Just compared a hired manager vs. running it myself for 6 months

I handed over my shop in Austin to a manager back in March so I could focus on a new project. Sales dropped 15% in three months and customer complaints doubled. I took back control last week and already seeing things turn around. Is paying someone else really worth it if they don't care like you do? What has been your experience with delegating?

3 comments

3 Comments

verar2115d ago

Honestly, that kinda changed my whole view on hiring out.

clairem4715d ago

Hang on, is everyone just assuming that hiring a manager is always a bad idea? I mean sure, your specific situation was a disaster but that doesn't mean it's impossible to find someone who actually gives a damn. The key is probably spending way more time on hiring and training, like months of overlap and clear systems before you step back. Some people are great at running a shop if you give them real ownership and pay them well enough to care. Also maybe your manager was just a bad fit and not representative of all managers everywhere. I've seen plenty of businesses where the owner stepping back actually helped because the manager was better at the day to day stuff than the owner ever was. It's not the same as doing it yourself but if you pick the right person and set them up right it can work.

piperwhite15d ago

My buddy Dave hired a manager for his BBQ joint in Austin, spent 6 months training her. She was great at first, actually brought in new recipes and streamlined the kitchen. Then after about a year she figured out she could just pocket the cash from the catering orders he didn't track. He only caught it because the tax guy noticed the numbers didn't add up. Cost him like 30 grand and a whole lot of stress before he fired her and went back to running it himself. So yeah, it can work, but man the risk is real even when you think you did everything right.

-1