To some, the dream of owning a business is all about freedom, a chance to change the world and all that jazz. To me, the dream was simple: To be lazy.
My work experiences have been varied, including law firms, government, newspapers, even McDonald's. While these jobs were all interesting, there were clearly parts I didn't enjoy— getting up early in the morning, sitting in traffic, dressing in a suit and tie. How hackneyed! What an imposition on my sleep!
When I started my consulting group, TCG, I quickly realized I was too lazy to do the Web work I'd been contracted to do. With that in mind, I hired my friends and their friends to do the work … and then things started going south. My clients weren’t happy with the oversight I was providing, and I started to lose people. I realized that while I’m good at managing employees, I didn't know how to manage projects well. I needed more help.
I started reading books, periodicals and Web sites, and I began talking to my peers. I soon learned that I was in over my head. I needed someone to take my clients off my hands, and it had to be someone I trusted.
Three months later, an opportunity presented itself. I offered my mother the job as TCG’s first project manager. It was an hourly position, without any significant benefits or a share of the profits. In exchange she'd get to deal with my most annoying clients. How could she resist?
Turns out that, along with the hiring of my college roommate (and his mother), hiring my mother was one of the best moves I've made as an entrepreneur. My mom provided a voice of experience and reason. When potential clients reacted to my youth and refused to give us credence, I'd have her be my front (wo)man. When business was bad, I’d lay her off— three times since I hired her. This seems to be comforting for my other employees, as it’s clear I’m not playing favorites.
I've also employed my then-future wife (before we were dating, thanks), my college roommate's brother, two other college roommates, my father and my sister-in-law. My mother-in-law keeps hinting she'd like to work for me, too. Maybe I pay too well? Anyway, it’s not just my family I employ. We’ve hired employee’s siblings and cousins, as well as husbands and wives, and fathers and sons.
So what does all of this have to do with being lazy? The majority of the problems I’ve had with new employees derived from a misunderstanding of what they need or what they want. By hiring people I already know or who have a tie to someone else in the company, I decrease the amount of time I spend trying to understand them.
What’s more, employees’ relatives keep them invested in the company. As long as I treat everyone fairly, nobody gets upset. I have found that when people who love each other are working on something together, they form an emotional attachment to the job. With all these people emotionally invested in TCG, how could we fail? Last year was our best ever, this one will be better still—all because of the wonderful people I employ just to let me get more sleep.