My New Boss is an Idiot

[signgirlie]

Well you cant blame a guy for a little white lie. It is hard to find good sign people that know what they are doing and don't require micromanagement. It is so refreshing to just give a guy a work order and he/she "gets it done". I have run into some people like your boss, people who have been successful in other business and think they can buy/open a sign shop and "correct" all those dumb sign people (employees) who actually do know what they are doing. Besides, you have to question the sanity of someone who "wants" to be in this business.

Oh, and on the chubby guy on this forum: I think you hit way too close to home for him, sounds like he is a lot like your boss.

LOL....well I forgive you for your "white lie". I know..I question my sanity every day wondering why I got into this business and stay in it......has to be the high rate of pay and the low stress

And for chubby guy.....he don't bother me...i rather had fun giving him a hard time. Sometimes ya just have to be the pee in the cereal.

[peteyduncan]

I have dealt with signgirly(Mary Mixon) on other occasions in the business and she knows the business well.This guy is probably unfit for the sign business.You know the business unlike all others.There are ways to do things in the sign industry that just are unrelatable to other industries.The hand holding ,unforeseen difficulties , weird seasonal demand,vicious competition,and so on.I know for a fact that you were missed sorely when you left your last post Mary.Keep your chin up!

[signgirlie]

I have dealt with signgirly(Mary Mixon) on other occasions in the business and she knows the business well.This guy is probably unfit for the sign business.You know the business unlike all others.There are ways to do things in the sign industry that just are unrelatable to other industries.The hand holding ,unforeseen difficulties , weird seasonal demand,vicious competition,and so on.I know for a fact that you were missed sorely when you left your last post Mary.Keep your chin up!

Oh thank you! Such kind words, I am really speechless...and that is hard for me to be...lol. My chin is up and I am still smiling!

[Brian]

Well you cant blame a guy for a little white lie. It is hard to find good sign people that know what they are doing and don't require micromanagement. It is so refreshing to just give a guy a work order and he/she "gets it done". I have run into some people like your boss, people who have been successful in other business and think they can buy/open a sign shop and "correct" all those dumb sign people (employees) who actually do know what they are doing. Besides, you have to question the sanity of someone who "wants" to be in this business.

Oh, and on the chubby guy on this forum: I think you hit way too close to home for him, sounds like he is a lot like your boss.

What's your deal? You know nothing about me and you have put nothing about you or your business on here to back up you mouth. You have posted 12 times since you've been on here and you seem to be an expert on everything, like your the president of YESCO.

[redarmymember]

What's your deal? You know nothing about me and you have put nothing about you or your business on here to back up you mouth. You have posted 12 times since you've been on here and you seem to be an expert on everything, like your the president of YESCO.

Chill out Brian, no offense intended. I do not claim to be an expert on everything, but I know as much about the sign industry as you probably do the printing industry. I just found it ironic (the attitude you were giving signgirlie) was her comments maybe hitting a little too close to home, hmmm?

And "yes" I am the president of YESCO, thanks

[servant74]

I have worked for good bosses, bad bosses, micromanager bosses, power hungry bosses. Customers run the same gambit as bosses do.

Working for folks that don't respect you and believe you bring worth to their organization can really make life miserable.

All that said, we are all 'independent contractors', whether we draw a paycheck or not. We sell our services and talents to someone else

for what we need. Even if it is a lumberjack cutting down trees, farmers in the fields, geeks doing their thing, etc, etc. One boss didn't like

it when I told him I hired him (the company we both worked for) so I could outsource things I didn't like doing (sales, marketing, facilities management,

dealing with retail customers). in return for a consistent supply of usually interesting projects, and a compensation package ($$, benefits, vacation, etc)

that we both deem fair. If a company cannot make money from your efforts, you need to be out the door for their sake. If you don't feel the same about

them, you need to 'lay them off' too!

Our choice is in determining: is the income worth what we get out of the situation, where pay is part of it. If it is, we stay, if not we go.

I have helped 'fire customers' before. You know the ones that consume 20 hours of effort, pay for little or none of it, never refer other customers, and pass the word you are less than top notch. Getting rid of 1 or 2 of those can help the bottom line. The same for suppliers that make life hard and sell basically commodity goods or services. If they take to much time or 'karma' to deal with them, they need to be fired. (Read the book "Nuts!" about management, customers and employees in the startup of Soutwest Airlines.)

I have fired bosses before. I have fired suppliers and customers. None of it is easy, but if they take more than you receive, you must

for 'personal survival', and if you know your business, you will be rewarded for it.

All that said, I think you are smart to find a new 'source of nickles' before cutting this one off.

Remember, you are in charge of your situation, your attitude, and your response to others. Make the best of them for your sake and others!

Once you can, you need to fire this boss, and either start 'consulting', or your own shop, or something to keep you happy at what you do. Life is to short.

I hope this helps a little.

[signgirlie]

Remember, you are in charge of your situation, your attitude, and your response to others. Make the best of them for your sake and others!

Once you can, you need to fire this boss, and either start 'consulting', or your own shop, or something to keep you happy at what you do. Life is to short.

I hope this helps a little.

[/quote ]

THANK YOU

[signgirlie]

Thank you all for the kind words, the sparring , and everything else. I needed to vent and some took it a little more serious than I intended. If I offended anyone, that was not my intention and please accept my sincere apologies for that. You all have made me feel much better about the situation I am in. However, I thought I would share good news.

My boss came to me today and asked if I would take over a few more responsibilites with the product, since I was nice and warned him a sign would be coming back. Told him if it would have been my product, I would not have sent it out the door. Yesterday, the customer called him to site and informed him he wasn't happy with it. And we are going to have to re-do it. I tried to tell him.

You all have been wonderful...even chubby....I like having someone to chop on every now and then. Wouldn't be the sign business if I didn't.

Thank you all again..and if I ever get to meet you in person...THE DRINKS ARE ON ME!

[Erik Sine]

I'll drink to that

Pint of Ballast Point Yellow Tail or NewCastle!

[signgirlie]

I'll drink to that

Pint of Ballast Point Yellow Tail or NewCastle!

Well I will get ye that......but can i have Jack & Coke....will that be a problem for anyone?

[redarmymember]

Well I will get ye that......but can i have Jack & Coke....will that be a problem for anyone?

No problem here... make mine a Crown and 7... oh and ... WAR EAGLE!

[signgirlie]

No problem here... make mine a Crown and 7... oh and ... WAR EAGLE!

War What?

[peteyduncan]

Ice cold guiness stout for me. You have a ear anytime you need to vent.

[Brian]

Thank you all for the kind words, the sparring , and everything else. I needed to vent and some took it a little more serious than I intended. If I offended anyone, that was not my intention and please accept my sincere apologies for that. You all have made me feel much better about the situation I am in. However, I thought I would share good news.

My boss came to me today and asked if I would take over a few more responsibilites with the product, since I was nice and warned him a sign would be coming back. Told him if it would have been my product, I would not have sent it out the door. Yesterday, the customer called him to site and informed him he wasn't happy with it. And we are going to have to re-do it. I tried to tell him.

You all have been wonderful...even chubby....I like having someone to chop on every now and then. Wouldn't be the sign business if I didn't.

Thank you all again..and if I ever get to meet you in person...THE DRINKS ARE ON ME!

I love people who can take it as well as dish it out!!!!!!!!!!!!! One sided arguments suck

Just a plain ol' Bud Light for me

[signgirlie]

Ice cold guiness stout for me. You have a ear anytime you need to vent.

You are too sweet. How have you been doing?

[signgirlie]

I love people who can take it as well as dish it out!!!!!!!!!!!!! One sided arguments suck

Just a plain ol' Bud Light for me

so Brian...I am hoping that means that you still love me

[Brian]

so Brian...I am hoping that means that you still love me

I never strayed even once!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[signestimators.com]

Tell your boss that there are many ways to contact new business

brochures at every new shopping center

contact new businees opening (if they just got an assumed dba name, is public info and is published)

word of mouth

repeat business

contact desicion makers:

Shopping center landlords and management companies

Developers

As for calling around for prices, tell him that that is a big mistake, you can not base your pricing on market value for the following reasons:

Their prices can be wrong, too high or too low

Would not be based in your actual overhead

Prices are custom pieces and should be priced based on all involved factors.

anyway we all had a couple of crappy bosses, you just have to train them or leave them.

Steve

http://www.signestimators.com/

[signtst]

I was in the same situation. Had a sales associate that ended up "running" the company if you can call it that. The only thing I could do was let her run it her way until she ran it into the ground. At least I still had a job until she screwed it up for everyone. A good business owner would take help or at least try suggestions to make it work instead of letting everything fail. But that is just my opinion.

So now I'm stuck without a job and probably looking at opening up my own shop or franchise. Anyone who started a Fastsigns franchise that has some direction or pointers? I'm just starting to dig in and tae a serious look at a number of franchises.