My stubborn boss

boltnrun · January 21

It's not up to you who deserves a raise and who doesn't. It's her business. Again, she could decide to pay her instructors a million dollars per class and that has nothing to do with you. Her business, her decision.

As for experience, how long have you been working for this woman? Years? Or months? A new employee doesn't get to walk in, agree to a certain wage, then expect to be paid more. Or, you could expect it and she is not obligated to agree.

I do hope you get a new job and can leave this one behind. Hopefully you don't get to the new job and expect to be able to decide what they do, how they do it and to be paid more than they're offering.

Jaunty · January 21

3 hours ago, Alex39 said:

I've never been to the class, but she tells me that 60 year old women do the class. She does do a lot of alternative movements when someone can't do it. Almost all her clients are age 50 through 85. She does have a few that are in there 30s and 40s.

Why do you think that a fit 60 year old, or older still, can't do as much of a workout as a fairly sedentary, overweight person in their 30's or 40's?

You seem to have a lot of baggage connected to peoples' age.

boltnrun · January 21

I do find it somewhat ironic you refer to this woman as "stubborn".

Wiseman2 · January 21

2 hours ago, Alex39 said:

. The teachers at my studio aren't doing anything new or excelling. Just their job. I really think that people with experience and qualifications should make more.

Please understand Alex. You're not her boss and you don't run the business. You don't call the shots, decide on salaries and make executive decisions.

A fitness studio can't survive without fitness instructors, whether you like it or not. . It's that simple. They are essential to her business, much more so than you are.

Someone who sits at a computer tweaking websites and doing some email marketing is replaceable. It doesn't mean you have no value as a human being, it's just that you're view of this is so out of proportion.

It's unclear why you believe you run this place and who's putting these poisonous ideas in your head.

Jaunty · January 21

2 hours ago, Alex39 said:

I understand what you are saying. This is different.

No it's not.

2 hours ago, Alex39 said:

The salespeople at your place sold and excelled. That was their job. So yes they deserve the bonus. The teachers at my studio aren't doing anything new or excelling.

YOUR opinion. The owner probably thinks that they are doing a job worthy of a pay raise. Most importantly, a fitness instructor is the core of her business. Without them, she would have no business.

A part time minimum wage assistant is a dime a dozen. Sorry - I know you have an education etc. but that is beside the point because as others have said (over and over), you took a menial job for low pay.

Also you have been there since sometime in the fall. You haven't even been there long enough to have earned a raise.

When I was running my business I would give people who were doing what we were in business to do a raise sometimes and NOT give my administrative assistant one, if money was tight. It's normal.

Jaunty · January 21

Since you have so much more experience at fitness instruction than her instructors, and they get paid better, why not start teaching classes?

Alex39 · January 21

I never said that she must give me a raise. I simply asked for one when she brought up money. When she brought up giving a raise per experience/qualifications, then I too asked for one and brought out experience to show that I have it, as evidence to support my asking. She has chosen not to give one. I understand this.

But this process had me reflect on the amount of work and the type of work I am doing.

I never said she must or has to. In the process of this, she then tried to exclaim that I have no experience and she doesnt value it. Though she hired me for just that originally. So I realize that I am doing a lot of work for minimum wage. And wanting me to dabble in cleaning and setting up the room. This made me realize that she is just trying to pay someone the bare minimum and suck as much work out of them as possible. I mean I'm doing accounting and then you want me cleaning. Vastly different.

So I've realized that this job probably isn't for me, because it dawned on me that the type of work I've been doing is often paid a lot more.

She told me when hired, that she'd like to pay me more and in the future might. Then has told me multiple times since being hired, that if I boost sales she'll pay me more and give me sales bonuses. Well I doubled sales and tripled sales. So I didn't think it was unreasonable to ask when she brought up paying other employees more.

And my father, who is a very work savvy man thinks I need to leave as soon as possible when I get my next gig. He thinks a few things:

1. He thinks she's using me unfairly. He thinks she's using me for high quality, high level work for bad pay. And then throws in some easy tasks like cleaning to dumb down the job and justify the pay.

2. He thinks she hasn't been honest. She told me 20 hours a week upon hiring. Some weeks I struggle to get 10 with her cutting me short a lot.

3. My father thinks she'll blame me for her business not doing well and that I'm a great scapegoat and person to blame.

4. My father thinks it might ruin my reputation to stay with my name as the Manager if her business does fail.

My dad is a smart guy who has been through the ringer with work himself his whole life. I trust what my dad has to say and I agree with him.

I plan on leaving as soon as possible.

Alex39 · January 21

46 minutes ago, Jaunty said:

Since you have so much more experience at fitness instruction than her instructors, and they get paid better, why not start teaching classes?

I'd love to teach. When she initially heard I had certifications, she was interested in me as a manager and teaching, doing both. I'm certified to teach certain types of fitness classes. She doesn't want my type of classes at her studio. I offered and she was intrigued, but when she saw what I teach, she said no.

She only allows slow moving fitness, barefoot, and light airy music at her studio.

I'm certified in cardio kickboxing, zumba, dance fitness, step cardio, and tabata, with fun music. She won't allow it. Her choice completely. I understand it. Plus all my disciplines require shoes for safety, which she won't allow. She doesn't allow shoes and makes everyone leave them outside. And she says loud music and harsh sounds ruins some karmic energy flow in her studio. Her floors are not special, and can easily take shoes and high impact. The person she leases it from used to use it for tap dancing. So it isn't that the floors will get ruined.

She only offers 4 exercise types. All slow moving.

Wiseman2 · January 21

14 minutes ago, Alex39 said:

she's using me for high quality, high level work for bad pay. so she doesnt have to pay me more money and for more hours it will take to increase sales. I'm a great scapegoat and person to blame.

It's sad you believe she's driving her business into the ground so she doesn't have to pay more and using you as a scapegoat. It's hard to believe she hatched this entire nefarious plot just to upset you.

boltnrun · January 21

You can get a job at another fitness studio teaching classes. Get paid to work out, get paid to increase your fitness level. Then you could stop paying for your gym membership. Win-win.

It certainly couldn't pay less than what you're currently making and it would be much less stressful.

Alex39 · January 21

She had mentioned I could get certified in what she teaches, and she was really into me doing it. But it was thousands of dollars- paid to her to teach me. I couldn't afford that and I had no interest.

She teaches 11 classes, 11 hours a week at her studio. She cancels a few a week. She likes her time. If she has errands to run or friends ask her for dinner, she'll just cancel on her customers. Her choice completely. I don't care.

She then leaves her studio and works for someone else at another studio locally teaching a few hours a week. Then she takes a few private clients 3 to 5 hours a week. So in total she works about 20 hours a week only.

Making on the low end $3000 a month and on the high end $6000 a month for only 20 hours of work, she isn't doing that bad. Most people, myself included work double that, and we make more money respectfully. She wants a huge salary for herself, but only wants to work minimally 20 hours. You work more, you make more. Between my two jobs, I work a good 50 to 60 hours a week. I make more that way.

Wiseman2 · January 21

4 minutes ago, Alex39 said:

. She wants a huge salary for herself, but only wants to work minimally 20 hours.

So? It's her business Alex. I'm sorry she's doing better than you are but then again she knows how to run her business. You seem very obsessed with money in a penny wise pound foolish sort of way.

rainbowsandroses · January 21

1 hour ago, Alex39 said:

I'm certified to teach certain types of fitness classes. She doesn't want my type of classes at her studio. I offered and she was intrigued, but when she saw what I teach, she said no.

I'm certified in cardio kickboxing, zumba, dance fitness, step cardio, and tabata...

This^^ is interesting.

Weight is a sensitive topic so hope this doesn't offend but on your previous thread you posted you were overweight - 250 lbs. and had lost 25, so down to 225 lbs.

How's that going? Have you reached your weight loss goal?

If not, do you think that may have a bearing on why she doesn't want you to teach a fitness class?

I'm not suggesting you're not fit to teach a fitness class, but people have different perceptions and only asking if you've considered this a possibility?

If you have reached your weight loss goal, disregard this question and congrats!

Alex39 · January 21

8 minutes ago, rainbowsandroses said:

This^^ is interesting.

Weight is a sensitive topic so hope this doesn't offend but on your previous thread you posted you were overweight - 250 lbs. and had lost 25, so down to 225 lbs.

How's that going? Have you reached your weight loss goal?

If not, do you think that may have a bearing on why she doesn't want you to teach a fitness class?

I'm not suggesting you're not fit to teach a fitness class, but people have different perceptions and only asking if you've considered this a possibility?

If you have reached your weight loss goal, disregard this question and congrats!

I've lost even more since then and she was completely fine letting me teach if I had different certifications or paid for ones she suggested, so I don't think my weight is the issue.

Alex39 · January 21

56 minutes ago, Wiseman2 said:

So? It's her business Alex. I'm sorry she's doing better than you are but then again she knows how to run her business. You seem very obsessed with money in a penny wise pound foolish sort of way.

She isn't doing better than I am. She has even told me she envies my path in life, because she doesn't have any retirement fund, no health insurance, and never finished college.

She complains every single time I see her how much she struggles financially and can't make ends meet. That's what touched my heart and had me working hard to get her more sales. I really think she's a nice lady. But I can't sympathize the constant complaining when you only choose to work 20 hours a week and could work 40 like everyone I know. She's choosing that. I respect that she only wants to work that much. But what do you expect when it's not full time money wise? And then cancels a class to go to the mall with her friends.

I'm just a different person. I was raised to work hard. I've had a job since I was 15. I've never stopped since then. My parents instilled in me to be a hard working self sufficient person. I'm not obsessed with money. I have my student debt. I'm trying to pay it off faster, so I can live easier and only have to work one job.

In college, I was completing my studies and working full time and did an internship and did group activities. All at the same time. You do what you have to do.

rainbowsandroses · January 21

5 minutes ago, Alex39 said:

I've lost even more since then and she was completely fine letting me teach if I had different certifications or paid for ones she suggested, so I don't think my weight is the issue.

Well, perhaps she didn't want to tell you the real reason for fear of offending, who knows, right?

But if you don't think that's the reason, then fair enough and good luck with your weight loss journey. 😀

rainbowsandroses · January 21

9 minutes ago, Alex39 said:

She complains every single time I see her how much she struggles financially and can't make ends meet. That's what touched my heart and had me working hard to get her more sales. I really think she's a nice lady. But I can't sympathize the constant complaining when you only choose to work 20 hours a week and could work 40 like everyone I know. She's choosing that. I respect that she only wants to work that much. But what do you expect when it's not full time money wise?

Pot meet kettle?

Just saying Alex, look in the mirror. Complaining is all you're doing as well, but yet you have asked us to have compassion for you.

Alex39 · January 21

2 minutes ago, rainbowsandroses said:

Well, perhaps she didn't want to tell you the real reason for fear of offending, who knows, right?

But if you don't think that's the reason, then fair enough and good luck with your weight loss journey. 😀

Maybe she didn't want to say. But honestly, I wasn't looking to get back into it. I didn't promote to her that I had the certifications. I didn't offer it. I didnt ask to teach. When she saw it on my CV she was the one interested and said she was open to it, asking me more. But she wasn't up on the fitness types I know. So I showed her example videos and she didnt like the loud music or shoes. I wasn't pursuing it.

rainbowsandroses · January 21

1 minute ago, Alex39 said:

Maybe she didn't want to say. But honestly, I wasn't looking to get back into it. I didn't promote to her that I had the certifications. I didn't offer it. I didnt ask to teach. When she saw it on my CV she was the one interested and said she was open to it, asking me more. But she wasn't up on the fitness types I know. So I showed her example videos and she didnt like the loud music or shoes. I wasn't pursuing it.

Okay, thank you for clarifying, it was just a thought.

Wiseman2 · January 21

13 minutes ago, Alex39 said:

I've lost even more since then and she was completely fine letting me teach if I had different certifications or paid for ones she suggested, so I don't think my weight is the issue.

You weren't hired as a fitness instructor and her type of studio seems more yoga taichi type of stuff. You and your aerobics sneakers and all that has absolutely nothing to do with her business model. It has nothing to do with your weight. Not even sure why you're going there as far as her business is concerned.

Alex39 · January 21

6 minutes ago, rainbowsandroses said:

Pot meet kettle?

Just saying Alex, look in the mirror. Complaining is all you're doing as well, but yet you have asked us to have compassion for you.

I complain about my debt. But I'm out there working 60 hours a week two jobs trying to at least fix it. I had a bad apartment I was renting. I worked hard, bought my own condo and got out. I complain about getting a better side job, and I'm out there putting in tons of applications elsewhere trying to change it. I want to lose weight, and I've actively doing it. I want to become a better person, so I'm actively going to therapy. I'm wanting to meet men, so I'm actively online dating putting myself out there.

So at least I'm actively doing stuff. I don't just complain to complain. I say and I do.

Alex39 · January 21

Just now, Wiseman2 said:

You weren't hired as a fitness instructor and her type of studio seems more yoga taichi type of stuff. You and your aerobics sneakers and all that has absolutely nothing to do with her business model. It has nothing to do with your weight. Not even sure why you're going there as far as her business is concerned.

I only mentioned it because someone on here asked me why I don't teach at her studio. So I was explaining why. I don't really care to teach fitness or not. I'm indifferent about it. I've done it on and off for years.

Wiseman2 · January 21

Just now, Alex39 said:

. I don't just complain to complain.

But it's already 10 pages of that.

rainbowsandroses · January 21

6 minutes ago, Wiseman2 said:

Not even sure why you're going there as far as her business is concerned.

I brought up the weight issue Wiseman in response to her post stating her boss said no to her teaching a fitness class.

It was just a thought and Alex has clarified that no it's not the reason and it's not an issue.

My bad, not Alex's.

rainbowsandroses · January 21

13 minutes ago, Wiseman2 said:

But it's already 10 pages of that.

Yes that's what I meant Alex, you're complaining ad nauseum to us on the forum.

What's the difference between what she's doing and what you're doing?

And why cannot you sympathize with her but yet you expect sympathy and compassion from us?

You said she's 'choosing' it.

Well my dear, so have you!

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