Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

When you started/start your business, you likely had the success vision of sitting in a big office just pointing and making decisions. Ok, I don’t know what YOU were thinking, but it likely had something to do with visualizing the business’ success.

Even when your business achieves it’s success and is fulfilling your dreams, there might come a time to move on. Sometimes this results in the sale of a business, while in other situations a business can be run remotely or at odds times of the day or night.

Very few of us have worked in one occupational field our entire life. Most of the time, we were first a cook, and later an office worker. Then, even later, became who we are today.

During the journey to who you are today, your occupational choice likely took many twists and turns. Sometimes education is being achieved, and it makes your career path a little crooked.

What does your career path look like?
Where do you want to go?

Mine…

Pizza cook
Musician
Graphic designer
Resident manager
Business owner
(Potentially returning to Music at the same time as business owner. …that’s the reason we’re business owners isn’t it? To do what makes us feel accomplishment. It’s definitely more uplifting than sitting in a cubical or standing on the assembly line! It’s Life! You only get one!)



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Vincent Wilcox (a.k.a. KRAKR)
Drummer
My band: Letters Make Words

I`m pretty sure my first job was as a cowboy...with the cook part coming a bit later. Having produced a chocolate cake, NASA later bought the rights to use as a new, indestructible outer-shell for their space program.

Lessee....
Paperboy,
Musician,
Telemarketer,
Gigolo,
Retail "associate",
Office worker,
Computer Tech,
Technical writer,
Space Cadet,
Business Owner.

CraigL... that`s quite a path... paperboy gave you the experience to do repetitive tasks. Music give the creation muscle, some work. Telemarketer... A bit of phone skills... I can see how this is lining you up for entrepreneurship... ok... then gigolo? Were you poor at telemarketing and could earn more as a gigolo? What created that occupational change? Everything else seems to have a pattern even though it wasn`t supposed to. Then. Space Cadet? That`s another odd track jumper.

thanks for participating


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Vincent Wilcox (a.k.a. KRAKR)
Drummer
My band: Letters Make Words

Hostess
Waitress
Hood Tech at an oil change chain
HelpDesk employee, then senior consultant, then supervisor
Web services programmer
Webmaster
New Media Developer
Multimedia Developer
Webmaster
Animal Behavioralist
marketing manager
mobile pet groomer
programming contractor
and then NOW! Yay!

nhgnikole... you must have some inner desire to work with animals. Did the "work with animals" help you when dealing with clients?

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Vincent Wilcox (a.k.a. KRAKR)
Drummer
My band: Letters Make Words

Hey, this is a fun thread.  Let`s see...

McFast food cashier
Apple Computer sales assistant (back when there were Apples and Macs at the same time)
Vinyl sign/banner designer and installer
Newspaper cartoonist
Nickelodeon animator
And now, self-employed artist.

Not a very long list but I did these things each for a long period of time, even the little part-time stuff when I was young.  And in the spirit of "moving forward", the topic of this thread, I will add my future titles.

Web entrepreneur
Camping mogul

:)

I`m likin` the "Camping Mogul." That could parlay into International Jet-Setter. :-)

Vincent,
My decision to focus on my gigolo career was based on my perceived lack of customer service capabilities. As a musician, you don`t get to meet many people, you just make loud noises at them. So because I couldn`t afford a conventional education, nor could I attend customer service courses, I felt that anything in the service industry would be helpful.

I was fortunate, and didn`t meet any narcoleptics, like Deuce Bigalow. However, it didn`t take me long to realize the health issues, and of course there isn`t much of a healthcare plan. I had to leave the business when I found that I was mostly laid up, and flat on my back.

At least being a space cadet doesn`t require as much gravity as other more serious ventures, though. And lacking a seriousness gene, I think accounts for many of my widely diverse career paths.

Babysitter, Drugstore cashier, Western Union typist, Medical office filer, 3rd grade teacher, 3rd/4th grade teacher, 5th grade teacher  (Taught 5th grade for a bunch of years.  Loved this age!)

Time off to travel, take cooking classes, literature classes, exercise classes.... Invented & began marketing WEDGIE

I`d like to reach the point where I have enough retailers that I sell 25,000 WEDGIEs/year & can stop cold calling.  One big box store would achieve that goal immediately but somehow it seems like it wouldn`t be very satisfying.

And I agree, this is a fun thread.  Interesting to see the paths you`ve all taken to get where you are now. 

For some reason, when I made a vertical list of my jobs, it was filled with jibberish when I posted it -- all kinds of extra letters & symbols.  Anyone know why such a thing would happen?  Going to try a mini list here & see what happens.  Regardless, I`m then going to bed.

Babysitter        &a mp;n bsp;         &a mp;n bsp;         &a mp;n bsp;         &a mp;n bsp;         &a mp;n bsp;         &a mp;n bsp;         &a mp;n bsp;         &a mp;n bsp;         &a mp;n bsp;  Drugstore cashier          ; ;           ; ;           ; ;           ; ;           ; ;           ; ;           ; ;           ; ;  Western Union typist

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Lemme see...

Babysitter

Ice cream scooper and cashier at driving range/golf course

Food Store Cashier (hated this job!)

Office Assistant for several small computer companies (after school jobs in HS)

Mail room at small publishing company

Assistant at printing press

Hostess/Waitress/Cashier at chain restuarant - Working my tail off b/c I had my own apt. at 18. Learned alot about working with the public

Bank Teller - Recognized a bank robber in our branch by his photo and the police nabbed him. Met members of Bon Jovi at my branch!

Receptionist,Customer service, Sales, Marketing Assistant, Internet Marketing Assistant - Moved up frequently and just learned alot at this company.

Mommy - The most rewarding and challenging job I`ve had yet - learning more every day!

Mompreneur (task-juggling specialist.) Learning that I can make a PB&J, apply a band-aid to my daughter`s imaginary boo-boo, and finalize details with my sourcing agent for my overseas manufacturer - all simultaneously. Not too shabby!

And I`ve never been told..`.you`re fired` yet!  

 

 

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Melissa Yamello
Owner/Designer
Storybook Studio
www.storybookstudio.net

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Not a lot of straight-line career paths so far... :-)