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Comment by toomuchtodo | Hacker News Reader

You’re not jaded, just pragmatic and well adjusted. Work is not for friends, it is where we go to earn an income to support ourselves financially.

Maximize your income at work (while minimizing time spent working) to maximize your happiness outside of work (hobbies, family, side project, working towards financial independence, whatever).

I am working on starting my own business to hire family and friends; for me, time spent with those people comes first, and the overall profitability of the business is less important (just need to break even).

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> Maximize your income at work (while minimizing time spent working) to maximize your happiness outside of work

I think this is a really healthy attitude but it also requires a bit of introspection and soul searching about what is "enough" for you to be happy. If your goal is to maximize income regardless of time spent, you should probably be a CEO, or an HFT developer, or a Wall Street banker. But on the other end you can do next to no productive work and earn enough to survive if not really live an exciting life, not be able to take vacations, etc.

For different people, in different stages of their lives, living in different parts of the world, this could be anything from $5k USD a year to $500k USD a year. I'm still trying to figure it out myself and I'm in my mid 30's. It's particularly hard as every promotion that comes with more than a token single- or low double-digit percentage raise usually has a pretty significant spike in work/time requirement, at least initially. So a lot of folks (like a former boss of mine) get a big promotion and raise and find out they were happier doing less work for $50k less every year.

Mixing money and family/friends sounds like it will end horribly. What happens when you don't break even and you need to fire people?

I provide good references, connections to other employers, and generous severance to help soften the landing. I have done this before at a business in my early 20s during M&A events.

All employment is temporary. Remember, my goal is to operate a business to spend time with those whose company I enjoy, not to be ridiculously successful.

You've done this before with friends and family?

I have hired and fired family before, yes. The example I mentioned was not that case though, although it was where I learned how to treat someone humanely when letting them go (through a manager who turned out to be the best manager [and eventually business partner] I’ve ever had).

I would say, just brief them at the start "I might fire you tomorrow, go in expecting that, we'll set you up something else if I do. Don't rely on this." Kind of like the way you lend money to friends.

That said, you probably shouldn't lend money to friends.

Not sure why you're being downvoted. I like your approach.

If you can give some of your less fortunate friends/family a job and break even at the same time, it sounds like a win-win for everyone. Certainly if they are currently unemployed.

Thanks. Exactly my thoughts.

You shouldn't really even do business with friends.

You connect to people in other departments, not direct managers/employees.

I've met a couple of good friends at work. I think good leadership fosters the human soul and the value of the individual as an engine for productivity.

That said, truly good leadership is a rare thing.

I think it's rare because it's really, really hard, even with the best of intentions.

It reminds me of juggling where one ball is money, the other is people, and maybe the third is your own sanity.

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