Topic: I'M the boss!

[Mouth for war]

Well actually...the current boss was never working the weekends so I really want to keep that tradition going

[Mouth for war]

I just need to ask. I was going from a regular salesman to the boss position in less than 2 years. That of course gave me a lot of responsibility. I'm starting to think if I'm doing too much for one person. I will list my daily work. It feels like I don't have time for everything.

Clean the facilities (That really takes time from more "important" stuff. I'm not saying cleaning isn't important but I'd rather spend that time doing other office stuff)
All administration (Enter sales numbers, order ice cream, calculate the employees salory etc)
Everything in the big freezer, receive shipments and organize it.
Load up the ice cream for all employees when they need to refill their supply in their trucks. I put everything on carts/wagons for them, I don't load their trucks though.
Make sure all cars are running like they should (Taking each of them to the repair shop when needed and so on)
Coach the employees/Make sure they do their job
drive routes myself/selling
Manage all online orders
get supplies for the office
+ other minor stuff

Would you say this is normal? Maybe it doesn't sound like much but it sure feels like it when it's everyday. I can't even take a damn coffee break without feeling guilty. Today I went to work at around 9.30 and I didn't eat until 8 in the evening and this is starting to feel "normal" I can't say that my paycheck increased THAT much either :-S

[Cassiebsg]

Uhm, I thought "cleaning" would be a job to someone else, not the boss.
And yes, I think you are doing too much. If you don't take care you will end up stressed out and on sick leave.

[Mouth for war]

Yeah I would've thought so too...but no...I must do every little damn thing. My boss is coming tomorrow so I did a "panic" cleaning just before I went home. vacuuming, swabbing the floors. That's how I clean the place....with an insane amount of stress. At the same time he's breathing down my neck with "You must find more people and conduct job interviews, book 5 for this week" He IS a good guy though and listens to what I have to say and really wants to help me but that doesn't give me less work so what's the point in even talking about it?

[Cassiebsg]

Hire some one to do the cleaning?
Or schedule it so each employee needs to do the cleaning once every... (how many employees do you have?) So instead of doing it alone every day, you only do it every x days... But then again, not sure if that would work, as they would contest with "but I was hired to drive the truck and sell/distribute ice cream!"...

[Mouth for war]

I would if I could (So would the woodchuck ) but my boss holds on tight to his wallet if you know what i mean hehe. Yeah I do have good employees though and they see how stressed out I am every day and they do what I tell them. Cleaning is not in their job description though, but I guess I could ask them to help out a little

[Stupot]

That does sound like a hefty workload. I think you should demand (or ask politely for) an assistant even if it's part time, 3 or 4 afternoons a week or something, just to take the load off your shoulders a bit.

[Mouth for war]

That would be good but I don't think that will happen unfortunately. I even did the salories today and there's an old guy working there, he's been in the company longer than me and he does a few more routes than the rest and he is a good seller. The job has steady pay plus commissions. This month I think that guy even got more than me...and I'm doing all that work for shit money. How do I even begin that discussion when I'm still on a, what's it called...probationary period? I have no problems with conflicts but there's a lot at stake here and I can't afford to lose my job. The pay is a f*****g joke IMO. And when the summer season is over, my job will require me to do more routes. Now I'm supposed to do one per week and that I can handle...but later on I'm supposed to do 4-5 routes per week as well as all that office stuff. That is gonna burn me out completely...I'm really looking forward to that

[Mouth for war]

Forgot to mention that I also went to the office yesterday, on sunday, on my day off for three hours just to try and reduce the work for monday....and still I couldn't even have a god damn lunchbreak for 10,5 hours.

I really felt proud of myself when I started this thread all those months ago, I felt like I had actually accomplished something. I know I did a great job as a salesman, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten the job. Can't really say that I feel proud anymore. I feel more like a used sucker and there's a war inside my head now about what to do.

[Cassiebsg]

Also, keep in mind that all your employees now assume that you get twice or ten times the pay they get...

[Mouth for war]

Haha yeah well I do have some perks, and I deserve it I think. I can take home food and icecream without paying for it of course and I always get commission even if I don't reach the expected sales budget so that's something at least :-)

[Mandle]

Forgot to mention that I also went to the office yesterday, on sunday, on my day off for three hours just to try and reduce the work for monday

at least i won't work the weekends

Oh, just you wait...

You will, and you won't get paid for it, but you will...

Well actually...the current boss was never working the weekends so I really want to keep that tradition going

I don't want to be that guy so...



Instead I'll ask this: What else wasn't the old boss doing that you are doing? I'd say make a list of about 3 major things that fall into this category and, once your parole period is over, approach the owner with these points. Nothing too aggressive but ask why you are expected to do these extra things for the same (or less) pay than the guy before you. Tell the owner, in reasonable tones, how you feel and ask him honestly if you are in the wrong feeling that way. That's what I would do. Hope I'm not getting you fired/demoted with this advice...

[Cassiebsg]

Well fired would be a pain, "demoted" back to being a driver/seller, seems at present more like a promotion...

[Mouth for war]

Haha you're kind of right there. I have one stupid thought though, that being promoted to this after less than 2 years might look pretty good on paper if I apply for something else in the future. I think it will not be frowned upon at least

[Cassiebsg]

Yes, that would actually be the one and only reason I might accept a leader position at my current job (if I ever got asked...)

[Mandle]

Being the boss of a smallish operation sucks. The people who work for you generally either think you are an asshole or they think you are a "nice guy" and take advantage of it and then you tell them one time "no" or "don't do that" and suddenly you're back to asshole.

As you said, you sit down on payday and pay some of your workers more money than you are getting.

And when something goes wrong it's ultimately your fault.

Stress-fest!

[Mouth for war]

You pretty much nailed it there mandle. I have at least found good workers and we do have a nice atmosphere even if I say no to them sometimes haha. I HOPE i will still have the best pay. Compared ro the rest I have of course more...that old guy does nothing but work. 6 days a week and much longer in the evenings so he of course sells more than everyone else. I can't live for my work like that (unless it's game development ), I only work to live