We have a Contractor Dilemma winner

Dick Zimmerman appears to be losing his business mojo
Do the Harvey’s stay or do they go?

Loyalty has its virtues and rewards. That message was loud and clear in virtually every response received from our most recent Contractor Dilemma. Dick Zimmerman seems to be losing his business drive and perhaps reaching the point when retirement is close at hand. That unsettles the Harvey brothers and they are concerned about their future. Yet over the years, Dick has always treated the Harvey brothers well, training and rewarding them in many tangible ways.

As always, our panel found it hard to select the winning entry. In the final analysis, the proposal submitted by James Larusic, owner and operator of Sid’s Electrical Maintenance, Sydney NS was chosen.

Like many, James felt Zimmerman had been a good boss over the years and deserved an open discussion, perhaps including one about purchasing the business. It might make sense for both Dick and the brothers. James discounts the idea of the Harvey’s abandoning Dick outright, however, pointing out that, “If they go it on their own… they must find new customers, quote work, invoice for the work, pay the tax man… and much more.  These are things they are not involved with now as Dick’s wife is the bookkeeper.” These realities exist even if they purchase the business from Dick. Therefore, a cautious approach to the buyout option should be taken. The brothers need to consider the extra work involved. “It’s not an easy decision to be made quickly… Even though they [the brothers] work very well together now, things can change dramatically when family members try to work together in their own business.”

Congratulations, James!
You will receive a DeWalt FLEXVOLT® 60V MAX* 2.5 Gallon Cordless Air Compressor (DCC2560), including a 6.0Ah FLEXVOLT® Battery with fast charger (retail value $449)

Thank you to all those who took the time to enter!

As a result of so many great proposals, we will examine the issue of buying out the boss in more detail in an upcoming post, using some of the excellent ideas submitted as a guide.