How should I conduct a business meeting with a professional that ...

[coco]

How should I conduct a business meeting with a professional that could become my competitor?
I have a small local business that was quite unique in my are. Now, several people choose to open the same kind of business. Recently, the owner of a very large company that operates in the same industry as me, called several times to schedule an appoitment with me because he is interested in what I'm doing.
I need to know how to conduct this meeting witout being too defensive and without giving out too much info. Also, my comapny is very small and his company very big and established.

[curlz]

Go ahead and schedule the meeting with a lawyer present and ask him to be the financer and use him to make money.

Or, simply feed him complete lies and tell him to bite your butt

[Melanie]

With extreme caution. There is something that you have that they want.  Maybe its an established client base or trade secret, they might even just want to just buy you out or hire you.  Although signing a non disclosure/circumvent agreement may afford you some protection if they have lots of money it may be a moot point by the time you finish paying your legal fees.  The best way to handle this is express your concerns up front and meet in a mutual area that is not in your place of business.  Then do your homework. If they have a web site find out everything about them -look in the press release area. And have a list of questions for him about his company.