Re: Since you recently met ONE such person Duane, let me share how it works down there.

> Hi Duane,

Hi Gordon. I am alive and well!

> You've been to one of these.

> When you met Tom last summer, you met a
> person who matches your description of the
> "specialist" working for one of
> the richest men in town.

Yes thank you VERY much for that opportunity Gordon.

> How does Ben Suarez keep people like this
> from leaving and/or competing?

> MANY of Ben's employees (and even his own
> brother) HAVE taken off on the path of
> Entrepreneurship. Not much anyone can do if
> that itch has to be scratched. Just wish
> them well and let them know they are welcome
> to come back if it doesn't work out exactly
> as they plan.
> But if they choose to compete with Ben, then
> he will do what he can to win.

I think is the fear of some companies. That if they train their people too well, they'll take off and compete.

> The ED (Executive Directors) at SCI operate
> as Entrepreneurs. They run their divisions
> just as they would run their own companies.
> They get to earn their income from their
> efforts. They hire and fire, they train,
> they place ads, create and acquire
> products...they do everything they would be
> doing on their own, only under a security
> blanket of a steady and regular income, plus
> benefits, plus the freedom to make
> decisions...

> all because they can control their bottom
> lines.

> Just for example, say an ED makes 125,000 a
> year in salary and benefits. But they could
> earn 500,000 or more in "profits"
> their division created for the company. That
> is a big incentive.

> So the FREEDOM to make decisions along with
> the feeling of being in charge and naming
> your own paycheck goes a long way to keeping
> some of the TOP specialists in the country
> in Akron/Canton Ohio.

YES! This was one of the reasons that I HAD to come down to OHIO. This type of organization is very rare in my experience. I truly believe that more organizations should be organized like this. For the benefits stated above. That's the kind of organization that I would love to work for or create!

> Ben details this strategy in 7 STEPS TO
> FREEDOM II.

Yes I read about there!

> If you know how, please share with the
> group. I personally wouldn't do anything
> without a contract or an agreement IN
> WRITING with people.

> I have several non-disclosure/non-compete
> agreements in force today, some going back
> several years. I ain't gonna "spill my
> guts" cause the other guy has much
> deeper pockets, and he ain't afraid to reach
> deep into them to protect what is his.

Oh I understand the importance of these contracts.
What I was trying to get at was that even without signing contracts majority of employees would have a hard time starting up a company to compete with you by themselves. Due to the specialized nature of their training and current job.

There just aren't that many entrepreneurial type thinkers working as employees. (in my experience of course)

> Hope all is going well for you Duane.

Thanks for the well wishes Gordon. I believe you said it best in your New Years post.

"2002 Year of ACTION"

Respectfully,

Duane Adolph