Sometimes, careless decisions can lead to unexpected expenses down the line.
Take, for instance, a manager who brushed off an employee’s reasonable question about payment methods.
The employee followed through and ended up charging a company expense to his personal credit card, only to find that this small action would become quite significant years later.
Here’s the story in detail.
In 2000, I joined a construction company. By 2002, they asked me to help establish a new division. This request came from the owners and the general manager, who, I noticed, wasn’t particularly fond of me.
His demeanor shifted after my first year; he made snarky comments and often dismissed my ideas.
There was this notion, you see…
Fast forward to the time when our new division was operational, and I suggested creating a web presence. The ownership was enthusiastic, but the general manager just waved me off, saying, “It’s your division, do what you want.”
The new division operated under a distinct business name. While purchasing the domain names, I realized the parent company lacked any online visibility.
I secured various domain names to protect them from being snatched away by others. When I approached the general manager for a company check to cover the domain cost, he dismissed me again, saying, “It’s your division, do what you want—just charge it.”
I hesitated, about to ask if he was truly okay with me using my personal card, but he cut me off abruptly.
By 2004, my division had soared to a 44% profit margin, netting around $750,000 per year. Within the first six months, I managed to recover all the initial investments, training, machinery, and everything involved in getting us off the ground.
That manager, though—what a character…
He began getting jealous of my accomplishments and attempted to assert control over my division under the pretext of being the general manager of the whole company. I pushed back against his interference.
By 2005, I was fed up and decided to leave, especially upon hearing he was planning to fire me to take credit for my achievements.
I had thought ahead, saved money, quit, and took six months off—a well-deserved break that was quite refreshing.
Fast forward about a year later, and a charge for the domain names I had procured popped up on my credit card. The amount, being significant, caught my attention.
After verifying the charge, I learned from a friendly customer service rep that the domains were under my name.
Three years after leaving that company, my phone rang, and I recognized the number but didn’t answer. It was the bookkeeper, simply asking me to return their call. After a series of increasingly urgent messages, I finally reached out.
It turned out the company had decided to establish an online presence, investing a considerable amount to do so—think an online catalog and an interactive website.
What a twist!
When they tried to create their coveted dot com, they discovered that their domain was taken, along with several similar names I had registered.
The bookkeeper was eager for me to hand over these domains, and I was willing… with a few conditions.
– First, I wanted to be reimbursed for all my domain-related expenses.
– Secondly, I requested a finder’s fee, which didn’t sit well with them. However, they had initially pushed me to use my own credit card, after all!
– Lastly, the general manager himself had to deliver the check personally.
This point caused some contention, but ultimately, the manager had no choice but to comply—I wasn’t changing my mind.
And here’s the kicker.
He arrived at our meeting spot, handed over the check, and loudly insisted I return “their” domain names immediately, drawing the attention of onlookers in the coffee shop.
I chuckled and said, “Once the check clears, absolutely.”
He pushed for an immediate transfer because I was supposedly delaying “the whole process.”
As I was leaving, I couldn’t resist adding, “You do realize this was your idea, right? You’re the one who told me to put those domains on my personal credit card.”
He was visibly enraged. “And remember, I’m just following your advice to ‘do what I want!’”
Responses on Reddit were quite lively.
Some offered spirited feedback and comments on this wild twist of events.
In the end, the domains belonged to me, meaning that the company was obligated to pay back all the expenses and provide a finder’s fee. The furious manager had to deliver the payment before I would release the domains.
Turns out, “do what you want” had some hefty renewal costs!
