I joined a company in 2006 and took their stagnant sales from $2mil to $10mil (for the portion I was responsible for). After 4 years of being treated like a common farm-hand I finally had enough and quit. My quality of life improved dramatically from that day.

Not knowing when the next paycheck is coming is something I've never gotten used to. After 4 years I still feel a panic from time to time (usually around tax season).

Life is too damn short to deal with a work environment that eats away at you.

Good luck

 

I like to work hard and like to be challenged. I can't fault him too much because we agreed on everything as far as my compensation.

First year out sales were right at 2 mil then the next year 11. My biggest set backs were we he didn't show up to commitments and I had to save face. I did most of the time. I'm not judging because to each his own but some of the antics he was involved in lost him a lot if respect within the company and then he demanded that I deal with the problems. I tried as hard as I could to prevent them.

Without too much detail I just decided if I'm going to work this hard, why not do it for myself.

I'm not terribly concerned about the paycheck thing. I can go a while without one and I fully expect within 30 days to have a fully functioning operation up and running.

Looking back at what seemed to be frustrations and weird trials I went through during my whole working career now seem to make a lot more sense. I fully believe I grew and learned so much and I'm more prepared for this venture than I thought possible.

Again I sincerely appreciate all the positive comments and support.

 

40 hours a week used to be torture for me. The day I started working for myself it became much "easier" to put the time in (and then some).

It's just different when you're doing it for yourself.

 

Good for you man. I just quit my job a few months ago. I was made a lot of promises during hire and when it was time for them to deliver, they gave me the run around. In turn, i stayed there for the next 6 months milking them for my paycheck doing as little possible and applying on my phone through linkedIn. Got a 50% jump in pay as well as a better job with a big oil company in Houston. It was a slap on their face when i put in my 2 weeks and they were definitely caught off guard.

 

Meh, not sure if that was something you should put in writing. As a... apprentice, journeyman, foreman, area foreman, general foreman and now a owner I see your "milking" statement as why business is so hard. If they did not live up to their promises you need to ask why? Did you preform as you sold yourself? If the answer is yes. Then it would be a simple "its time to move on" and do just that. Not spite the company by milking them for six months till the next milk truck comes around.. I maybe way off base but as a man who went through rank and file I would never do that. Everyone should have a code they live by and died by. I was not raised that way and I would not raise my kids that way. I feel that mind set contributes to the decay of society.

 

Couldn't agree more with Tim but that's just my opinion.

 

Yeah, I agree. The whole "they screwed me, I'll screw them" mentality only perpetuates a bad thing. I understand how people come up with that approach and justify it, but it is still not right.

 

I understand your POV as you’re a business owner but I did feel a need to 'Milk' and spite them for what they did. It was definitely time to move on. The facts are:

-I went above and beyond my job function
-I worked weekends and late hours
-Completed all projects/tasks per project schedule

I was not given a raise or a promotion to motivate me which was okay as I was not doing anything I wouldn’t do at any other job. When it came time for them to deliver on the agreement per my job offer, I was given excuses and ultimately told that it would be put on delay for 18 months for reasons unknown. When I asked why, I was told “this is the way that it is”. That was the answer. Being a professional and working in the industry for 9+ years, I do know companies do work in unethical ways like this.
That being said, I did what was most beneficial for me, Stay and do as little as possible to get by while I look for another job and move on. I do not think many people would stick around and be motivated to continue working as hard as they used to after being treated like an a**hole.

My "code to live by and die by" is do what is best for myself.

 

(My "code to live by and die by" is do what is best for myself.)

You are still young and relatively inexperienced in the grand scheme of business related areas.

Tim nailed it! and it was exactly my thoughts reading your controversial post. As you mature, you will look beyond the end of your nose in deciding what is best for yourself. I have been a business owner since the late '70's and I always think of myself last. Putting your customer and those you work with first, in the end will pay the greatest dividends and make a win/win for all.

 

As I told Tim. I understand your point of view but you're speaking as a business owner, not as a person who is working and getting thrown around. I am not looking to get approval from any of you.

However, I can guarantee 99% that any of you would have quit and left if you were in my situation. I cannot speak for the doing as much as possible to get by but I did not feel the need to do further than what was needed.

At the end of the day, I would have loyalty to an employer who is loyal to me and vice versa.

 

In my line of work, I am often faced with the younger work force coming out with graduate degree asking what I can do for them and never really telling me what they can do for me. I've always believed that if you are unhappy with your job, leave and find somewhere else that will make you happy. If you are paid a salary, do your job and don't underperform. You were not forced to take those wages, you accepted those wages so there is an understanding that you will perform the work that was agreed upon.
Too many people these days feel entitled to their compensation for many reasons. Be lucky you have a job and get your *** to work !

 

I guess that's what it came down to for me...

Here I felt like we had an agreement in which we both performed our piece.

There were some developments that I disagreed with. Could I get over them and perform still? Sure.

When it came down to it, I saw a giant battle ahead that I would much rather take on for my own benefit than continue with the goals of yet company.

I'd prefer to leave the name out, as I think their future is grim. In fact, some thing came to light early this week that for me was a confirmation that I made the best decision.

 

Good luck with your new endeavors, my prior comments was in response to the person that milked the employer.

 

A F*@king-men!!! I am in my 30s and see this amongst my peers all of the time. This sense of entitlement suggesting that because they have training or a college degree that they are proficient and can immediately pull their weight. Which is false. We all have to prove our value and our ability to pull our own weight. No matter what school you went to. Entitlement is destroying this country and pushing jobs out of our borders.

 

OP owning your own business is not as easy as you might think. I own a restaurant and have people telling me all the time that running a restaurant would be a piece of cake for them, yea right. There are days I hate it and then days I love it, but I can tell you for damn sure owning and running any business looks much easier on paper. Good luck!