> I've developed it on my own time but the product directly relates to what my employer does so I've sort of cornered myself in a bad place. In hindsight, I als

> I've developed it on my own time but the product directly relates to what my employer does so I've sort of cornered myself in a bad place. In hindsight, I also made some mistakes in how I went about evangelizing it. Your employer probably owns the code, but as its primary creator, you still have leverage. If your employer used standard employment agreements when you signed up with them, the product almost certainly belongs to your employer. This is especially the case if you used any employer-owned equipment to create it (laptops, networks, etc.). However, your employer probably knows that if they are aggressive, you will become unmotivated and drop any work on it, making it valueless and probably causing you to hate your job and quit. If they really value the product and you, they'll find a way to make the product and your career successful. You can ask them to give you a stake in its success, and officially bring it into the company. You can also ask them to give it back to you if they stop supporting it. If you consult with a lawyer, they can probably advise you on various frameworks on how to organize such a deal.