Family.....

The question that I needed to address right from the beginning was: should I hire relatives...well I should of listened to my friends. When I started this project, I had very little knowledge (actually none) with regard to how to get an idea blue printed, and then proto-typed. I turned to one of my cousins for assistance. He was extremely knowledgeable with regard to the individuals who had the skills to help me accomplish each of the steps towards production. For this, I am extremely grateful. As the proto-types were completed, he was very influential in helping find a tool shop to build my mold as well as to manufacture the Golf Cradle. For his assistance, the company compensated him (a storage shed and a computer). These items were purchased in anticipation of his continued participation in the project. As the Golf Cradle moved to and through production (which I will discuss in future posts) it was decided that my cousin (who I will call Peter) was to coordinate shipping. This entailed housing the Golf Cradles (hence the Shed) and shipping out the product via Federal Express (the need for a computer).

Initially, Peter was also coordinating the communication between the manufacture and myself. The reason for this was I was spending a great deal of time addressing the other aspects of the Golf Cradle Project (i.e., Website Development, Show Schedule, etc.) in addition to working a full time Job. However this responsibility ended quickly when the manufacture called me on two separate occasions asking that Peter not return to the shop due to his inappropriate interactions with one of the partners. I resolved the first incident, however, when it happen for the second time, it was best that Peter's responsibility in this area be terminated. Thus, his job was reduced to just shipping the product from his home. He was paid per unit shipped.

And now, the rest of the story.....In any businesses, there is a busy time and a slow time. One needs to deal with the "crazy times" knowing that product needs to be shipped which leads to monetary compensation. To me, a true test of ones personality is how does he/she deal with stress. Take it as it is and deal with it...However, an owner of a company needs to be extremely careful with regard to how an employee deals with stress. I wish I had a quick test to determine how one deals with stress, however, no such device exists. The level of stress that Peter was able to deal with was "minimal" at best before he went into overload. Two weeks before Christmas, many orders needed to be shipped in a timely fashion for them to be received before Christmas. This minimal level of stress, appeared to push him over the edge. Thus, one night he just exploded which resulted in a bit of a "tantrum." He asked me to pick up all the materials and that he was finished.

No level of reasoning was going to help the situation. I re-grouped and as a result, I am now supervising the distribution of each Golf Cradle. Now when Peter left, I thought that was the last of it..done is done. Wrong... To add fuel to the fire, Peter thought he was entitled to a percentage of the company as a result of his efforts. Let me ask this: In what other country in the world does this happen ??? How does one think that when the owner of a company covers all the risk (financial obligation), an employee is entitled to a percentage of a company when they leave. Since then, I have had minimal contact with him. I have tried to approach him with negative results. Its a sad situation.

My recommendation: Do not, I repeat, Do not hire relatives.....Hey that's just my opinion, I could be wrong...