| Jul. 01 2008 at 11:04 PM |
|
|
|
Hello Startup Nation. I'm a first-time poster with a lot on my mind, so please allow me to get a few things off my chest.
I am 48 years old and in dire need of a career change. I've been with the same company now for 25 years. I've busted my hump for this global entertainment company and have carved out a pretty nice life for my family. A lot of people would kill for a job/life like mine. So what's the problem? I've reached the boiling point. What I thought was exciting and fun when I was in my 20s and 30s, I find intollerable in my 40s. I merely in it for the paycheck at this point.
I dream about being my own boss and doing what I what to do. I have several hobbies which I am passionate about. Even fanatical about. I have racked my brain trying to come up with a viable business out of them.
I cannot, at this stage of my life, risk a six figure job, 25-year pension with great benefits, on a business that may or may not work. I would love to start a web-based soda shop and provide hundreds of hard-to-find brands from all over the world. It's not original. I did find some online. Would I love doing it? You bet. Will it pay the bills and send my son to college. Who knows. Is the country crying out for a cucumber flavored soda for south american????
I actually do have a question for the Nation. I have what I think is a fresh idea in the internet dating arena. I really think I could make it work. The problem is, I'm not passionate about the "internet dating" business. I am however passionate about the potential this idea has. Is it bad to follow a business idea that you are not "passionate" about?
Edited by: RedSoxNation - Jul. 01 2008 at 11:08 PM
|
| Jul. 02 2008 at 1:29 AM |
|
|
Hi there :-)
We've had numerous discussions on passion and its association with a business. You could do a search in the forums, and see a lot of that thought.
Bottom line, you can do anything you want. The problem is that no matter what business you start, unless you're radically outside the "norm," you're going to face a lot of problems, downslides, and periods of not much activity.
A passion for your business not only will get you through the startup blues, it'll also generate an ongoing "Idea Mill" during those slow times. You'll continue to, and constantly be thinking about the business, which will generate ways to make it better, change it, fix it, or whatever else.
Without the passion, you'll just be switching jobs. Sure it'll be exciting for a few months, just getting out of the boring old job. But soon, it'll be just another job, likely paying a fraction of what you were making.
The better solution, from what you've written above, would be to pursue your entrepreneurial ideas as hobbies for now. Part of you life plan could be to set a time when you'll leave the entertainment world completely. Figure out what you'll need at that point, when it'll be, and then start storing away money.
At that future date you could potentially convert a working hobby into a regular business. But to believe you'll substitute ANY new business idea for a 6-figure job is pretty unrealistic. Not to say you're being unrealistic...only that it almost assuredly won't happen. To that end, look at it as yourself investing in your future self as a capital lender.
Craig Landes
---
Defining the undefinable. "There are 10 kinds of people in the world---those who understand binary numbers and those who don't." - Unknown
---
Success = Passion, Patience, Persistence!
|
| Jul. 02 2008 at 5:59 AM |
|
|
|
I feel your pain. Here's my two cents worth:
Five years ago I was working full-time in two different dental offices (I've been a dentist for 27 yrs. I sold my own dental practice 16 yrs ago and started working a couple days a week each for two other dentists because I was burned-out running an office myself.) I found myself working for a dentist who had a totally different philosophy than I did, and I dreaded each day I had to show up there. I decided to take charge of how happy I was going to choose to be, so I quit those two days, downsized my lifestyle by selling my house and several rooms full of furniture, and simplifying my life.
At that point, I was only drawing a paycheck on 2 days a week of "actual" work, and trying to launch my art career the rest of the week. My happiness level went up dramatically, as did my paycheck from that one office, since I became more energized and productive.
The art career has been replaced by a new business that has become my passion. I now practice dentistry 3 days a week primarily to fund the new business, and I'm very grateful for it, since starting a new business costs exponentially more than I originally calculated. But there are days when going to the dental office is such a relief and a joy because I know what I'm doing - versus navigating the unknown territory of a new business.
I have found that regardless of your passion for your product, you have to have just as much passion for the actual process of starting a business - the uncertainties, the new problems you never knew existed, the unanswered emails and phone calls from people who don't know you - or how desperately you need an answer at that moment. There are times when you will long for the routine of showing up just to collect a paycheck!
All in all, I'd say go for the thing that really excites you - after you research the heck out of it. If you're that excited about it, you'll bring that to the enterprise and you'll find your market.
And if there's any way you can hang on to that nice paycheck and find a way to be a little happier with your current situation, you'll free up a lot of energy and enthusiasm which will fuel your new venture.
All the best to you as you move forward. Joan Chamberlain
www.reciperelish.com
celebrating good tastes!
|
| Jul. 02 2008 at 3:00 PM |
|
|
|
Joan makes a good point in her story. Leaving a job to pursue starting your own business doesn't have to be a 'quit on Friday and startup on Monday' kind of event. That kind of drastic switch is a common mindset.
You might think about it in terms of a transition. Put in a few hours a week on the new biz. At the same time, work on lowering your commitment to your current job - part time, consulting, contract work - there are many ways to do it. You can actually plan for the transition of the new business taking up more time as you move away from your current career. Discuss Obama's Fireside Chats
Home Sweetest Home - Poster-Style Home Portraits
Zingerding - the Internet's Funny Pages (coming soon!)
Steve Lowtwait, artist and entrepreneur.
|
| Jul. 02 2008 at 4:21 PM |
|
|
Great word: "transition."
Craig Landes
---
Defining the undefinable. "There are 10 kinds of people in the world---those who understand binary numbers and those who don't." - Unknown
---
Success = Passion, Patience, Persistence!
|
| Jul. 08 2008 at 6:16 PM |
|
|
Hi,
I started writing a reply and it turned into a report on the dating industry. I LOVE the idea of following your passion about hard to find sodas. If you plan your internet business correctly you can develop software that can be used not only for your soda passion...but other hard to find products....your soda site may/may not make a million but if you have 10 sites that track down hard to find products that may.
Before you start a dating website read this:
http://blog.webbizideas.com/starting-an-online-dating-website-is-it-still-profitable/13/
Jeff
Jeff Foster
1-952-935-4192
www.WebBizIdeas.com - Website Design & Internet Business together with WebBizIdeas.com
|
| Jul. 09 2008 at 1:03 AM |
|
|
I just read a great line from Brad Metzler, novelist, about online dating:
"It increases the odds, but what you get is often odd."
Craig Landes
---
Defining the undefinable. "There are 10 kinds of people in the world---those who understand binary numbers and those who don't." - Unknown
---
Success = Passion, Patience, Persistence!
|
| Jul. 09 2008 at 1:08 AM |
|
|
Too funny. Not only are you filled with wisdom, Craig, you're always good for a good chuckle.
Beef Jerky,
Buffalo Jerky |
Venison Jerky |
Turkey Jerky
|
|
|