I'm pretty out of my depth when it comes to both business sense and crafting things, but I seem to have landed myself in a small company of 4 people total, producing upcycled items that sell for $150+.
I am currently an hourly employee. When I was hired, the owner had just purchased the dead business from the previous owner and all of us were doing this for the first time, figuring out how to produce the products, what steps needed to be done, etc.
My role from the beginning has been to pick up the items to be upcycled (all donations), organize everything, design the product color layout for the current order, size and cut the material, soak and pressure wash it clean, do the final sizing and cuts, label it, and drop it at the seamstress to be completed.
Now I am paid $13 an hour. The following math would be for our cheapest item being produced right now. I estimate that if I had to produce this singular item (not a batch), it would take me about 1 hour and 15 minutes. The next items up from this one are priced at ~$300 and ~$340. This would obviously jump the commission payout up to around $20.
$182 (shop price) - 15% for retail difference = $154.70, 7.5% of that amounting to $11.60.
My problem comes with how business is ramping up. This weekend, I've received orders for 30 items. 10 at each price point. However, since I've managed to perfect my process and learned how to move things on in batches, I can produce 10 only marginally longer than say 2 items. A bit of production time goes into the set-up and breakdown of what I need due to not having a proper workspace.
To be frank, I have no idea how commission works as an artisan. Since I was hourly, does the company have to maintain that? Do I have to go through the paperwork to become and independent contractor (I-9)? Did I just entirely overstep in asking to be moved to pure commission rate?
The adage of the mechanic pops into my mind.
"$1 for the whack.
$24 for knowing where to whack."
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