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I have a dilemma on my hands. I graduated college in 2004 with a degree in Communications. I worked for a few years for a TV station, but unfortunately had to make the change to leave because I was making what was the equivalent of below minimum wage. I was working two jobs to supplement what I could not make at work.During the weekends I always worked for my uncle who owns a number of large car dealerships in the NY area. He used to pay me a nice amount of money for helping him out.

One day back in 2008 he called me and said " I have a proposition for you, you know my business and I know you would do fantastic working for me, and ultimately I need someone I could trust to take it over. You will have benefits, I will pay for a car for you, and a salary which was more than double what I was making to start off with"

I fought myself, but ultimately felt that it was a good decision and started there full time. Only then did I start seeing that my uncle( who is very successful) but a workaholic. I turned a deaf ear to it for a long time( working 6 days a week, usually 10-12 hour days, only taking 3 days off for the entire year, and being chastised in front of the office for it) .

Recently I got engaged, and we are in the midst of planning a wedding. My fiancee has always gotten a little upset with the amount of hours, but she always told me" You are busting your butt for him,and I never see you and even though I hate the hours that you work, if he ultimately is going to make you a manager or a bigger part, then I am all for you working there.
. I feel like I am getting fed up with his constant change of mood and last minute rule changes. I have been here for 3.5 years with NO RAISE and I am really, really confused how to ask for one. . My fiancee says to speak to him more as an uncle than a boss when asking him. He walks around with the usual" what have you done for me lately" attitude. I know that I deserve one (accolades from co-workers and a constant stream of referral customers coming in), but am hesitant to what he thinks

The crux of my argument is that I have been here almost 4 years and am only makeing marginally more than when I started.

PLEASE HELP!!

Little things can go along way.

Popular people do better at work. They are more fun to have around, generate a positive atmosphere and improve morale. And as a manager being asked for a pay rise, wouldn’t you be more sympathetic towards someone you liked? So if you’re less popular than you could be, take a look through this list of likeable characteristics and see where there’s room for improvement.

• Be a good listener.
• Show an interest in the people around you.
• Don’t be arrogant or pompous.
• Don’t gossip about people behind their backs.
• Never put people down.
• A strong sense of humor is a definite plus, but don’t use it against the people you work with.
• If you manage your own team, be fair and always make time when your team members need to talk to you.

None of this is difficult, but most of us know deep down that we don’t really listen properly, or that when we disagree with someone’s idea we sometimes put them down (‘That’s a stupid idea!’ rather than ‘I disagree’).

Trust and Reliability
You are bound to succeed better if you are regarded as being trustworthy and reliable. So make sure you never break confidences or act disloyally, for example by gossiping about colleagues to customers or suppliers. Equally, always show you can be trusted to get tasks done, especially when they are urgent or important. Show that even when delays have put you behind, you can still get the work done without mistakes. That means that when there’s a sense of panic, your boss will decide to put you in charge of vital projects – you can be trusted to make sure it all runs smoothly. That’ll give you a few feathers in your cap when you come to ask for your rise or promotion.

Open Up

People who are open and honest tend to be seen as more trustworthy than those who are private or secretive. It’s not really fair most of the time, but that’s the way it is. If you are a private person, try to be a little more forthcoming about yourself – you’ll find it helps your image. You don’t have to bare your soul; just join in talking about your holiday or discussing your favorite music, or tell the odd anecdote about when you were a child.