Subject: Tell it like it is! ... thought provoking
A Boss Who Tells It Like It Is
Date: Wed, 21 Jan 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 38 hours aweek and
made a modest $45,000 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 David Jones for the latest hot fashion
item, I was trolling through the discount stores 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 friend 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 who made all the right
decisions and saved his money, have to bail-out all thepeople who didn't.
The people that overspent their pay suddenly feel entitled to the same
luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decadeof my life for.
Yes, business ownership has its benefits but the priceI'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 an accountant to manage all the state 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 politicians who swept through this country and 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
Duum, ij? 
