There are indeed multiple sides to any issue. I've read some valid points on both sides of this thread after taking out the personal stuff and just looking at the situation and the undisputed facts. But you also have to look at the business aspects.
I don't own any Halcyon or Salvo gear, but I have been seriously considering a Salvo light. I don't know any of the principals. Let's just look at the facts.
Barry may be a genius. Very innovative and creative. But he was a very bad employee. Whether the 1% agreement ever existed is beside the point. He stole materials and time and labor from his employer. He embezzled. He is a thief, and now also a convicted felon. He does not dispute this. He admits he was wrong and showed "bad judgement". That shows a little bit of character, but it was forced upon him because he was caught. That doesn't take anything away from his genius. He was a bad employee and a bad businessman. If he makes a great product anyway and you want to buy it, go ahead.
Halcyon does not win any prizes either. If the 1% offer was actually made and not delivered, then Halcyon is also a crook. I've been there myself with a handshake deal with a friend that never came to be. It ended up in civil court with a reasonable settlement. The fact that Barry would go so long without insisting on formalizing the agreement in writing just confirms that Barry is a bad businessman. And if JJ made the offer, then he is a bad businessman too. Halcyon's prior dealings have also demonstrated bad business decisions, possibly motivated by personal issues.
I find it difficult to believe that the 1% was not discussed or else JJ would have denounced it in his post. The statement made by someone that it would never be offered because it was not good business practice is ludicrous. It's pretty obvious that neither one of these guys gets a good grade for business acumen. But even if the 1% offer was never made, it still makes no business sense to me for Halcyon to press for criminal charges. There will always be competitors. They can and will steal your ideas even if they were never your employees. They will make something better and sell it for less. Look at the pharmaceutical industry. Look at the airline industry. The "big boys" of today with the heavy overhead and R&D budgets were the small upstarts of yesteryear. They are fighting for survival against their own histories.
Wouldn't it make more sense from a business standpoint to seek civil action that continues in the future and actually adds some value to your company? If Salvo fails or even declines because of Barry's absence, what has Halcyon done to better it's position? The civil damages it will probably seek may be unavailable. And another company will come along and fill the void. JJ can tilt at windmills all he wants, but he'll never get rid of them all. He may get personal satisfaction from seeing Barry in jail, but it won't help his bottom line.
If it were up to me, I would have sought civil damages in the form of restitution, punitives, and an ongoing royalty. Halcyon should have ended up owning a piece of Salvo's gross sales. Then they would have a vested interest in making sure that Salvo continued and flourished. It would choke out other competition. It could alleviate the loss of revenue from their own lights because that loss would be sustained if another competitor entered the market anyway. It's like the Microsoft/Apple fight. A good businessman looks at every threat and tries to find the opportunity hidden in it. A bad businessman seeks personal gratification at the expense of his business. JJ seems to be a bad businessman in this regard.
So we've got two very bright, creative, knowledgable people that are running companies and making bad business decisions. Better alert Oprah. Doctors, artists and inventors have been doing this for decades. They think that just because they are the best at what they do, they can successfully run their business. But just because you build a better mousetrap, doesn't mean your business will succeed. Halcyon's actions have already spurred a significant backlash, as can be seen in this thread. Whether the folks who vow to never buy Halcyon again are misguided or not, their money will not be going to Halcyon. It's not about being right or wrong, it's about being smart and knowing your business. No company can afford to alienate a significant portion of the rather small market for dive gear when there are other viable alternatives.
I'll continue to be a smart shopper and go with the product that gives me the best price/performance ratio. But I'd be hard pressed to spend my money with either of these companies when alternatives exist. I just don't have the faith that companies run by bad businessmen will be around when I need them.
Ken
