Landscaper gets unethically fired after earning $35k/month in profits, so he plots to single-handedly destroy his ex-employer by poaching all of his business: '[Watch] record profits turn into record bankruptcy'

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Nov 30, 2024 9:00 AM EST

This landscaper GM was sideswiped when the owner of the company he worked so hard to save approached him with a 1-on-1 meeting. Instead of offering him a huge raise and a pat on the back for bringing in record profits over the summer and saving the company, this audaciously greedy boss undercut the guy's salary by 80%, quiet-fired him, and expected him to disappear forever… Except, that's not how this fiery employee responded. 

We're approaching the end of 2024–oof. Companies have been bragging all year about record profits and innumerable successes, but funnily enough, it's never the employees who see a wink of that cash flow. Shareholders, C-level bosses, and the owners of our companies will happily write themselves a huge Christmas bonus check, but when it comes to looking out for the workers on the floor who actually did the job, they're more likely to witness layoffs, pay cuts, and rollbacks before they see any moolah. 

So when this all-star GM single-handedly turned around the prospects of a flailing landscaping company, he decided to get sweet, sweet revenge when they tried to cut him out of the profits. 

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10434810880
    via welcomia

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    Delivered record profits, got 80% pay cut Wage Cut 9 I turned around a struggling landscape company as GM trainee, only to get completely screwed over. Here's what happened:
    via Versalles1720
  • 03
    I was brought in because the company (recently acquired by two young owners) was struggling to make profit. They offered me: • Base salary • $500 monthly insurance . • $400 monthly gas allowance • Company vehicle for personal/business use • Promise of 30% equity
    via Versalles1720
  • 04
    September: We broke company records with $35K in profits (never seen before) October: $15K in profits (second-best month ever) November: Everything fell apart
    via Versalles1720
  • 05
    Instead of the promised 30% equity, they gave me a phantom equity contract. We had 200+ accounts for winter service but only 1 truck, so they wanted me to subcontract everything at 75% of revenue - making it impossible to cover overhead or my pay.
    via Versalles1720
  • 06
    On November 20th, they dropped the bomb: my base salary would be cut by 80%. This after promising me raises for November and March. When my biweekly pay didn't come in, they said they'd only pay 2 weeks of November at the new reduced rate ($500/month).
    via Versalles1720
  • 07
    I told them I literally couldn't afford to commute at that pay rate. Their response? "Return the company vehicle - you quit."
    via Versalles1720
  • 08
    The kicker? I never received any of the promised benefits except base pay. Now they're claiming I quit so I probably can't even get unemployment. Corporate greed is alive and well in small business too.
    via Versalles1720
  • 09
    Netherrabbit Н H_l where you at? I'm in sales. I'll go door to door with you to their old clients and undercut them 10% and then I'll do the labor with you the first few months til your up and running
    via Netherrabbit
  • 10
    Versalles1720 OP Indiana bro. Thanks that made me feel much better that people like you exist. I'm trying to buy it and take over....
    via Versalles1720
  • 11
    jimmy-the-jimbob Open your own landscaping business and start poaching their customers. That's how you fck them over. As many others have added, poach their best employees, too. This is the way.
    via jimmy--jimbob
  • 12
    not-rasta-8913 Yeah, just wait until this thing implodes (which will be pretty soon by the sound of it) and buy then, in the meantime file for unemployment. Just how stupid can you be to fire the person that clearly turned things around.
    via not-rasta-8913
  • 13
    psmythhammond Yep, cut their legs out from under them; offer slightly lower rates for their current customers to flip. You obviously know how to run a successful business. Also, poach their best employees, and when their business crumbles, buy their equipment for pennies on the dollar.
    via psmythhammond
  • 14
    Swiggy1957 Selling point: their business is about to go under as they don't know how to run it. You ran it for them! Eliminating them was the first thing to keep their costs down.
    via Swiggy1957
  • 15
    Wait. This summer. They'll file bankruptcy, and all of their equipment will be auctioned off. Lowball every bid. While there are a few folks here that have offered to fund OP'S start-up, the previous owner might be happy to pitch in, too.
    via Swiggy1957
  • 16
    eschmi This. Better yet also poach their other employees so they have nobody to work for them. Then their record profits turn into record bankruptcy.
    via eschmi
  • 17
    ThatWideLife If you have it all in writing then file a civil suit against them. They essentially used you to build the business up and then cut you out and stole your money.
    via ThatWideLife
  • 18
    camelslikesand Send them an email. "I do not quit. I want you to honor your promises. If you can't, feel free to fire me. I do not accept an arbitrary pay cut with no justification. This amounts to constructive dismissal." Get it in writing. Pay up File for unemployment under constructive dismissal.
    via camelslikesand
  • 19
    overkillsd The people saying to lawyer up have the right spirit, but you can't squeeze bld from stone. Provable damages are probably going to be low, but you can always ask about a free consult. The comment saying to start your own landscaping company is a great idea. Steal their clients and get sweet pro revenge.
    via overkillsd

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