I've worked or been around a number small businesses whose owners not only relied but utterly depended on one low wage staffer to run nearly every facet of it, but are shocked when that employee quit after their requests for long deserved pay raises are denied. In at least three cases that I can think of, the owners folded not long after these key employees left making it utterly clear that their 'business' WAS that key employee. They relied on labour that was far more valuable than what they were paying, but of course never look at it that way.