know her, but, given just this, I'd guess she's going to take advantage of you as much as she can. Hell, she's already started. It isn't complex, babe. NO is very simple. "You have got to be fucking kidding me" is also very simple, though possibly ill-advised.

For those who might be interested, my bedroom and linen closet remain organized and clean! I have made no progress on anything else yet, though.

I'm beginning to think I should just chuck it all and become a start-up and contract negotiation skills consultant.

Again, what Maria said!! There needs to be a "whoa, pardner" conversation as quickly and firmly as possible.

she is very judicious about the way she spends money...

Yeah, well, no offense to her but I hope she didn't get to where she is by exploiting people, which is what my little cynical self is starting to suspect.

I have two relevant master's degrees and have performed these duties for both non-profit an gov't organizations.

AKA, you should be making THE BIG BUCKS. Asking you to be the public face of a business for $20/hour? Frankly, it's insulting.

I'm kind of pissed on your behalf, really. Because I know how awesome you are, and no way in hell should someone try and sucker you into this crap arrangement. NOBODY PUTS BONNY IN A CORNER.

Also - StW is writing up an example case for a class he's teaching, and totally used me as the model for the patient - age, occupation, cat owner. He showed it to me and I was like, "Is this the doctor equivalent of writing me into a song?" He laughed and said, "Yeah, maybe."

I'm beginning to think I should just chuck it all and become a start-up and contract negotiation skills consultant.

Oh, that would be brilliant.

bonny, I don't have any helpful advice, so I'm going to point at what everyone else has said.

The basement is (mostly) kitten-proofed! Trinian is still confined to one room as we try to figure out if it's her or Ruthven that's peeing where they shouldn't be! My agent is in town, and we're meeting up tonight for nibbly food!

So, things are better now than they were. And tomorrow, ZOMG KITTENS.

NOBODY PUTS BONNY IN A CORNER.

Made of awesome.

Cashmere - Jake K. is an alum of a writing workshop I'm going to in the fall. I really like his work and he's been helpful with advice about what to expect. It's wild to see him tweeting with you, though just in a world-bumpy way, not in a world-collidey way.