"The journey of a thousand miles sometimes ends very, very badly."
Thinking of starting your own business?
I get asked often what it’s like starting a business. I get asked this by people who tell me they hate their jobs and can’t wait to have enough money/time/energy/opportunity to start their own gigs.
Really?
Entrepreneurship, I’m learning, is about 3 things:
1. Sales.
2. Having the hard conversation.
3. A complete and utter lack of security.
Most of the people I talk to, they try to avoid these 3 things like the plague. They hate sales more than life itself, and their favorite strategy for tough conversations is avoidance. As for security, people generally seek as much security as they can find, and when they can’t find more security, they seek the illusion of it.
If that’s you, then I don’t think you want to be your own boss. Really, I don’t.
What you want is a nice job you can hate every day that doesn’t involve sales, that comes with an HR department willing to have the tough conversation for you, and that provides the security of knowing you’ll probably get paid next Friday.
Yes, you’ll hate your job, and I think you’ll be much happier that way.
Jason Seiden is CEO of Ajax Workforce Marketing. Ajax amplifies brands by aligning employees' online messaging.
I'm Jason. I run a brand agency with a specialization in workforce marketing.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
That, my brother, is great advice.
You and I have both met lots and lots of people who say, “Hey, I think I’ll hang out a shingle. XYZ (usually consulting) is so easy and makes so much money.”
Oh yeah? How about E&O insurance? And worrying that last project could be the last project? Or asking people for real money…and lots of it?
Great advice, man.
Really a good and accurate observation. The next statement that many make when someone pays the price and is successful is: “they’re so lucky.”
@Frank—and staffing up to meet future demand… and let’s not forget that personal signature on that line of credit…
@Glenn—They are lucky: they were born with the courage to stand tall in the face of their fears.
I feel now is the best time to start a business. The keys to bussiness success is to believe in yourself, find some area of business that you are super passionate about and develop your selling skills. Finally network, network and network.
I could not agree more. When people tell me how lucky I am to have my own business. I let them know how many costly mistakes I’ve made; how much risk I’ve taken on and how growth is 99% linked to hiring and setting the pace and expectations of the right staff. It’s not so hard to get the plane off the ground, but keeping it flying and eventually landing somewhere are entirely different.
Excellent points! (And nicely concise) Joining my husband’s compnay after a long time wth a large corporation was terrifying at first, for me. When that corporation closed down all U.S. operations in 2009, part of the decision was made “for” me. Many adjustments later, I am so much happier now then I ever imagined I would be. Not easy, but I look back at all the energy I spent in being a “perfect” employee for someone else- and how much I gave up to have that security- and am grateful every day that the push came. Life may not be as stable, but goodness how much the success means when it’s things you decided you wanted.