UN-SUGARED TRUTH: THE C-“SWEET”?
Posted by ablack on Jan. 13, 2015 / Subscribe 0
Ah, the good life. Feet up on the desk watching my minions do all the hard work, drinking a scotch at my company paid lunch and I think I’ll take Friday off to golf. Yep, the C-suite is the sweet life, right? WRONG! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard “I want to be boss” when someone is asked what their career goals are. Of course they do. The boss-man makes the big bucks, has all the control AND has the little guys to do all the work. So who wouldn’t want to be boss? But is that really the truth about the C-suite? Maybe it is at some of the big corporations, but not where I am, and I’m fairly certain that I am not alone in that truth.
Perhaps it’s time for some un-sugared truth about the c-“sweet.” I have been told that I’m good for the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. For the most part, I don’t sugar coat anything; I don’t run a candy store, so if you can’t handle the truth then I suggest you stop reading.
Here's my biggest truth about being the boss: If the money isn’t there, I don’t get paid. This is the first year that I have been my own boss. I also have two partners and two employees. This year, I went without four paychecks. On top of that fact, I took a 23% pay decrease (yes, I said “decrease”) just for the pleasure of being my own boss. But why would I do such a crazy thing? I like making my own rules and calling the shots in my own firm. I know that the harder I work the more income will be brought in and that eventually I’ll be able to make up that missed salary. Maybe not every year, but most years, and that is fine with me. It might be crazy, but I would do it all over again. But only you can determine whether or not you can handle this truth for yourself. Is it worth taking a potential decrease in salary or fronting a large buy-in to become a partner in your firm? Will you lose sleep at night if you don’t have a guaranteed paycheck each pay period? Think about it.
Here’s another truth that I truly did not fully understand until I become boss-lady: I’m working harder now than I ever did as an employee. Take for example the Friday after New Year’s Day. My employees took the day off; I didn’t. Why? Because we were busy and things needed to get done. They have ‘vacation time’ and I don’t; I will never again have vacation time. When you are the boss, there is no such thing as going on vacation and not checking in to the office while you are away. You just cannot do it, especially if you are busy and own a small business like mine. My dad owned his own company when I was a kid. Every year he took us for a week-long vacation on a house boat in Tennessee, but every day he called in to his superintendent to get the crew started, get a general update on each project and get a list of missed calls. This is the reality of being the boss. So before jumping on the C-"sweet" bandwagon, consider whether it is in your nature to lose that freedom. Can you go on a vacation as the boss? Yes. But can you go on a vacation as the boss and “unplug” yourself from the happenings at the office? No.
Lastly, here’s my third truth: I wear so many ‘hats’ that I sometimes forget what isn’t in my job description, mainly because ALL OF IT IS MY JOB. I worry about the following things:Do we have enough money for payroll?
- How many of our clients have not paid their invoice?
- Do we have enough Backlog to cover the next month’s bills? And are the bills paid?
- Did I email that information to the client?
- Did I design the elevations so that they can be rendered?
- Do I need to draft anything today?
- Are there any RFQs out that we need to respond to?
- Are there any business development opportunities that I need to be attending?
- Did I do my homework for my business class?
The list goes on and on, but you get the drift. If you are a wife and mother like I am, pile the following on top of that:
- Did the kids learn anything at school today?
- Did the kids do their homework?
- Do I need to provide a snack for school? And are the kid’s lunches made?
- Does everyone have clean clothes for the week?
- What are we having for dinner?
- When was the last time the bathroom was cleaned?
- Are everyone’s shots current?
And so on and so forth. Don’t feel bad for me; this is the reality that I choose; I want to be clear on that point. I LOVE my career and I LOVE my family and I wouldn’t do this any other way. Well, except that I would love to have a maid; that would be glorious. By the way, my birthday is in September, just as an FYI, ha-ha! But seriously, as the boss every stress at the office is MY stress; all of it. It does at times keep me awake at night. And if you ever become boss, then it will keep you up nights too.
Now for the hard question: Are YOU doing what you love and are you happy with where you are? Will making it to the C-suite really make everything better or just cause you more stress? I definitely have more stress, but it’s a stress that I welcome because it affords me several freedoms that I did not have as an employee. I sometimes joke that I have to ask my b*tchy boss if I can have a day off. In reality, if I need a day out of the office, I can do that. I just can’t do it all of the time and I certainly can’t take the day off if the proverbial sh*t is hitting the fan at the office.
The truth is that being the boss isn’t always as glorious as it seems. The next time someone asks you where you want your career to go, it is alright to say “You know what? I love being in the position that I am in right now. I want to work hard every day, do the best work possible and be the best team player possible for my company.” You are the only person who is ultimately in charge of your career and you don’t have to be in the C-suite to be a success. This is your path, your definition of success and your sleep at night. Be sure that you choose the path that will make your life sweet. I chose mine and it just happened to be in the C-suite. And for the most part on most days my life is pretty darn sweet!
About the Blogger: Nicole Posten-Thompson, RA, LEED-AP BD+C is a wife, mother to two beautiful little girls, avid crafter, Architect, small business owner and a generally sarcastic, un-sugared, straight-to-the point gal. She appreciates her dear friends, her hero of a mother and her equally zany father’s gentle reminders to slow down and smell the roses. She also appreciates laughter; it is truly the best medicine in life.
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