# How do I get rid of my boss's little brother?



## mccarty.74 (Jul 4, 2009)

I think Winklepleck is the model employee. He bitches, not out of a "whoa is me mentality," but rather because he genuinely gives a ****. He is trying to better the business, that he doesn't own and his name is not on, in efficiency and quality. How many employees can everybody say have that thought process? He's not "LUCKY" to have a job, he's unlucky to be in that environment. I am in no way discounting the disgustingly high number of good skilled tradesmen who are out of work right now because we all know current financial situations aren't the norm but, rather, a once in a lifetime (if that) event. Winklepleck, ever think about moving to Ohio: weather and sports teams suck but you can always move back right?


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## S Winklepleck (Jul 31, 2009)

Haha... it's funny you should say that. My dad used to work for Netflix out here as a manager at one of the distribution hubs. That hub recently moved to Ohio, and they offered him the same pay he was getting here, and moving expenses paid and all that jazz. He turned it down cause of the weather :laughing:


Thanks for the compliments, by the way. Don't think giving a crap is enough these days, but it's something, right? :whistling


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## slowforthecones (Aug 24, 2008)

bottom line, that is your boss and that is his blood brother. he will always unconditionally love and look out for him to a extent. you need to know he is your enemy and you need not to try to be friend him or tell him too much or teach him the trade more than he already knows. He may replace you one day if your boss feels like it. Get licensed, stop making people rich and make yourself some serious $$$.


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## mccarty.74 (Jul 4, 2009)

Please define serious$$$. Though it may pay off in the end, being a start-up boss doesn't necessarily dictate financial prosperity.


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## J F (Dec 3, 2005)

No, iirc, according to statistics it leads to an 80-90% failure rate in just the first 5 years. :blink:


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## jcalvin (Feb 1, 2008)

been there. quit that. worked as an electrician for about 6 years. he had just got his license and wanted me to really help him pull through the first couple years, which i did. he became one of the most sought after electricians in the county and work was booming. we more or less split apart and was running two seperate crews and jobs to finish jobs. he hired his brother that had less experience than i did and paid him much more than i. i bit my lip for about a year until i could find something else and left. his brother left also later for a cushy job which left him without anyone. he has had to deal with a swift fall from grace but is still plugging along. not at the top anymore though. 

he who laughs last, laughs loudest.


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## freemason21 (Aug 5, 2009)

I would stick it out, if anything you make yourself look more useful to the company. I'm sure he likes having his brother working, and if you can fix his brothers mistakes, then everyone stays busy. Kind of a flawed logic but if it keeps you working who cares.


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## S Winklepleck (Jul 31, 2009)

Just so I've made my intentions clear, I definitely plan to get my license. Soon. I'm far, FAR from having the knowledge I need to be a successful home builder, but I think I have learned what I need to start off doing smaller remodels, something like what Mike F does, specializing in one particular area. I'd like to do it with kitchens, just for the complexity and the challenge. I think it would take longer for me to get bored doing that then it would doing little fix-ups and flips and crap like that.

Eventually, though, I'm going back to school, sucking it up and getting an architectural degree and then getting certified. I don't think I'll go as far as engineering, but I'd LOVE to design and build custom homes within my own company. My big fantasy is spending about half my time designing, the other half overseeing progress on what my company is building. It's a pretty high goal, but I've got lots of time to get there :thumbsup: I don't want to hang up my bags for at least another 15 years. It's just too satisfying working in the field


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## NormW (Jun 4, 2009)

I work a lot of jobs as a sub-contractor. In the majority of crews I've been on, the General had family working for him. Although in some instances the family members fit in, most of the time they caused friction. Your situation sounds bearable, compared to the trouble family could make. 
A crew I was on last winter, had the owner's brother, son, and nephew working, not to mention his wife involved with the customer... oh and "numerous friends" working also... this was "nepotism" at its worst. Over all they did decent work, but the daily drama was unbelievable. I was relieved when I was finished with this crew.
In my opinion, dealing with the boss's family is going to be a common problem, be it as an employee, or as an architect. Your best bet is learn how to manage your frustrations and stay positive. After awhile and after dealing with a number of different contractors, family probably won't be the biggest flag.


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## smeagol (May 13, 2008)

Thats whats terrible about working union. We had a nickname for all the supes kids, asbestos(fireproof)


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