A serious thread...

[Asmodeus]

Riddle me this:

My boss, whom I will leave unnamed, seems intent on ruining his business.

Let me put it this way. About 3 months ago we were sistered up with another, much larger company. We make the controler for their system and thus we were also a major distributer for them. IE: whenever we sold one of their systems(be it a plunger, or whatever) we got 25% of the top. And, if we sold a complete system, we got the 25% AND we sold the controller for it- we got 100% for the controller considering it is ours. We, just us and no one else, in 18 months sold 16 million dollars of their equipment. Anyone want to take a guess at what 25% of that is? Alot.

Now, my bossman has decided he doesn't want to be a part of the bigger company anymore- without having an alternative money source.

It may just be me, but this seems to be a death knell. With that much shortage in available funds, how can any of us really expect to get a raise anymore? Much less for the company to stay afloat.

It places me in a very awkward position. I started with this company so I would be transfered to Wyoming. If the boss keeps up this charade, there will not be ANY business for my company in Wyoming. None. Wyoming is 99% this other company. Even if we do give it a try, just the money from the controller and service does not pay for me being up there.

And, there is not enough work for me and my partner to do here in Colorado. That, and I really do not want to stay in Colorado. I detest this state. Nor will I go back to Tyler.

I am at a loss. I will stick around for a while longer, mainly to see how this all works out. But, I need to make a decision fairly quickly. If I sit on my hands too long, the boss for the other company will get someone else for Wyoming and I will be SOL.

But, if I quit and go with the other company, there presents another problem. My current boss, once finding out I have made the switch, would not sell me any controllers. He is spiteful like that. How do I know this? He has done it in the past and is doing it now. I would have to find another dealer for the controller instead of having it all sent to me directly. Creating a logistics problem.

Advice people?

[Pianomahnn]

Kick your boss in the nuts. Then steal his job and run things mo' betta'.

[Mudflap]

I don't know what kind of rapport you have with your boss, but I'd suggest you have a candid conversation with him and see if he'll address your concerns. I can't see where you have anything to lose by doing so.

If he makes you any offers/guarantees, be sure to get them in writing.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Asmodeus]

Problem with having a candid conversation with my boss:

1. he is an egomaniac
2. he is an egomaniac

He gets angry if I ask him a question that has anything to do with business and how he thinks he is running it.

That is fact not opinion. We had an argument today about it. He considers my questions to be insults to him. Well... they are, but I was very polite about it.

Basically this is the situation: we are now officially NOT involved with that other company anymore.

So, my ass is hanging out in the proverbial breeze. There is not enough work for 2 people in Colorado. There is no- technically legal- work in Wyoming. By technically legal I mean we still have some jobs to do but we are not supposed to do them because we are not involved with the other company anymore... even though we scheduled these jobs before we made the split. And if the boss finds out, we WILL get fired for it. But, we have no choice in the matter. We gave our words that the job would get done and have allready gotten paid for it.

My options:
1. stay with this company and expect to be transfered back to Tyler(not an option for me. I won't go back volentarily.)

2. call the boss of the other company and see if he wants to hire me for Wyoming- which he has said he has to hire someone for there within a month anyway.

3. contact a few of my contacts here and see if I can get hired as a contract pumper(basically the same job I have now but without the sales end of it. And it pays A HELL OF ALOT MORE)

4. quit everything and go back to skool for my masters. I have a contact that is looking for someone to do valve work in his shop- which I know how to do- he doesn't pay much but if I am going to skool it should be enough.

This is driving me crazier than I already am... scary thought that. Currently, the getting my masters option seems the best route to take.

I think god must hate me.... hehehe... I live that damned chinese curse.

[Mudflap]

Then I guess you're fucked for choosing to work for said egomaniac.

Hard to believe such a person has experienced any success in business.

[Asmodeus]

i agree> >>> bear with me>>> my keyboard has seemed to have gotten a cold>>> tis all fucked up>>> and the greater than signs is me actually trying to use periods>>> if i turn the caps lock on it looks like above>>> if i turn it off< it"s all caps>>> boogered if i know>>>

anyway< i agree muddy>>> he is a terrible businessman> but< he is a very good engineer>>> and yes there is a difference>

problem with me becoming a student here>>> i have no vehicle>>> dad sold my truck< and i am now driving a company truck>>> hmmm rob a bank? i dunno i think i will just give it till the weekend to make a decision>>> but i will be making some calls and dropping by the UNC for some catalogs>

[Koliedrus]

i agree> >>> bear with me>>> my keyboard has seemed to have gotten a cold>>> tis all fucked up>>> and the greater than signs is me actually trying to use periods>>> if i turn the caps lock on it looks like above>>> if i turn it off< it"s all caps>>> boogered if i know>>>


Sorry about this. I'm not trying to "derail", just "interject".

You may have spilled something on the lower-right quadrant of your keyboard. Get a replacement (http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=Computer+desktop+keyboard&scoring=p) rather than cleaning the one you have.

Back to the thread...

[Asmodeus]

I dunno. But, it's working now... oh well.

Continue with thread.

[zim]

Your boss has a good point, but he may be going about it wrong. It is usually a critical mistake to run a company in such a way that it is completely dependant upon another single company to make its money. Your boss sounds like he's trying to fix that problem, but instead of expanding your product line, he's destroying your strategic relationship with the other company while refraining from an expansion of your product line.

If my assessment is accurate, he should be advised that he ought to look to expand your product line without destroying the current relationship.

Before I said anything to anyone with any power, I'd make sure that you understand the situation correctly. Are you sure he's looking to kill the relationship, and not just expand the product line?

[Asmodeus]

Well, let me put it like this- he is trying to expand the product line. BUT, what he failed to research or find out till too late, was that someone else owned the patent he was trying to produce to become competitive with the other company. So, he made all these plungers and then---oops*smacks head* we don't own the patent for them so we can't do anything with them.

Now he has another NEW plunger coming out. But, it has a tendency to fall apart down the hole... not good.

So, yes, he is trying to expand the line. But, he is going about it the wrong way. And losing workers and clients along the way.

[zim]

so his business sense isn't the problem, it's his legal sense.

yay!