Time to Move On

I have gotten a good taste of what this new job is all about, and I’ve decided that I need to develop an exit strategy. I love the work, but that is no reason for me to stay. I always love the work itself. I have always been able to say that at every job I’ve ever had, and I will be able to say that at my next job. It just means that I love to work.

My brother’s new business needs me. I could almost justify staying for that reason. Almost. Unfortunately, my job description has been altered so much that my skills no longer have any practical application to the tasks I’m being assigned. It really doesn’t matter that my expertise is internet sales and marketing when 50% of my time is spent cleaning up after the production team. I’m not allowed to do anything meaningful, at least not for long enough to see it through to any success.

I don’t believe that the business can survive. The co-owners are constantly at odds about their business plan, or they have no business plan, or the business plan changes from week to week. My brother wants to depend on word of mouth and just cruise along with a wait and see attitude. From his point of view, the lease is month-to-month and if something develops, great; and if not, they have their other business to fall back on. It’s more of a comfortable hobby to him. Having thrown my lot in with them, I’m uncomfortable with his lack of ambition. Then there is his wife, whose ambition is to be in-charge of employees. She cares nothing for customer service, quality control, or success. Having employees and a business to run gives her an excuse to leave children with someone else and affords her a measure of self-importance that she desperately needs--but then my brother berates her in front of her employees which sabotages her enjoyment completely. Every other week she “doesn’t want anything to do with the business” and then she returns with new office chairs and big remodeling plans—plans that have no money or manpower to see them to fruition. They have not put up a sign on the building. Yes, a sign shop with no signage. This does not bode well for longevity. Having a brick-n-mortar, equipment, and employees does not constitute a business.

The longer I stay, the messier this job separation will be. I’ve had very bad job separations before, but working for relatives increases the potential for a painful ordeal. I’ve gotten what I can out of this job and I have been able to learn a lot of graphic design software and how to operate special equipment.