Wow, it’s been forever since I last blogged! Do you ever feel like so much has happened however you’re in the same position as you were back when? If so, you can relate and if not, then lucky you. The reason that I am now blogging is because I currently have an amazing amount of free time.
So, welcome to my world! On Friday, just eight days before Christmas, I got fired. Merry Christmas! Yes, that was some sarcasm but it was also one of the things that I was required to say when answering the phone and giving salutations to customers at my last place of employment. (My RVP actually greeted me that way knowing that I was about to be fired. I’m working on being more of a lady even though I have the mouth of a sailor so you can only imagine some of the things that I’m holding back right now.) Merry Christmas because that’s what Christians say; not happy holidays or season’s greetings but Merry Christmas because we celebrate the birth of Christ. Hi pot meet kettle. It turns out that the birth of Christ is more like the bottom line and being able to drive sales in a downward spiraling economy, at least that’s what I’m being led to believe based on the recent decisions made by the company that I used to work for. For the record, I’m experiencing a peace like I haven’t felt since before I began this job and I truly believe that this is a blessing and that better things are on their way. So here we go...
Last year, around this same time, I had just given my notice at one job and decided to accept another job taking a major pay cut but knowing in my heart that I was doing the right thing. I fasted for two weeks to make sure that my heart was right and that I was in fact doing the right thing. They say (I’m not exactly sure who ‘they’ are but I know I’ve heard this said before by people) usually if it’s God directing you it’s something that you question and don’t just jump on the wagon after. Almost $10K less annually and no health benefits really made me think about what I was contemplating. (Benefits were supposed to be in place within 3-6 months. “Supposed to be” being the operative phrase.) But, the idea was something that I just couldn’t shake. Confirmation was thick in the air all around me. So, I changed jobs and miraculous things began to happen. All of my needs were provided for and I was able to give like I had never given before.
Several months later I felt like I was about to move. I knew that the company had a new store opening in Huntsville but nothing had been mentioned about me going there. I just had that feeling once again, and knew that I was going to be moving to Huntsville, not that I wanted to, but that’s where I was supposed to be. A few weeks later, I got an offer and in May, I uprooted from Birmingham and moved to the Rocket City. The store opened Memorial Day weekend and we hit the ground running. We were well received by the city and did some amazing numbers throughout the summer. By mid August we were already at the half mil mark for volume. But, when summer began to wane so did our customers and our volume. I had some really good days in the months to come but those good days can’t make up for all of the terrible, horrible, not so good days. The sales plans were set high and in my opinion unrealistic for a new store in a new market.
Months went by and we weren’t making our numbers. It’s hard to sell to people who aren’t present. Things began to spiral downhill, my morale, happiness and job satisfaction, just to name a few. I had no support from my RVP who never answered his phone and whose voicemail was always full. The only time he contacted me was to pull associates from my store to travel and do new store openings.
The little things (like still not having benefits, for one) began to build up and add to my current state of discontentment. My personal state began to be altered and not in a good way. When your work makes you lose your religion and need an altar at least once a week, it’s probably time for a change. The straw that broke my back was the day that I realized my assistant made $44 less than me per week. My pride was hurt and my heart was broken; I felt foolish, under appreciated and taken advantage of.
Money was an issue from day one. I took a massive pay cut because I knew that it was a new company with a good concept and that my hard work would pay off and I would one day, when the company was more solid, make what I knew that I should. The offer for Huntsville was low and negotiated to the point that I was told it was no longer negotiable. They said that what was offered was more than fair not to mention the percentage increase above what I was then making as well as a friendly reminder that I had only been with the company for a few months and was now being given this amazing opportunity. It was one thing to not be making a competitive salary when I thought that everyone else was on a similar pay scale but it’s a whole different story when you find out that you are the only one being underpaid. Especially when you think about the 45-60 hours that you are working in comparison to the 38-41 hours an assistant works not to mention the difference in the amount of accountability and responsibility that comes with being a store manager versus an assistant.
I was livid. The more that I thought about the situation the more my blood boiled. I came home that night broken and angry and wrote a letter of resignation. I never turned it in; it just didn’t feel right. I continued going to work and just let it go. I knew that there would be a right time to bring it up but until then I would continue to do my job to the best of my abilities. We hit $1 mil within a few days of our 6 month mark. To me that’s quite an accomplishment to be the 3rd store in the entire company and to be in a new location. But at that time we were already 200k (17%) behind plan for the year.
Last Friday, a day that I will always remember because it will most likely be the only day ever, at least I hope, to have been fired. They sent the new guy, Director of Stores is what I believe is his title (who is also the daddy of store #4’s SSM) to do the dirty work. He lured me in the back with his “I’d like to get to know you/meet and greet” tactics. It was quick, like the removal of a bandaid or hair removal wax. He led by saying that as I am already aware, the store is not meeting projected sales goals and I have been unable to drive sales. It was unanimously decided that they, the company, would be going in a new direction as far as store management effective immediately and that I was being terminated. As he spoke, my RVP sat in silence witnessing the entire thing like he had been castrated and was choking on his balls. Side note: He was probably wishing that the corporate recruiter, who it is rumored that they are having an affair, was sucking on his balls. Bad me. See it just slips out sometimes-no matter how hard I try. But yeah, Friday, just eight days before Christmas, that’s when I got fired. Merry Christmas!
So an entire year later, with lots of memorable experiences and several learning curves, I am in the same position: in between jobs just as I was last year. Weird how that happens...like Groundhog Day. Anyways, I hope you have enjoyed your visit to my world. Either you’ll relate or appreciate the going ons in your own world a little more ;)
And like GloZell says, “Peace an blessins, peace an blessins!”
