For Leap's Sake

It’s been about 3 weeks since I left my corporate job in pursuit of my entrepreneurial dream and it just occurred to me that many of the individuals that I spoke with about my departure assumed that I would be looking for another job.  The comments were all similar:

“I understand that you want more time with your family.  Getting a good government job will probably be a good thing.”

“If you need me to introduce you to someone who may be looking for someone with your skill set, just let me know.”

“This is not necessarily the best economic climate to be looking for a job.”

All of these individuals do not understand – and perhaps they never will – that the job I left is the last job I will ever have as far as I’m concerned.  I suppose that some people just cannot understand how someone could leave a perfectly good job (or jump from a perfectly good airplane).  It’s like the saying goes, “If I have to explain it, you just wouldn’t understand.” 

There is so much opportunity “out there” and I intend to get my “piece of the pie”.  As this point in my life/career I consider myself to be unemployable.  The notion to become an entrepreneur has been with me for many years and I have nurtured it over the years by doing “on the side”.  But I’ve chosen to play full out and there is no turning back. 

I choose to have an attitude of “prosperity consciousness” instead of one of poverty; I choose to see the glass as half full with a huge 10 gallon pitcher next to it; I choose to walk a path that many others would not dare.  I have chosen as my mantra the words penned by one great man in his autobiography, “Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass”:

“I prefer to be true to myself even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false and incur my own abhorrence.”

Until next time,

Dino

Today I’ve really noticed that this adventure of becoming an entrepreneur is all up to me.  There is noone putting anything on my schedule.  My day consists only of those activities that I put on them.  I get to determine exactly what my priorities are and how I will endeavor to accomplish them.

Great freedom……great responsibility

Until next time,

Dino

Short answer:  I don’t need to GET ready.  I’m already ready! 

I was reading something this morning that I saw on Wil Schroter’s website, his “Go Big Network” regarding whether or not I’m ready for this step.  His point in his blog post dated 12/1/06 is “You’re Already Ready”.  To sum up his points:

I don’t need any more of the following:

EDUCATION

Everything that I REALLY need to know I’ll learn as I’m performing the daily task of being an entrepreneur. Neither undergraduate work nor my MBA can prepare me for the “school of hard knocks”.

EXPERIENCE

Again, all of my prior experience working for others does not compare with the experience I will gain while down in the trenches.  It’s like learning how to be a gourmet chef by going to fancy restaurants (Wil) or learning how to be a painter by going to museums (me).  I think you get the point:  you have to actually do the deed in order to gain the much-needed experience.

MONEY

Most start up companies began with their own funding using “blood, sweat and tears”, as they say; not through the help of venture capitalists.  I’ll have to tighten my belt and figure it out as I go.  This doesn’t mean I should be foolish, just that I shouldn’t put off becoming an entrepreneur waiting for an angel investor.

TIME

There is no “right time” to make the leap from employee to entrepreneur.  Except one time: NOW.  The stars will never quite align; there never be quite enough money in savings; the economic situation will never be “just right”.   I could have used any or all of the above to make excuses of why I shouldn’t have left my day job; but none of them amount to a good excuse.  I’m glad that I listened to my gut and just took the leap.

Until next time,

Dino

I’ve done some reading over the last few days (years in fact, but the messages are a little different now that I’ve taken the leap) and I’ve uncovered the qualities that many entrepreneurs seem to possess.  I’ve taken another look at myself to compare whether I measure up to the standard: am I really fit to become an entrepreneur?  These are some of the qualities that I’ve found that can be summed up in the acronym LEAP OUT:

LONG-RANGE VIEW

 ”Begin with the end in mind”, as Stephen Covey says.  You have to know where you want to go before you take the first step in order to achieve the results that you want.

ENERGY

Long days, long nights, occasional disappointment, reworks, rewrites.  Dealing with consultants/suppliers, employees (eventually), accounts receivable, accounts payable, shipments, banking institutions, investors, customers, cash flow, creditors……enough said.

AMBIGUITY COMFORT

One of the reasons most people do not leave their jobs and become an entrepreneur is that they cannot reconcile the difference between the ”certainty” of a steady paycheck and the possibility of an unsteady income stream that comes with the life of an entrepreneur.   An entrepreneur must be able to accept and manage the idea, that while “pay days” may indeed be more lucrative than when with an employer, they most likely will not come on a regular schedule.

PERSEVERANCE

There will be disappointments and set backs.  There will be times when it seems as if I’ve made a mistake.  But I’m sure that this trait is one that is critical for new entrepreneurs.  There is no mindset that says, “I’ll give this a try until this date”.  I have the attitude that I will stick with my plan until….until I’m successful.

OPTIMISM

To become an entrepreneur a person must have a positive outlook on life in general and about the affairs of the business in particular.  The focus must be on the goals that have been set and NOT on any of the obstacles that may (will) occur.

UNDAUNTED BY FEAR (not necessarily unafraid)

Sure, there are risks.  Sure, there are unknowns.  But those who are able to become an entrepreneur will look at those risks, fears and unknowns, assess the situation as best they know how and yet will proceed courageously through those circumstances.

TAKE CHARGE

Anyone wanting to become an entrepreneur will need to be a leader.  The vision, inspiration and motivation must come from this person in order for investors, employees and customers to be comfortable enough to participate in the venture.

I will need to continually nurture these traits until I have succeeded.

Until next time,

Dino

Something that I’ve found to be helpful to find a mentor; and a support group.  A mastermind group:  a group of individuals who share your desire and passion for becoming self-sufficient as an entrepreneur.

Today, because I want to have a presense on the internet, I am learning how to have an effective blog site.  So, I am learning ways to make this blog more attractive to other would-be entrepreneurs and newbie entrepreneurs.

Until next time,

Dino

Something that I’ve noticed about the initial days away from the typical day-to-day “grind”.  Is the lack of EXTERNAL distractions.  Noone is putting meetings on my Outlook calendar without my knowledge;  noone is walking into my office interupting me with whatever problem exists; no jokes going on 10 feet away.

However the challenge is quieting the distractions within.  Now….noone is directing my day; noone is telling me what meeting I need to go to; noone is trying to push into my priority list for the day.  Now I have to decide the most important tasks of the day.  Now…I have to decide which tasks to perform and whether they should be performed at all.  Now…it’s all up to me.  I cannot rest on my employer or my steady paycheck.  I must generate the income that is required to survive and to reach my goals.

Dino 

I’ve done the UNTHINKABLE….according to many people.  I have left my 6 figure job in order to spend more time with my family.  I’ve left the comforts of a steady paycheck, 401K benefits, health insurance and free coffee! (Actually I never touch the stuff).  I’ve left the daily “Today At..” emails, the paid vacations, and the annual company outings.  But WHY would I do this?  Why would I throw away a “secure” job for the uncertainty of the unknown?  Because I needed to break free.  I needed to swallow my fear of the unknown and “just do it”.  I’ve started this blog as a chronicle of my journey toward freedom.  What kind of freedom, you say?  Time freedom…financial freedom…LIFE freedom.  I do not intend to look for another J.O.B.  I intend to find my way to this destination through entrepreneurship.

I’m just over 40.  I know, I know.  You think that I’m having some sort of mid life crisis.  That I’m planning to purchase a convertible and start walking around with my shirt unbuttoned revealing my chest hairs and three or four braided gold chains.  I assure this is not the case.  You see, I’ve worked 20+ years.  I feel that I’ve put in my time.  I took a good look at the individuals who were above me on the “corporate ladder” and it seemed to me that their responsibilities were not much different than mine and I decided that, while the activities that I was performing on a daily basis were satisfying in and of themselves, I had no desire to do them FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS!

MY SOLUTION
As I mentioned I intend to solve this issue by creating an income vehicle that will allow me to generate income without having to resort to going from place to place with “hat in hand” trying to convince someone that “I’m the right man for the job”.  I am finished with that line of thinking.  I will therefore search the internet and other resources that will allow me to reach my goal.

MY INTENDED PLAN
I intend to create a business that will allow me total freedom with regard to location.  I want to be able to run my business from anywhere in the U.S. or in the world where there is phone and internet access.

Welcome to my journey!

Dino