Jun. 25, 2018 The Ladder: Lori Joyce: Today I found this article by Brenda Bouw in the Globe and Mail:
Lori Joyce is the founder and CEO of Vancouver-based premium ice cream brand Betterwith Foods Inc. She also co-founded the bakery franchise Cupcakes.
My parents were farmers. I grew up on an apple orchard with more than 500 apple trees. My first job was picking up apples off the ground. I have vivid memories of that time, which really shaped me today, including the importance of hard work. I learned how to hustle by going with my dad every weekend to sell the apples from the back of the truck.
There were no farmers’ markets back then so my dad, in his broken English, would go to grocery stores and sell. There was no way he would come home until all of the apples were sold.
There were no farmers’ markets back then so my dad, in his broken English, would go to grocery stores and sell. There was no way he would come home until all of the apples were sold.
I worked part-time in retail clothing stores during university and really enjoyed it. When I finished university, I went into retail full-time, starting with working in wholesale clothing as a sales rep for various brands.
Working in retail taught me a lot of important sales skills, like cold calling − a skill I think has been lost. As a business owner, I think it’s vital. Hustling is an underrated skill. Whether you’re an athlete or an entrepreneur, it’s a competition. You have to look at it that way.
I started Cupcakes with a friend of mine, Heather White, in 2002. Years earlier, we were both working for the same company and were in New York shortly after 9/11 happened. It was really intense. I took Heather to get a cupcake at Magnolia Bakery in New York. I loved American desserts.
On our way back to our hotel room, in the cab, after I ate three cupcakes, Heather said we should open up a cupcake bakery. I told her it was ridiculous since neither one of us baked.
Three months later, I saw an empty retail space and told Heather, “This is the perfect space for a cupcake store.” Two months later, we opened the first Cupcakes location.
On our way back to our hotel room, in the cab, after I ate three cupcakes, Heather said we should open up a cupcake bakery. I told her it was ridiculous since neither one of us baked.
Three months later, I saw an empty retail space and told Heather, “This is the perfect space for a cupcake store.” Two months later, we opened the first Cupcakes location.
Cupcakes was a phenomenal experience. It also prepared me for Betterwith today. The most important thing is that I discovered what I wasn’t good at. I’m a poor manager. I would credit myself as being a visionary and being a leader, but that doesn’t make you a good manager. I definitely relied on Heather for managing the team. She was amazing at that.
What I learned from starting Cupcakes is that you can really do whatever you focus on. You can achieve it. I still can’t make cupcakes. It wasn’t about that. It’s about building a brand and creating an experience. I learned I’m a lot more creative than I give myself credit for.
One thing I’m good at is creating things that customers want. Heather and I didn’t invent cupcakes, but we invented a brand that became an experience.
One thing I’m good at is creating things that customers want. Heather and I didn’t invent cupcakes, but we invented a brand that became an experience.
I never went into the ice cream business so I would make my ice cream. My strength is creating a brand. I focus all of my energy on building and marketing that brand and having it stand for something. That’s what we did with Cupcakes, too.
I stepped out of Cupcakes to focus on Betterwith in 2013. I wanted to create a brand with premium ingredients and milk that’s single-source and traceable. Understanding and knowing where your food comes from is the primary purpose of Betterwith and it all comes from my childhood and how I was raised.
When I was a kid, my milk source came from our own cow. It was the healthiest thing my parents could have done for me.
When I was a kid, my milk source came from our own cow. It was the healthiest thing my parents could have done for me.
As a business owner and a leader, I had to learn trust. I hire people that I feel that I can trust. That’s the number one quality that I look for. In most cases in my businesses, I’m not the expert. I’m not the baker, the ice cream maker of the distributor, so I put a lot of value into trusting others.
A lot of people strongly suggested that I don’t do this. My dad understands. I think it would make my mom’s day if I had a stable government job instead. But I’m an entrepreneur. I think it’s more stubbornness than confidence that led me to go for it. Plus, I love ice cream.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/careers/management/article-betterwith-foods-ceo-lori-joyce-on-how-you-can-really-accomplish/
"I've been given a new role with more work and less pay": Today I found this article in the Globe and Mail:
The question
My company recently let go of all the sales staff except me. In 12 years, I’ve always done new sales while a separate team concentrated on retaining customers. Since the layoff, they have asked me to take on the retention job as my main responsibility, but also continue to generate new sales. I am salary plus commission.
The day of the layoffs, the president, with the HR rep present, told me to expect an increase in salary since commissions would be withdrawn in favour of a bonus plan. I finally received my new comp plan with no increase in salary and the bonus structure seems unattainable.
I will most likely make less money than before. What are my options? Can I decline and still get a severance? My fear is that if I don’t hit the bonus goals, they would have grounds to fire me for bad performance, without severance.
The day of the layoffs, the president, with the HR rep present, told me to expect an increase in salary since commissions would be withdrawn in favour of a bonus plan. I finally received my new comp plan with no increase in salary and the bonus structure seems unattainable.
I will most likely make less money than before. What are my options? Can I decline and still get a severance? My fear is that if I don’t hit the bonus goals, they would have grounds to fire me for bad performance, without severance.
The first answer
Eleanor James
Personal communications and employee retention, thejamesthinkstitute.ca, Toronto
It’s hard to fathom what goes on in people’s minds. So much effort to plan these fancy moves, maybe thinking you won’t notice. But you have. This seems to be a no-win situation because every way you turn there are obstacles and untruths. This company has a flawed method of retaining the person who’s supposed to retain the customers. As I said, hard to fathom.
It’s worth a clarifying conversation, saying this is what you took away from the original (witnessed) conversation and that it now appears quite changed. Talk about the details, such as the nature of the job, the workload, your salary and bonus. Represent yourself by presenting the facts with clarity and diplomacy, and avoid burning bridges.
You may not want to stay there after all, given their treatment of you. This would be a good time for legal advice.
The second answer
Daniel Lublin
Partner, Whitten & Lublin Employment Lawyers, Toronto
This sounds like the old bait-and-switch. You hung around because you were given the opportunity to earn a greater bonus, instead of variable commissions, but then the metrics to hit that bonus were set so high that you will earn less in the end, not more. The courts generally frown upon such tactics, especially given the broken promise to increase your base pay.
A company is entitled to make changes to your compensation structure and responsibilities. But any amendments must be reasonable, must be imposed in good faith and must not result in a significant loss of pay or a demotion. In your situation, it appears that the company would not be able to meet any of these elements to justify making the changes without your consent.
You could stay and work under protest, while you look for a new job elsewhere. But any income you receive from your current employer during this time frame would offset most of the damages you could otherwise claim.
If you see staying as a losing situation that won’t get any better, the other course of action is to leave your employment and assert you were constructively dismissed.
A successful claim would result in a severance package that should compensate you while you look for other work. A good lawyer will guide you through the process.
If you see staying as a losing situation that won’t get any better, the other course of action is to leave your employment and assert you were constructively dismissed.
A successful claim would result in a severance package that should compensate you while you look for other work. A good lawyer will guide you through the process.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/careers/career-advice/article-my-company-has-given-me-a-new-role-with-more-work-and-less-pay/
Very simple - start looking for other career opportunities !
Start looking for another job tomorrow. Don’t quite and try to claim constructive dismissal because you will have to show costs (and probably only get a portion of them minus legal fees). Good sales people are hard to find so if you are good, there are lots of opportunities.
I always learn something from the lawyers in this series. Thanks.
Yes … " Consult a lawyer " .-)
This stood out to me the most:
You could stay and work under protest, while you look for a new job elsewhere. But any income you receive from your current employer during this time frame would offset most of the damages you could otherwise claim.
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