55, marketing, had enough, new idea, etc.
Discussion
I've been in marketing (SME Marketing Manager typically) most of my career and am now 55. I ran my own electrical business for about 9 years a few years ago but the ups and downs of incomes just proved a bit frustrating and I realised in the end I needed a business with recurring revenue.
Since then I worked for a small SME (70 people) for 18 months but the sales director directed all the marketing and none of it worked despite me telling him so and then the last one (as of yesterday) was a big corporate with an extremely dull product, all/most marketing tried and tested and a job that required me to do reporting and presentations 90% of the time. I was bored in no time (although the money and perks were good).
Right now, and I appreciate it is all of 24 hrs later, I don't know if I can through it all again. I might hit the right company, I might not. I want stability not another 'Let's see how this company is' scenario. We're pretty well off but not to the point that I can get away with not earning anything unless we do something drastic like downsizing or cutting back on just about everything and doing that would feel like my fault.
I've been sitting on another business idea related to publishing/ad revenue for about 5 years which fits my skillset of marketing comms and one of my interests and so am trying to get my head down and into this, but it will take some time to build, market to people from the sector and then add advertisers. I've thought through it for a long time and ironed out a lot of the learning I'd have had from doing it in its first iteration. After sitting on it for so long and it ticking so many boxes for me I have to try it but, of course, there are no guarantees.
This is exciting marketing/comms but it'll take time and in the meantime I either need another marketing job (which may take weeks/months to find and take my focus away from this once I do find one) or find something that does not require much brain power to do. Not really sure what though...
Anyway, thanks for reading if you got this far. It was bit of a cathartic exercise this morning for me as I get my head straight, again.
Since then I worked for a small SME (70 people) for 18 months but the sales director directed all the marketing and none of it worked despite me telling him so and then the last one (as of yesterday) was a big corporate with an extremely dull product, all/most marketing tried and tested and a job that required me to do reporting and presentations 90% of the time. I was bored in no time (although the money and perks were good).
Right now, and I appreciate it is all of 24 hrs later, I don't know if I can through it all again. I might hit the right company, I might not. I want stability not another 'Let's see how this company is' scenario. We're pretty well off but not to the point that I can get away with not earning anything unless we do something drastic like downsizing or cutting back on just about everything and doing that would feel like my fault.
I've been sitting on another business idea related to publishing/ad revenue for about 5 years which fits my skillset of marketing comms and one of my interests and so am trying to get my head down and into this, but it will take some time to build, market to people from the sector and then add advertisers. I've thought through it for a long time and ironed out a lot of the learning I'd have had from doing it in its first iteration. After sitting on it for so long and it ticking so many boxes for me I have to try it but, of course, there are no guarantees.
This is exciting marketing/comms but it'll take time and in the meantime I either need another marketing job (which may take weeks/months to find and take my focus away from this once I do find one) or find something that does not require much brain power to do. Not really sure what though...
Anyway, thanks for reading if you got this far. It was bit of a cathartic exercise this morning for me as I get my head straight, again.
I’d think whether it’s possible to run your new project as a side project to test the market. Maybe even reduce the number of days you work for your current employer. If you can live savings / other income etc then you may just be able to take the plunge. Either way, work you enjoy is good for your wellbeing and very much vice versa. Good luck!
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