Is he working for free??

Question

My husband and I have our own powerwashing business and recently added painting to our services due to customer requests. My brother does the painting for us and we charge him 10% commission. Now he says he feels like he is working for free because he is family and we should just give him the work without any profit for us. We pay for all the advertising, our other employees are paid to pass out fliers, and my husband is a great salesman. Are we being unfair to my brother by charging commission because he needs the money? It is only $30-$75 at a time we get off his work that WE find for him.

I tell him we have costs and he says we would spend that on advertising anyway. Family doesnt do that to family, he says.

Answer 1

Work out the cost you have invested in the painting side and then tell him that if he reimburses you that cost you will take no commission and will then stop promoting the business.

If he cant afford that then make him a loan of the money (in writing)

If he does not want to do that then he is trying to get something for nothing and is ungrateful for the fact that this extra business sprang into existence because of your initial work.

Answer 2

Your brother is a very lucky person to have a company basically drop business at his feet for free! Your brother's argument that he is working for free is ridiculous -- he is getting paid for painting the houses, less a 10% commission. 10% is VERY reasonable in my opinion - he's lucky you aren't charging him more! If he doesn't like the terms of your deal, tell him to do his own advertising, distribute his own fliers,and find his own painting jobs. If he's a small one-man operation, he probably won't have the time or resources to do advertising, and so he should recognize the10% commission he pays to you and your husband as a normal cost of doing business.

Answer 3

Business needs to be kept business, separate from family. You should treat your brother as anyone else you would have hired for this job. If he doesn't like paying commission, then he can always start his own business, and pay for his own advertisement, etc. etc. I am assuming that your brother also falls under your business insurance, etc, etc?? This is a more than fair deal on your behalf, and your brother needs to recognize this, or find work elsewhere.

And to hey girl, the 10% goes to asker, brother is getting 90%, this is a very large commission amount.

Answer 4

Geez, cut him loose. Tell him you're not willing to lose family over something so pathetic and so you cannot do this anymore.

Leave it at that.

Or really cut the piece of crap loose and do without a brother who does not look at you as a sister at all, but rather as something to be milked who shows up and puts up with the most amazing things just so she can call him a brother. He figures the good feeling you get from that is what he pays for all the milking he does. Don't say he doesn't milk you either, there is no chance in the world that this is the first time he's looked to work you for something. Sad as that is to say.

So there's two approaches. The first is clever and severs the business side of things not just now, but forever if you stick to your guns. The second would be heartbreaking I wager, but much healthier. With it, you could even allow him back in your life little by little, drawing back as he backslides, on the basis of "act like a brother or be a stranger."

Answer 5

Well, if he doesn't like paying the 10% commission, maybe he should try to find more jobs on his own, then could fill in his open time with ones that are the result of your advertising. Even then, it is not a bad idea to give a referal fee to customers when they pass on your name to friends.....

Answer 6

Does he think he's going to get a job anywhere else that doesn't take a cut of his pay?

Maybe you could give him the full amount that you make off the painting, but then charge him a portion of the advertising, and a fee for your husband for his fees and for the other employees time as well.

Answer 7

You are running a business. He is a part of that business. There should be no reason for him to want you to accept his part as an employee, especially when you are getting the business for him. If he does not understand that then I would seriously consider finding a new painter to work with and fire/dismiss your brother. Family feelings might get hurt but he needs to understand that this is a business that you are running and it has nothing to do with him being family.

Answer 8

This is the pitfall of doing business with family. You DO deserve something for footing the bills and dumping business at his feet. A 10% commission is not working for free. He's trying to run a guilt trip on you. If he keeps bitching I'd find another painter who is happy to have the work.

Answer 9

Depending on how much he is getting paid, 10% commission sounds really low to me. Can you compromise and give him a larger percentage? You have to wonder, is losing $30-$75 dollars a job worse than losing a bond with your brother? I dont think its much money for you to lose when you have a family controversy at stake.

Good luck!

Answer 10

that is more than fair- print this forum out and hand it to your brother- there are plenty of other painters out there who would be more than happy to be your partners- he is saving so much money by having you advertise at 10%- he would spend alot more money and TIME doing it himself. family and business can work if everyone is being fair- you are and he is not by laying this guilt trip on you.