AboutChristine Janklow Expertise As President of SettleSource,Inc. a business debt settlement firm, I invite you to inquire about all aspects of business debt solutions to best determine which may be most appropriate. If you have questions such as: What is debt settlement and how process provide debt relief to my business? What options are available to deal with my business debts? Is it possible for a business owner to negotiate their own settlements? Why is debt settlement preferable to filing a bankruptcy or debt consolidation? Why are creditors willing to provide settlements to a business? How will settling debts affect credit scores? or How to rebuild a business after debt is eliminated. Please ask it now! For more information regarding how debt settlement can help your business, please visit www.SettleSource.com and place your inquiry. Mention All Experts to have a confidential no cost consultation with Christine. If this is your business situation time may play a very important factor in getting matters resolved proactively before they have negative affects on the business.
Experience My expertise is specific to providing business solutions that will have profound positive impacts on the financial health of businesses. I have 25 years experience as an entrepreneur and have developed national sales programs; strategic alliances; product development; marketing programs; business and turnaround plans and debt settlement programs all providing methods to improve the financial outlook for large and small businesses.
Organizations Turnaround Management Association; Los Angeles area
Publications Los Angeles Daily News; Today Magazine Monthly series of business articles entitled "Brand News."
Education/Credentials Bachelor of Business Administration; Associate of Arts Merchandising
Past/Present Clients American Airlines, American Express, Safeway Inc., New York Life, consumer products manufacturers; retailers and service providers.
Question I run a small videography business Last summer a member of my city council
had hired me to do videography work. She represents an organization within
the council called the "Downtown Partnership." (don't want to name the city
yet, but it's within Virginia.) Before I started to do any work for her, I made
sure to have a private meeting with her where I candidly presented my rates,
what exactly I'd be doing and whether the city council had the funds to pay
me. She assured me that they had all the funds to pay me in order to market
their city. I asked her again, would she allow herself to be entirely
accountable for the cost of my work, and she said yes. Since she was a
member of city council and not, say, some shady type I've never met before, I
felt her word was enough.
A few months passed, after my last assignment for her had been done, and I
inquired again about payment for my services. She told me that there had
been some "complications" involving her own colleagues within the council,
but once it had been straightened out, the issue of my invoice, (which had
already been sent to her before) would be resolved.
Seven months later, after asking for updates from this "downtown
partnership" every month and getting the same answer, I wasn't feeling very
confident about the word from this council member. I asked her rather
frankly what was going on.
She told me that at the time my employment was approved, there had
actually existed funds that would pay for my services, but in the interim the
mayor had voted against ANY marketing money later on--mainly because the
city had an "affiliate status". This city council member then gave me a long,
sad story characterizing the mayor as someone who frequently goes back on
his word and has done this sort of thing before and how she herself is paying
the price for reversing policies he used to approve.
This is something she naturally failed to mention to me earlier, before she
gave me the go ahead to commit to my project. I of course am kicking myself
for being willing to work under deferred payment without a deposit, simply
because my client was a member of the city. When I reminded her of the fact
that she had told me that she was willing to be 100% accountable, she told
me that this ordeal was not her fault at all, and that the mayor had lied to her
and that once the new mayor gets elected this year, new funds will be
forthcoming. She told me that the very city is what really owes me, not the
downtown partnership, because the partnership was deceived.
I have never met the mayor. I had believed I WAS working for the partnership
and had not realized I would get embroiled in politics. I feel like litigation is
my only recourse, but of course the council member is quick to remind me
that they are not the ones who are at fault, but "the city is." She had told me
that she had gone to the city manager about my debt, but the city manager
had said this was an issue for the finance department, who in turn said this is
really an issue for the partnership.
I've been around. I know that no one is going to stand up and say, "Hey, I'm
the one you're supposed to sue." Hearing her sad story about how city
council can't agree amongst themselves doesn't mean too much to me,
though this woman insists it should since that's what's holding up payment
for my services.
Is there something that I haven't thought of that I should be doing? How can
i reverse what I thought was the charitable thing to do, when instead I feel
like I've allowed myself to be played for a sucker? How do you see this
situation from an observer's POV? If you have any other questions about the
details of this issue, I'll be glad to answer. I appreciate your help.
Answer Thank you for your inquiry. I truly regret that you find yourself in a compromised position regarding collection for monies owed. Moreover that the services provided were to public servants, whose jobs are to serve the best interest of their communities and local business owners. Amazing. Based on the information you provided,you conducted services based on a "handshake" agreement, without any service contract or purchase order being submitted for signature. This will make collection more difficult. If you have not already done so, you might want to look into filing a complaint with the City, BBB or even contact the State Attorney Generals office to see what can be done. Don't wait too long as the State of Limitations is running regarding a timeframe for collecting. Bureaucracy may slow the process, so it may serve your best interest to take matters into your own hands by seeking the advice of an attorney, or engaging the services of a collections attorney to recover your receivables. The best thing you can do in the future is to execute a written service contract upfront, get a deposit or retainer so you can cut the chance of losses. If you found this answer helpful, please take a moment to rate it so others may benefit as well.
