I’ve been the only employee at a small professional carpet and upholstery cleaning company for 13 years. I worked alongside the boss the whole time, picking up his knowledge and expertise over his 35 year career. He uses what’s called a “truck mount”. A much more powerful machine than a portable carpet cleaning machine. It allows you to get jobs done faster and more efficiently.
After 3 years with him, he helped me start my own company with a portable machine. These machines are still needed because a truck mount machine only has enough hose to reach an apartment on the 4th floor. My machine will allow me to go anywhere.
For many years, this was fine. We weren’t really in competition. I work part of the day with him and part of the day on my own. As my company got busier, scheduling has become more challenging.
A year ago, he busted his knee and now is on a waiting list for a partial replacement. He’s an older guy, almost 60 but he’s set up his life nicely with investments and is currently putting in a bid on a nice condo in Mexico.
In order to protect his knee and keep the money coming in, he bought a portable machine like mine. He found a second employee and for the last few months I’ve been going out with the new employee by ourselves.
Now it’s my expertise of 10+ years with this style of equipment that’s keeping his business running. I’m doing more than twice the amount of work, including training people who don’t last longer than 1-2 months. I handle billing, customers and do most of the cleaning myself as carpet cleaning is not just an easy gig to pick up in a matter of just a few months. I will be dong interviews for him in a couple weeks while he goes camping and from the past 5 guys, they’ve all sucked.
In the past when he would receive a call for a job in a condo above the 4th floor, he would send them to me. That no longer happens. And the downtown office sky scrapers are now being managed by his company and not mine anymore.
I have not received any extra compensation for this extra work. Just my regular yearly raise of $1.
Carpet cleaning is hard physical work. And I’ve brought up the fact I’m doing far more work a few times with the boss. But he likes to respond with things like I need to work double time with my company. Using a portable machine already takes way longer. There is no time available to “double time”.
Once winter comes, this job is even more difficult. I’m not really not looking forward to doing this much work in the freezing cold for 5-6 months. Yes winter lasts that long where we live.
Look, after 13 years, I should have more money put aside but for years now I’ve made way more off my company than working for him and my quality of life suffers because I’m always on call for him. I have so many hobbies I’d like to get back to. I feel by leaving this job it will give me time to push my company as well.
Sometimes you just have to take that leap of faith, right?
TLDR: after my boss busted his knee, he is using my expertise on equipment he hasn’t ever used to keep his company running. I miss out on bookings for my company because of it. I work more than twice as hard and I have received zero in extra compensation. By leaving his company, it will be a pay cut but at least I can pay my bills, push my company and enjoy my hobbies once again. Am I crazy or is it finally time to trust myself?