I was listening to a bunch of babies cry about the increase in the minimum wage in Minnesota recently. Oh, how awful this little increase is for business owners, blah, blah, blah.

I am happy to pay a tiny bit more for my meal or whatever I buy to pay for the increase. I think the increase in the minimum wages is how all of us who spend money at places that have minimum wage employees help give those employees a little pay raise that people deserve and is sorely needed.

And to the restaurant owner who blasted the increase he had to give to his employees: How do you think those employees feel about you? Do you think they will go the extra mile for you? I don’t think so; I think the next time they see a problem they will look the other way because you insulted their dignity.

If I had a restaurant, I’d pay my employees more than the minimum wage and proclaim that fact to my customers and tell that I do it because I have great employees. And my employees would be great because I would be a good manager. Do you think those workers would go the extra mile for me? I think so and the added motivation they would feel would return more to me than the cost of the pay raise.

I’d like those cry babies to quit being stupid. Use your brain and think a little bit. It is wrong to take advantage of powerless people. Be a creative and value-driven leader and owner. Quit whining and move on. The sky is not falling. If you can’t figure out how to adapt, then you won’t be in business long anyway–minimum wage increase or not.