This old thread is being re-directed here.
5 months ago I got a job at a wholesale distribution company as a salesperson making $22/hour. I saw that I could help this company in a lot more ways than just selling.
Here are some examples:
She gives me 80% autonomy to do whatever I want because she trusts me and knows I only want to help. But she veto'd something that was absolutely critical for company growth. I pushed back because I cared enough about growing the company to risk getting fired. I'd rather fight against the Owner's fear than be part of something that isn't going anywhere. And then she veto'd something else, and I pushed back again. And every time I've pushed back, I've been right. It's like I'm a doctor, she is the patient, and her fear of growth is the cancer.
Its gotten to a point where she has literally told me things like...
"You can grow this company better than I can."
"I like it when you sit behind my desk."
"I feel like I hired a boss and I'm grateful."
"Just tell me what to do."
Neither her, nor I, know what my job is anymore. Or hers for that matter. The other day she spent the whole day vacuuming the office while I redesigned the layout of the entire warehouse to store more product because we ran out of inventory (which she is accountable for). The week prior another TV network called, but we were out of inventory and had to say "sorry, can't do it". Needless to say, as someone with a sales background, I freaked out. What's worse, is she didn't even realize how big of a problem this actually was. She said, "it's not that big of a deal. It happens." So we fought about that too.
The problem is this company lacks structure, there is a ton of overlap and fluidity as far as who is accountable for what. The task-oriented staff are constantly overburdened and stressed, and the owner doesn't trust people to do the job right, so she tries to do it all herself. In short, the company has no real leadership.
The solution is to bring structure. I told the boss to make her and I two separate job descriptions. She made her job description include literally everything that was on mine.
This overlap is the crux of the problem.
I wrote her a letter specifically explaining the real issues underlying the overlapping responsibilities. I made a job description for an Owner, a General Manager, and a Business Development Manager; both her and I perform all three jobs. When we disagree, I get frustrated and we argue.
She needs validation and when I suggest a change as delicately as I possibly can, she takes it personally as if I'm attacking her. She knows it too. She even says, "Defensive is my middle name". I don't want to argue anymore. But she baits me into fighting by asking for my thoughts, and then disagreeing with them. I see two options:
Option #1: She picks a job for me and I just do that job. The issue here is she is going to continue wanting me to help with everything else. I could just shut up and do what she says. When she asks me for my thoughts, I can give them, and when she wants to fight me on them, I can just say, "ok." This wouldn't last long because she likes to argue. It's almost like it's the only way she can process things. And if I don't engage with her, my value to her will fall. Not only that, I'm far more than just a General Manager or Business Development Manager. I mean, I initiated a complete re-branding of the company. I'm the one who decided to re-structure the organization. I'm the one who told her she needs to figure out what her vision, mission, and purpose is for the company. I'm the one who prompts conversations about the bonus incentives and employee benefits with her. I'm the one who is making HER job description. These are all things Owners do, not Managers. But she is too busy micro-managing everybody, doing customer service, and packing boxes. Smh.
Option #2: I proposed me taking the role of Business Consultant because that's essentially what I am already. That gives me the ability to continue providing value to her without pigeon-holing me into a managerial position - which we can hire.
Option #2 is the answer. In 3 days, she is going to want to talk about the details of this position, like how much to pay me and what I'll be held accountable for. And here is where I need help.
Is it more advantageous tax-wise to stay a W-2 employee or should I have her 1099 me? There's paid holidays and 2 weeks vacation time, but no retirement incentives, no dental, and she just got employee medical insurance that I didn't even opt into.
I'm an entrepreneur at heart and being her employee is painful. I'm done fighting with her, but I can't just shut up and do what she says when her inability to be objective about her company jeopardizes its operations. Especially when her fear-based decision making will limit my ability to be successful here. I can always get another job, but it's her problems that make me so valuable here.
My value to her is directly proportional to my objectivity, insights, coaching, and for the lack of a better phrase, having the balls to push back against her when she is afraid to do things a different way. This isn't what an employee does, is it? This is what an employee does that causes him to get fired, right?
But what would be the difference if I was an Independent Contractor? If I fight with her on something and surrender, and the result hurts the company, am I affected the same way as a contractor as I am an employee?
Let's say the company remains stagnant because I stop pushing her. As an employee, the trajectory of my career is stunted. As an independent contractor, the trajectory of my track record is stunted.
Let's say the company grows 3x because I keep pushing her. As an employee, the trajectory of my career is boosted because of my accomplishment. As an independent contractor, the trajectory of my track record is boosted and I'm able to be a more reputable contractor.
Let's say I push back and she fires me. As an employee, I have to find a new job. As a contractor, I have to find a new client.
I feel like I'm missing something I just can't see it. Probably for the same lack of objectivity about my own business that she has about hers lol.
5 months ago I got a job at a wholesale distribution company as a salesperson making $22/hour. I saw that I could help this company in a lot more ways than just selling.
Here are some examples:
- In my first week I built a CRM that streamlines the entire sales process for both new and re-orders.
- In my second week, I made suggestions for redesigning product packaging, the product catalog, and other merchandising materials - all suggestions the company ended up going with.
- I flew to Atlanta for a trade show and did so well that when I came back (third week), my boss doubled my salary.
- In August, I saw that two employees were basically stealing from the company and when she (my boss) found out about it, she didn't have the balls to fire them. She literally argued with me to keep them on board. It was ridiculous. Not only did I have to convince her to fire them, I had to coach her literally step-by-step on how to execute it.
- When she didn't have the bandwidth to think about hiring new people, I stepped in and handled all of it.
- When she spoke to her employees in a condescending and demotivating way, I called her on it and worked with her to improve.
- In the last few months, I've coached her on how we're going to need to hire more people to grow, that she cannot continue to do everything by herself. I've handled all of the hiring and firing. I've closed one of the biggest accounts for the company. She wants my input on everything from factory orders and fulfillment, to how to use her financial statements and sales data to make decisions. I've managed teams of 8 people to execute huge fulfillment projects for major TV segments generating hundreds of thousands of dollars in a single day. I even went to Vietnam with her to source factories to make diversify our manufacturing network and make new products. And when she freaks out and gets overwhelmed, I'm like her therapist.
She gives me 80% autonomy to do whatever I want because she trusts me and knows I only want to help. But she veto'd something that was absolutely critical for company growth. I pushed back because I cared enough about growing the company to risk getting fired. I'd rather fight against the Owner's fear than be part of something that isn't going anywhere. And then she veto'd something else, and I pushed back again. And every time I've pushed back, I've been right. It's like I'm a doctor, she is the patient, and her fear of growth is the cancer.
Its gotten to a point where she has literally told me things like...
"You can grow this company better than I can."
"I like it when you sit behind my desk."
"I feel like I hired a boss and I'm grateful."
"Just tell me what to do."
Neither her, nor I, know what my job is anymore. Or hers for that matter. The other day she spent the whole day vacuuming the office while I redesigned the layout of the entire warehouse to store more product because we ran out of inventory (which she is accountable for). The week prior another TV network called, but we were out of inventory and had to say "sorry, can't do it". Needless to say, as someone with a sales background, I freaked out. What's worse, is she didn't even realize how big of a problem this actually was. She said, "it's not that big of a deal. It happens." So we fought about that too.
The problem is this company lacks structure, there is a ton of overlap and fluidity as far as who is accountable for what. The task-oriented staff are constantly overburdened and stressed, and the owner doesn't trust people to do the job right, so she tries to do it all herself. In short, the company has no real leadership.
The solution is to bring structure. I told the boss to make her and I two separate job descriptions. She made her job description include literally everything that was on mine.
This overlap is the crux of the problem.
I wrote her a letter specifically explaining the real issues underlying the overlapping responsibilities. I made a job description for an Owner, a General Manager, and a Business Development Manager; both her and I perform all three jobs. When we disagree, I get frustrated and we argue.
She needs validation and when I suggest a change as delicately as I possibly can, she takes it personally as if I'm attacking her. She knows it too. She even says, "Defensive is my middle name". I don't want to argue anymore. But she baits me into fighting by asking for my thoughts, and then disagreeing with them. I see two options:
Option #1: She picks a job for me and I just do that job. The issue here is she is going to continue wanting me to help with everything else. I could just shut up and do what she says. When she asks me for my thoughts, I can give them, and when she wants to fight me on them, I can just say, "ok." This wouldn't last long because she likes to argue. It's almost like it's the only way she can process things. And if I don't engage with her, my value to her will fall. Not only that, I'm far more than just a General Manager or Business Development Manager. I mean, I initiated a complete re-branding of the company. I'm the one who decided to re-structure the organization. I'm the one who told her she needs to figure out what her vision, mission, and purpose is for the company. I'm the one who prompts conversations about the bonus incentives and employee benefits with her. I'm the one who is making HER job description. These are all things Owners do, not Managers. But she is too busy micro-managing everybody, doing customer service, and packing boxes. Smh.
Option #2: I proposed me taking the role of Business Consultant because that's essentially what I am already. That gives me the ability to continue providing value to her without pigeon-holing me into a managerial position - which we can hire.
Option #2 is the answer. In 3 days, she is going to want to talk about the details of this position, like how much to pay me and what I'll be held accountable for. And here is where I need help.
Is it more advantageous tax-wise to stay a W-2 employee or should I have her 1099 me? There's paid holidays and 2 weeks vacation time, but no retirement incentives, no dental, and she just got employee medical insurance that I didn't even opt into.
I'm an entrepreneur at heart and being her employee is painful. I'm done fighting with her, but I can't just shut up and do what she says when her inability to be objective about her company jeopardizes its operations. Especially when her fear-based decision making will limit my ability to be successful here. I can always get another job, but it's her problems that make me so valuable here.
My value to her is directly proportional to my objectivity, insights, coaching, and for the lack of a better phrase, having the balls to push back against her when she is afraid to do things a different way. This isn't what an employee does, is it? This is what an employee does that causes him to get fired, right?
But what would be the difference if I was an Independent Contractor? If I fight with her on something and surrender, and the result hurts the company, am I affected the same way as a contractor as I am an employee?
Let's say the company remains stagnant because I stop pushing her. As an employee, the trajectory of my career is stunted. As an independent contractor, the trajectory of my track record is stunted.
Let's say the company grows 3x because I keep pushing her. As an employee, the trajectory of my career is boosted because of my accomplishment. As an independent contractor, the trajectory of my track record is boosted and I'm able to be a more reputable contractor.
Let's say I push back and she fires me. As an employee, I have to find a new job. As a contractor, I have to find a new client.
I feel like I'm missing something I just can't see it. Probably for the same lack of objectivity about my own business that she has about hers lol.
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