My Boss is Doing Shady Business (Should I Leave?)

Summary

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The Ramsey Show Highlights – "My Boss is Doing Shady Business (Should I Leave?)"

Date: May 30, 2026
Host: Ramsey Network
Episode Theme:
A long-term employee seeks advice on whether to remain at a company engaging in unethical business practices, or to branch out and start his own ethical enterprise after years of empty promises about future ownership.

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Episode Overview

This episode centers around a caller (“B”) with 13 years at a restoration and cleaning company. Though promised the chance to take over the business, B has become disillusioned after discovering "moral and ethical disparity" in company operations—specifically, bribery for contract approvals. B asks the hosts if he should hang on for promised ownership or start his own company, given the absence of any written agreement or timeline for succession.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ethical Dilemma Exposed

Timestamps: 00:47–02:37

• B reveals the company is now involved in paying off a maintenance guy ($7,000) to approve more of their contracts—a practice he likens to bribery.
  • "My company paid that man $7,000 in an attempt to get him to approve more of our estimates." (B, 02:13)
• The hosts clarify the situation and agree this is an ethical breach.
  • "So it's basically a bribe." (A, 02:31)
  • "They're bribing this guy...if we pay you a little money on the side, you'll approve, feed us more." (C, 02:37)

2. Empty Succession Promises

Timestamps: 02:48–04:02

• The caller’s future takeover of the company is based only on verbal claims; there are no contracts or firm plans.
  • "There's no definition, there's no timeline, there's no payment. None of that stuff is discussed." (B, 03:16)
• The hosts compare the situation to a relationship with no commitment, warning that verbal promises likely serve just to retain B as an employee.
  • "If this was a significant other...you would go, hey, clearly she's not that into you." (A, 03:33)
  • "It might just be a way to keep you...as an employee because maybe they know that you don't like the way things are going." (C, 03:47)

3. Preparing for the Next Step

Timestamps: 04:02–07:34

• B has already formed an LLC and is considering whether to phase out or abruptly leave and pursue his new business.
• B makes a modest salary ($60k/year) and believes he can replace it in 6-7 months with his own business—possibly sooner, since 80% of the company’s work is routed through his own contacts.
  • "I make $60 a year." (B, 04:39)
  • "About 80% of our book of business comes through my phone...so the work for me won't stop." (B, 05:53)
• When asked about a non-compete, B confirms there isn’t one, making his exit ethically and legally straightforward.
  • "I don't have a non-compete." (B, 05:11)
• B estimates being able to generate $25k–$40k in the first 30–60 days after leaving, exceeding his old income.
  • "I could probably pull together 25 to 40,000 in project work pretty quickly and that turns into how much in profits does that replace your current monthly income? Oh, it would absolutely blow my current income out of the water." (B, 06:39–06:56)
• The hosts strongly advise leaving:
  • Staying would worsen "soul tax" and ethical distress (A, 05:13).
  • They suggest B could leap straight into his own business and supplement with side work if needed.
  • "It's a poison that you're drinking every day you stay here knowing this business is not being run ethically." (A, 05:13)
  • "I'm all for it and you want to do it the right way. I think that's really, really good. And we're rooting for you." (C, 07:30)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "We have to do what we have to do to get work." (B, quoting his boss’s justification for unethical practice, 01:49)
• "It's a poison that you're drinking every day you stay here knowing this business is not being run ethically." (A, 05:13)
• "It might just be a way to keep you...as an employee because maybe they know that you don't like the way things are going." (C, 03:47)
• "There's no non compete. So there's nothing ethically here. You just want to run a business differently." (A, 07:28)
• "I'm all for it and you want to do it the right way. I think that's really, really good. And we're rooting for you." (C, 07:30)

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Actionable Advice

Timestamps: 05:13–End

• Leave the current employer as soon as feasible to protect your own ethics and mental health.
• Pursue the new business, leveraging personal network and industry knowledge.
• If needed, pick up temp work (side hustle) to fill income gaps, but prospects are strong for quick profitability.
• Do not rely on verbal promises without written contractual commitments.

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Key Segments & Timestamps

• Ethical issues with bribery revealed: 00:47–02:37
• Succession promise analyzed: 02:48–04:02
• Financial and practical exit advice: 04:02–07:34

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In summary:
The caller should not compromise personal ethics or professional integrity for the prospect of a vague ownership opportunity. The hosts unequivocally recommend making a principled exit and launching an ethical, independent business—confidence rooted in B’s industry standing and existing client relationships.

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If you ever face similar crossroads in your career, this episode is a clear reminder: Integrity matters more than empty promises.

Transcript

[A]

Brought to you by the EveryDollar app.

[B]

Start budgeting for free today. Well, I have a question about my career, and I was wondering if you guys could help. So I've been with the same company for almost 13 years, and we're in kind of the restoration, cleaning industry. The plan for my future was that I'm to take over the company. We have no written contract. There's no written agreement. It's just something that somebody's told me. But lately, I've found a lot of moral and ethical disparity between my owner and I. And my question for you is, do I hang on and wait until I can take over, or is it time to just go ahead and move on?

[C]

Oh, I would love to know the moral and ethical, because that sounds very serious.

[A]

Is it like crimes are being committed or they're just doing things in a way you wouldn't?

[B]

Not as far as the world is concerned. Biblically, a little bit. Essentially, in this industry, I'm not about giving people money to give me work or people that give me work. Me give them money back. And that has started to happen after 16 years of this company never spending a dollar on marketing at all. We're now paying off a person to, quote, unquote, give us work that is just not profitable.

[C]

So you're paying a marketer.

[B]

Oh, no, this is paying, essentially, a maintenance guy to approve contracts or approve bids that we. That we offer up to them.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

What is that doing for the company? What's the upside?

[B]

I will quote, we have to do what we have to do to get work. And that's. That's what I was told this is all about. However.

[C]

Am I missing something on the moral part of this or the ethical? Help me understand. I feel like I'm missing something. So there's a person who's helping you get contracts, and they're approving whether the bids are good enough?

[B]

No, essentially, this is a maintenance guy that works for somebody who has the ability to approve or deny estimates for this property. And my company paid that man $7,000 in an attempt to get him to approve more of our estimates.

[A]

So it's a. Basically a bribe.

[C]

Bribe.

[B]

That's a. That's a perfect way to put it. Yeah.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

Okay. Yeah, that makes more sense. I was. I. I needed that clarity. Okay, so you're bribing. They're. They're bribing this guy. If we pay you a little money on the side, you'll approve, feed us more.

[A]

More clientele. I see more projects.

[C]

Okay. You don't like the way that's being done. That makes sense. The part that I'm really wondering about is you said people are talking about me taking over the company, but there's neither contracts nor paper trail for this. I would need more if I would need like a.

[A]

A date in writing versus a just a vibe of like, well, maybe when the time comes, you could take it over.

[C]

Can you have that conversation?

[B]

We've had the conversation several times. It's loose ended. There's no definition, there's no timeline, there's no payment. None of that stuff is discussed. And we're talking a company that may value somewhere around $350,000.

[A]

If this was a significant other in your life and we're talking about commitment and marriage, you would go, hey, clearly she's not that into you. If she's kicking the tires going, yeah, maybe we'll get married. We'll see about that.

[C]

It might just be a way to keep you. Keep you warm, like, keep you on, you know, on their side and keep you as an employee because maybe they know that you don't like the way things are going.

[A]

And you've addressed it, it sounds like, because they gave you the answer of, hey, we got to do what we got to do.

[B]

That's it. And this has been addressed many times. I feel exactly like that they're trying to keep me on a hook for a while until the day comes, and then we just cut the line. So that question is, I've already kind of formed up an llc. And before I just start really moving forward with it, my question is, do I maintain what I'm doing now and try to cold start my llc, or do I just jump right into this thing?

[C]

Well, yeah, that's a whole different question because I, you know, you were. There's income on the line here, right? So how much are you earning now?

[B]

It's. It's minimal. I make 60 a year.

[C]

60 a year. And how quickly do you think you could generate that same profit from you starting up your own business?

[B]

I would need about six, maybe seven months.

[C]

Is there any part of this business that you can do ethically while you're still working for your boss?

[B]

Absolutely. Nights and weekends.

[C]

Oh, okay.

[A]

It's not in conflict with any contract you signed to, like a non compete.

[B]

I don't have a non compete.

[A]

Okay, okay, that's. There's nothing wrong with you going, hey, it's. It's my time. When the time is right, I'm gonna go launch this thing on the side. But I don't think in good faith you can continue working for this person because of the soul tax that you're paying right now, the resentment building up, I mean, it's going to eat you alive. It's a poison that you're drinking every day. You stay here knowing this business is not being run ethically. You're not excited to go to work for a guy who does that. You're not aligned in the values. And so for that reason, I would get out as soon as possible. Even if you go work for someone else in the meantime while you get this thing off the ground, do you

[C]

think you could find someone else to go work for quickly?

[B]

Well, unfortunately for this company, about 80% of our book of business comes through my phone. It's my contacts, my people, friends, et cetera, church, family. So the work for me won't stop. It just, it will just go through.

[A]

What happens when you divert those leads to your new business versus them and their business hurts even more?

[B]

Unfortunately, they're the ones calling me. I'm not in control of who you know, whether they choose the old company or the new company.

[A]

But you're going to tell them, hey, I actually started my own thing if you're interested.

[C]

So if, realistically, how many leads do you think would come with you and how much money is that? Like how much could you have on the table within your first 30 to 60 days?

[B]

First 30 to 60 days with a cold start, not necessarily having everything together, I could probably, I could probably pull together 25 to 40,000 in project work

[A]

pretty quickly and that turns into how much in profits does that replace your current monthly income?

[B]

Oh, it would absolutely blow my current income out of the water.

[A]

I think this is going to happen faster than you think. I think you try this for a month or two and realize, oh, okay, I can do this repeatedly, yeah, absolutely.

[C]

And because here's the thing, you might just flip it. Usually it's the opposite. We say, okay, you know, do this other job while you build the business. But I think you can build the business and if you have extra time, yeah, sure, you could work a side hustle and fill in gaps. But I don't even think you'd need to do that. It sounds like you've got it right there. There's no non compete. So there's nothing ethically here.

[A]

You just want to run a business differently.

[C]

I'm all for it and you want to do it the right way. I think that's really, really good. And we're rooting for you.

[B]

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