Top employee quits job and starts his own business after boss refuses to give him a raise, he thrives in the new business while old boss struggles: ‘What a fool’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Jun 16, 2026 12:00 PM EDT

When a boss repeatedly refuses to give a top-performing employee a raise, surely they do it fully knowing that this employee won't stick around for long, right?

You can't expect someone to willingly let you step all over them without doing something to put a stop to it, even in the workplace. When an employee gives their heart and soul to their job, and all they get in return is a big bag of nothing, it is only a matter of time before they find something better and leave.

So why do bosses and employers keep getting surprised when that underappreciated employee hands in their notice? By the third time they said 'no' to a raise or a promotion, they must have known that quitting would be the next step. There is no other reason for this employee to stay.

That is exactly what happened to the top employee and his boss in the story below. He gave so much for the company he worked for, and although his manager kept saying he appreciated his hard work, he never showed it in actions. Every time the employee asked for a raise, his boss would say no. This led the employee to do the only thing he could think of: leave.

But, instead of finding another job and working for another entitled boss, this employee decided to start his own business. With the help of his family, he began building his business and gaining clients, all of whom knew him before and loved his work. It didn't take long before he started thriving, while his old boss struggled to find a replacement for him.

The employee, now a business owner, ended up with the pay he deserved, while his old boss had to pay three people to do the job that he had left behind. How could he not have seen it coming? We have no clue…

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