Startup Snag: How Would You Handle a Fired Employee Bad-Mouthing Your Biz?

Ellie had to fire one of her very first hires. Afterward, he posted negative and untrue things about her business on social media. This is how she dealt with it and went on to run her successful London barbershop.

Flexibility is not only a crucial key to success, it’s also necessary -- especially when bringing a brand-new business to life. Things don’t always go according to plan, and when that happens entrepreneurs have to think on their feet, come up with new strategies and sometimes even take their venture in a new direction. In The Startup Snag, we’re learning from established business owners who hit a snag early on and cleverly solved the problem. We’ll also find out how they’re doing today.

Entrepreneur: Ellie Pamphilon

Business: Barber Streisand

Started: 2015

Location: London

The startup snag: Ellie says, “I took an eight-week refresher course on barbering just before it was finally time to open, both to sharpen my skills and to scout for potential hires. I found one excellent barber, hired him and I’ve never looked back. But I did have some trouble along the way. Someone I met in the course, who I would never have hired based on his skills alone, told me a sob story and convinced me to hire him. On a personal level, we got along fine, but after one week it was clear that his barbering wasn’t good enough.”

“I told him I was letting him go and why – it wasn’t difficult, it was a business decision. But after that, he started posting on social media about my business, saying things like, ‘It’s a health and safety nightmare’ and ‘there’s another shop much cheaper around the corner.’ I contacted the police, but they said it’s an opinion it’s not libel.”

The savvy solution: “He was also sending me very personal text messages, though, and they said that amounted to harassment, and he was arrested. It was a horrible experience to go through, but the result was that I hired two talented barbers and created a team I love. Every one of us is different – in age, in our cultural and professional backgrounds and in our personal style. It wasn’t a conscious decision – I hired based on skill and personality – but it works well.”

The current company: Since launching her unique and sassy brand of barbering in 2015, Ellie now has five employees clipping customers in her Clerkenwell shop. She says, “Hiring a diverse group of people prevents our business from being typecast as a barbershop for a particular type of person. That means we get a wide range of clientele coming in the door. It also makes for a more interesting working environment when there is so much you can learn from your colleagues!”

Read the full story of Barber Streisand on QuickBooks Community

Have you hit a startup snag? If so, how did you handle it?

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