Welcome Derek, what a story!

Steve · #1 04-16-2007, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]from our new forum member plumgreekmob

Hi my name is Derek from PA.Two years ago i started my own lawn care business while i was still in school. My school had a school to work program and i was the first student to start my own business and be able to leave a half day early
to operate a business.Things were going great for me i had happy customers that were getting me customers because they were so happy with how i did business.I hired an
employee to help me out because i wasnt able to everything on my own since my work load was getting bigger by the day and not being able to devote full days to the business because of school.I trusted my employee because he seemed like a great guy and had a get it done attitude.I tested him many times to see if he was an honest person.I have let him take the truck with cash placed in plain view and dropping
money while walking in front of him, He passed the many tests i put him thru.I then allowed him to run the business while i was at school having access to everything , i even gave him a cell phone to be paid by me. Things went good for
about a week then customers were calling me disputing the bills saying they paid already by means of giving the money to my employee(he denied recieving money).There was also some time gaps in between jobs he was doing.Well on friday of
the second week i went to the bank to withdraw his check and mine(i paid myself by the hour and him to,and i payed him with cash)and the teller said my account has zero dollars in it.My credit card had been maxed out and was over the limit.The cell phone bill was over $2,000 witch just boggled me.i found out He was also doing jobs behind my back which explained the time delays in his work.My truck,employee
and work tools disappeared for a week only to find my truck and not my tools,or employee. I was unable to operate my business any longer due to the massive amount of debt and no longer having any tools.I had to take a job 17 miles away from where i live and work two years to pay off the debt,i sometimes couldnt make it,and my credit shows
it.I am now debt free and alot wiser.I have learned alot from my experiance.I have put that all behind me and am ready to go into business again.

Hi Derek,

Welcome to our forum! What an amazing story and a cautionary tale! What suggestions do you have to other lcos in order for them to avoid this situation?

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