A Man To Run Away From

Recently, I left a job at the Vancouver Film School to join a company started by a local businessman. I chose to take this job because the pay was good, and it would give me the opportunity to work with a good friend of mine.

The owner of this company is named Peter Douglas ( although a few years ago he was named Peter Ortmann ). The business was a travel rewards program. Users would pay a monthly fee to have a membership in the site, and would earn points for being a member and completing actions on the site such as watching videos. Those points would be able to be redeemed for travel rewards, such as stays in Las Vegas hotels or even trips to exotic locations.

I joined the company in late August. On September 1st, I got my first paycheque, which I deposited. A few days later, the cheque bounced. It took a few days, but I eventually got paid in full. However, that paycheque also bounced for my friend, Jai Field. It was the second paycheque that had bounced for him. Both of those cheques were covered by Peter Douglas within a few days, however.

For all of August and September, Peter Douglas had been meeting with investors, trying to round up money to move the company forward. He was aiming to secure $1 million in funding. Unfortunately, he was not able to secure this money.

To simplify the company, Peter Douglas offered Jai Field and I the option to become contractors, which we took. We effectively left the company on September 16th, and became contractors. We were told that we would receive full payment for our services up to that point.

It is October 13th today, and we still haven’t been paid.

I’m currently owed $2500 by Peter Douglas and ReefShark Ventures. For the last few weeks, all I have been getting are promises to get paid as soon as he gets the money. He apparently has secured some funding, which is supposed to arrive today or tomorrow – although the “today or tomorrow” thing is something I’ve been hearing for a week.

I’ve sent a complaint to the Better Business Bureau. Jai Field is looking into sending a complaint to Employment Standards, and we’re both looking at talking to a lawyer.

I’m hoping that this will all get resolved without having to resort to actually going to court. But the ball is in Peter Douglas’ court now, and how this gets resolved is up to him.

Notes: Canadian Entrepreneur Prepares $30 Million Legal Action Against The State of NEVADA NEVADA Held A Gun To My Head