Sharing an Employee

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Val

Val

PFG, Picture Framing God
Joined
Nov 21, 2005
Posts
6,729
Loc
Carson City, Nevada
I need a part-time framer. A fellow frame shop owner in a town 20 miles from here needs a part time framer . We've both had a few people with framing experience come in looking for full-time work, mostly for the hours, not necessarily benefits, probably even the same people. But neither of us needs a full time person right now.

We were talking today about why not share a framer? A couple days a week in his shop, a couple here. We are not competitors, in fact I worked for him at one time and we're on friendly terms, and work to help each other out when we can (He has a CMC, I don't, etc). We both belong to the same gallery co-op.

Anyone ever do this? Many folks make the short commute from here to there daily, my husband, for one. No big deal.

We stand to find an experienced framer easier if we could offer them the hours, between the 2 shops. Framers are very hard to come by in these parts.

What do you think??
 
It can be a nightmare.. or it can be a very nice deal.

I've heard the nightmares..

We on the other had a "six pack" that worked for Shar for about two years this way. In fact I just ran into him again.
It worked well in that he could transport things back and forth between the two shops.... oversized mats, mountings, etc.

You and the other frameshop owner need to get together on the same page as to pay and all.
 
Have you ever dealt with a child of divorced parents? At 1st, I thought win-win. But then I thought again. I see problems. "Why do you make me do it that way? So-and-so doesn't." "I told so-and-so her customer was in your shop bad mouthing her." "So-and-so says I'm a great framer with great taste and gave me a raise. What's wrong with you?"

I don't know - just thinking out loud. Could be trouble.:kaffeetrinker_2:
 
I did it for many years and still do it to a limited degree.
We trade a couple of employees back and forth and help fill in during those all important vacations.
We also order supplies together, boxes, cases of matboard, the like.

It worked BEAUTIFULLY.
No regrets, I'd do it again.
I think it's a brilliant way for us small guys to gain a small advantage.

Edie the doitval goddess
 
Edie, I hadn't thought about the buying advantages. We've already shared some advertising costs, via a gallery co-op brochure.

We've also discussed the pay thing, and agree to pay the same wage, and if the person needed 40 hours, we would alternate..3 days here this week, two next.

Hmmmm.....keep 'em coming, this is interrresting!
 
Worked for a couple in Pueblo, CO back in 1974 for about two weeks.

There were about 5 framers in the town and they were very incestuous. One owner with a larger shop and employees used to regularly go baby sit another's shop while she was taking her husband to chemo treatments. Then there was the "glass party", when the 4 tons of glass would arrive and they would divi up the booty in a parking lot.

While I was there, one of the shops had landed a 10,000 frame, double mat, mount & glass job. Nice order for a one person shop. All of the shops divided the work and it was a party schlepping 500 mats here and 1,000 frames there.. like the family they were. The wife of the couple I worked for, her brother was the husband with the cancer, but he was the third husband, his wife's first husband was the brother of the guy who would come over and sit the shop. They said that they were all related to both halves of the fourth shop, but then was when I decided that I didn't really want to know anymore.

I made sure I was in Oklahoma City the next week. :party:

But I did get a kernel of an idea from one of the owners, for an idea of a story that I have been kicking around ever since.
 
Another thing to consider is a contingency plan for when one or both of you grows to the point where you need a full-time helper.
 
Did this about 8 years ago...it was great for me. I actually started it. I was doing the school thing and when I was off for breaks I would run out of money. So I asked my current shop owner if he would mind. I was upfront and honest. I was part time in charge at his shop and the other place I would be back room and no customers. I felt that important. I think if I had an employee that was going between two shops I would do that as well. Now if you two go into it together there is the details.

Can be good or bad, me it was good. But you all need to be straight with each other. Do consider the idea of knowing in advance what would happen if you both grew and needed a full timer. That was a tough situation for me to be in. I could not commit to either, but it was not loyalty, simply money. Six days a week split between to shops will kill you after several of years.

PL
 
You might also want to consider. What if for some reason the other employer and employee just don't get along or can not seem to work together. You would stand a chance of loosing your part timer through no fault of you own.
 
Yes, there are a lot of "what-ifs". But how will we know if we don't try?

Patrick, 7 days a week in one shop, 12+ hours a day, isn't too great either, and that's where I'm at right now!

If I had balked at all the what-if's at this time last year, I wouldn't be in my own shop today. It's about taking risks, thinking ahead, doing the homework, asking for advice and support, and trudging ahead (definition of 'trudge'...to move forward with purpose.)

Good thoughts/suggestions here...keep 'em coming!
 
7 days a week - 12 hours a day

What are you doing these hours?

Do you need a framer or do you need a janitor, book keeper, receiver, repairperson, stock person, window washer?

Find out what parts of running a business you are good at and enjoy doing then hire someone to do the rest.

Don't end up vacuuming and washing windows while someone else does the fun part - framing.
 
All of the above. Small shop, doesn't take much janitoring...husband helps there. Landlord has windows washed. Bookkeeper's on a leave of absence, death in family. Receiver...again, small business, doesn't take much. Counter designing, answering phone and doing the framing...I guess I need help everywhere, don't I?

Husband is learning chopping and joining, Bob comes in to help a couple of afternoons a week, fills in when I need time off (he's been a framer for years too), Thank goodness for Bob! but he's retired and doesn't want any more hours.

We're growing fast, so...still need help. All areas. And I'm working on that.

Hence, this thread. Good thing I love framing so much, huh??
 
Some more details

Val,
My friend and I worked out a few details in this way:
This employee was mainly her employee. She paid her health insurance and I kicked in based on how many hours she worked here. I took on this employee so that my friend could keep her on with reduced hours and her hours at my place would take up the slack. However, my friend and I worked it out that she would have 'dibs' on the employee's time. But we divided her hours between us and always agreed on any changes. We also agreed on what days were to be paid holidays, rate of pay, etc.

I encouraged my friend to get the same POS software, as well, so that it would be easy for our shared helpers to go back and forth. (she did)

edie thatsallfornow goddess
 
why hire an employee at all???? If you city is big enough to support a contract worker biz, get the person you 2 want working for you to 'hire on' with them--they pay employee, you pay them---no insurance, state fees, payrool, etc etc and you get the parttimer. something worth thinking on
 
:smiley: I love this place.

You're right Bill, worth thinking about...

Interrrresting.....( insert sound of wheels turning here)
 
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