Careful what you ask for

[WhyNot]

I always seem to find myself here on this forum when things are odd, inspired or dramatic these days.

Very much like Wyld, she knows, my life also has been a wild string of adventure and love and loss without a "career" even though I have one some how...through another grand set of adventure. Her thread where she says she put at wish in the tree at Tara and to be careful about wishes to fairies prompted me to share my current situation where I have been the fairy granting wishes. And this fairy is [content deleted].

Some of you know that I sold everything and went into a situation I lost control of, then found myself in charge of a company about 11 months later. I've been asked to do a lot of things by this man that owns the company, each challenge harder than the next, set up for failure each time. Rising to the challenge. But I am about done struggling...because finally I am getting tired.

My first challenge was to take a company the man does not care about (and employees and clients he doesn't care about) and make it a success after its reputation was ruined. He didn't expect the company to make it four weeks when he did this. 8 weeks later we had wrangled a plan for the mountain of debt, found where several people had embezzeled money, figured out the how and the way. Everyone kept their jobs. So I asked him for a marketing budget so we could go from break even to possibly a profit or at least not as much of a struggle. He said we could have a marketing budget if I (as technical queen) could figure out how to get a data center built on an indian reservation in north dakota over the Missouri river. Some people may not understand how huge of a task this is...but trust me the Missouri number one is huge and you don't run lines under or over a river without dumptrucks full of money. In January I had wrangled a meeting with several VP's of several very large companies and a representative of a tribe and the owner watched in amazement as I had every man there working on putting together a plan to make this happen and it very well could. Literally a starting point of 50 million dollars and a deal for my company (his company) to make residual income off of the communications and electrical use of the facility once it is up and running, if it happens. Which, literally could be an income of 10,000 per month at least for the company for the next 20 years for "nothing more" than getting a bunch of men together and lighting a fire under their behinds. Money is sexy.....apparently.

So as promised I delivered. And as not promised I still had no marketing budget. He says to me, after his obvious shock dissipated that I had gotten this done since for the last three years he has tried to get this to happen with the last three technical directors he's worked with that couldn't get it together. Do I get a reward of any kind...a bonus, a pat on the back, money for the company so we can increase revenue and make darn sure we can all stay employed? No. He said to me, "now, I want to develop software." I asked him how he expected to do that without a cash injection. He walked away.

So. This is where I started getting angry. It is fun at first with radical challenges but without some sort of reward it gets pretty tedious. Well in order to do anything from this point on we needed money. So six weeks after this data center issue, I found a man with 30 years experience in the IT field that has a lot of passion, has the resources to make software development happen, already has the production lined up and a team that would compliment ours. A man that is excited and knows the business worldwide. He also has 1.3 million dollars he wants to invest. He also "feel in love" with me and my team. So. After two meetings and a couple of stiff drinks on my part, we set up a proposal for him to either purchase my company or to go in true 50 - 50 partnership with the current owner. Which means he has to kick in just as much as this new guy...we would get new offices and three new divisions and purchase an interest in a manufacturing facility in Russia. Yeah. Surprised me as well.

They are in "talks" right now. However yesterday I got an impromptu visit from our current owner who takes me aside and proceeds to ask me what the heck I think I am doing. Well...I am doing what you asked. You want all this stuff and somehow think you are going to get it without investing money in this company. I found someone who has the money. If you would have told us how much money you would invest in your "vision" and actually show me the green, we would be in a different situation. But we aren't. I had told you last October to be careful what you ask of me because you are likely to get it. Now you have it. Ball is in your court and I'm tired. As an owner you are supposed to take advantage of your employees talents but you are not supposed to take advantage of your employees.

I have done a LOT of work to become known in the IT community here. I have literally busted my face out dancing with the wives of potential investors and hooking them up with their weird entertainment and etc. I am about tapped out and very angry. If this man does not take this deal on Friday....he's probably going to lose his company because we are all tired of being unappreciated and he has no idea how much power us girls have right now. None.

No idea. Tonight I stand up in front of 50 or so company heads, department leads, corporate recruiters and security professionals to talk about my vision of something. That something was going to include the company I work for. As a matter of fact, it was to be the launch to rolling out this partnership that he's dragging his feet on and all the grand technical visions I/we have for the future. Now...he's messed that up and I almost cancelled it and have been angry for two weeks about him undermining my integrity and not caring about our employees or clients. I was very mad about my professional and personal integrity because that's me. It's one thing to mess up your own company but to mess me up after working so hard to get in with the boys down here and make my presence known and respected in a place that is generally biased towards women in a male dominated field just really chaps my tuckas.

But. Last night I recieved a call back from a former head of a government security agency confirming his presence at this event I am creating for the IT community and the community at large...and I'll be [content deleted] if I'm not going through with it. With or without him or this company. Likely without.

Shoot. I turned down a trip to Peru next month to be able to see this company through this change and bring them into their bright new future as a successful, well organized, well branded business, one where there would be nothing stopping it/us to huge success (and thereby granting me the ability to phase myself out and go hide in the woods...YaY!). But here I am. Once again let down. And a great team of young men looking at me with their huge brown puppy eyes who believe in me, stuck things out with me, took pay cuts for me...to go with me into this vision for the company, for them.....and here we are and they have no idea....and I am just livid. Livid.

The technical fairy is about to go commando.

[swamp man]

That stinks. Unfortunately, it's a risk you run when you opt to be a leader and outstanding employee. I've been through it several times.

Two common problem's:

1)- Owner's wife gets real dang fond of all the money I'm making them, and decides to get involved in the company, declaring herself the CPA (even though she ain't one), want's to be a decision maker (even though she knows zilch about landscaping, irrigation, or managing employees), and sees every dollar that goes back into the company as a dollar that ain't in her pocket book. Obviously, the same could happen with a woman business owner and an idiot husband, but it hasn't happened to me.....yet.

2)- The more you give, the more they take. They become so "hands off" with their own business that they have no idea what's going on with the company and forget all the challenges a manager faces and all the hitches that arise. When the company has sixteen machines in full time operation, and they roll on all 64 tires, something IS gonna' have a flat or an issue every day. Why were we an hour late to the jobsite? Because the serpentine belt (which I told you needed to be replaced three months ago) finally gave up the ghost on a road so rural that it ain't even on a map. Oh, and you just paid the five Mexicans $120 to stand and watch me fix it.

I sure hope things turn around for ya'. That's the kind of garbage that makes qualified people take a "lunch box job" rather than take a position of responsibility.

[Darren]

Nothing succeeds like success. If you walk away now, you have succeeded beyond what was expected. At this point go for the kill. Go for a buyout with you getting something out of the deal and leave the current owner behind in the dust. He doesn't deserve you. He's been playing you, or so he thinks. It's your game. Don't play by his rules.

Skull him and get yours. Hmmm, commando.

[doingitmyself]

I have had similar experiences on smaller levels. I was part of the research and development team that created the plastic 'zipper" that you see on cereal, chips, cough drops, and fish in tackle bags, ect... we were offered stock when we could make it past the experimental point and prove production could in fact happen. After building the prototype production machine from literally an erector set of industrial motors, extruders, and miles of heavy extension cords. We did it!!

After the whole thing finally congealed the team was ushered into a meeting room and told that the company was just sold and that we each would now have to negotiate salary and even a job placement with the new company!!! The company was Dow Chemical, enough said. I stayed just long enough to see our hard work make it to the market shelves and found new employment. Dow did give me a glowing work reference/history/recommendation .... whatever.

3 years later the company deemed the project too expensive to make $$$ at and sold it back to the original company ITW at a much reduced price. Guess who they called to help put the "team" back together? No thank you. You bent me over once and i have no doubt you would do it again.

Go commando go!!!!

[Laura]

My perky positive perspective says you worked dang hard building a successful team who will follow you anywhere, even through the gates of hell. You have the opportunity to showcase yourself and your entire team to other investors.

Put on the smile and dancing shoes, go commando!

[doingitmyself]

Its the newest dance craze, "Commando Jammando". LOLOL

[Bret]

It takes a while to load the boat and see the voyage. Only a little tiny effort to bring in the line and push off. You will know some colors, passing.

[wyld thang]

My head is swimming trying to follow, but....YOU ARE THE PIRATE QUEEN! Keelhaul the captain and head for Barbados yourself! I'm sure you got a fine crew and sounds like your benefactor has faith in you. Throw the dead weight overboard and sail those siren winds!

No law against doing your own biz. Local drama politics of stepping on toes? Provide income and opportunity for the locals and they'll come around ha!

[wyld thang]

And dont' forget to smile as you slap the deadbeat upside the head with your cutlass!

[elkhound]

i dont understand all you said...but go rogue and work for somebody else with your ideas and abilities.

[WhyNot]

Sometimes getting angry pays off.....that and some voodoo.

Funny. Anyway, went to my conference and instead of promoting the business I focused on myself and my crew. Huge response to my ideas and an event I want to put together for the IT community and local surrounding community at large. I have an enormous project in my hands now and gained a lot of respect from a lot of people. That felt really good and almost as good...probably better than any acknowledgement from the man that should but no longer matters.

Doesn't matter what happens now....I have a horde of nerds behind me muahahahaaaa! (It's always funny to mess with the nerds until you realize we all know how to read your email and capture your wifi traffic and there is only the "thin line" of morals that keep us from the dark side).

He was hanging out at the office today...something he has never done. I think I offended him....at one point he asked me something and I said, "I don't know if Texans say this but up north we do....and it is an appropriate time to say it......there comes a time in everything where you either [----] or get off the pot." In any case he left shortly after that and then I got the announcement.

Saturday I am introducing the new owner of our business. And if he doesn't go for my ideas, I now have a responsibility to what I put in motion Wednesday night....and from that...if my "new" company doesn't back me.....I'll forge ahead on my own as Queen of the Machines. (seriously)

Thanks all for your words of support...needed those that day...even if some or most of you don't understand what I am talking about. I don't expect anyone to ever really know what I'm talking about....sometimes I don't either LOL

[Darren]

Thanks for the update! I HTH, you got a better deal. Respect and accolades are great. Unless it puts money in your bank account, it's BS. Of course that's none of my business. Still I'm hoping you got the deal including the money you wanted.

[whiterock]

Yep, Texans do say that. You done good.

[WhyNot]

So. Last Friday agreement papers were signed to sell the place...and Monday the Business Manager and I were laid off and told that he (the current owner) is going to "wind it down" and sell it off in pieces.

But he told the prospective buyer that he was simply cutting overhead and stepping in through the sale......

He told the rest of the crew neither of these things but did tell them to update their resume's for him and that he would be offering them positions "as they are needed" as CONTRACTORS.

Wut?

Clients are already bailing. The entire crew is freaking out. We are having a meeting with all of them and the investors tonight, per their request.

I changed my resume/profile on my linkedin....then did a status update of "currently accepting contract and consulting work".......started getting offers to interview and people wanting to know if I'm going to start my own business again within a couple of hours...that makes you feel good.

I'm also moving between now and Friday to a house....hah. And giggling everyday.

Now, the investors don't have a reason to purchase the book of business...they already have the only assets worth anything interested in what they are doing (the crew) and the clients will figure out where to find us, because they were ours. Besides that, even if he were to go through with the sale (and no one now trusts this man at all)...by the time it went through there would be no business. All the crew has been calling us telling us they want to wait to get paid on Friday and bail.

The buildings we looked at yesterday are appropriate, but they need renovation. We are meeting (me, bus. mgr. + investors) with a single guy who started a small IT business when in his mid 20's to help pay for college...which grew so much he couldn't finish college, so he is selling so he can live off of that while attending college. He already has a building and solid book of business and it's not far from where we were.

We are all chomping at the bit to get started....don't know what yet...but something.

All the people I spoke to that fateful Wednesday night....we are having a brainstorm meeting on Sunday at the founder of a non-profit's home to go over fundraising and some other things. This I will be doing as myself, a professional in the industry, instead of tying it into a company.

And....I will be meeting with one of the Dallas/Fort Worth emergency response teams as a possible team member for the cyber security emergency team for small business. hmmmm.....

....Some direct quotes:

My former employer:
"Yes, WhyNot is a very capable and intelligent woman, I don't know what she does, I know she doesn't spend much time billing clients, she's just overhead."

One of my former technicians:
"I know I'm young and don't know anything about business but he's stupid. Doesn't he realize you pull the strings? You GET us work? What is he doing? Where are you going? Do you need me? I won't work here anymore."

Ahhhhh...... life.......

I could have my own business up and running by Monday without an issue....I haven't decided what I am doing myself yet lol. But it is WONDERFUL to have options this time.

[ceresone]

Like the others, I don't know all you said--but it sounds wonderful for you--Congratulations!
I'm trying to imagine what you look like (I read a lot-LOL) A stern business suited woman with your hair pulled into a tight bun----a blue-jean western shirt boot style with long wavy hair and a stern look--or a renegade gypsy?
Whatever, or how ever, you will succeed at whatever you try, you're too nice not to...

[frogmammy]

Whynot, check your ancestry, you MUST have "Cat" back there somewhere! Very few people land on their feet as well!

Mon

[brewswain]

Originally Posted by WhyNot

So. Last Friday agreement papers were signed to sell the place...and Monday the Business Manager and I were laid off and told that he (the current owner) is going to "wind it down" and sell it off in pieces.

But he told the prospective buyer that he was simply cutting overhead and stepping in through the sale......

He told the rest of the crew neither of these things but did tell them to update their resume's for him and that he would be offering them positions "as they are needed" as CONTRACTORS.

Wut?

Clients are already bailing. The entire crew is freaking out. We are having a meeting with all of them and the investors tonight, per their request.

I changed my resume/profile on my linkedin....then did a status update of "currently accepting contract and consulting work".......started getting offers to interview and people wanting to know if I'm going to start my own business again within a couple of hours...that makes you feel good.

I'm also moving between now and Friday to a house....hah. And giggling everyday.

Now, the investors don't have a reason to purchase the book of business...they already have the only assets worth anything interested in what they are doing (the crew) and the clients will figure out where to find us, because they were ours. Besides that, even if he were to go through with the sale (and no one now trusts this man at all)...by the time it went through there would be no business. All the crew has been calling us telling us they want to wait to get paid on Friday and bail.

The buildings we looked at yesterday are appropriate, but they need renovation. We are meeting (me, bus. mgr. + investors) with a single guy who started a small IT business when in his mid 20's to help pay for college...which grew so much he couldn't finish college, so he is selling so he can live off of that while attending college. He already has a building and solid book of business and it's not far from where we were.

We are all chomping at the bit to get started....don't know what yet...but something.

All the people I spoke to that fateful Wednesday night....we are having a brainstorm meeting on Sunday at the founder of a non-profit's home to go over fundraising and some other things. This I will be doing as myself, a professional in the industry, instead of tying it into a company.

And....I will be meeting with one of the Dallas/Fort Worth emergency response teams as a possible team member for the cyber security emergency team for small business. hmmmm.....

....Some direct quotes:

My former employer:
"Yes, WhyNot is a very capable and intelligent woman, I don't know what she does, I know she doesn't spend much time billing clients, she's just overhead."

One of my former technicians:
"I know I'm young and don't know anything about business but he's stupid. Doesn't he realize you pull the strings? You GET us work? What is he doing? Where are you going? Do you need me? I won't work here anymore."

Ahhhhh...... life.......

I could have my own business up and running by Monday without an issue....I haven't decided what I am doing myself yet lol. But it is WONDERFUL to have options this time.

I like this post. Good for you!

[WhyNot]

Originally Posted by ceresone

I'm trying to imagine what you look like (I read a lot-LOL) A stern business suited woman with your hair pulled into a tight bun----a blue-jean western shirt boot style with long wavy hair and a stern look--or a renegade gypsy?

LOL what a funny thing to say. HAHA. The answer is YES! All of those, depending on when you catch me. A lot of my friends have independently nicknamed me Smiley.... because even when being insulted, laid off, whatever.....I always end up smiling. Life amuses me most of the time. Not always but most of the time.


I literally burst out with a laugh when this man said, "I'm going to have to lay the both of you off"....he was never sure how to take me. But I guess if he really doesn't care or want the business, he made sure of that. Such a shame.

FrogMammy-
Most likely I've had far too much practice turning the worst into the best. Literally and figuratively.....let's just do this thing one more time...hopefully the last time.

[whiterock]

whoooo sic em

[WhyNot]

Originally Posted by whiterock

whoooo sic em

What do they say? Killem with kindness? Heck hath no fury but for the woman scorned? hmmm?

I was told by this man once he didn't know what to do with women in business because he was raised that we were the "fairer" sex and business is sometimes ruthless.

Yes sir. That it is.

So. I've been taking on all the clients simply by answering the phone. Answering such questions as, "Is this man crazy? You do EVERYTHING for us!!!!"

Being polite and non-insulting even. Letting them draw their own conclusions. They did.

The business manager, also was laid off for the same reason. Apparently we are useless.

So we are being useless together. After I am done moving today, we are going to have a relaxing evening with home made margaritas and design our new logo, website, support packages, rates, etc. Also get all the paperwork together to register our new business and get everything legal, licensed and registered next week.

Once our contractors package is designed (also this weekend), all the contractors from there want to contract with us. That's the rest of the work force except for the accountant and we really don't want her in our camp.

A colleague and turning into friend who is a big time IT guy making the big money (seriously) said to me, "My god woman, he's not going to have a business! What makes your team so loyal to you especially since they are contractors and can literally go work anywhere?"

I'm honest, I teach, I learn. They respect me and know I know what I'm doing. Compared to the owner I'm mother Theresa.

So yeah....swashbuckler....we're pirating it all. Some of this actually surprised me. I knew my guys were loyal but I didn't realize the scope of it...I realized my clients appreciated me and my work but didn't realize the scope of it...I HOPED....but...wow.

I would never have done anything like this if I believed this man really thought he was doing what was best. If he hadn't lied to everyone for months and is continuing to lie. He's lying to my team right now saying how he's going to propel the company by marketing and he's lying to the investor we found telling him he's going to sell the book of business to him. He also lied as to why the management is no longer there.

So one of his buddies...or probably about to be former buddies is high up in business...oil and gas.....one of his clients doing what he does is also one of the company's clients doing what they do.

Funny part of this is, this man, when he found out there was going to be a woman tech. manager in charge of everything he had a little fit. I've got a vagina so that means I don't really know what I'm doing. My first interaction with this man months ago was him calling me on speaker phone in front of the president and vice president of this oil and gas company SCREAMING at me. Then he didn't like my answers nor did he care for it that I didn't kiss his hinney...just laid the straight facts out which he didn't like.

LOL Yesterday that man called me freaking out. FREAKING OUT! Direct quote, "What the [censored] does he think he's doing? You're the only one in five years that could keep up with everything, we need you!"



He's taking me to lunch on Tuesday, I know how to get him out of the contract LOL. Also has some companies to introduce me to and wants to talk about what is going on.


Yes sir....us mild mannered fairest of the sexes can be ruthless as well when we need to be. And without drama as well. The men right now are making all the drama...I find it hilarious.

Gonna take a long time to knock me off of this high.

There is a trick down here in IT land in Dallas....something that never was in place in IT land in the Twin Cities...not that I experienced anyway. They are a bit prejudiced down here....in that...no matter how good or big your company is, no matter who you are or how wealthy or poor you are.......the people WORTH doing business with, do business with people they LIKE. Doesn't matter about the quality of your company, if they don't LIKE you....you will go no where.

They don't know it but everyone down here says it....from job interviews to business deals. "Come on over and if we like each other we will see what we can do." That is how they phrase it.

I caught that.

All the vendors and partnerships I was working on for this company have all started to call me back this week at the company and finding out neither I nor the business manager are there. The owner is scrambling....he didn't know we had all this coming...of course not...he never listened to us. You don't give us a budget, we find one....and were well on our way.

Anyway the owner is trying to salvage these meetings I had in place to partner with some pretty influential IT companies here. And they won't have any of it. They don't want to talk to him....they don't KNOW him...they don't LIKE him.

HeH.

When your owner won't give you a budget you go to the IT underground...there is an "underground" subculture for every field of industry (trust me) just as there is an "underground" for every small town or village...usually more than one.

People talking to people is the best advertising. It's not on a billboard, it's not suddenly a household name...but it will be. It's slow in starting but gains ground quickly and when it explodes....be ready.

Underground is locked and loaded....especially now since we have been rebuffed by "the man".

MUAHAHAHAAAA!

See these are the real exciting times it would be great to have someone to share with as a significant other....to ride the wave with me.

Dang it.