I had worked for this company for almost a year! I was what is known as a Screaming Eagle, which is one step away from assistant manager.
The over-all business concept is sound... Where it breaks down is the leadership. The "catch" that keeps compelling people to get involved in the business, is the prospect of owning and running your own business in a matter of a few months time. (It can be done... I've seen people come in, pass me up, and become my supervisor in a short period of time.) That too is a strong hook because you see people get promoted and rise quickly.
Basically, you get hired on... Once hired, you are supposed be trained from day one how to build your own business in that type of industry. Every owner, assistant manager, screaming Eagle, top leader, and peer has started where you are starting at that time. You are learning to build your business at the owner's cost and in the owner's facility. Every second of every day that you work... You are being moulded into a future owner.
You get promoted, do second round interviews with perspective new hires, start training your own future employees (the people that you took out on their second round interview), start learning the warehouse and money, middle management training when you travel; and as your skills, knowledge, and leadership increase so does your drive and confidence. This company does a lot of good for various charities... Although only 5% goes to the chairities.
The charities do not have to pay the company for marketing, no salaries, no man hours, or anything... Nothing comes out of the pocket of the charities. The employees sell coupons or a variety of other items in front of stores, that the corporate office provides to Emerald free of charge... The items are only paid for when they are sold. The money goes to Emerald to pay the employees, bills, taxes, and then finally the charities. The charities get a continual influx of money and pay nothing out of their budget!
Here is where everything starts breaking down... It is an incredibly fast paced, high energy, and forced motivational atmposphere. You are forced to be 100% all the time! The people who are training the future of the business have only learned the materials a few days ago and still do not completely understand what they are teaching. No excuses are accepted... Gas is at $4.95 a gallon... Tough!
It is a severe thunderstorm outside or freezing or heat... Tough! The economy is bad and everyone that you talk to is unemployeed... Tough! No excuses! You are either a winner or a loser! The people that actually did the hiring are the ones who really want to help the new hires... The problem is that they have only just got in themselves and do not know how to help their people.
The more you want the pay off of owning your own office... The less time that you see your family! You are always in the weather... And hear hundreds of "No's" and negative comments a day and that begins to wear on you. When you get home you are completely wiped out and short fused! Because you HAVE to be 100% every second of everyday... When you get home, that is when you vent on your loved ones.
The whole business in a nutshell... It is a great concept but the leadership is screwing it up! If you are great at sales the owner of Emerald tends to give you the best locations to help you raise as much money as possible... Because the owner gets the majority of that. If you have a bad day or are not that great at sales... You are given the worst locations possible. The owner did not want to waist a great location on a dud of a sales person because that was like pissing money out the window.
Sometimes after a few bad locations, in the Texas heat, and hearing a continual borrage of negative comments... What you really need is an easy location or a profitable one. Everybody has bad days... Especially in this economy! We are continually spending our own money for table decorations, gas, and other supplies. If we are not making money in the field... And we are treated badly in the office as well as the field, why would anybody stay?
If you are good... The owner will give you great locations and help you succeed... To a point, and then she will start to fire the team that YOU hired, trained, and built for your business. Which forces you to remain stationary and keep making her money. If you are not great at sales, have bad locations, or just an off time... Unless you pull yourself out and claw your way to the top, you'll never make it!
I was about to be assistant manager and I stepped back and took a good long look at the life I was about to embark on... The owners in this business had longer hours than anybody, could never take any time off of work, never saw their family, and were also forced to be 150% above everybody in their office! Couple that with the family problems everyone started having, the money problems, the non-stop expenses out of your pocket! Don't waste your time! You can earn more money a lot easier doing almost anything and you do not have the incredible stress of this business weighing you down. Why become an owner if you do not get a break from all of that crap?
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