Wow y'all it is getting to be CRUNCH TIME!
Things are just moving, moving, moving around VIP!!! With just a little over three weeks before our anticipated opening date of August 1st, it feels like everything will and won't come together on time. But, in reality, August 1st is likely going to work out and will be as successful as any business' first day could be.
Most importantly, we have found our office administrator, Mandy Chandler! I am so excited to welcome her to our fledgling team and am confident she's going to be an extremely valuable asset to help deliver the VIP mission! You can look forward to meeting her in person as well as in the staff biography page: coming soon!
On a different note.... While I won't waller in self pity, I may just continue to be too wordy (eat your heart out, haters). But, I did want to address some of the negativity from complete strangers that I happened to see on someone else's social media post whom had shared VIP's previous blog post, re: hiring a manager.
I am not going to call anyone out or engage in a social media war, nor discuss what was said, but rather, just try to clarify and emphasize that it is my sincerest promise and pledge that VIP is going to be a COMPLETELY employee centered business where VIP is a vehicle for EVERY employee to have a modicum of financial stability, have a healthy work life balance, healthy work relationships, significant recognition and reward for a fast-paced work ethic. Ultimately, VIPs success is everyone's to share. I cannot stand the thought of working on the backs of anyone to enrich myself. I want VIP to work for everyone, not just me, this is a DEMANDING industry and stressful as hell. While I wish everyone could make a million dollars per year (including myself!) $20/hour is the best the business can offer right now for four, full-time employees. That's about $41,000 per year, and combined is $164,000 for payroll alone for the next 365 days...it maybe a little rocky initially, and I may have to pull from personal funds to pay everyone, and I will be happy to do it, but IMHO its $20 or bust. And even then, that's just the minimum of how much I think the people helping me and VIP succeed are worth, but it is a starting point. When the business succeeds, everyone succeeds, it is my promise. I don't want anyone to resent coming to work with me or my colleagues or VIP for any reason, much less because they feel they aren't being paid their minimum worth.
That being said, the vast majority of feedback was very positive, and many true friends came to my defense. You know who you are and you're SO appreciated! AND...the position has been filled by Mandy and she is going to be an awesome addition!
In other news almost all of the necessary veterinary equipment has been ordered and delivered, but they are still packaged and waiting to be assembled until the final touches of the build-out to be completed so they can be assigned clean and tidy homes. Because life is life, we maybe using plastic tables for examinations and other tasks for a week or two as all of the stainless steel cages, surfaces, and treatment tables may not be fully assembled or even in Kentucky by the 1st, but we will make do while we wait. In fact, when they are finished, I may have to take a day or two off so that I can fly to Texas to pick all of them up and bring them back to Paducah...It is cheaper to fly to Dallas and drive them back in a U-Haul than it is to have them shipped!
The painting is more than half-way done and most all of appliances have been installed. The x-ray machine was just installed and could burn a hole through a lead ball...not really, lol, but it is a fine-tuned machine and is going to provide extremely detailed images...I cannot wait to see all of the things!! And we're almost ready to start moving in all the other furniture items and fixtures, and turn this place into a full service veterinary hospital!
I hope everyone has a great rest of your morning, day, evening, or night, depending on your local time. "Hold on to your butts!" --Mr. Arnold, Jurassic Park.
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