The 6 Stages of Escaping Corporate- Just keep moving!
Brett Trainor
On a mission to help 100,000 Corporate GenXers escape the 9-5 I Founder of the Escapee Collective I Host of the Corporate Escapee Podcast I CEO of the Collective Academy
Hey there! Thanks for stopping by. I am on a mission to help 10,000 GenX corporate professionals escape the box of the 9-5 grind. Each week I will share news, strategies and tactics to help you take control, find balance and NOT sacrifice your income.?
Free Resources:
?? ?The Corporate Escapee Podcast: Click Here
??? The Escapee Collective: We have launched a Free Slack community for those of you that are escapee curious & those that recently escaped: The Escapee Collective ?
Where are you on your journey?
It has become clear to me that there are 6 stages in the corporate escapee journey- assuming the ultimate destination is control of both your time and financial future. The vast majority of corporate GenXers never even make it to Stage 1 and if they do they quickly dismiss it. Below are the 6 stages as I see them:
I have no way of estimating it but the percent that actually “take action” is so low. I am hoping this post will help you think about where you are and help motivate you to take the next step.
The biggest misconception people have is the risk associated with this path. If you go through this process you will realize the only risk is you getting a little uncomfortable. The first 5 stages can be completed with you still in corporate. You don’t have to take the leap until you are ready.
Stage 1: Awareness
The vast majority of GenXers don’t even realize that there is life outside of the corporate walls. Stage 1 is about becoming aware that you have options. At this stage most don’t believe this applies to them. Take the next step and educate yourself.
Stage 2: Curious?
There is a spark at this stage. You start to do a little research- listen to podcasts, follow accounts on TikTok, read newsletters, etc…? You are still skeptical and doubt that this is for you or if your skills or experience will translate. You can stop here and stay in corporate or take the next step.
Stage 3: Interested
In Stage 3, you move beyond curiosity and are now interested and can see your life outside of corporate. Two things keep you stuck in this stage- fear and/or you don’t know where to start. You could have 2 or 3 decades of corporate success but don’t have the confidence to put yourself out there.
This is where courage replaces confidence and you have to get comfortable being a bit uncomfortable. Very few actually take the next step of actually doing something. You have to realize there is very little risk and move to the next stage. You can easily do this while you are still in corporate
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Stage 4: Learn & Earn
The key to this stage is to earn your first dollar as a solo business owner. If you are still in corporate this will be smaller engagements- advisory, coaching, services, etc..
You want to learn from this experience and pivot but you absolutely want to prove to yourself that you can do this but landing your first PAID customer.
Stage 5: Grow (Money & Confidence)
At this stage you have landed multiple customers and your confidence is growing. You now believe that you can see the future and it is outside of corporate. You may or may not still be in corporate at this point but you have tasted success. You are starting to refine and expand what you are offering, how much you are charging, your ideal customers, how to manage your time, etc...
Stage 6: Control & Freedom
This is the holy grail. You now know that you can make money and you are in complete control. The freedom and flexibility is at the core of what you do. You will have multiple revenue streams and more than likely you have replaced or exceeded your corporate income and are working less.
At this point you are looking to optimize your business and your life
The Bottom Line
Everyone’s journey is different and the duration will vary. There is no reason why you can’t go through 1-4 in less than a month.
My experience was I had success and landed my first customer in the first 6 weeks but it probably took me a year to get to Stage 5 and have the confidence to believe this was my future.
In year 2, I crossed into Phase 6 where I knew that I was never going back. I figured out how to make money multiple ways and have confidence that I can do it again and again.?
The mental game is the biggest blocker to success and what keeps the majority of folks from achieving the control and freedom they crave.
You don’t have to go through this alone. There are resources to help you.
Free Resources
The Corporate Escapee Podcast : Helping GenXers find their “What’s Next”!
Retired Senior Vice President of Regulatory Compliance and Sterility Assurance
8 个月Corporate is OK unless there are too many accountants and lawyers running things.
A seasoned customer experience executive specializing in CX programs, CX strategy, VOC design, Marketing Research, Change Management, Design Thinking, Journey and Process Mapping.
8 个月This is a great group to be a part of if you are thinking about or have left the corporate space to start your own business. Brett has great insight and is a thoughtful person.