a boss who tells it like it is

A Boss Who Tells It Like It Is

Date: Wed 4 Feb 2009


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 Subaru Outback 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 idealised 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 2 bedroom
flat for 3 years. My entire living area 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 baked beans, stew and soup because every dollar I spent
went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a wonky
transmission. I didn't have time to go out with women. 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 $50,000 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 David Jones 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 9am, mentally check in at
about noon, and then leave at 5pm, 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 Subaru, the vacations... you never realise 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 pay 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. Unemployment taxes. Taxes on taxes. I
have to hire a accountant 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 cheque to the Australian tax Office for $288,000 for
quarterly taxes. You know what my "stimulus" cheque was? Zero. Zip. 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 cheque?
Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this
country.

The fact is, if I deducted (Read: Stole) 50% of your pay 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 the government suddenly
mandated to me that I didn't need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of
depositing that $288,000 into the Canberra 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 Australia and
always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it. But the
power brokers in Canberra believe the poor of Australia are the essential
drivers of the Australian 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 fire you. I fire your co-workers. You can then plead with the
government to pay for your mortgage, your 4WD 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 penalises 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 politicians that swept through this country changed its
financial landscape forever. If that happens, you can find me sitting on a
beach, retired, and with no employees to worry about....

Signed,

Your boss