God help me, I've done it.

[Count Duckula]

I am a sole proprietor of my business. Jewelry designing is not computer designing--beads and string don't cost all that much. It's the jeweler's knowledge that makes it great. I've come far, and I've got far to go. But with computers, when you get down to it, you're just assembling parts. (I assemble parts too, but I have so many options: color, size, shape, etc.)

And probably will be just a single designer unless I open a bead store/jewelry gallery someday. So no employees.

I've worked few different jobs in my four years on the workforce, and I'd crack under somebody like Dr. Douglass. Well, depending on what Doc wants me to do, I guess I could perform well. The verbal smackdowns? Um, that doesn't motivate me to do better. That motivates me to hide under a table. :(

(By the way, Doc, what exactly DO you do? And how is it that you can do all that you do and own a house full of animals, an adoring wife, wear dreads and a kilt, and have a sex life that you've described in many, MANY other threads? How do you do all this and still post here?!)

[Doc]

(By the way, Doc, what exactly DO you do? And how is it that you can do all that you do and own a house full of animals, an adoring wife, wear dreads and a kilt, and have a sex life that you've described in many, MANY other threads? How do you do all this and still post here?!)
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Delegate responsibility.

That's the long and short of it.

I manage an empire of charity. I run various homeless shelters, adult education programs, battered women safehouses, food pantries, and soup kitchens. We are one of the few rescue operations in the US that are entirely self supporting and receive NO government funding at all. At the heart of it all is industrial clean up. From the scrap clean up comes money, through recycling all those materials. Bricks, steel, wood, etc. There are no free lunches. Each man works to his own ability. This generates a ton of money. For a lot of goods, we exchange labour for services. We may send a group of men (And women, I am an equal opportunity ogre) to work in a bakery in exchange for breads and such. I run this whole mess like one would run a business. When this mess was dumped on my lap, it was hermoraging money, everything was run down, there was drugs and alcohol everywhere, and what few employees there were... Were just plain awful. People that did not care about their work. I take all these homeless men and I put them to work... They were a resource, sitting around and doing nothing. Men that refused to work were tossed out. Men that stayed were offered the best meals and accomodations that one could hope to find in a shelter. (Over time... Took a long time to build up to that point.) Each penny was carefully strangled out of the budget, and still is. Because of the unusual nature of how I run everything, we lost our non profit status. That's ok. We are sitting on a surplus reserve of eight digits, and we have enough financial power now that we can pull through anything. We employ armed security at our battered womens shelters, we have our own school for the children with a full compliment of well paid teachers, an army of social workers, various accountants and other mundanes that nobody thinks about, and all manner of people who are well paid productive employees that hold back the homeless masses from the rest of society that doesn't want anything to do with them. And because of my ruthless and merciless approach to business, I have made it work when others insisted that it could not be done. It's funny. My business is to help other human beings and lift them out of the gutter. But to do this, I must be utterly devoid of any compassion or tolerance for screw ups. This whole thing lives or dies by how carefully I steer it. I have no choice but to run a tight ship... What people think is a minor meaningless mistake can have ruinous consequences later.

I manage most of the mundane stuff from at home. I am constantly emailing stuff back and forth. I get faxes. I am on the phone a lot... Or not at all, depending on which part of the year we are in. Should matters need my personal attention, and NOBODY wants that, my driver comes to pick me up and bring me into town. Late at night I look at all the paperwork, budgets, proposals, new ideas, progress reports, all these things involved in empires, and I play games to keep my hands busy while my mind thinks. There are moments of furious activity followed by lulls and doldrums of extreme boredom.

And you must understand... The best things in life are created under pressure. Diamonds, wine, all manner of fine things. When I put the squeeze on folk, it's for their own good. People do not realise what they are capable of doing until somebody motivates them to do it. In extreme moments, of intense pressure, this means somebody motivating them with the proverbial whip. And in the long run, everybody profits from this.

As for the dreadlocks, well, I have worn those for a long long time now, way back when it was still very dangerous to do so. They were more of a political statement back then, rather than a fashion statement. The kilts are a recent fixation. The animals are my true career in life. Looking after them keeps me sane. I find animals to be better company than most people. And my wife agrees, and shares this view.

And you have taken the first steps to living your life on your own terms, doing what you damn well please... By starting your own empire. Make what you want from it. Be your own person. Just remember your karma... If life deals you a good hand, you have a responsibility to return the favour to some other folk. If you were to go to a hospital and offer to do a bead crafting class for those poor kids with no hair in the cancer ward, they would love you and give you all sorts of warm fuzzy feelings. This is the key to all success and is the true source of wealth.

Now, I gotta go answer some emails.

[LochnarITB]

I manage an empire of charity.
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I am impressed. You are a wealthy man indeed!

[Brother Laz]

Just wondering about Doc's employee turnover rate. 'No mistakes' may help keep efficiency high, but everyone is bound to screw up sooner or later. That or they burn out and get fired because of it. Or hey, less efficient workers get bullied out by the others and everyone else ends up scared of being the next target. And in the end, someone is bound to shoot himself.

This may work for a charity, because people want to work there for other reasons than just the pay and may be more willing to put up with a 'pointy-haired' boss like Doc. I wonder if it would be ideal for a 'normal' business.

......

Of course, the whole point of capitalism is to squeeze out one's workers under the threat of unemployment, homelessness and starvation. Ergo, two thirds of all adult Americans has been under psychiatric treatment at some point.

That said, Doc runs a charity so all is forgiven. Others, Roland: be tough on your employees, but don't kill them. Unless you are teetering on the break-even point, you don't have to make the world a worse place to stay in business.

I dunno, but to these left-sided European ears some of Doc's tricks sound like training dolphins. Which is all right if the pay is as good as Doc says it is, but in practice these tactics are often used on those on the lower end of the payscale, those working two jobs for minimum wages and/or living in a trailer park. The Nike ideology.

I find it funny that these people play computer games to get away from real life and end up grouped and best friends with the people who are the reason they need to get away from real life in the first place.

......

I'd almost forget: congratulations, Roland. Now you can write your own rules instead of being subject to them, and you can be God. Just stay in business, and you've got your life licked. You are one of the lucky few. I envy you. :w00t:

[Doc]

Just wondering about Doc's employee turnover rate. 'No mistakes' may help keep efficiency high, but everyone is bound to screw up sooner or later. That or they burn out and get fired because of it. Or hey, less efficient workers get bullied out by the others and everyone else ends up scared of being the next target. And in the end, someone is bound to shoot himself.

This may work for a charity, because people want to work there for other reasons than just the pay and may be more willing to put up with a 'pointy-haired' boss like Doc. I wonder if it would be ideal for a 'normal' business.

......

Of course, the whole point of capitalism is to squeeze out one's workers under the threat of unemployment, homelessness and starvation. Ergo, two thirds of all adult Americans has been under psychiatric treatment at some point.

That said, Doc runs a charity so all is forgiven. Others, Roland: be tough on your employees, but don't kill them. Unless you are teetering on the break-even point, you don't have to make the world a worse place to stay in business.

I dunno, but to these left-sided European ears some of Doc's tricks sound like training dolphins. Which is all right if the pay is as good as Doc says it is, but in practice these tactics are often used on those on the lower end of the payscale, those working two jobs for minimum wages and/or living in a trailer park. The Nike ideology.

I find it funny that these people play computer games to get away from real life and end up grouped and best friends with the people who are the reason they need to get away from real life in the first place.

......

I'd almost forget: congratulations, Roland. Now you can write your own rules instead of being subject to them, and you can be God. Just stay in business, and you've got your life licked. You are one of the lucky few. I envy you. :w00t:
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Nobody has been fired since the Butterball Fiasco at xmas time.

Don't ask.

Turnover is at an all time low. The weak spineless incompetents have been weeded out.

Oh, and the Dilbert pointy hair bit is pretty funny. I don't see my self that way. I am more of a Ghengis Khan or Atilla the Hun sort.

Being an asshole will get the job done. It will take you places. It wont make you popular, but it will get you results when it comes down to crunch time.

Oh, and I had this idea to boost employee morale... Getting all of them together and having a painball tourney. I want to see who in my employ have a taste for blood... Who will lead, who will follow, and potential future trouble makers. I think a painball tourney and maybe a ropes course session or three with either make the team or break it.

[Count Duckula]

I've made my first official sale as a business owner.

^_^

Only $4 worth of taxable profit (from a necklace that was $20), but it's all good.

I think Roland became a licensed business owner for the same reason I did: two words, wholesale equipment. Just for fun, I browsed bestbuy.com and a computer parts catalog my father gets every so often. The same hard drive sells at Best Buy for five times the price in the catalog. FIVE.

OTOH, I could've paid less than $3 for a magnetic clasp for said necklace that I purchased for $5 at a local bead store. (A clasp that I've seen sell for $7.) Ouch.

[Doc]

I've made my first official sale as a business owner.

^_^

Only $4 worth of taxable profit (from a necklace that was $20), but it's all good.

I think Roland became a licensed business owner for the same reason I did: two words, wholesale equipment. Just for fun, I browsed bestbuy.com and a computer parts catalog my father gets every so often. The same hard drive sells at Best Buy for five times the price in the catalog. FIVE.

OTOH, I could've paid less than $3 for a magnetic clasp for said necklace that I purchased for $5 at a local bead store. (A clasp that I've seen sell for $7.) Ouch.
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Say I wanted to buy your work, where would I find it? Yes, that's a serious question. Where could I see it?

I have been known to do metal working and occasionally some glass lampwork. I would love to see what you can do. I love art in all forms.

[Count Duckula]

Say I wanted to buy your work, where would I find it? Yes, that's a serious question. Where could I see it?

I have been known to do metal working and occasionally some glass lampwork. I would love to see what you can do. I love art in all forms.
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I have a few pieces on consignment at local shops (tourists will buy anything) and a local gallery, but nothing beyond that. Had a website at least a year ago and I haven't updated it in forever.

I mostly work with tiny beads or just stringing large ones for necklaces and such. My few attempts at silver work and lampworking turned out bizarre and I don't have the resources to buy and maintain torches.

I should scan in some of my recent stuff.

[Doc]

I have a few pieces on consignment at local shops (tourists will buy anything) and a local gallery, but nothing beyond that. Had a website at least a year ago and I haven't updated it in forever.

I mostly work with tiny beads or just stringing large ones for necklaces and such. My few attempts at silver work and lampworking turned out bizarre and I don't have the resources to buy and maintain torches.

I should scan in some of my recent stuff.
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For wire work... you do not need torches!

That's a myth. All you need are the right pliers, good wire of high grade and decent guage, (16 to 24 guage is what is generally best) and a LOT of patience.

Click here.

And here.

Torch work is for metal fusion and soldering. You can do amazing work with metal with just raw strength. Metal has a life of it's own. And with a high guage wire (Like 26) you can make coil connections between beads that will make a piece last for several lifetimes. Buy a 50 dollar set of jewelers pliers (Or cheaper if you are lucky) and start off with good wire. Don't get copper filled silver plated, it's to soft and squishy.

I am full of suprises you will find.

Working with fire and raw metal is all fine and good. I even have a forge set up that I never seem to use. I love how good metal can be molded like clay. Can be sculpted. Given life.

Ducky, people go absolutely batty for metal coil bead pieces. This is one of the many ways I used to stir up extra cash a long long long time ago when I was poor.

Those rings like the one I showed you in the online tutorial? It's a couple of dimes worth of wire and maybe a buck or two for the bead. And you can turn around and sell it easy for 30 to 50 bucks. With enough skill, you can make them on the spot for customers like at street fairs and festivals and such and do it in minutes.

Easy money :P

[whyBish]

so long as they don't screw the pooch.

edit: forgot to pitch in the one other thing I remeber from I/O psych: short term increases in productivity can be gained by small changes in work environment (brighter lighting, dimmer lighting, increase in meetings, decrease in meetings).
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Whoever thought up that termwas ... blunt.

As to the effect, it wasn't a response to small changes, it was a response to someone taking an interest.

The classic experiment wen tsomething like:
1) Measure output
2) Increase lighting level
3) Output increased
4) Increase lighting level more
5) Output increased
6) Decrease lighting level
7) Output increased
8) Some random negative change not related to production
9) Output increased.

with the conclusion after investigation that the workers were increasing output because they were being monitored / interacted with.

Note: Be careful using just this one example though, as it was done in an industrial age factory...

[whyBish]

Of course, the whole point of capitalism is to squeeze out one's workers under the threat of unemployment, homelessness and starvation. Ergo, two thirds of all adult Americans has been under psychiatric treatment at some point.

but in practice these tactics are often used on those on the lower end of the payscale, those working two jobs for minimum wages and/or living in a trailer park. The Nike ideology.
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... and that's exactly where the critics of Nike and/or Doc fall down. Failure to recognise that the alternative for these employees is much worse. If 16c a day gets you the rice to survive, and there are no other jobs in town...