Don't give up on the community yet.  That is unfortunate that this got turned around on you like that.  I am not sure how anyone would think you were smearing your niece.  A reference was made, 2 others asked a questions, you replied with more details - truth hurts sometimes, get over it.  If anything I think you were overly nice in your comments since she is the one that undercut you!!!!  Lets not forget that tasty little tid bit.  I wonder, did she know your rates before quoting them and also did she know that you had them a small client? What about other customers....has she quoted them too.

Just in case anyone forgot the comment or needed a new look at it I took the liberty of copying it here:        "As it happens, it was my niece who underbid me, so insult to injury, but she can use the work, and it's more up her alley anyway.  Recordings, copying files, etc..., not what I really wanted to do at this point in my career.  She's young, let her do the gopher jobs.!"

Sounds to me like your sister and niece need to grow some thick skin (and I mean that in the nicest way possible) if she expects to stay in this biz.  It is a grueling, unthankful and mean business.  People you thought were friends turn out to be knife wielding enemies behind your back.  After 15 years in this biz, I can tell you from first hand experience, it is extremely cut throat.  You have to fight and claw to get new clients but also to keep the ones you have had.

We to here at SOT have been known to get vocal and down right nasty depending on the topic.  It is unfortunate that this post was blown so far out that it caused you so much grief.  That is one of the reasons why I don't work with family!!!  It is bad enough to have to put up with most of the crap we have to anyway, much less from our own families.

Peace to you and your fam.  Keep on the blogs as they are a great source of information and on occasion perks curiosity into topics I might not have been interested in before.

Clanci