On his popular CNBC TV show, The Profit, self-made millionaire Marcus Lemonis puts his own money on the line to fix small businesses that are failing. Lemonis knows that when you treat your employees with fairness and kindness, it makes them care more about their jobs — which in turn is better for business and productivity.
According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), the United States is dead last among developed countries when it comes to paid maternity leave. And Forbes reported that women with 12 weeks of maternity leave and fewer than eight weeks of paid leave are more likely to have more symptoms of depression. In 2015, Lemonis met with a woman preparing to take her maternity leave and struggling to make ends meet for herself and her growing family.
Tami Forbes is a store manager at Key West Key Lime Pie Company. Despite the fact she handles everything from inventory to marketing, Tami is only paid $300 a week. At the time, she had 8-year-old twins at home and was pregnant with her third child. Not only would she spend nine hours on her feet during the day, but the expecting mom also bartended to supplement her meagre income.
“I’m gonna need your help before you leave. I gotta get some stuff done and you’re gonna be our leader here,” Lemonis tells Tami in the clip below. “In order for you to have a good piece of mind, I wanted to give you some money.”
Lemonis offers Tami six months’ worth of pay, which is enough to make her break down in tears.
“It means everything, knowing that I have a salary when I come back — a salary that I can live on, and still save money… I’ve never had that,” she says.
But there’s an even bigger surprise in store…
If you know someone who might like this, please click “Share!”