Job Dilemma

[cprcheetah]

So I have a job that I love as a Veterinary Receptionist. I just found out that a dear dear friend of mine has cancer, she is unable to work much at this time and has her own grooming shop, she has been very very sick for several months. She is willing to let me 'take over' her grooming shop to help her out and eventually take over so she can retire. I am at a dilemma as I love the people/Dr I work with, but totally want to be there for my friend and help her out. I do groom, and while I love doing it, love working with animals, it's not always 'ideal' (getting bit, peed on, pooped on, dealing with naughty dogs etc), but it would be an amazing opportunity, she has built her business for 30+ years and is usually booked about a month in advance.....What should I do? She was irked with me for NOT telling her I was looking for a job when I was job hunting as she would have hired me on the spot to help her out.

Hubby's thoughts are it might be better to eventually be my own boss....however I have heard of a possible promotion at work to Office Manager once my probationary days are up.......

My solution maybe work 4 days at the Vet and 2 days at the groomer? Right now I am working 5 days at the Vet and 1 day still grooming for my dad out of his home.....but the groomer is in the same town as my dad so I could groom my 'regulars' at her shop as well....and still help her out a couple days a week.

Both are about sixes as far as commute time goes.

[hmbutler]

Hmm tough choice! I guess it just comes down to which you would prefer to do long term... I don't think anyone else can really tell you which to choose! But good luck with your decision, both sound like great opportunities for the future, so I'm sure you can't go wrong either way!

[xellil]

I agree with your hubby.

[MollyWoppy]

Without a doubt, be your own boss and work for yourself.
I would expect your friend to want some sort of up front payment or future part of the profits if she's thinking of retiring, so make sure you do due diligence and see an accountant and attorney before you make a decision. Even though you think it would never happen to you, the vast majority (I think its in the 80% region) of business partnerships fail, so cross you i's and dot your t's.
Good luck in what you decide, you are being given an awesome opportunity.

[magicre]

here are the pros of being your own boss:

you're in control

here are the cons of being your own boss:

you never leave work

i think, and forgive me if this sounds harsh, that you have to do what you want to do.....you love working for your vet. there is a position opening up that you would like to have.

if you take over at the grooming shop, your hours will be longer than clocking in and clocking out...being one's own boss is wonderful except for the days when it isn't....when something goes wrong and it invariably does....it's on you.

if you want to go on vacation, it takes a lot of planning.

don't get me wrong. i don't play well with others, so i've always owned my own businesses....but they came with a cost....it was one i gladly paid...but there were times when i wasn't home for weeks at a time...and, whilst it sounds exotic to be flying all over europe and the usa to visit clients and go to cool conferences, i also missed out on home life....

it's a decision that cannot be based on whether your friend has cancer, no disrespect intended for real.....it has to be based on whether or not you want to be a business owner....a queen bee or a worker bee.....each carries with it advantages and disadvantages...

i wish you well in whatever you decide....

[naturalfeddogs]

Being your own boss could be a great thing, considering you could take your vacations etc...when you want. But you also have the burden of all of the financial/taxs and inventory and such that would be all on you. For me, that would be the only drawback. How far can you go with the vet you are with now? Will the pay be significant enough to stay if you got the promotion? That could be a great thing also. So, I believe it all come down to which you will really like the best. Good luck!

[rannmiller]

As someone who has missed out on several amazing opportunities to work in better places with better pay because I loved the veterinary job I had at that moment and am now needing to quit that very same job so I need a new one and missed all of those opportunities, I'd highly recommend taking over your friend's grooming business. But as others have said, try to figure out what you want to do longterm before you make any permanent decisions though. In the end it's totally up to you, but don't give up any opportunities that would be amazing for you just because you're comfortable where you are now.

[eternalstudent]

I have always wanted to be my own boss. However, I know that two things would happen to me.
1- I would never leave work
2- I would obsess over everything that went wrong.

However much I like the idea of being my own boss I think I will always work for someone or at-least within a system.

Not all people are born to run a business, if it is not you then stay were you are and enjoy it.

Taking something on because of other emotional reasons can in the short term sound like you are doing something good but in the long run might not be best for the business or you.

Having said that.....

If you have dreamt of being your own boss I can think of no reason why this would not be the perfect opportunity for you to take.

I hope you come to a decision on this with little or no stress :-)