Real Letter From CEO To His Employees

[CuteOldGuy]

This is a real letter, from a real employer, to real employees.

To All My Valued Employees,

There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: The economy doesn't pose a threat to your job.

What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country. Of course, as your employer, I am forbidden to tell you whom to vote for -- it is against the law to discriminate based on political affiliation, Race, creed, religion, etc.

Please vote who you think will serve your Interests the best. However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in your best interest. First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a back story.

This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and hear. Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You've seen my big home at last years Christmas party. I'm sure all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life. However, what you don't see is the back story.

I started this company 12 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot studio apartment for 3 years. My entire living space was converted into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company, which by the way, would eventually employ you.

My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective transmission. I didn't have time to date. Often times, I stayed home on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business -- hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting the Nordstrom's for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the Goodwill store extracting any clothing item that didn't look like it was birthed in the 70's.

My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.

So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9am, mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5pm, I don't. There is no "off" button For me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, ****, and breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to me like a 1 day old baby.

You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden -- the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations... You never realize the back story and the sacrifices I've made. Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the right decisions and saved his money, have to bail-out all the people who didn't.

The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for. Yes, business ownership has is benefits but the price I've paid is steep and not without wounds. Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, and employing you, is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell you why:

I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don't pay enough. I have state taxes. Federal taxes. Property taxes. Sales and use taxes. Payroll taxes. Workers compensation taxes. Unemployment taxes. Taxes on taxes. I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time. On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 for quarterly taxes. You know what my "stimulus" check was? Zero. Nada. Zilch.

The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the guy who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check?

Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country. The fact is, if I deducted (Read: Stole) 50% of your paycheck you'd quit and you wouldn't work here. I mean, why should you? That's nuts. Who wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is in jeopardy. Here is what many of you don't understand; to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn't need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that $288,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries. But you can forget it now.

When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don't defibrillate and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do you? Or, do you defibrillate his heart? Business is at the heart of America and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it. Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the mud of America are the essential drivers of the American economic engine.

Nothing could be further from the truth and this is the type of change you can keep. So where am I going with all this? It's quite simple. If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift and simple. I fire you. I fire your co-workers. You can then plead with the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child's future. Frankly, it isn't my problem any more. Then, I will close this company down, move to another country, and retire.

You see, I'm done. I'm done with a country that penalizes the productive and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be destroyed, and with it, will be my citizenship.

While tax cuts to 95% of America sounds great on paper, don't forget the backstory: If there is no job, there is no income to tax. A tax cut on zero dollars is zero. So, when you make decision to vote, ask yourself, who understands the economics of business ownership and who doesn't? Whose policies will endanger your job? Answer those questions and you should know who might be the one capable of saving your job. While the media wants to tell you "It's the economy Stupid" I'm telling you it isn't.

If you lose your job, it won't be at the hands of the economy; it will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country, steamrolled the Constitution, and will have changed its landscape forever. If that happens, you can find me in South Caribbean sitting on a beach, retired, and with no employees to worry about.

Signed, Your boss,

Michael A. Crowley,
PE Crowley, Crisp & Associates, Inc.
Professional Engineers 1
906 South Main Street, Suite 122
Wake Forest, NC 27587

http://rense.com/general84/letter.htm

[JDNorthface]

Urban legend.

[IIFFOFRDB]

Originally Posted by JDNorthface

Urban legend.

JD don't be so hard on your self. It will be OK, Brother...

[chefnerd]

Seems this was one of many not necessarily totally truthful e-mails making the rounds in 2008.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/busin...demployees.asp

[CuteOldGuy]

This site appears to confirm your statement, JD, but then it links to what they call a real letter written by Mr. Crowley, which is at least as damning as the one posted.

As near as I can tell, both letters seem to be accurate, and genuine. The company is no longer in business. The first letter was written in 2009, the second, in 2011. It sounds like the guy was fed with government interference.

Letter 1: http://www.snopes.com/politics/busin...demployees.asp

Letter 2: http://www.snopes.com/politics/info/crowley.asp

And even on the small chance these letters turn out to be fake, they still represent the sentiment of a great many business owners, by virtue of their viral nature on the internet.

If you think the business climate is getting better, you're delusional.

[chefnerd]

The second letter is definitely accurate as the first article you linked to, as did I, points out. However the first article also points out the the second article was written because the first one was inaccurately attributed to Mr. Crowley ( the last sentence in article one).
And no, primarily because of the hyper-partisanship existing currently (my opinion) the business atmosphere, especially small business is not getting better.

[UB9IB6]

Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

This site appears to confirm your statement, JD, but then it links to what they call a real letter written by Mr. Crowley, which is at least as damning as the one posted.

As near as I can tell, both letters seem to be accurate, and genuine. The company is no longer in business. The first letter was written in 2009, the second, in 2011. It sounds like the guy was fed with government interference.

Letter 1: http://www.snopes.com/politics/busin...demployees.asp

Letter 2: http://www.snopes.com/politics/info/crowley.asp

And even on the small chance these letters turn out to be fake, they still represent the sentiment of a great many business owners, by virtue of their viral nature on the internet.

If you think the business climate is getting better, you're delusional.

Started my company in 06 and have seen double digit growth every year since.
Have hired more employees this year than in any previous year.
So... Business climate not so bad... As long as you know what you are doing.

[Guest040616]

Originally Posted by UB9IB6

Business climate not so bad... As long as you know what you are doing.

That eliminates StupidOldFart!

SOF is only good at bitchin' and moanin'!!!!!

[Fast Gunn]

I would say that the letter is counterfeit based on the style.

From my experience, CEOs like poker players tend to be taciturn creatures who do not readily wear their hearts on their sleeves.

Keeping your cards close to your vest is how you stay ahead of the competition.

. . . I think it's just another weepy bone that the old geezer managed to dig up as is his wont.

[i'va biggen]

Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

This site appears to confirm your statement, JD, but then it links to what they call a real letter written by Mr. Crowley, which is at least as damning as the one posted.

As near as I can tell, both letters seem to be accurate, and genuine. The company is no longer in business. The first letter was written in 2009, the second, in 2011. It sounds like the guy was fed with government interference.

Letter 1: http://www.snopes.com/politics/busin...demployees.asp

Letter 2: http://www.snopes.com/politics/info/crowley.asp

And even on the small chance these letters turn out to be fake, they still represent the sentiment of a great many business owners, by virtue of their viral nature on the internet.

If you think the business climate is getting better, you're delusional.

I like the part about not being in business anymore,Is it government restrictions or poor mgmt??

[Guest040616]

StupidOldFart must spend most of his day digging through garbage cans to find the shit that he posts!

[Doove]

Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

This is a real letter, from a real employer, to real employees.

Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

And even on the small chance these letters turn out to be fake,

Love it!

If you think the business climate is getting better, you're delusional.

Private sector growth isn't all that bad. As was pointed out in several previous threads.

[Guest040616]

Originally Posted by Doove

Love it!



Private sector growth isn't all that bad. As was pointed out in several previous threads.

That's not what they want to hear. They want to hear that things are much worse than when GW left office!

[Old-T]

As with so many things it depends upon what your situation is.

The employment market is not universaly good or bad. But if you lost your job/company, it sucks and it's easy to blame "too much government". If you watched you kid die from industrial waste because the company down the street found a loophole in the EPA, you blame too little enforcement.

Life ain't that easy. It's only that easy on boards like this.

[UB9IB6]

Originally Posted by Old-T

As with so many things it depends upon what your situation is.

The employment market is not universaly good or bad. But if you lost your job/company, it sucks and it's easy to blame "too much government". If you watched you kid die from industrial waste because the company down the street found a loophole in the EPA, you blame too little enforcement.

Life ain't that easy. It's only that easy on boards like this.

Very astute. I 2nd the motion.