For The Self-Employed:

[Adam]

I received this in my inbox - author unknown, from Australia. Makes interesting reading:

 

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 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 <o:p></o:p>

[shine on]

BING - POW

 

what a great letter! I agree with everything in it. I just lost my job of 15 years (my career) and don't hold a single grudge against my boss. I know his back story and admire it. I know how much it cost him to employ me and I know how long he went without a paycheck to keep me on before the company closed.

 

small business owners get the shaft and sometimes it's hard to understand why they do it. well, luckily now I'll learn first hand if I can do it. the economy stinks, but now is actually the best time of my life and now is the best time to see if I have what it takes.

 

(n)obama should call a cabinet meeting, call Congress and read this to them.

 

not bloddy likely

[Chewy]

As a share holder and a future owner in my families "small" business I read this and agreed with it 100%. I see these multi million dollar water parks in FL and conception prevention plans as more BS/"pork" from another politician that told everyone what they wanted to hear. I am glad to see a lot of it is being removed but why can't ALL of it be removed. Give the money to the businesses with an agreement that the money be spent in a certain amount of time. WE are what makes the country run. WE hire people which gives THEM the money to spend on other items at other stores. Just for the record. I will see NOTHING NADA ZILCH form this "stimulus" plan. My only hope is I can see our company grow another 100% in the next 4 years like it did in the last 4.

 

Sorry... Just my .02¢

 

Chris

[Adam]

This was written in Australia, where the taxes are much more than they are here in the USA.

 

I'm not saying that I'll be leaving the country, or closing and canning our team members! Just that there are things governments need to consider when trying to stimulate the economy. Small business employs over half of the people in this country, and helping small business owners create jobs would be a much better and more effective plan than giving the countries largest employers $Billions, IMHO.

 

It's also a great writeup on what it takes to get a business up and going, and what is invested beyond money in growing a small business.

 

[Kwhite]

i agree. I had my own business out in Idaho that just when it was starting to flourish...the economy out there crapped out. So the employees I had were let go...i even had to lay myself off eventually. The government is digging itself deeper and deeper imo. Why are they giving all that money to the banks without the stipulation that they must lower interest rates and the like. Banks use our money to make money. Then when you need to borrow for a house or business loan, they try and rape you again. I would think that a stipulation for all that bailout money be that they must reduce interest rates. that in turn would leave the businesses and other poeple getting loans more money to put back into the economy, which in turn helps provide for more jobs, which in turn provides more money back to the banks in the form of accounts and more loans...its a circular cycle that with one missing peice is completely worthless. I really dont see how they dont get that simple fact. Instead to them it makes more sense that they give them billions since they made some bad investments. yet us at the bottom are getting laid off...losing money...unable to procure a new loan for our businesses and such. I know Obama hasnt been in office very long yet. But aside from him trying to puish the 900billion dollar "stimulus" package for big business bailouts...i havent seen any of these wonderful things that people kept saying would happen when he took office. Only thing Ive heard is that he has promised that unemployment WOULD reach at least 10pct nationwide. If you think about it, lets assume theres 50 million peopole in the US(not sure of exact number but thats a good round number) so now do the math. He has basically promised us that instead of trying to fix the problems or come up with a real stimulus program, we are going to have 500 thousand people uneployed soon. Unemployment in some areas has already started denying claims since they are all tapped out. So all these with families that are suddenly without a job, cant draw unemployment while they futilely look for a job. Watch out all....people that are normally honest citizens are going to be driven to commit crimes to feed their kids.

 

Anyways, I'll step off my soapbox, that was my 2cents. With that and another 1.50, you can go grab a mcdonalds iced coffee lol

[MustangBrother]

Wow!!! What a great read!!

[jjwvette]

As a small business owner I agree,my work day doesn't stop at 5:30 or on Friday afternoon.

I too won't see any stimulus money from the government or bail out to keep my business going.

I can't even collect unemployment,but I have to pay into it:confused:

So we can rant all we want....the fix is much bigger then dumping money to more banks and auto makers....we need jobs to get everyone back to work and I don't see the banks or auto industry doing that:(

With that said...I have to go and eat my PB&J

[Marylander]

Great read. I agree -- the stimulus needs to get to the people that are already working and spending money (or in our case, "spending" it on payroll). We're getting goods and services produced, and every sale and every job created is more tinder for the fire needed to re-ignite the economy.

 

Oh yea, and the other day someone asked me how many weeks vacation I get every year... it was funny, I hadn't even thought of time off in terms like that since I started my own business... I *never* really have time off.

 

Rich

Edited February 11, 2009 by MarylandTDI

[GXPaycheck]

This was written in Australia, where the taxes are much more than they are here in the USA.

 

Have faith! I'm sure we will catch up real soon.

 

Great letter. Too bad our fearless leaders don't get it.

[Loud Pedal]

I've read this story before, its a great read thats straight to the point. I work for the family business and am tired of the leaches of the country telling us what direction we should be going in.

[Granite State]

What a great letter!. I too am a small business that my father started 46 years ago and I have been with him for 39 of those years. Congress just does get it, they are not in the real world. They get their paycheck every 2 weeks no matter want the economy is doing. I understand a little know fact is when you serve just one term in the Senate or House of Rep. you can retire with that pay for the rest of your life. Lets cut their pay 10 or 20 % or put them on SS and see if the problems get the attenion they need instead of debating it for the next 6 months. Instead of the government giving out the money with no follow up maybe hiring a private accounting firm to handle this simulus package would get it done with accountability. Just my .02 worth.

[Old Guy Rules]

Well, finally, some one has told it like it is. We need to get this to the Presedent and the Govenor of Ca.

If they gave $200 million to the people then they would see how fast the economy would get rolling again. But no give to the people who make millions and have screwed up our total economy. That makes sense.

 

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. . . . . .

 

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 <o:p></o:p>

Edited February 17, 2009 by Adam

[Adam]

Welcome FINALLY my friend JOE!!!

[THNDRRR]

Amen Brutha !!

 

Great post Mr. Pitale !!

 

THIS baby is going to get circulated !!

 

Common sense is no longer "common" !!

[Superdutytd]

Being a small business owner has some downfalls. But I think it's still worth it in the end even if the democratic government (no offense to you democrats) seemingly is out to get us. Now don't let me start ranting about Obama giving the Unions work...

[IMADreamer]

It's the premise of this letter why I always try to support local and/or small businesses when I can.