Partner expectations document
What ownership actually means
Buying equity isn't a raise. It's a shift in how you think, what you're responsible for, and what's expected of you every single day. This document defines what that looks like.
Employee mindset
"That's not my problem"
Clock in, do the job, clock out
Wait for instructions
Discount to close the sale
Waste doesn't come out of my pocket
Customer complains — call Matt
"Good enough" on the install
→
Owner mindset
"Everything is my problem"
The job isn't done until the customer is thrilled
See a gap, fill it — don't wait to be told
Protect the margin — it's your money now too
Every dollar wasted comes out of your distributions
Customer complains — own it, fix it, follow up
Zero callbacks. First time, every time.
1
Core responsibilities as a partner
Installation excellence
This is the product. If installs aren't flawless, nothing else matters.
Zero-callback standard.
Every job is finished to a level where the customer would never need to call back. Measure twice, install once. If something looks off, fix it before you leave the house — not after the customer notices.
Job site professionalism.
Booties on, drop cloths down, workspace clean before and after. The customer's home should look better when you leave than when you arrived. No exceptions.
Time management.
Show up on time. Communicate delays before they happen, not after. Respect the customer's schedule — they took time off work for this.
Quality control on every job.
Before leaving any install, walk the customer through every window, demonstrate operation, answer questions. Get verbal confirmation they're satisfied before packing up.
Revenue growth
Owners grow the business. Your equity is worth more when revenue goes up.
Upsell with integrity.
Know the product line cold — roller shades, honeycomb, shutters, motorization, exterior shades. When a customer would genuinely benefit from an upgrade (motorization for hard-to-reach windows, blackout for nurseries), present the option confidently. Don't leave money on the table by being passive.
Ask for referrals and reviews.
Every single happy customer gets asked: "Do you have any neighbors or friends who've been thinking about window treatments?" and "Would you mind leaving us a Google review? It makes a huge difference for us." This is not optional.
Support marketing content.
Take before/after photos on every job (with customer permission). Clean, well-lit, straight angles. These fuel the SEO content and GBP posts that drive leads.
Protect the brand in the field.
You are the face of Love Is Blinds NC in every home you walk into. Branded shirts. Professional language. Leave a business card. Represent the business as if your name is on the building — because it is now.
Margin protection
Revenue is vanity. Profit is sanity. Every dollar in margin is a dollar in your pocket.
No unauthorized discounting.
You do not have the authority to discount a job without approval. If a customer pushes back on price, the answer is to sell value — not cut price. Every 1% in margin protection on $2M in revenue is $20,000 more in the profit pool.
Material waste awareness.
Track waste on every job. If a cut is wrong, own it — and figure out how to prevent it next time. Material waste comes directly out of gross profit, which means it comes directly out of your distributions.
Vehicle and equipment care.
Company assets are your assets now. Maintain vehicles, keep tools organized, report issues early. A $5,000 repair that could've been prevented by a $200 maintenance visit is $4,800 out of everyone's pocket.
Scaling the team
To grow past $3M, we need more hands. You're responsible for building the bench.
Train new installers.
As we hire, you are responsible for bringing them up to your standard. Ride-alongs, hands-on training, quality checks on their early jobs. Their quality is your responsibility.
Recruit from your network.
The best hires come from referrals. If you know someone who's reliable, detail-oriented, and wants to work — bring them to the table. Hiring is everyone's job now.
Lead without the title.
New hires will look to you. Set the standard with your own behavior. Be the person they want to work with and learn from. Culture is built on the job site, not in a meeting room.
Financial literacy
Owners understand the numbers. You need to know how the business makes money.
Monthly P&L review.
You'll receive a monthly profit and loss statement. You're expected to read it, understand it, and ask questions. Know what gross margin means. Know what SDE means. Know how your distributions are calculated.
Understand your numbers.
Know your close rate, average ticket size, callback rate, and customer satisfaction score. These aren't just management metrics — they directly determine how much your equity is worth and how big your distributions are.
2
Performance targets tied to equity vesting
| Metric | Target | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue contribution | Year 1
Help drive $2.0M+ combined Year 2 $2.4M+ Year 3 $3.0M+ |
Growth is the whole point. If the business doesn't scale, the equity doesn't grow. Every lead closed, every upsell landed, every referral earned moves this number. |
| Gross margin | Maintain 55%+ on installed jobs | Revenue without margin is just activity. Protecting margin means selling value, reducing waste, and not giving away discounts. |
| Callback rate | Target Under 3% of completed jobs | Every callback costs $200–500+ in time, fuel, and materials — plus the customer trust damage. This is the single clearest measure of install quality. |
| Google reviews | Target Minimum 2 new reviews/month each | Reviews drive local SEO rankings, which drive leads, which drive revenue. This is the easiest growth lever you have direct control over. |
| Job site photos | Target Before/after on 80%+ of jobs | These photos feed the content engine — blog posts, GBP, social. No photos means no content means slower growth. |
| Customer satisfaction | Target 4.8+ average rating | Happy customers refer. Unhappy customers tell 10 people. Your reputation in Asheville is the business. |
Vesting is not automatic.
Each 5% equity block vests at the end of a 12-month period. If performance targets are missed, that year's block is deferred — not lost — unless targets are missed two consecutive years. This isn't punishment. It's accountability. Ownership is earned every single day.
3
Who controls what — crystal clear
Matt retains (100% decision authority)
All financial decisions — pricing, budgets, major purchases
Hiring and firing
Marketing strategy and spend
Vendor and supplier relationships
Business strategy, expansion, new services
Franchise relationship and compliance
Compensation structure changes
Distribution timing and amounts
Legal, insurance, and compliance
Partners gain
Monthly P&L visibility and quarterly review meetings
Input on operational improvements (heard, not binding)
Authority over their own job scheduling and crew management
Training and onboarding ownership for new hires
Direct customer relationship management in the field
Monthly profit distributions (starting year 4)
Buyout option at fair market value (year 3+)
A real asset that grows in value as the business grows
A seat at the table — not the head of the table
To be direct:
This is a manager-managed LLC. Matt is the sole managing member. Partners hold economic interest — a share of profits and equity value — not voting control. Your voice matters and will be heard. But final decisions are Matt's. This protects you too: one person steering the ship means faster decisions, less conflict, and a business that can actually scale.
4
What changes vs. what stays the same
| Area | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Daily work | Same Installs, measurements, customer interactions | Same Your craft doesn't change. Your standard does. |
| Compensation | Commission split only | New Commission + equity value + distributions (year 4+) |
| Decision-making | Wait for direction | New Take initiative. Solve problems. Flag issues early. |
| Customer reviews | Nice to have | New Required. Every happy customer gets asked. |
| Job photos | When you remember | New Required. 80%+ of jobs documented. |
| Material waste | Not tracked individually | New Tracked. You'll see the cost on the P&L. |
| Discounting | Informal | New Zero unauthorized discounts. Protect the margin. |
| Training new hires | Helped when asked | New Your responsibility. Their quality is on you. |
| Financial visibility | None | New Monthly P&L access. Quarterly reviews. |
| Long-term upside | None — just a paycheck | New Real equity in a $3M+ business that grows every year |
The bottom line
This isn't a promotion. It's not a bonus plan. It's ownership — and ownership means the work changes even if the job title doesn't.
You'll still be on job sites. You'll still swing a drill. But now every install you do, every review you earn, every dollar in margin you protect — it all compounds into equity that's yours. The business wins when you win. That's the whole point.
If you're ready to think and act like an owner, this is your opportunity.
If you're not, no hard feelings — your current role doesn't change.