I
left the corporate world over a year ago - October 13, 2013 to be
exact. I had a great career in the software industry for 25 years,
starting out in aerospace in the early 90's, golf throughout the 2000's,
and finally high-tech for the last 7 years. It was a rewarding phase of
my life and I wouldn't trade the valuable learning experience and
people I've met for anything. However......
I became quite
dissatisfied with my career over the last few years. I'm a bit
idealistic and play a terrible game of politics, so it stood to reason
that I was easily hurt by typical work place theatrics. Also, I'm an
entrepreneur at heart and fiercely independent - two qualities not
normally valued when trying to move up in the corporate world.
I
started making jewelry 7 years ago just as a hobby and then started
selling on Etsy for 'fun'. Little did I know when I listed that first
handmade piece, I'd be hooked on the concept of running my own business.
Once I realized that this was my true passion, I spent far too many
hours calculating in my head how many pieces of jewelry I would need to
sell to match my corporate income. I was literally obsessed.
After 6 years and many tears, I did quit my job. And I haven't looked back - not once.
Here are the 5 most surprising things I've learned in the past year.
1. I'm not alone.
When
you live in the corporate world, you don't see how many people are
living the entrepreneur life. Once I started attending networking events
and perusing internet sites related to business topics, I was amazed
how many different businesses there are being run by people just like
me. It truly opened my eyes that this independent lifestyle that I had
craved for so long was right in front of me the whole time. There are
countless industries that support solo and small business owners.
Once
the cat was out of the bag and I started telling people that I quit my
stable, secure income for jewelry making, I was shocked how many people
gazed at me with a dreamy look and admitted that they wished they could
do the same thing! I thought I would receive the dreaded blank look and a
silent, sympathetic nod, but instead I heard story after story from
people that had the same dream I had - mostly from my fellow corporate
colleagues.
2. My journey has changed from my initial plans.
I
really thought all I wanted was to hang out at home, make jewelry, and
live a relaxing, simple life. After all, wasn't that the whole reason to
leave the corporate rat race? But now I dream about hiring employees,
growing the business to the next level (and then the next level, and so
on). My creative juices have now morphed into photography, blog writing,
marketing, SEO, etc. I devour business books and podcasts. While I
still really enjoy designing new jewelry pieces, I have been so
surprised that my real passion is now more in running my business rather
than making jewelry and hanging out in my backyard reading a good book
whenever it suits me.
3. My lifestyle hasn't changed even though I make far less money.
My
income has definitely taken a nose-dive since leaving my job. I was a
software manager making 6 figures. But, for some reason, I still live
the same lifestyle and I'm saving money. How is that? Well, my husband
and I were able to refinance our house and rental property to save a
significant amount of money. That helped a lot. But, I think the main
reason is that my expectations have changed so my lifestyle changed
without me realizing it. I no longer need 'shop therapy', pedicures,
take-out food, and weekend getaways - all previously needed so I could
endure the coming Monday 9-to-5 blues. I am so happy with my life now
that my needs are simpler. I also don't need stuff like I did before.
Weekly Target trips are now reduced to once every 3 months.
4. It's not necessary to go too far out of your comfort zone to be successful.
One
piece of advice you hear over and over is that you have to go out of
your comfort zone to be successful. I agree with this - to a point.
However, taking this advice too literally can lead to burnout and
unhappiness. After all, I left the corporate world to live a more
comfortable life - not to stress myself out even more. I'm an introvert
by nature, so I tend to enjoy my alone time and feel the most productive
in a quieter environment. I also enjoy selling my jewelry on-line for
this very reason - I'm not cut out for the type of business where I
would feel the need to call on potential customers and knock on doors to
get my jewelry sold. I once followed a piece of advice about attending a
specific networking event - I was told this was absolutely necessary
for me to 'grow' as a business. That was the most miserable event of the
last year! I was completely out of my comfort zone and unprepared for
the type of networking that I needed to conduct. Not only was it an
absolute failure, I didn't enjoy the event and I'm sure it showed to
anyone I spoke to. So, I went back to my home and now only run my
business in the way that I enjoy, and therefore, have more success (and
fun!). While it's great to stretch your limits, saying no to conducting
business that is not in your true nature is okay too!
5. Friends, Family, and Fans don't necessarily overlap.
This
was the most painful lesson I learned. I have received so much support
from people that I don't know very well and a lack of support (at least
visibly) from some friends and family that I thought would be cheering
me on the most. Over the last year I've learned to not take it
personally - business and friends don't always mix. I know my friends
and family all want the best for me and are probably cheering me on from
the side lines, they just don't share my obsession (haha!). Just
because some of my good friends aren't fans on my Facebook business
page, doesn't mean they don't support me - they're just in a different
mindset and don't realize that for me, business and pleasure are now
intimately intertwined. I admit it was painful at first and my feelings
were definitely bruised. But, I'm now happier than I've ever been in my
life and my relationships are better because of it.
This
has been a tremendous year of growth, both personally and
professionally. I look forward to getting up everyday and living the
dream that I used to think was out of reach. I would love to hear from
you - have you quit your day job or still dreaming about it?
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