Stressful Situation

[CHEESE2009]

I worked for a company, let's call it COMPANY A. I was in charge of running, training & paying several crews. I was also in charge of finding any simple reason I could, to fire them. COMPANY A didn't like when I was nice & generous with crew, he wanted me to save money & get rid of anyone who's work isn't worth a penny. This means I would be working alone for most of the time, it was stressful. I was ordered to get rid of a worker, - I let the worker know that I wouldn't let it happen, not this time. I might be good at what I do, but doesn't mean I will last forever doing it alone. I told the worker that I'd tell the owner I couldn't find a reason to fire him, & that if I have to fire him, I will be leaving. Before I could call the owner, the owner called me & said, "I need to get rid of the other crew also" My response, "I will do my best, but we are all busting are asses & now is not the right time". I hung up. Right away, I called everyone who I was in charge of to come into work, & I quit. I thought it was a a good thing to do, I felt powerful. The owner called me an hour later, "I need you, I need you to help the crews, they have no leader. They are clueless they need you to be there!" I said, "I'm only going back if you meet me with all of their paychecks" And so he did. I received all the Paychecks & went back to work. I gave him back my paycheck & said, "I don't give a **** right now, but when the time comes & I ask, my paycheck better be for me, & not for your damn puppet" All the crew that I previously fired at COMPANY A, now all work for me.

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

How is running your own operation now different from the previous situation you were in? What have you found you do differently than your previous employer did? Do you feel you have an advantage of him now?

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[CHEESE2009]

Originally Posted by Steve

How is running your own operation now different from the previous situation you were in?

What have you found you do differently than your previous employer did?

Do you feel you have an advantage of him now?

Well he never even took the time to meet the people properly or even show appreciation. I'm all about appreciation, If someone does the smallest thing for me, it means I didn't have to do it & I'm happy. It's also a good way to get your employees feeling positive & wanting to achieve more.

I believe our differences are both good for business. In the long run I will have employees who stick with me, knowing I appreciate them & keep them happy, & they will work harder then most.

His business on the other hand is making the big money, he has everything planned & put together so he wont lose a dime. Not many people stick with him because each person will work harder then they can, without help & eventually get fired or they leave. I guess it doesn't matter when you own half a billion dollars. He would slowly add on more work for each person, without raising the pay. Then he'd fire someone & the other guy will be doing work fit for 2 people, & higher.

I did get a better paycheck, but I let him know I'd be leaving in a few months. It still wasn't worth it for me to stay.

****-

I understand that having one employee who can run the show is key, but it doesn't mean that over time & new customers that one employee will be sufficient & willing to push themselves for the same pay, or even a small tweak.

[Steve]

Very interesting insights. Do you wonder what got him to act that way? Do you feel he always acted that way or over time did the business just wear on him and that is how his behavior and attitude developed?

[CHEESE2009]

I'm not sure, but I'm sure in time I will have that problem. It has been a tough 2008 into 2009, their success is amazing & I guess once in awhile you have to be hard & cold in order to get more money.

before I left, they wanted to expand the company. I left & now they couldn't expand, they just shrunk. All my hard work is officially MY hard work & not his company.

If I wasn't in the business, or couldn't take on more work. I would probably recommend their services. So it's not a hate thing, I just wanted more than a slice of the pie $.

I left because I knew how it is as an owner, to let go of so much money isn't fun in this sort of business, so I started my own, now I have the whole damn pie & totally understand a few things:

You have too options;

Take a chance & pay one employee a great salary & have him work hard.

or

Hire a bunch of people for peanuts, they are expendable & you will never run out of students looking to make a few bucks.

Personally, as of now I am neither, but in time I would rather the first option.

[turfmaster]

Hire a bunch of people for peanuts, they are expendable & you will never run out of students looking to make a few bucks.



There is a large landscape company in my area that does exactly that. They hire and fire illegals as they need them. I heard they pay these guys $5.00 bucks an hour.

[CHEESE2009]

Originally Posted by turfmaster

Hire a bunch of people for peanuts, they are expendable & you will never run out of students looking to make a few bucks.



There is a large landscape company in my area that does exactly that. They hire and fire illegal hispanics as they need them. I heard they pay these guys $5.00 bucks an hour.

NICE!

Lmao!

Now were all wondering where to find a guy who's willing to transport these people across the border into our hands...

Do you think they like Canadian money?

[musician/lawnman]

Originally Posted by turfmaster

There is a large landscape company in my area that does exactly that. They hire and fire illegals as they need them. I heard they pay these guys $5.00 bucks an hour.

This is the kinda sh!t that makes me violent. I get so friggen mad when I hear that crap. You know what breeze?.... It ain't nice, it flat out sucks.
Yeah sounds neat as a business owner, take the low road & hire the illegal schmuck for $5/hr keeping more cash in your pocket right? What happens if everyone does that? Yeah you own your business so you might have a job, but what about your brother? son? daughter? father? etc...... Really, how would you feel if your son get's to that age & is out looking for a job but keeps coming home day after day of job hunting saying Dad, I can't find a job!!? The illegal immigrants are willing to work for nothing & everyone hires them instead! What if something happened to your business & you had to close it.... Try going to another landscaper who hires these guys & see what he would be willing to pay you even with your experiance.... Nada, because he's got an unlimited source of cheaper labor.
I know a construction contractor who had 3 legal employees (supervisors) & crews of mexican illegal immigrants, now things are slow, because they are cheaper without the middleman, the mexicans are now working directly for the general contractor & this guy & his 3 employees are struggling to find any work at all. It sucks but ya know what? It serves the guy right! If all those mexicans were legal employees on his payroll they would still be working for him & he'd still be getting a piece of the pie.

Legitimate American business owners need to hire legitimate American workers! If you don't hire americans, support american made products, services, automobiles etc. Then you have no right to bitch and whine about the state of the economy. You are part of the problem, Don't look to others for a solution to the very problems you are making worse!

I hire American guys & pay them on the books. Yeah, I can't compete with companies that don't on these big gated community bids. So ya know what? I don't even bid them anymore. Screw em' I don't need em'! I have geared my company in other directions, focusing on clients who value a legitimately run business complete with insurance, workers comp & legal employees and I do just fine all while supplying a few jobs to the american workforce. Which is more jobs than Obama has created for Americans. I take some degree of pride in that when I had no job I created one for myself. I built my business & can now employ other Americans who are willing to work to suceed. That fact makes me happy, It also makes me a selfish capitolist pig if you listen to the liberals.

[swstout]

Originally Posted by musician/lawnman

I hire American guys & pay them on the books. Yeah, I can't compete with companies that don't on these big gated community bids. So ya know what? I don't even bid them anymore. Screw em' I don't need em'! I have geared my company in other directions, focusing on clients who value a legitimately run business complete with insurance, workers comp & legal employees and I do just fine all while supplying a few jobs to the american workforce. Which is more jobs than Obama has created for Americans. I take some degree of pride in that when I had no job I created one for myself. I built my business & can now employ other Americans who are willing to work to suceed. That fact makes me happy, It also makes me a selfish capitolist pig if you listen to the liberals.

Hurray to you! This comes from another selfish capitolist pig! Far right wing conspiracy meetings at my house every Thursday evening 7-10. LOL

Steve

[musician/lawnman]

Ya know, as a kid some of my friends parents were way right wing & I wasn't very politically concious then but I remember thinking "what a nut job!" after talking to them.... The more & research, read, & learn about politics the further to the right I become & ya know what I think it is? Educating yourself & reading about what the facts of most any situation are, then decide where you stand on that subject, then look at where the 2 major parties are on that subject. I think if you are an intelligent person and use logic to evaluate a situation and the probable ramifications of the proposals of both sides.... you end up on realizing you stand on the right.

Democrats just seem to hate logic! It's hysterical to listen to these people get stumped & pissed off by basic questions asked about their left wing policies.

Sorry to go on a tangent here but I guess I'm just saying it's funny how the right side doesn't seem so "nuts" anymore, that's just how the left would like to portray it because they can't debate logic so they call you crazy.
What I am saying I guess is: I think, therefor I am republican.