A Letter to Employees

To All Employees,

There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job. Well the time has come for some facts to be laid out on the table. As you know, the economy has changed for the worse. The changing political landscape in this country and the second term of this President has made my decision for me.

However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in your best interests when you are considering your next moves.

First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a back story. This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and hear. Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside paid for with after tax dollars. ( and no its not a hybrid with some tax break from Obama) and I know that some of you have mumbled about it... but hey I earned it and you could have too if you worked like I did. You've seen my big home at last years Christmas party. I'm sure; all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life.

However, what you don't see is the back story.

I started this company 28 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot studio apartment for 3 years. My entire living apartment was converted into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company, which by the way, would eventually employ you.

My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective transmission. I didn't have time to date. Often times, I stayed home on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business -- hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting the Nordstrom's for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the Goodwill store extracting any clothing item that didn't look like it was birthed in the 70's. My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.

So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9am, mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5pm, I don't. There is no "off" button for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, and breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to my hip like a 1 year old special-needs child. You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden -- the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations... You never realize the back story and the sacrifices I've made.

Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the right decisions and saved his money, have to bail-out all the people who didn't. The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for.

Yes, business ownership has is benefits but the price I've paid is steep and not without wounds.

Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, and employing you, has eclipsed the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell you why:

I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don't pay enough. I have state taxes. Federal taxes. Property taxes. Sales and use taxes. Payroll taxes. Workers compensation taxes. Unemployment taxes. Taxes on taxes. I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time. On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $888,000 for quarterly taxes. You know what my "stimulus" check was? Zero. Nada. Zilch.

The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the guy who has provided 52 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check? Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country.

The fact is, if I deducted (Read: Stole) 50% of your paycheck you'd quit and you wouldn't work here. I mean, why should you? That's nuts. Who wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is in jeopardy.

Here is what many of you don't understand ... to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn't need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that $888,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries. But you can forget it now.

When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don't defibrillate and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do you? Or, do you defibrillate his heart? Business is at the heart of America and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it. Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the poor of America are the essential drivers of the American economic engine. Nothing could be further from the truth and this is the type of change you can keep.

So where am I going with all this? It's quite simple. I QUIT! I AM CLOSING THE BUSINESS!

With all the new taxes and regulations levied on me and my company,With Obamacare about to become mandatory in 2015 now... my reaction are swift and simple.

I'm done You can plead with the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child's future. Frankly, it isn't my problem any more. You were not prepared to fight alongside me for what was our collective American Dream.. So I am done.

I am closing this company down, and retiring. Yes I'm done. I'm done with a country that penalizes the productive and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be destroyed, and with it go your jobs. I am sorry but at some point I must stop. Read the book Atlas Shrugged... you'll understand it all better.

You lost your job not because the American Economy was not viable. You lost it because the Obama Cabal is hell bent on destroying you.. THE WORKING MIDDLE CLASS. He has a plan to fundamentally transform America into a Socialist Oligarchy. He has steamrolled the constitution, and he along with his IRS, OBAMACARE, EPA, DHS, HHS, EBT PROGRAMS, AND A HOST OF OTHER REGULATORY AGENCIES will have changed its landscape forever. Soon he will take away your guns through various regulations. Then you will not be able to resist. You will all meekly become nameless workers in a Socialist system. RFID chip and all !!

Its happening right before your eyes and you do nothing. I have the luxury of being able to quit while I am ahead. Before they stop us from doing through some new banking regulation I will now transfer my LEGAL MONEY out of the country. .. my family and I will be sitting on a beach, retired somewhere with no employees to worry about....

Now the time has come for you to worry about yourselves. If you are not prepared to open your eyes and see what is coming you will deserve what you WILL get.

I for one, like hundreds of thousands of small business owners am done playing your "Daddy" ... ask the Obama Cabal to do that!!

Signed,
Your Boss