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 years 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 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 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 is 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. 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 fire you. I 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, Your boss
