Dear Steve,
I bounce back and forth. At 48 I’m not getting any younger and the aches and pains are increasing. And it would be nice to take time off and know the business was still producing money. So I am leaning toward finally hiring employees.
But on the other hand I dread the problems and issues hiring people seems to always bring. What would you do?
Undecided in Iowa
Dear “Undecided”,
You have just hit on maybe the biggest question that comes up at every SFS seminar. Employees- yes or no? At different times in my career I was a very successful solo Lone Wolf and then later I finished up with afairly large company. (16 full time employees.) I loved my people … and at times I hated them! How does “A tale of Two Cities” open? “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” or something like that? Just recognize that employees will ALWAYS be your biggest problem.
As I freely admit, the number one reason ten years ago I woke up and said, “I’m outta here” was my employees. (And I had good employees.) Nothing can bring more joy than working toward a common goal with quality people … or more grief.
Note: I think what I disliked the most about the “employee challenge”, Undecided, was always waiting for “the other shoe to drop”. Just when I finally got everything running smoothly … BOOM! I got sandbagged with another totally unforeseen employee problem. That’s tough for a “control freak” like me!
On the other hand, remember that without employees chances are all you will ever own is a very good “job”. In our industry it’s tough to build a “real business” without adding employees. As one of my best friends and an extremely talented owner of a janitorial service with over 200 employees once told me, “Steve, all I sell is people.”
Steve
PS to Undecided: I’m behind on a lot of deadlines right now. So let me reflect on this question and post a “Part II” real soon. Meanwhile, just go to our Special Reports section and download this SFS Special Report, Avoiding the Road in-Between. Food for thought!
