How to quit my job

Riddle said:
Yea I know that his success isn’t all due to me. I’m not so important as to bring down a company by leaving. But I also know it’s going to hurt him when I leave. He’s even made comments to me that I’m the glue that holds things together.
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I have left and returned to two companies because I didn't burn bridges and was respected. I even suspect either one would hire me again. Having said that going back is rarely the same with the same level of commitment on either end, its just different. However both times kept me from staying in a very bad fit or going in the poor house. Both times they respected me for leaving again even for the same reason as the first. We have not lost any respect, just that the solid connection of a permanent content employee.....ie I'll pay you what you can be hired for and no real expectation of a raise, promotion, or longevity. A small business owner will quickly shift a perspective when someone moves on or is allowed too(blessings or not). If an employer is truly dependent expect a counter offer. If you differ this counter offer as I did expect the notion you'll never be seen as a content employee now or in the future.
Oddly enough I was a foreman at a facility that made molds and delivery rigs for the tanks you pump!

Don't be fooled if you leave with a blessing and well wishes.......a direct competitor is still just that....business is business. So remember how he currently feels and treats his current market competition and be sure to add your name to the list.
 
WARRIORWELDING said:
I have left and returned to two companies because I didn't burn bridges and was respected. I even suspect either one would hire me again. Having said that going back is rarely the same with the same level of commitment on either end, its just different. However both times kept me from staying in a very bad fit or going in the poor house. Both times they respected me for leaving again even for the same reason as the first. We have not lost any respect, just that the solid connection of a permanent content employee.....ie I'll pay you what you can be hired for and no real expectation of a raise, promotion, or longevity. A small business owner will quickly shift a perspective when someone moves on or is allowed too(blessings or not). If an employer is truly dependent expect a counter offer. If you differ this counter offer as I did expect the notion you'll never be seen as a content employee now or in the future.
Oddly enough I was a foreman at a facility that made molds and delivery rigs for the tanks you pump!

Don't be fooled if you leave with a blessing and well wishes.......a direct competitor is still just that....business is business. So remember how he currently feels and treats his current market competition and be sure to add your name to the list.
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Plastic tanks or concrete?
 
Couple of things I'd want to ask myself:

-What is his long-term plan? What/when is his buyout point? Surely everyone has a point they want to stop pumping septic tanks. Could you purposely build a better company with and essentially for him now, with the agreement that you buy out at some point? Or what about becoming partners? You could have a staged buy-in arrangement or something. If you had a greater decision making/idea generation input, could you see yourself staying in place? At a greater pay/equity point of course.

-You say you can't go higher, but do you need to? I understand the want, but keeping everything else in mind, why branch out now? If his operation was $1m 10 years ago, what is your resource pool like that will help you get going?

-What is he going to do when you leave? Couldn't he hire someone, at a higher package than you have been at, with equal or greater contributions, but is happy working for the man? If he does that, are you still prepared to compete?

-Ask yourself why he isn't the boss that he used to be. He may have changed because of his trust in you. Maybe he thinks you need less bossing or sees that you perform on your own. Or maybe he's been pretty comfortable in life and doesn't feel like taking on more.
 
I've quit my fair share. Never been fired in my life, and often returned to the same company several times with no communication besides a phone call.
My last situation was very similar. I worked for a family friend, Jerry, (his father has been my next door neighbor since '55), and off and on for 11 years, I was one of his lead guy. He sold the jobs and handled paperwork while I was the brains and production. A few months ago it was down to him and I. His own cousin had to wash his hands of his business ties because of Jerry's greed. I found out the hard way why. Jerry would take whatever money I made him doing commercial HVAC and go buy another house with it and finance a few cars a year. Never sunk a dime into the business besides keeping me paid and happy. Of course, when he didn't buy materials needed to do a job and I had to stay out of work, he figured out very quickly just how in-demand my skill sets really were in many other professions. He didn't change his ways, so I changed mine. It was a mutual split up, and he eventually went back to work with a large company as a manager of chiller systems and I got picked up by a welding and fabrication company within the same week. Loyalty can and will bite you in the ass.
 
Would a counter offer be something you would consider? Think about if you tell bossman you are leaving and he says "well what would make you stay, money, flexibility, profit share. etc.?"
 
Last job I left, I had been at 7 1/2 years. A rather shitty run company, but I put up with it. We Had a pay raise schedule, which tanked with the recession of 08. I made it through between temporary un-employment & some Short work weeks. Four years & No raise, recession over & company in recovery, I met with my Boss to discuss a raise. He promised to do what he could. During the lay-offs, & afterwards, I also ended up doing work I Wasn't hired for & Didn't like! One year later, & No raise, I got Lucky & found my present employer. When I put my 2 week notice in, my former boss asked, "what will it take for you to stay"? I Felt like saying, It's Too F---ing Late now! I simply told him I'd accepted the new job. Left on good terms.
 
Riddle said:
Plastic tanks or concrete?
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Concrete. Catch Basins, Headwall Forms, Septic Tanks, Distribution Boxes, Bridge Load Tanks, Burial Vaults and delivery rigs, and various small stuff for when a truck or batch plant has over run. A frame Boom Trucks. We never built any pump trucks however.
 
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rockcity said:
Septic install?


Been looking at getting my license. Just not enough hours in the day to commit to the class at NCSU. :(
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Yea install, repair, and point of sale inspections. I went to the class at NCSU, Jonathon is a good teacher.....he knows his shit:shaking:
 
BigClay said:
Would a counter offer be something you would consider? Think about if you tell bossman you are leaving and he says "well what would make you stay, money, flexibility, profit share. etc.?"
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Honestly no. I’ve been doing this for 15+ years. I know how much $$ is in it. I’ve been talking about doing this for a few years now. It’s time to shit or get off the pot
 
Built stuff for him and many more. Company I worked for help establish many businesses in the 70's and 80's.....ran strong til the late 90' s. Come around 2000 I saw the a writing on the wall and the decline in the business. Coupled with a young man's boredom I left. I found my way back when the tech market imploded and the fiber optic manufacturer I was doing maintenance for laid off.
 
Riddle said:
Shoaf?
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Jimmy Shoaf, I thought he was a pretty good guy. Gary Delinger was another super successful precaster.

Jimmys truck where the only one we bought real Jaguar grey paint for.....everybody else was happy with industrial enamel. His trucks looked good a lot longer. He knew what he was doin.
 
WARRIORWELDING said:
Jimmy Shoaf, I thought he was a pretty good guy. Gary Delinger was another super successful precaster.

Jimmys truck where the only one we bought real Jaguar grey paint for.....everybody else was happy with industrial enamel. His trucks looked good a lot longer. He knew what he was doin.
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I’ve never used delinger, but I’ve used Shoaf and High Point precast for 15 years.
Shoaf was the president of Septic Tank Association for a while....he knows his shit too
 
Riddle said:
Honestly no. I’ve been doing this for 15+ years. I know how much $$ is in it. I’ve been talking about doing this for a few years now. It’s time to shit or get off the pot
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I see how much $ is in it is the reason I was looking at getting into it.

And honestly, if I can consistently answer the phone and return calls, I’m already 20 steps ahead of any of the local installers regardless of price. :D
 
rockcity said:
I see how much $ is in it is the reason I was looking at getting into it.

And honestly, if I can consistently answer the phone and return calls, I’m already 20 steps ahead of any of the local installers regardless of price. :D
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Same around here. I was doing market research and out of 12 company’s I called, only 4 answered the phone and of those 4 2 were an answering service and I never got a call back from the actual company. And none of the 8 that didn’t answer I left messages and none called me back. So I imagine as long as I can get my name out and make the phone ring, I’ll be alright.
 
For what it’s worth I had to have my tank pumped last year. I called several companies, the one who got my business is the one that finally called me back after multiple calls to each one in my area. They were all priced within $40 of each other, but getting someone lined up seemed to be the challenge.

I also noticed those guys were there for all of 20 minutes and made $255 off of me. I thought to myself dang if they do this 5+ times a day they are killing it. Idk what it cost to dispose of my poo, but it’s gotta be profitable.


As for quitting, I have no real input that hasn’t already been said here.

Except I agree to try your very best at all cost not to burn a bridge.
 
Well I let him know what my plans were, it went well. Although he was already kind of aware since he seen my name pop up on the new list of Installers/inspectors. But he wishes me the best and even told me that I could call him if I was slow and work for him to keep afloat. And hopes to work together on projects that are to big for me or him to handle by ourselves.
 
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