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Owners with no work ethics

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by avid

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First a little background. I work for a small IT shop in the mid-west. Although we are small, we have many clients. We manage nearly every school in a fifty mile radius, several large financial institutions, and most of the fertilizer plants networks. (fertilizer is bug business in the mid-west) I have worked here for about 3 years. In that time I have become the backbone of this office. Since I began working here, I have brought in a ton of money, due to my skill set. For instance, before I worked here, if a client need cisco routers and firewalls installed, it had to be sub-contracted because there was no one here with that knowledge. Same for Exchange, IIS, UNIX, Linux, and AS400. There are only 3 people who work here, myself, the owner and his wife. After about a year of me working here, I noticed that they began to take more and more time off. In larger organizations this is not a problem. But in our's, it is absolutely crippling. When they take time off and go play, it means that I have to sit here and answer phones all day instead of satisfying our clients. It is so bad that I have been told to put off a bank with a server down because they wanted to go away for a long weekend. If they would just hire a full time secretary this problem would be solved. But they claim that there is not enough money coming in to justify another salary. This is an outright LIE ! I know how much money comes in and how much money goes out. The fact is that they are just greedy. The crux of it is this. They are shooting themselves in the foot by not hiring some one to answer the phones. they could get some one for about $8.00 per hour. By not hiring some one they are losing the $65.00 per hour that I bring in when I am out at client sites. My other problem is this. I am essentially running the business by my self. I now have to do the ordering, quotes, invoicing, scheduling, and still find time to get out to client sites and fix their issues. I am only getting a little under $30,000 a year for all of this. I do not get overtime. I do get bonuses, but there is no predictable pattern to them. I do not get ANY benefits. But not everything here is bad. The dress code is relaxed and they do not micro-manage me. Mainly because everything I do is way above there level of expertise. So here is my question.... What do I do? Do I tell them that I need more money if I am going to perform my job and their job ? Do i tell them to hire a secretary or else ? (this would keep the clients from getting angry when I have to put them off) Do I look for another job that will pay me better and not be so greedy? I need to tell them something. They own this business and their work ethic is appalling. They are riding my shirt tails and getting rich. I am living pay check to pay check. Something needs to change.

Sorry if I rambled. I needed to get this out there to you guys for some suggestions and I just wanted to paint a decent picture of my situation so you could give me some helpful advise.

avid

8 replies

by ldyosng

I suggest a little situational ethics: create good marketing materials such as brochures and such and just take over their clients - or at least enough of them to support yourself. If they have so much business, they can afford to share the market with you. A quiet word with those clients who are suffering from lack of support might shift their business your direction. Or you could continue to suffer at the hands of people who are abusing you and their clients. Your choice, of course.

by cactus pete

If you're doing it all on your own at the moment, get a new cell phone, invest a little in marketing materials, and strike it out on your own. If it is as good as you indicate, you should be able to get an office in 6 months with land lines and a secretary. Perhaps even hire a junior you within a year.

Go for it.

(standard disclaimers apply)

by amcol

Do you believe in this company and its business model?

Do you believe in yourself and your own abilities? Your technical skills? Your own work ethic? Your ability to run a business?

Make them an offer to buy them out. You know this company inside and out so valuating it should be fairly easy. Get some professional help to do so. If they won't consider that then be ready with a counter offer to buy an interest, preferably controlling, and make them your silent partners.

You get to run the business your own way and reap the fruits of your own labors, while they go off to play golf and leave you alone.

by drewtipton

I agree with everyone else so far... if it's that bad, then you don't have anything to lose. If you're that good, then the customers should realize it (especially if you're the only one that's ever been to their site!), and they should be willing to come with you....

Just make sure that you didn't sign a non-compete agreement when you hired in with them (although it doesn't sound like they'd be the kind of people to do that, it doesn't hurt to check!)

Set out on your own, or buy them out... either way, you'll be happy. :)

by avid

thank you for your replies. yes, i did sign a non-compete. i have already taken it to a lawyer. he said it was not valid because of the wording. basically it says : if i do not work for this company, i can not work in this profession within a 100 mile radius. that is a completely unconstitutional statement. or, so says my lawyer.

by stress junkie

You've already got great business experience due to the owner's lack of involvement. It's time that you "ate their lunch" as the saying goes. The owners don't deserve your efforts nor to they deserve to have a thriving business. Take their customers and start making the money that you deserve.

by wayne m.

One of the realities of working for a company is that the boss gets to make the decisions. If the owner feels comfortable with the current income levels and wants to enjoy his life, then he can make that decision. One must either choose to accept the boss' decisions or choose to leave. First, though, evaluate your capabilities and desires.

You seem to have a lot of anger in regards to answering the telephone. Have you suggested an answering machine? I presume from the tone, that the boss's wife normally answers the telephone and when she goes away, you have to do it. What is the problem with answering the telephone and scheduling the work when someone is available to do it? Rather than hiring someone else to answer telephones, I would suggest that you push for benefits; at least health benefits, but also consider sick leave and paid vacation.

Please take the time to truly evaluate your skill set. I really wonder why, if you are as skilled as you try to let on, you need to have boss come back to repair the bank's server.

Your expectations appear to be different from your boss's. Apparently, he wants a comfortable income with the flexibility to live life on his own terms. He does not seem to want a large contracting firm and is just looking for some help in running his business; an assistant.

From the information in your post, I would not recommend starting your own business. I am not certain whether you have the strength of skills necessary to pull it off. I base this on the bank incident already noted, and the fact that you accepted the job in a small company with no benefits. Financially, you would be better off working for less salary but receiving benefits. Going without health insurance is not a long term strategy. Your first priority is to make sure your personal financial needs are met. Either negotiate benefits in your current job or find a new one with benefits. In any case, you need to accept that this is the boss's business to run as he sees fit.

by avid

with the bank incedent. i did the repairs. i just had to wait for them to be here to answer the phones so i could get out of the office. as far as my strength of skills, i have the technical skills, just not the office admin skills.

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