Interesting. How did you get started? owning 17 businesses is quite an accomplishment. How'd you do it?
Lots of hard work, a desire to take some calculated risk, and the willingness to give up any social life for 2 years. I left a very stable job and my entire life savings to start the business with a couple of partners. I wish I could say that I made a fortune doing it but I didn't....
Managers will get away with whatever they can based on my experience. You can't watch over them the entire time and there is a lot of cash that moves through and enticements from employees and customers.
I was very picky in my hiring process. There were several interviews, a background check and reference checks performed on all of my managers. Then they went through 2 weeks of hands on training led by me or my Dir of Ops. Then they were put on 90 days probation. Even with all of those steps, I still ended up firing 17 managers in 2 years because of theft, drug abuse at work, sexual harrassment or other unethical behavior.
It is a tough business.
