Working for a Company with a bad reputation

Working for a company with a bad reputation? I can honestly say, I worked for a company who had a great reputation, but within the area I took over not so much. The company was looking at actually closing it down in 2 instances, but decided to give the area one more shot and it was offered to me.

But, I had only been with the company a year when they offered it. Not knowing even when I asked for a current P&L to review how that center was thriving, I sort of wasn't given the true facts. When I found out how they were going to shut the place down, I was their last shot, I came unglued and expressed my discontent to the uppers.

However as it turned out, having the right person on the right bus in the right seat pays off. I was able to turn the reputation of that center around from a negative red into over $5MM in 2 years and over my tenure bring in around 100 clients with an average of 100/200K monthly. I was then beginning to be offered positions in other troubled centers, which again it wasn't actually told to me in that fashion, so I just assumed what is it I'm doing wrong that I kept getting me offers to handle these places. I had a counterpart tell me after I actually turned the last one down because it was really a trouble spot; I was looking at it in the wrong light. Apparently they liked what I had done at the one I was at so they figured let’s see if he would clean up others. I shot myself in the foot on that last turn down. I was clearly asked by regional, "there is no amount we can offer you to take this position".

So you never know what the outcome is for accepting a position with a company with a bad reputation. I wish my counterpart would have explained that to me prior to me turning it down. That might have been my ticket to fame and fortune! I think you have to stop and view everything from outside the box and not immediately take everything from a negative aspect. Ask questions if you are going to be a decision maker, how much responsibility will I have in making decisions, judging the outcome of things, how much of my contributions will be allowed, or is everything strictly take this and follow what we tell you what to do, then you're really not helping nor is the company open to change. Weigh it all out before accepting anything you think could be harmful or beneficial to the outcome of the company as well as for yourself