Hey look, it turns out that "separating yourself from the business" is yet another one of those things that is way harder in practice than in theory! Blah.

It definitely is. I care a lot about my employees and I'm also friends with them, it's a very tricky balance when this happens, but bright clear lines about what is, and is not, my business makes those things easier to navigate.

Hey look, it turns out that "separating yourself from the business" is yet another one of those things that is way harder in practice than in theory! Blah.

It definitely is. I care a lot about my employees and I'm also friends with them, it's a very tricky balance when this happens, but bright clear lines about what is, and is not, my business makes those things easier to navigate.

Dicey.

A some of my old clients have become friends (after the ethically mandated separation period), which I just love. However, when struggle pops up in their lives, I have to be careful to not take on the care taker role.

Having clear language around work versus friend roles can be helpful. "Say. This is a boss moment, so I'm going to put that hat on now."

Some employees can't navigate the distinction but, for the ones that are able, it shouldn't be too hard.

I hired a friend at the pet care company and that worked well. I tried to hire another one, and she was smart enough to say it would be uncomfortable for her. Both of them were wise!

smonster - it is not unreasonable for him to ask, but it is also not unreasonable for you to say no. He may have been planning on spending his last check on clothes, but it's more convenient for mom to take him earlier.

Sorry Dana. Strike one is none of her goddamned business. Unless youre selling them on the street or a danger to your health, she needs to listen to her patient

Strike two is a red flag. I don't do doctors who don't listen to me. No one should.

I agree with meara that you should write a letter. She's not going to change if she doesn't know that there's a problem. Chances are she won't (given the whole "not listening" thing), but give it a shot. Plus, I find I often stop being mad about shit once I write the letter. OTOH, sometimes writing it all down pisses me off more, but YRMV.

I think it's tax-free weekend, that may have been part of it.

What you do seems to me like it would be fraught with unforeseens. Maybe you can try to incorporate that more into both your thinking and your quotes? Because you can't know what you can't know. The conversations in particular might be less terrible to engage in if you can set them up as part of the process, not an error.

It is in the estimate I provide to customers. I think it's the thinking that is tricky. Once I was past the initial freakout, I realized it wasn't my fault. It's definitely part of the process I'm uncomfortable with and will have to get better with.

I'm about to go install those doors, here is hoping that goes okay. It should. And then back to the Shutter Project of Death.

I think tax-free weekend starts tonight here. We may end up going to Wal-Mart at like 1:00am so my wife can hoard spiral notebooks.

Hey Gud, what's her new company? I know you've been working on it.

Of course as soon as we load the doors on top of Peggy (my Jeep) it starts POURING. Now we are sitting in the client's driveway, seeing if we get a break in the weather. I only have a brief window to get these in before I lose my helper. Oooo, it's lightening up.

I think tax-free weekend starts tonight here. We may end up going to Wal-Mart at like 1:00am so my wife can hoard spiral notebooks.

ooo, notebooks. Good idea. I forgot about tax-free weekend, thanks for reminding me!

It's a counseling private practice. She's also working on a online-course component which is one of my current software projects in my free time.

Got the doors in with only a mild soaking.Let's hope she pays promptly! I think she will.