Need helpprotecting myself from business "partner; or verba l agreements between part

[tankman1989]

I have a great business plan and I found a good domaind name, it was taken though. I called the guy who owned the domain and he is a Php developer and is an IT consultant. After talking for some time, he asked me if I was interested in working together on this partnership. He had the stuff I don't have (30 years programming and DB experience) and I am young and ready for a challange with knowledge of the market that will do well.

After an hour on the phone finding out about him, and he about me, he asked if I would shoot some emails to him with my ideas of what I was planning on doing. Since then I've talkedto him a few times but I'm getting little in response from him and I am getting the feeling that he might have used me.

I saved copies of all the emails that I sent, if this matters, but if he doesn't follow through on his end, is there any legal recourse if he makes the business on my business plan?

I feel somewhat like a fool but I felt certain that this guy was legit and a good guy. I'm hoping that all will work out well but I'm wondering what I should do here before things get to far down the line and he starts saying that I had nothing to do with this project (I pray he doesn't).

Any suggestions? Should I talk to a lawyer of some kind? a Business lawyer?

Any suggestions?

 

[phaZed]

I'm pretty sure that there is nothing you can do in case this guy decides to start a business using your business plan. Unless your starting the next Napster or Facebook, why worry? I assume this domain owner guy is somewhere far away from you, so will it impact your "local" business?

Anybody can start a business but many people are simply unable to run one. I doubt that this guy was waiting around, with his elite knowledge, for your business plan in order to get started.

 

[TenYardFight]

Ideas are a dime a dozen. Execution is everything. Out execute and you will be fine.

 

[seedubya]

More than likely he has just lost interest in the idea. Nothing you can do either way.

As Ten Yard Fight says execution is everything. If you take action you will beat 99% of people - who just sit around and talk about ideas.

 

[Altster]

Why don't YOU do some background checking / checkups on this person? At the very least you might feel better about pursuing this relationship any further.

I speak from experience - my current boss went into a partnership with someone whom came well-recommended from a friend of his. As it turned out this "someone" robbed the company blind and forced it into bankruptcy. We are still dealing with recovery from this fiasco.

I highly / strongly recommend that if someone is wanting to partnership with you or you are considering partnering with someone else, that you get a good (outside) background check first before you sign on the dotted line(s).