# Manager needed?



## jw4th3n (Oct 14, 2008)

Hello all, I'm obviously new to the site and would greatly appreciate some insight on this subject I'm about to mention. First off do I really need a "manager" for any business that takes place? This person leeches 10% of all residuals and 20% of any work that is compensated for at a flat rate. This person guarantees to convince retailers to purchase the product but of course there is no proof of what the agreement between the manager and the retailer was. I'm pretty much in the dark. With that being said I may have answered my own question but still would like insight. I feel as if I'm being taken advantage of and being used for the benefit of the manager not my best interest.

Thanks for any responses in advance

-Jess


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## marcelolopez (Jul 16, 2007)

Yes you DO need a manager.
But that one could be yourself !!
As a small business owner I am the manager, the CEO, the secretary, the janitor, the accountant's assistant, the printer, the designer.. got the point  ?


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## Rico Menor (Mar 22, 2007)

marcelolopez said:


> Yes you DO need a manager.
> But that one could be yourself !!
> As a small business owner I am the manager, the CEO, the secretary, *the janitor*, the accountant's assistant, the printer, the designer.. got the point  ?


 ha ha ha I hate that job, because the printer (me) is a messy SOB

I agree with Marcel. You can do it all but the question is , do you have time and the dedication? 
Question though, when you say Manager, are you talking about a sales rep?


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## jw4th3n (Oct 14, 2008)

Rico Menor said:


> ha ha ha I hate that job, because the printer (me) is a messy SOB
> 
> I agree with Marcel. You can do it all but the question is , do you have time and the dedication?
> Question though, when you say Manager, are you talking about a sales rep?


Yeah, basically a sales rep. but this man seems all too crooked to me so I'm backing out, I think he viewed me as this gold mine and when it went to his head he began demanding and insulting my intelligence, i believe to break me down so he could better manipulate me. -.-

so now I'm back at square one =(


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## HelpRunMyShop (May 28, 2008)

Is it a screen Printing Business?


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## jw4th3n (Oct 14, 2008)

HelpRunMyShop said:


> Is it a screen Printing Business?


No, I'm just attempting to get a line started, I've been getting many comments, positive of course. I no longer need the advice as far as managing goes I already threw his *** out the window but any other suggestions that may enlighten feel free to inform =D


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## lindsayanng (Oct 3, 2008)

i think its a little nutty to start a business yourself and then put all of the businesses possible success on the shoulders of anyone but yourself! If your not a sales person and couldnt sell the retailers yourself, then you are probably in the wrong business.. If you can do it yourself, then get out there!!

one thing that i do think EVERYONE should hire, however, is a book keeper. You can get a freelance book keeper to come in once a week for a flat rate and keep your stuff all organized. The amount of money you pay that book keeper you will EASILY make back and THEN some in the amount of moeny you SAVE. I am a book keeper, and i can tell you, i have saved a BUNCH of people a ton of money.. I usually work with contractors and builders, but its no different.. all companies hemmorage money if its not being watched


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## T-BOT (Jul 24, 2006)

lindsayanng said:


> ......hire a book keeper.


good point.

in some countries, you are not allowed to operate a business without a book keeper. 




:


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## lindsayanng (Oct 3, 2008)

Wow.. THAT i did not know.. i should move there.. I would always have a joB!


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## T-BOT (Jul 24, 2006)

lindsayanng said:


> i should move there.. I would always have a joB!


 a job, sunny days and great wine. 

and the best part is you can fly to Paris France in a few hours for a meeting.  ...I'll be there Nov 6 to the 11.....sorry i have to rub that in ....I love it. - Back in Canada in Oville it has snowed already. 


Basically, the book keeper is responsible for the books. They come and pick up all the papers once per month and thats it. Anytime you have a question regarding anything like employment laws or whatever, they answer it over the phone or *Email*. Thats when google translate gadget comes in handy.  ...and their rates are very good.

As for the *Manager Needed* lead post. Not sure what you mean?

A manager to me is someone who manages a business day to day operation. Usually an owner does this work unless you are running multiple locations. Then, you have region managers and supervisor management type teams.

As for sales reps, if this is what the topic is about, be sure to get a sales volume or dollar amount guarantee from the rep over a certain time period contract and calcutate a percentage amount that both of you can work with...type thing. 


just some thoughts.




:


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## fdsales (Jul 1, 2007)

Another issue to consider is that the possibility exists that any employee can gain some inside info about a business they work for & use that info to go into business for themselves, or gaining favor with a competitor. A manager will generally have access to much more of that inside info, such as customer invoicing with pricing of jobs (they can make copies of invoices, or copy the backup file for your invoicing program on your computer), supplier contacts (they order the supplies you need to run your business), etc. Protect yourself with a non-compete contract (you will need an attorney for this type of agreement, as laws vary from state to state).


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## lindsayanng (Oct 3, 2008)

Wow.. i really feel that if you go into business not trusting any of your employees, you are going to have a hard time with a LOT of things.. I have dont the book keeping for MANY companies, and that means i knew ALL of their customers, i knew their bank account info, i knew how much money a company like that could gross, how it can make more money and how it can loose money.. That didnt mean that i would go ahead and start my own business..

There are REASONS you hire someone, its because you interview them and have a good feeling about them. I have never been at a job where i had to sign a non-compete clause, and i dont know of any busienss owners who have had one UNLESS it was with a PARTNER in the business. and THEN you have a non-compete clause


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## sjidohair (Apr 9, 2008)

YOu dont need a manager but yes a accountant would be helpful, unless you are awesome with accounting programs and the tax laws in your state.


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## fdsales (Jul 1, 2007)

lindsayanng said:


> Wow.. i really feel that if you go into business not trusting any of your employees, you are going to have a hard time with a LOT of things.. I have dont the book keeping for MANY companies, and that means i knew ALL of their customers, i knew their bank account info, i knew how much money a company like that could gross, how it can make more money and how it can loose money.. That didnt mean that i would go ahead and start my own business..
> 
> There are REASONS you hire someone, its because you interview them and have a good feeling about them. I have never been at a job where i had to sign a non-compete clause, and I don't know of any business owners who have had one UNLESS it was with a PARTNER in the business. and THEN you have a non-compete clause


Well then you are an honest person; but when you're a business owner, and it happens to you, then you think differently. I don't have any knowledge about other industries, as I've been in this industry for 23 years, but I have heard many stories where owners hire employees, those employees move up the ranks in their business, and then one day, that employee is gone, and is opening their own place, doing the same thing, and now calling on your customers, and under cutting your pricing because they know your pricing, and calling your suppliers attempting to get your discount pricing on shirts saying you have just opened another location with a different name.


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## lindsayanng (Oct 3, 2008)

i think thats a VERY VERY specific event that is really unlikely to happen in most businesses.. I feel that if you take really good care of your employees, then its unlikely they would leave.. We have a family business and almost had a similar situation, but instead of letting that person leave, we offered them more.. not nessecarily money wise, but in general..


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## Robin (Aug 28, 2006)

It happens alot more than you think! Its not all about how you treat your employees.....there are alot of people out there just for themselves and really dont care about you. 

An associate of mine just went thru this, she lost almost 1/2 of her customers due to a rogue employee. 

As for the OP, nope.......do it all yourself  We do.


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## fdsales (Jul 1, 2007)

Robin said:


> It happens alot more than you think! Its not all about how you treat your employees.....there are alot of people out there just for themselves and really dont care about you.
> 
> An associate of mine just went thru this, she lost almost 1/2 of her customers due to a rogue employee.
> 
> As for the OP, nope.......do it all yourself  We do.


Thanks for your confirmation. Ours was our salesman of 15 years; left us for dead after Hurricane Katrina. We found out later that this competitor was courting him way before the storm, and he used our "being down" as his exit strategy, and even went so far as to contact some of our promotional products suppliers, telling them that we were destroyed from the storm, in an effort to use our art files on file with them to produce reorders for our customers he had now moved over to his new "boss". He told most of our customers that our company was sold, and the name had been changed (to the company's name he was now working for). Yes, there are some real scum-bags out there. Without a non-compete contract, we were advised by our attorney that we had very little legal recourse.


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