How to leave your job and start a business
Written by Clare Whalley from Meta4 Business Coaching
Maybe you’re me 17 years ago…
Back in 2007 I desperately wanted to leave my corporate career and had felt that way for five years or more.
But with little idea of what to do as an alternative and how to even go about working out the next steps I felt completely stuck.
Armed with fuzzy plans of self-employment coupled with an interest in personal development I went to see a life coach. And the rest is…you get it…
17 years into a successful business coaching practice here are three essential steps anyone thinking about leaving their job to run a business should do:
Go seek help from a business coach
You have likely got loads of unanswered questions running through your head;
What does my start up business look like?
How much should I be charging?
Where do I even start with marketing myself?
These questions are probably weighted down with a heavy dose of imposter syndrome, a lack of knowledge and expertise around how to run a business and an impending sense of money and security worries.
These behaviours do not lend themselves to a productive approach to starting up a business.
Often people think they need to have more answers before seeking help, when in fact it’s the other way around.
If you need answers seek help. A business coach will help you get clarity on your business idea, create focus for your best next steps and give you direction on how to get started with your business. (and this doesn’t have to cost you a penny!)
You wouldn’t expect to start a new job without any guidance or training would you?
Stay in your job for as long as possible
Unless you are lucky enough to get a voluntary redundancy package from the job you dislike, you will need to have as much money as possible behind you (think at least one year of personal expenses if possible) so you can create security for essentials like mortgage payments, everyday business start up investments (website, brand, business cards, networking etc) and managing your own personal expenditures.
So, stay in your job for as long as possible receiving your salary whilst in conjunction getting all the essentials set up for your start up to succeed.
Use the time whilst earning a salary to; network, raise your profile and connect with potential clients.
However, there does come a point where, financially, you need to make the decision to leave your job or go part time to grow your business.
You can’t deliver to new clients and make the money you want to make through your business if you are tied to a job. There just isn’t the time and space.
What’s the worst that can happen? If things don’t work out you go and get another job.
Get out of your comfort zone
No one said starting and growing a business is easy.
There will be another level of new and daunting changes that involve a huge amount of energy, motivation and discipline on your part.
It’s likely you’ve never networked before or priced up your services through to writing website content or selling yourself to a potential client.
All of this will require a new level of confidence, self-assurance and commitment to learning, being open to ideas and stepping out of your comfort zone. Working with a business coach will help empower you to take the steps needed.
It all starts with the first step…
“Great things never came from comfort zones.” Eddie Harris, Jr.
Book in for my complimentary Kickstart Session – a one hour call to give you clarity, focus and guidance on your best next steps in business.