After 5 years of working a full-time job PLUS moonlighting on the side, I’m finally taking the plunge!
I’m leaving corporate America on May 31st, 2010, to do my own thing full-time. My own thing with the Make It Great Institute is 3 things:
- Professional speaking & training seminars
- Consulting/coaching/training with small/medium-sized business
- Writing
I thought it might be helpful for me (and hopefully for you) to write about what I’m doing to exit my day job as gracefully as possible, and to get out there what’s going on in my head as I transition into doing my own thing all the time.
Here are a few notes as we start the journey, and maybe for you to keep in mind if you’re planning your escape:
I am not independently wealthy – I’ve saved up some money in my 401(k), but I have very little cash in the bank to offer me a cushion to fall back on. I also don’t play the lottery so that won’t help me. And parentally, my dad is a retired dairy farmer, and my mom cuts the cheese for a living.
I don’t have 100 engagements lined up – I have a few speaking engagements lined up, and a few possible consulting gigs, and a few products that are nearly done that I’ll be sharing with you soon. I have a marketing plan that I’ll be implementing, and some clients that are interested in working with me.
I’m not afraid of failure – Truly failure is not something that scares me. If I lose everything, oh well. I know in my heart I’m going to be successful at this adventure.
I am a little nervous – I’ve never worked on my own before. I don’t know what it will be like to not have a clock to punch, a steady paycheck to count on, or to pay for my own health insurance. This makes me a little nervous, but not a lot. I’m very intrinsically motivated, and I don’t expect this will be a huge adjustment, but this will be an adjustment nonetheless.
I need your help – I need you to help me stay on track, stay motivated and keep doing things that move me forward and not get distracted by all the crap out there. I also would love your help if you know anyone who wants to hire me to be their personal/business social media coach/strategist.
I will be selling my services and a few products here on the site – If that offends you, I’m sorry. I need to feed myself just like you do, and this will be the place I do much of that. I’ll do it in a tasteful way, I promise. And not all the time. Not to worry.
By the way, when you read this, it will be only 102 days until I leave corporate America. May 31st is Memorial Day, and my firm is closed, though they’ll be paying me until then. I’m going to post again tomorrow to give you a little bit more of my back story.
I appreciate your attention VERY much, and I’ll try to write every weekday so you know what I’m thinking and hopefully it will help you decide if making the leap is worth it for you.
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
Major congrats on taking the plunge! It is scary at first but as long as you stay on track and focused, the experience of working for yourself is well worth it.
Please let me know if I can help in any way… us entrepreneurs have to stick together!
Good luck Phil. You have the drive & energy to make it happen!
As part of your business network, feel free to call on me for any help you may need (and I’m now closer, so that may help..). End with no regrets, start by staying focused.
Nice going!
Congratulations — these are exciting times for you, Phil! The network you have built up will allow you to “make it great”
Best of luck, and if I can help you in any way, I would be more than glad to do so.
Dear Phil -
If you don’t try it, you will always regret it. And it is not as though you have 6 kids to support. (that I know of)
I opened my travel agency in 1974 – big recession. Made money the first year. My accountant had a fit because he was counting on losses against my husband’s income.
We are here for you.
t
Oh, goody. Now I can say CONGRATULATIONS!!! publicly.
It will be fun to watch the seeds you plant sprout, grow and bloom in big, fat success flowers.
You will do great and if there is anything I can do just let me know.
Phil, you are the man for the job…or the man to leave one!
You go, my friend! You have the energy, the drive, and the talent to make it happen.
Phil — That is freaking awesome! I’m so proud of you, not to mention very green with envy.
Can’t wait to hear all your plans…and I’m here for any help you need.
Congrats — you deserve all the success you can imagine!
Joan
NO, Phil deserves all the success WE can imagine together!
Congratulations Phil! When I went free more than 30 years ago, I was given two pieces of advice that held up. One, get up in the morning even if you don’t have to. Two, never, ever undercharge for your services and risk getting a reputation as “working cheap.”
Miki — You are SO RIGHT! And, collectively, we can imagine a LOT! Thanks.
Yeah, a WHOLE lot more than poor Phil all by himself, which he will NEVER be:)
Phil that’s awesome! I remember this summer when I asked you when you were going to give up the 9-5 and work for yourself and you replied “about 230 days” or whatever it was. Glad to see the dream is coming true for you!
Julie
Good going, Phil! I will “second” what Dick Richards said in his comment. And I’ll add this: Believe in yourself.
Terry
You will be missed! I miss the other web site already. Only wishing you the best of luck and success (“Live long and prosper”). I am glad that you have the courage to embrace fear.
As a suggestion, you may want to approch local and national organizations. One that I can think of would be Organization Development, etc.
http://www.odnetwork.org/
http://www.astd.org/
http://www.ispi.org/
http://www.shrm.org/Pages/default.aspx
http://www.asq.org/
http://www.siop.org/
http://www.iaf-world.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=1
Awesome Phil! Congrats and I’m sure you’ll do fantastic!
What’s left to say other than congratulations?
Probably someone already beat me to it, but don’t get stressed out, the worst outcome is you have some new great experience for future companies that you work for. All the best.
Good for you! I wish you much success as you go forward with your new venture!
Congrats, Phil, and here’s to your success – it’s an adventure for sure, but knowing that everything is happening because you did it, and not as part of a corporate approach, makes it all worthwhile.
Best of luck, fella!
Phil, just let me know what you need and I’ll do my part to listen for when you forget to ask.
Cheers to your success. I promise to be there for when you brag about your success.
Hi Phil!
I’m so happy for you
I know you’ll do well! It is a little scary at first, but just stay focused on your goals and everything will start falling into place. I’m always here for support!
Looking forward to seeing some great stuff from you Phil. Remember, you can reach out to me anytime. The hardest thing about working from home is not having anyone to prioritize your tasks for you, or tell you what you should be working on. Set up a schedule for our week and stick to it. That schedule is your new boss!
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