A woman turned to Reddit for advice after being fired from her family’s business and refusing to transfer ownership of the company website she had built and maintained for years.
In her post, she explained that the conflict had “a very involved history” going back more than a decade. “I met my ‘adopted parents’ when I was 19 and they really took me in and helped ‘raise’ me as a young adult,” she wrote.
Eight years ago, when they decided to start a company, she helped them build it “from the ground up,” managing everything from licensing and insurance to marketing and logistics.
She also created an “extensive website for the company” on her own time while running a small freelance marketing business. Over the years, that website became a cornerstone of the company’s success — and a key part of her professional portfolio.
As the business expanded, so did her responsibilities. “I began working from home solely for the family business,” she said. She handled customer communication, scheduling, licensing, insurance, and payment management.
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Though officially paid for three days a week, the work was full time. “I was often working until 3 or even 5 a.m., including on my days ‘off,’ and was always ‘on call,’” she explained.
Her husband joined the company six years ago as a foreman and project estimator, often driving hundreds of miles a day and using his own tools, phone, and vehicle without reimbursement. “All business expenses were covered individually,” she wrote, adding that even mistakes made by others were deducted from his paycheck.
Tensions Rise and Employment Ends
Six months before her Reddit post, things began to fall apart. Her “adopted parents” called a meeting, supposedly about her husband’s performance. “Keep in mind, I was his direct manager and took that role very seriously,” she wrote.
While her husband had some early issues, she said he had since improved and was “great at his job but severely overworked.”
During the meeting, her employers claimed her husband “would never find another job that would keep him around and pay what he makes.” When she pointed out that they didn’t actually pay as well as they believed, the reaction was swift.
“They were offended beyond belief,” she recalled. “They let me know that Friday would be my last day and said, ‘Good luck finding anyone else who will pay you what we do to stay home with your children.’”
Her husband received a 30-day termination notice soon after. Despite the fallout, she tried to leave on good terms, asking to stay longer to train replacements. “They were adamant that I didn’t actually do all that much and none of it was hard,” she said.
Still, she spent the remainder of her week preparing detailed data sheets to make the transition smooth and continued answering questions even after leaving. Outside of work-related contact, however, she said the family “cut us off entirely.”
The Website Dispute
The real dispute began when her former employers demanded that she transfer ownership of the business’s website to their eldest son.
She explained that the site had always been her personal creation, something she maintained “on my own time and dime as a way to give back to my ‘adopted parents’ and the company.” Even after being fired, she had agreed to keep maintaining it temporarily.
But now, she said, she needed to prioritize rebuilding her own marketing business. “If I transferred this site from my LLC at this point, it would be a massive hit to my own business,” she explained. “It’s a beautiful representation of my abilities and the only one on my portfolio like it.”
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To compromise, she offered a practical solution. “I told them I can leave the website up for their son to copy everything over, but he would need to rebuild it himself since I can’t duplicate it,” she wrote. She even agreed to transfer the domain name — worth over $1,000 — to help them.
Despite her generosity, they were furious. “They are incredibly upset with the idea because the son doesn’t know how to do all of that,” she said.
She even offered to teach them how to manage the site, but they refused. “Of course they don’t want to do that because they operate the business out of their home and I’m no longer welcome there,” she added.
Support from the Online Community
Feeling conflicted, the woman wondered whether she was being unreasonable. “I don’t want to make things difficult for them and do feel I’m being more than fair,” she said. “Maybe I need to just transfer it over and accept the loss.”
Reddit commenters were overwhelmingly on her side. One wrote, “NTA. You’re being too kind to people who let you go without a second thought. You’re offering so much of your time and skills to people who don’t care about you.”
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Another commenter agreed, adding, “A complex, well-designed website is worth thousands to create and maintain. The domain? You paid for it — it’s yours.”
That person suggested she invoice the company for every cost tied to the website. “If the company wants it, send them the bill for all related expenses. Paid in full upfront, or walk away. Your skills are valuable — stop giving them away for free.”
