A few days ago, out of curiosity, I did an online search for the person responsible for my pursuit of self-employment. After a sound and successful career, I had taken a job that wasn’t a good fit, working for a woman who lacked leadership skills. About 90 days into my employment, she called me into her office and presented two pages of single-spaced, typewritten “sins” I had committed, then asked me to sign it.
The writing was on the wall and I had known it for months. So I asked her to get my termination papers ready and gave my notice right then and there. She was aghast.
“You can’t do that — you have three children to support.” My response was, “Yes, I can and I will.”
I walked out of there and, with only $700 in the bank, started my business the very next day. It had been an emotionally grueling three months, but it was because of her that I finally got up the courage to launch my business. That was 25 years ago. I raised the kids, traveled the world with my work, met some wonderful people and learned so much along the way. There have been many ups and downs, but it was (and continues to be) worth it.
How to Hit the Trail
Sometimes you need a push to make a positive change. People said how courageous I was for leaving a good paying job to pursue my dream. But, at heart, I realized it was more a case of moving away from pain than chasing a profitable future. Either way, the circumstances were so uncomfortable that I opted to jump ship without that proverbial safety net.
But there are smarter ways to leave — less traumatic for sure. Here are a few things you may want to do before you make your move:
- Build up your savings account and pay off bills to ensure a better night’s sleep
- Reach out to others (without letting them know of your dissatisfaction) to strengthen those professional relationships. Be sure to give them a personal business card with your contact info on it and ask for theirs.
- Document. your accomplishments while you still have access to records that support your achievements. (This does not mean removing confidential IP resources or client info.)
- Write up your professional bio, the services you plan to offer and “proof of performance” stories. Google “Laura Lollar CARLA Concept” for a good story format to use. It’s free.
- Get testimonials from people. you trust. You never know when you’ll be able to use them.
- Join a professional association if you haven’t already done so. See if you can get a position on the board or a committee. (Most of the work I gained soon after I left was through these connections.)
- Reserve your name as a website domain and set it to “private” — you may want a website at some point in the future.
- Write a few articles illustrating your expertise for PR purposes. You may decide to submit them to your association magazine, publish them here on LinkedIn, use them as website content or start a Substack newsletter. (Message me if you want more info on Substack. We can set up a call to discuss.)
- Buy yourself a decent microphone for potential guest podcast shows or other audio recording you plan to do. I use an Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB and I don’t get paid to recommend it.
- Be prepared that when you give your notice, they will walk you out the door with your cardboard box. So plan accordingly. Make sure you have a support network (friend, family member, etc.) available so you don’t spend time at home alone stewing and fretting.
I’d encourage those of you who are on the cusp of a major change in life to remember that seldom does it go smoothly. Tectonic plates do grind and lurch before they finally break free. You will learn a lot from the experience, however, and you may look back at your transition as the start of an exciting new future!
Note: are you ready to launch a small business or have you been in business a while and need ideas to help with marketing? If so, send me a note and we can schedule a no-obligation phone or Zoom call to discuss your situation.