Dear North Dakota: Reality check, you don't own the patent on the handcrafted jewelry business. If Anita wants to sell handcrafted jewelry that is her right as an American citizen just as it is yours. You'll just have to be a grown-up entrepreneur and accept the fact that you'll have lots of competition in the handcrafted jewelry business and some of it may be from your friends. Since I don't know you or Anita at all, I don't know if she is really your friend or simply an old acquaintance. Only you and Anita know the answer to this question.

 

In the mean time, avoid sharing with Anita any jewelry designs or marketing plans for your business, keep "business talk" light just in case she's not on the up and up. Don't forget to thank Anita for giving you the heads up about her going into the handcrafted jewelry business and wish her the best. (A sign of a true business professional! Another sign of a business professional is to have business cards with your handcrafted jewelry company's info on them.) I know that this may be hard but try to put a positive spin on the situation. Don't think of Anita starting her own handcrafted jewelry business as a sign of betrayal instead be proud of the fact that your jewelry was so beautiful and unique that it actually inspired another individual to follow in your footsteps.

 

And regardless of whether Anita is a friend or foe, "business is business" which means that you are going to blow her handcrafted jewelry business and her enterprising ass out of the water and make her regret the day that she decided to go into competition with you! (Just remember to adhere to your personal standards and be civil about it.)