My sister Mim Quin-Harkin is launching a company making pretty bespoke silk slips. As her sister when she first mooted the idea some years ago I gave her some of my opinions and some advice. These were based on my years of professional experience as a marketing consultant, creative, copywriter and strategist, who has had personal and professional experience of the sector she is working in. Some of which she followed some she ignored.
She is now at "soft launch" stage of the company and had asked me to review her copy (which I had suggested she needed to do having seen her initial foray into marketing, and offered to do for her website last week, prior to half term and her first party which I was invited to at less than a week's notice).
She later enquired about cost and I offered a very competitive rate, as she is my sister, which would have equated to well below the real cost price in terms of my time. In the process I identified some deeper issues, which I suggested needed urgently changing. I sent her about two pages of advice and troubleshooting. It is the same advice I would have given any client although possibly in some cases couched a little less bluntly.
She has now decided she cannot work with me and has asked me to stop work on the brand. I feel exactly the same way as I suspected would be the case and so we are parting company. As always I only wish her well in her endeavours.
I am posting this as I had mentioned my involvement to a few people recently.