What prompted you to move out of the comfort zone?
Discussion
Clearly there are a few successful people here on PH, many of whom are self employed / run their own businesses.
My question is really, what prompted people to go it alone? Is it something you've always done, or was there something that gave you a kick to do it?
I work in a good job, with very good prospects, however there's things i want to do, which will require me to work for myself, something that i know i would enjoy. however to do that, i have to step out of the comfort zone and into the unknown.
Is there ever a good time to do it, or is it like jumping into a cold plunge pool, you just have to go for it?
My question is really, what prompted people to go it alone? Is it something you've always done, or was there something that gave you a kick to do it?
I work in a good job, with very good prospects, however there's things i want to do, which will require me to work for myself, something that i know i would enjoy. however to do that, i have to step out of the comfort zone and into the unknown.
Is there ever a good time to do it, or is it like jumping into a cold plunge pool, you just have to go for it?
johnnywb said:
My question is really, what prompted people to go it alone? Is it something you've always done, or was there something that gave you a kick to do it?
You will never get rich working for someone else. My motivation is: When I retire, I don't want to end up in a freezing council flat eating cold baked beans from the tin and I want to be able to provide my three daughters with all the protection financial freedom can provide. If ever my motivation dips I just remind myself of these two mental images, one negitve future and one positive.johnnywb said:
Is there ever a good time to do it, or is it like jumping into a cold plunge pool, you just have to go for it?
Its about taking calculated risks, not risks that are incalculable, but don't wait until you are 100% sure, if you do you could miss the window of opportunity. Only you will know when the time is right.Interestingly enough, in the UK your length of education makes you less likely to be a self-made millionaire.
Basically, humans don't like risk that much and the more you have invested in your career, the more yu have to lose in the way of salary should your business fail. Not many of the self made rich are university educated and many, Ballatyne and Branson to name but two left school at 16 or soon after.
Thus those who have nothing to lose can make this calculated risk when they put everything into their new business!
For those in already a good career/job then there is a lot more to lose. That said I helped a 35 year old guy a few years back break away from his old employer to start-up by himself in a home office. I designed all his processes and IT for him so he hit the ground running with his old set of contacts.
I think in his first year he make about £60k profit which was about double what is old salary was and he has not looked back since!
Basically, humans don't like risk that much and the more you have invested in your career, the more yu have to lose in the way of salary should your business fail. Not many of the self made rich are university educated and many, Ballatyne and Branson to name but two left school at 16 or soon after.
Thus those who have nothing to lose can make this calculated risk when they put everything into their new business!
For those in already a good career/job then there is a lot more to lose. That said I helped a 35 year old guy a few years back break away from his old employer to start-up by himself in a home office. I designed all his processes and IT for him so he hit the ground running with his old set of contacts.
I think in his first year he make about £60k profit which was about double what is old salary was and he has not looked back since!
Having self belief and passion helps. A supportive other half helps too. Mitigating some of the risks, there are risks but generally the real rewards don't happen with no risk but if you can at last box some of those off before hand that helps clear it up in your mind an makes it easier to step outside the zone.
For me I like to push myself to new challenges and experiences and you get to a point of saying I could be doing so much more especially if you get stuck in a rutt, but you need the balls to get or your backside and do it.
You only live once and sometimes that can be cut short so what have you got to loose you came with nothing?
For me I like to push myself to new challenges and experiences and you get to a point of saying I could be doing so much more especially if you get stuck in a rutt, but you need the balls to get or your backside and do it.
You only live once and sometimes that can be cut short so what have you got to loose you came with nothing?
Somebody asked me if I wanted to end up like my managers... "Bragging" about the amount of hours they were working, or would I rather talk about the amount of money I was making.. ahem! Simple question really!
I've gone a bit sideways from then. Having tried Freelancing/Contracting for a while, got a bit bored of the travelling around and having a family now makes it impossible - well for me at least. Now running a business where we have to get customers to come to us - it's not easy, but it is much more satisfying when things work out!
Although it isn't for everyone - a lot of people talk about doing it, but you have got to get off your backside and do it...
There are different levels of risk and it depends on what level you're happy with, as others have already noted, the real success stories in the UK left school early and did things a bit un-conventional..
My main point would be that you may well have to live, eat and breath the work for a bit, to get things established.
As someone else has also pointed out you won't get rich working for someone else - or at least almost no one ever got rich from working for someone else..
It does provide more flexibility as well.. but can be a bind at times.
I've gone a bit sideways from then. Having tried Freelancing/Contracting for a while, got a bit bored of the travelling around and having a family now makes it impossible - well for me at least. Now running a business where we have to get customers to come to us - it's not easy, but it is much more satisfying when things work out!
Although it isn't for everyone - a lot of people talk about doing it, but you have got to get off your backside and do it...
There are different levels of risk and it depends on what level you're happy with, as others have already noted, the real success stories in the UK left school early and did things a bit un-conventional..
My main point would be that you may well have to live, eat and breath the work for a bit, to get things established.
As someone else has also pointed out you won't get rich working for someone else - or at least almost no one ever got rich from working for someone else..
It does provide more flexibility as well.. but can be a bind at times.
very good points ginettag27
People talk about doing something for themselves and never do it and they think it's easy mainly because they've never tried it, but it should not be underestimated how all consuming it can be in the early days.
I didn't go down the UNI route and have taken some twists and turns along the way.
People talk about doing something for themselves and never do it and they think it's easy mainly because they've never tried it, but it should not be underestimated how all consuming it can be in the early days.
I didn't go down the UNI route and have taken some twists and turns along the way.
As someone else said before, I didn't want to end up like my boss. Corporate life was too political for me. I hated that aspect.
I was assessing the risk of jacking in my day job (not much at IT market was buoyant so I was never going to starve) when my waste-of-space boss wouldn't let me have a day off to do a track day. If he'd had good reason I might have swallowed it but for me it was the straw that broke the camel's back - sheer pettiness. I resigned the next day and my boss's boss just looked quizzically and slightly pitifully at me as I told him what I was going to do
I was assessing the risk of jacking in my day job (not much at IT market was buoyant so I was never going to starve) when my waste-of-space boss wouldn't let me have a day off to do a track day. If he'd had good reason I might have swallowed it but for me it was the straw that broke the camel's back - sheer pettiness. I resigned the next day and my boss's boss just looked quizzically and slightly pitifully at me as I told him what I was going to do
JustinP1 said:
Interestingly enough, in the UK your length of education makes you less likely to be a self-made millionaire.
Basically, humans don't like risk that much and the more you have invested in your career, the more yu have to lose in the way of salary should your business fail. Not many of the self made rich are university educated and many, Ballatyne and Branson to name but two left school at 16 or soon after.
I completely agree with that. University saps the imagination of the younger generation and also once a degree has been achieved it's so easy to just fall into the safety of middle-paying career such as accountancy, marketing etc. I only wonder where i'd be now had I not bothered with university Basically, humans don't like risk that much and the more you have invested in your career, the more yu have to lose in the way of salary should your business fail. Not many of the self made rich are university educated and many, Ballatyne and Branson to name but two left school at 16 or soon after.
Aimless drifting.
Had a set of very niche skills my employer didn't want so I thought to sell them elsewhere but the companies who wanted them were miles from home and I didn't want to move south so I started up myself. Also going through a divorce at the time so having lost the house and some of the pension had less to lose.
Since then the picture of a retirement in poverty and one in some comfort have kept me going.
Had a set of very niche skills my employer didn't want so I thought to sell them elsewhere but the companies who wanted them were miles from home and I didn't want to move south so I started up myself. Also going through a divorce at the time so having lost the house and some of the pension had less to lose.
Since then the picture of a retirement in poverty and one in some comfort have kept me going.
I'm getting ever closer to going self employed.
I have a bit to loose. Current contracting job is ~£38k equivalent for a 47 week working year. But there comes a point where you have to consider, is this how you want to live the rest of your life?
Same shit every day, same endless drumbeat of the same reports etc every week of every month. Not much career ladder to climb. Bleuch, not for me!
It does make things difficult though, I have something roughly lined up, but its making that jump and making sacrifices in the mean time (eg cant really buy my own place if I'm going to take a big salary cut, cant really finance that car I want etc)
I have a bit to loose. Current contracting job is ~£38k equivalent for a 47 week working year. But there comes a point where you have to consider, is this how you want to live the rest of your life?
Same shit every day, same endless drumbeat of the same reports etc every week of every month. Not much career ladder to climb. Bleuch, not for me!
It does make things difficult though, I have something roughly lined up, but its making that jump and making sacrifices in the mean time (eg cant really buy my own place if I'm going to take a big salary cut, cant really finance that car I want etc)
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