|
To All My Valued Employees,
There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company,
and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy has changed for the
worse and presents many challenges.
However, the good news is this:
The economy doesn't pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job
however, is the changing political landscape in this country. However,
let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what
is in your best interests.
First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against
employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a
Back Story. This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you
see and hear.
Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You've seen my big home at last
year’s Christmas party. I'm sure; all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up
some idealized thoughts about my life.
However, what you don't see is the BACK STORY: I started this company
28 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot studio apartment for
3 years. My entire living apartment was converted into an office so I could
put forth 100% effort into building a company, which by the way, would
eventually employ you.
My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent went
back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective
transmission. I didn't have time to date. Often times, I stayed home on
weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was
married to my business -- hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.
Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest
$50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and
lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting
the Nordstrom's for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the
discount store extracting any clothing item that didn't look like it was
birthed in the 70's. My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life
of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into
a business with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to
afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.
So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9 A.M., mentally check in at
about noon, and then leave at 5 P.M., I don't. There is no "off"
button for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend
all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, and breathe
this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend.
There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to my hip like a
1 year old special-needs child. You, of course, only see the fruits of that
garden -- the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations... you never realize
the Back Story and the sacrifices I've made.
Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the right
decisions and saved his money, have to bail-out all the people who didn't.
The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same
luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for.
Yes, business ownership has its benefits but the price I've paid is steep and
not without wounds. Unfortunately, the cost of running this business,
and employing you, is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit
and let me tell you why:
I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don't pay enough. I
have state taxes, federal taxes, property taxes, sales and use taxes, payroll
taxes, workers compensation taxes, unemployment taxes, taxes on taxes.
I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I
have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and
all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time. On
Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 for quarterly
taxes. You know what my "stimulus" check was? Zero. Nada.
Zilch.
The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the
guy who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000
people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at
home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check?
Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this
country.
The fact is, if I deducted (read: Stole) 50% of your paycheck you'd quit and
you wouldn't work here. I mean, why should you? That's nuts. Who wants to get
rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is
in jeopardy.
Here is what many of you don't understand ... to stimulate the economy you
need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to
me that I didn't need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that
$288,000 into the Washington black-hole,
I would have spent it, hired more employees, and generated substantial
economic growth. My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut
in the form of promotions and better salaries. But you can forget it
now.
When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don't defibrillate
and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do you? Or, do
you defibrillate his heart? Business is at the heart of America and
always has been and not government. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not
kill it. Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe
the poor of America are
the essential drivers of the American economic engine. Nothing could be
further from the truth and this is the type of change you can keep.
So where am I going with all this? It's quite simple. If any new
taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift and simple.
I'll fire you. I'll fire your co-workers. You can then plead with the
government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child's future. Frankly,
it isn't my problem any more.
Then, I will close this company down, move to another country, and retire.
You see, I'm done. I'm done with a country that penalizes the productive and
gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be
destroyed, and with it, will be my citizenship.
So, if you lose your job, it won't be at the hands of the economy; it will be
at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country,
steamrolled the constitution, and will have changed its landscape forever. If
that happens, you can find me sitting on a beach, retired, and with no
employees to worry about....
Signed, THE BOSS
“It is no crime to be ignorant of
economics, which is, after all, a specialized discipline and one that most
people consider to be a ‘dismal science.’ But it is totally irresponsible to
have a loud and vociferous opinion on economic subjects while remaining in
this state of ignorance!”
|
