Current situation is my health is a wreck I am 24 and running a beverages company in which I am in the position of CEO as well as foreman of the small crew we have. How I became at this age the CEO is because I started at 19 while a great consultant was consulting the company and saw something in me. Basically, when I was 6-8 months in the consultant fired the whole crew and began looking for honest workers. 4 years later it is 7 of us and the company is growing in all senses and all the money is reinvested in the company. The thing is I still have my initial salary, started as a bottle packer. I know 4 languages at a native level and got a degree and most importantly experience in the sector, The lowest paid employee is at the same level of pay as me. Having told the owners that I am financing with my own salary many operations of the company as I would go up to 8 months at a time without getting paid in order to make the company grow faster, thus, making more profitable which in turn brings. The owners are not present at the business they just come once a month for dinner at a restaurant nearby and leave, that’s where I usually tell them the reality of the business and what’s going on but they don’t really seem to care of my sacrifice last 3 months I am working almost 14 hours per day no days off keep in mind that the blue collar part of this job is already stressing combined with the administrative and so on…have lost 14 kg and today is the day I have noticed I am starting to go crazy, never have I shown agressiveness but today I just f*ckin destroyed an office table by kicking it with steel toe shoes when I have stopped working so no one saw me,. The thing is I pay my workers top as I want them to stay and show them appreciation and the give it back, I adore my crew and will do anything for them and they for me. I am at the point of asking 3x my salary and put it on the table to the owners the thing is I know this is putting an ultimatum as missing a deadline is fatal in this business and currently all the customers and all the processes are handled by me still haven’t got time to train someone fit for the position .should I ask the 3x and x commission of the sales. What’s gonna be their reaction? Company is not mine and what comes to my head is ‘why should I be wrecking my health for that little money while I could not to do that’. What’s gonna be their reaction?
I have started with my best friend a trading(goods) and manufacturing consulting business and that’s going good good. Should I dedicate 100% of myself to this business? But how can I not leave a project to which I have dedicated substantial proportion of my 20s and keeping my reputation in the sector as someone reliable? I bring 60% sales
Why not get into acquisitions and start leveraging your existing relationship with bankers, other C-suite cronies. Why on earth are you messing around with startups ?
Why yearn to be the CEO here?
If you’re the one running the show by putting in your time and ‘your’ money - why not quit and start the same business on your own? Clearly the so called have no clue about the business. There is a reason why the CEO is paid the highest.
What do the rest of the “Chief Officers” make?
The response is overwhelmingly to gtfo.
Sounds more like a popsicle stand than a corporation…CEO…sheesh
Sound like OP is: top salesperson, manager, delivery guy, administrative support staff.
Working as hard as a sole owner on a passion startup - how the hell did you get roped into this without sticking up for yourself??? I would politely ask for that massive raise and if declined - f-ing destroy their business as you leave.
OP is Johny Sins of lower tier Corporate Executives
Time to sit and down and work out what you think are fair conditions. Work out what hours you want to work, and how much you think you should be paid (make both attractive so that you would stay on at the company). Then ask the owners for those conditions. If they don’t agree, seek work elsewhere.
If what you have written is true, you are being used well. Your b beverages business owners are just some lucky bastards to rake in the profits at your expense.
It’s time for some frank talking. 3x might not be the number. It can be even more than that considering that you run the complete show like an owner. Ask for the salary they would take if they were to come and run the shop full time.
Leverage your title for a better offer else where. Even 3x salary isn’t going to cut it if it’s ruining your life.
Why are you doing this? As others have echoed, you’re not a CEO. The thing the consultant saw in you was a very loyal, hardworking guy, desperate to prove himself. He took advantage of that.
Why would you be spending anything to help this business, in which you have no stake, grow? It legitimately sounds like they aren’t aware you exist. If someone completely different was there next time they stopped by, would they notice? Why are you helping these people?
The owner of this company told you you are the CEO to inflate your ego. That way he can get away with taking advantage of you a little bit longer. I’d quit 6 months ago.
How much does the bev company do per year in gross rev?
The thing is I still have my initial salary
I am financing with my own salary many operations of the company
I am working almost 14 hours per day no days off
You are being taken advantage off. I think being so young nobody told you how work is supposed to be but this isn’t how it should be.
I have started with my best friend a trading(goods) and manufacturing consulting business and that’s going good good. Should I dedicate 100% of myself to this business?
Yea, duh? I mean if you are doing most of the work why stay and be paid peanuts lol.
keeping my reputation in the sector as someone reliable?
Just keep doing things the way you do it, Action speaks louder than words. Reputation is built over time you are just 24 y/o CEO who’s paid peanuts, what reputation you talking about?
You’re not a CEO…
You’re making the same money as when you were hired as a bottle packer? You don’t receive a paycheck for 8 months because you’re reinvesting your own money into the company??? WHY? Why would you have to put your own money into this company? You’re not an owner, and you make a blue collar bottle packer salary.
Are you insane? You’re the Sunk Cost poster boy here, you feel like you’ve put too much time into the company to just walk away. But really what is the alternative? You can ask for a salary increase, but they are not going to give you triple your current salary. If you’re so mad that you’re kicking the shit out of tables then you’re probably going to go into the meeting with a hot head and all kinds of demands, and they’ll most likely be unaware of all the nuances of your contribution, completely blindsided, and quite frankly unlikely to believe all of your contributions (because some of them, like giving up 8 months of your wages, are insane).
Give it a try but plan to leave the company if you don’t get what you want. You’ll have better luck making more money elsewhere.
edit: and not to kick someone when they’re down, but if you’re willing to work 8 months without pay “to help the company grow faster” and still earning your original bottle packer salary despite all the hours and sacrifices you claim you’re making, well your decision making IS COMPLETE GARBAGE. You are seriously a terrible negotiator (for yourself) and someone who makes awful, self-destructive decisions, and for what? To enrich the owner of a beverage company that you have no stock in? WHAT? Your friend should not go into business with you, because you have proven you’re willing to do DUMB, ILLOGICAL, SHIT.
Damn they’re not even using lube on you
Young, dumb, and full of…… denial