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Thread: Opening a branch

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    Opening a branch

    We have been operating in Capetown for some while now. The way we are at present doing it is commuting down there around twice a month seeing clients, seeing candidates etc etc. We have found offices in Century City and have actually been operating out of some on a temp basis. It is now time to take the next step and get permanent offices and permanent staff down there and open the branch.
    My question is : What is the most advisable way to do this ? I would like to run the books etc all from JHB, obviously separate the two branches. We would also like to give the lady that has been targeted to be Branch Manager shares in the business (CT only). But how exactly do we go about it and what is the best option ? Do we do plain simple profit sharing or what ? We would like to give her a fair percentage in the CT branch to obviously keep her interested and have a long term interest in the business.

    I would appreciate some comments. Thank you

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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by HR Solutions View Post
    We would like to give her a fair percentage in the CT branch to obviously keep her interested and have a long term interest in the business.
    For a new hire? You must be joking.

    Just makes things more complicated if you have to sack dismiss her. Profit share is the better way to go if you feel you have to have that sort of incentive in place. And even then, big question marks as to whether it will actually affect performance. It's just too far removed from a direct action...

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    For a new hire? You must be joking
    She is not a new hire, she has been working for us in Jhb for a long time, built her way up, has been trained for the position and is now getting transferred.

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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    I withdraw the "You must be joking" then

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    Platinum Member sterne.law@gmail.com's Avatar
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    I suggest a structure along the lines that the person gets shares of X percent. It only converts to true equity after 2 yrs (as example) that is cant be sold, traded or ceded and such.
    If she leaves, for whatever reason, before 2 years, the equity returns to you. Along the way she gets her equivalent profit share.
    You need to decide if the shares can only be retained while person is working. If so, on departure company buys shares out at agreed formula. ( further protection, is that person must work for further 2 years before equity can be sold) in this way Alternatively shares acumulate as time passes. In interim profit share incentive in place.
    Good to allow person opportunity to purchase shares alobg the way, example buy 4 percent get 5 percent, price can be set. This is often an indicator if person is truly invested or merely happy to take shares as a salary bonus.
    Anthony Sterne

    www.acumenholdings.co.za
    DISCLAIMER The above is merely a comment in discussion form and an open public arena. It does not constitute a legal opinion or professional advice in any manner or form.

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    Bronze Member Miro Bagrov's Avatar
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    I think staff gets salaries. Business partners get % profit cuts.
    If the salaries are too low, the staff leave, if they don't then they are happy. If a business partner doesn't cut enough profit then he sells off the shares.

    Everyone is entitled to their own thing. But in no way can one mix the certain and the uncertain and the employees with the owners, and the salary with the profit. That's trouble. With all respect, it's big trouble.

    So the realistic options in my mind is:
    1. Franchise - Investor (buyer) forks out a lot of money to buy into the business and pays every month for admin and commission on sales (and his own rent).
    2. Fully owned store - workers get salaries, landlord gets rent, and the head-office owner gets his profit.

    Incentive/Rewards systems that can be used to motivate staff:
    1. Bigger annual increase (after reporting period, after 12 months)
    2. Bonuses (not as high as the owner's profit, again after 12 months of steaming profits)
    3. Other benefits - tax deductible allowances, where the business and the employee benefits.

    Let's just be honest - workers don't want to be bosses, or feel like they are owners. That's obvious because they are not prepared to take the risks the owner takes. So why pass off profit where no risk is accepted?

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    Junior Member DeonT's Avatar
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    There is absolutely no way that I'd give shares away in any of my businesses. I've made that mistake before and vowed to never do it again. Although my intentions were good, I was naive and I opened myself up to things that I could never imagine at the time of gifting the shares. A shareholder is as close to you as your wife and I only have capacity for 1 wife.

    Staff get salaries and bonuses, better leave provisions, lunch at work, nicer laptops and cell phones etc. They don't get shares. Your circumstances might be different, but if I were you, I'd re-think that idea.

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    Miro I appreciate you comments, but would like to thro some spanners into what you said.
    Franchise wont really work because she will not be able to buy into the business. she is fairly young and we are wanting to still run/control it.
    Fully owned store , basically same as above.

    Therefore I still am not sure which way to go. She is not just a worker. She has been with us for a while. She is looking at her future and wants to be a "part" owner in the CT branch. This to me is a good thing because she is showing sense and is looking ahead.
    she does not just want an annual increase or a bonus etc and neither do we want to just give her that. If she has the business at heart she is naturally going to give more into it

    Let's just be honest - workers don't want to be bosses, or feel like they are owners. That's obvious because they are not prepared to take the risks the owner takes. So why pass off profit where no risk is accepted?
    Most of the time yes. I agree fully with this statement, but in this case I hope and think we have found the right person, therefore we would like to KEEP her and grow the business from there.

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    In the same breath can anyone advise me which is a good reasonably priced Management course that we can send one or two ladies on ? Possibly a two day course. There are a few out there but would like one that someone has a good experience of and can recommend please ?

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    Diamond Member wynn's Avatar
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    Just make sure that you compartmentalize the new business with a separate Pty. Ltd. co registration so that if for whatever reason it goes further south than cape point it doesn't drag your existing business with it.
    "Nobody who has succeeded has not failed along the way"
    Arianna Huffington

    Read the first 10% of my books "Didymus" and "The BEAST of BIKO BRIDGE" for free
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