Cruzer - 3 Years Later

[TattooRob]

Hi Guys.

Three years ago, on Sept 9, I was let go from Enterprise. That day was also my 5 year anniversary with the company. My area manager, Jonathan S.,told me (and I quote), “Cruzer, you don’t have what it takes to run a business”, a couple of days before my departure. It’s amazing how Ecars prides itself on its management training program, touting it as one of the best among Fortune 500 companies, and yet manages to find convenient ways to have you leave.

Well, that was 3 years ago. Since then, I’ve started an airbrush business, which led to me opening a tattoo shop. And now, I have opened the Toronto Tattoo School, the first and only tattoo school in Canada. History was made this week when the first class of 8 students handled a tattoo machine for the first time. Our next set of classes begin in January, and I currently have a waiting list of over 40 people for 10 available spaces. The tuition ain’t chump change, and I also have 3 tattoo artists working for me, so safe to say I’m doing very well. So much for not having what it takes to run a business….I wonder where Shappy is now?

I guess a lot can happen in 3 years. For all 3 of you who are enjoying your job right now at ECARS, congratulations! You’re well on your way to vocational prosperity and abundant financial success! As for the rest of you, you are all good people, capable of so much more than the job you’re in now. Learn whatever you can from ECARS. And five years from now, when you’re sitting in your office at a better job in another company, or even better still, when you’re running your own business, look back at Enterprise as not only a learning experience, but also as your motivation to better your life.

This is Rob dela Cruz, aka Cruzer, wishing you all the best.

Take care.

P.S. God I hated that job!

Originally Posted by TattooRob

Hi Guys.

Three years ago, on Sept 9, I was let go from Enterprise. That day was also my 5 year anniversary with the company. My area manager, Jonathan S.,told me (and I quote), “Cruzer, you don’t have what it takes to run a business”, a couple of days before my departure. It’s amazing how Ecars prides itself on its management training program, touting it as one of the best among Fortune 500 companies, and yet manages to find convenient ways to have you leave.

Well, that was 3 years ago. Since then, I’ve started an airbrush business, which led to me opening a tattoo shop. And now, I have opened the Toronto Tattoo School, the first and only tattoo school in Canada. History was made this week when the first class of 8 students handled a tattoo machine for the first time. Our next set of classes begin in January, and I currently have a waiting list of over 40 people for 10 available spaces. The tuition ain’t chump change, and I also have 3 tattoo artists working for me, so safe to say I’m doing very well. So much for not having what it takes to run a business….I wonder where Shappy is now?

I guess a lot can happen in 3 years. For all 3 of you who are enjoying your job right now at ECARS, congratulations! You’re well on your way to vocational prosperity and abundant financial success! As for the rest of you, you are all good people, capable of so much more than the job you’re in now. Learn whatever you can from ECARS. And five years from now, when you’re sitting in your office at a better job in another company, or even better still, when you’re running your own business, look back at Enterprise as not only a learning experience, but also as your motivation to better your life.

This is Rob dela Cruz, aka Cruzer, wishing you all the best.

Take care.

P.S. God I hated that job!

Yeah, it's pretty sad that when someone is just short of that magical 5 year anniversary he is terminated. Its always for some ambiguous reason like "you don't fit anymore", "you don't have what it takes to run the business" or one that I have heard repeatedly the line from others: "a couple of years ago...you violated an ERAC rule....you're fired." One guy was fired because "he no longer fit the image of ERAC" he put on probably 50 lbs.

I just wonder why these "infractions or short comings" are never brought up in the employee's annual review?

It is company wide and a systematic way of keeping ERACs costs down. It is nothing more than Andy's greed, greed, greed. I smell a major lawsuit coming.

Oh and congrats on the success of your school.

You are a loser.

Originally Posted by Cruiser

You are a loser.

Why is Rob a loser b/c he has moved on and realized that Enterprise did the right thing by opening his eyes to bigger and better things. There is a life outside of that hell hole. It seems that you are bitter by calling someone a loser for now becoming successful. I think your the loser buddy b/c you are still stuck in a place that has your days numbered too. You are all a number for Tom.

Originally Posted by TattooRob

Hi Guys.

Three years ago, on Sept 9, I was let go from Enterprise. That day was also my 5 year anniversary with the company. My area manager, Jonathan S.,told me (and I quote), “Cruzer, you don’t have what it takes to run a business”, a couple of days before my departure. It’s amazing how Ecars prides itself on its management training program, touting it as one of the best among Fortune 500 companies, and yet manages to find convenient ways to have you leave.

Well, that was 3 years ago. Since then, I’ve started an airbrush business, which led to me opening a tattoo shop. And now, I have opened the Toronto Tattoo School, the first and only tattoo school in Canada. History was made this week when the first class of 8 students handled a tattoo machine for the first time. Our next set of classes begin in January, and I currently have a waiting list of over 40 people for 10 available spaces. The tuition ain’t chump change, and I also have 3 tattoo artists working for me, so safe to say I’m doing very well. So much for not having what it takes to run a business….I wonder where Shappy is now?

I guess a lot can happen in 3 years. For all 3 of you who are enjoying your job right now at ECARS, congratulations! You’re well on your way to vocational prosperity and abundant financial success! As for the rest of you, you are all good people, capable of so much more than the job you’re in now. Learn whatever you can from ECARS. And five years from now, when you’re sitting in your office at a better job in another company, or even better still, when you’re running your own business, look back at Enterprise as not only a learning experience, but also as your motivation to better your life.

This is Rob dela Cruz, aka Cruzer, wishing you all the best.

Take care.

P.S. God I hated that job!

Maybe you can answer a question I was thinking of the other day. How do you practice as a tattoo artist. I know you can scetch your drawings on paper, but I am sure paper and skin are very different when it comes to applying the ink. How do you practice tattooing skin? I am sure you get very few people who volunteer their body for someone to practice on.

[TattooRob]

Great Question.

Right now, my students are getting used to the feel of the tattoo machine by practicing on grapefruit. The grapefruit's skin is smooth enough for a tattoo machine to run through easily, and it holds ink well enough so that you can see what you just did.

Next, they'll be tattooing pigskin from the buther's. This helps them practice skin stretching techniques.

After that, they will practice on what is called 'practice skin' which is a rubber sheet that simulates actual skin. These sheets are strapped on a partner and the student then tattoos the sheet. This helps them get used to tattooing at awkward angles and positions (i.e., not straight down on table like when they tattooed pigskin).

And lastly, they will hone their skills on actual clients who have agreed to be tattooed by students, fully acknowldeging their status. All student/client tattoo sessions will be fully supervised by myself and my other instructors. Note that I will let my students practice on actual live clients only when I feel they are ready. It is my goal to make sure that even the very first tattoos performed by my students will be professional grade, shop quality.

Congrats!
As many people who have left "E" for the real world can attest, 90% of the problems dealing with people in higher positions were personality clashes. As has been mentioned, you take someone fresh out of school working with their peers, in a company where only a select handful are over the age of 30, it's not hard to understand why management has the maturity level of a 22 year old. It was refreshing to leave and carry on a mature conversation with someone who's entire life doesn't revolve around renting cars. I wanted to shout from the rooftops, "I have a life, and it's f*#cking great!" I left just about 2 years ago and have already more than doubled my salary. Life is good. I left a company which was cheap as fuck, for a company that throws money around, and supplies you with almost anything you can dream of.

My job involves field work. Due to weather conditions, I was off for a week and a half. I got paid $2000 to sit at home and do nothing. I receive a $200 /day bonus for each day I'm in the field (ie working) which is usually about 14+ days per month (in addition to my salary). My job is a cake walk and I get paid big money to do it. Fuck, life is great. I travel, get put up in hotel suites, am provided all the company perks. Oh, and it's not sales. It's a technical job, but 90% of my job is PR. And has nothing to do directly with the auto industry. Seriously, the only problem I have sometimes is boredom, because at work, I am only actually "working" 30% of the time. Yes, it's a dream job and hopefully one day you'll find yours too.

TAKE A CHANCE
1. Quit
2. Make a radical change
3. Take some more courses
4. Get a real job with a real salary (ie one you can support a family on and have weekends off)

sweet tatrob, awesome to see people doing good things.
good luck

Hey Rob, I am actually looking to get the contact number and address for your business.
Thanks

[TattooRob]

Originally Posted by happy4u

Hey Rob, I am actually looking to get the contact number and address for your business.
Thanks

No Probs. E-mail me at torontotattooschool@hotmail.com for more info.
Thanks.