A cautionary tale about the perils of DIY deal-making. A promising distillery partnership turned into a nightmare when one partner’s drinking problem derailed the business. The fallout nearly cost the other partner, our client, $50,000. The duo had crafted a seemingly simple deal: one partner handled sales and marketing, the other the whiskey-making. But when the distiller went on a bender, production ground to a halt, forcing the sales partner to step in. A quick exit seemed like the solution, but the partners realized they had no clear path out. Turns out, the “operating agreement” they found online was as useful as a paper boat in a hurricane. It took months of legal wrangling to salvage the situation, a painful reminder that even the best-laid plans can go awry without expert guidance. As our client learned the hard way, a little upfront legal advice can save a world of heartache – and money.
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