Here’s a 13-month update after deciding to leave 10 years of freelance and self-employment to go back to working in a 9-6 job.
For context, I decided to leave freelancing and get a 9-6 job instead because I was very burnt out and honestly felt like I had lost my purpose in my freelance career.?I ended up getting a job at a social enterprise, which was one of my goals - to work at a social enterprise.
However, after working for a few months, I realised that I wanted more in my career, so I decided to casually look for a new job and took my time with finding a job I actually want to do.?Now, I have just left the social enterprise and I have been working in my new job for 3 months so far.
?? How I’m doing in my current role
- It’s partly challenging, but also fulfilling. There are inevitably tough/red flag clients, but also very nice/chill clients.
- I enjoy the variety of clients that I’m working with.
- I’m learning a lot of new things on the job, which I’m very grateful for.
- Essentially, it definitely looks like I’m pivoting back into my freelance role, but in a 9-6 setting.
?? Why it’s okay to pivot back into something that you’ve done before
- I pivoted back into something similar to what I’ve done in freelance, but in a 9-6 instead.
- There's nothing to be ashamed of going back to do something that you’ve done before.
- The difference here is that I made sure that I was doing these things at a higher level due to my increased experience, and they are not exactly the same things.
- I don’t have to worry about getting paid each month feels awesome, tbh
- It also helps to provide a stable income so I can pursue and explore the things I want to do.
?? Why I didn’t choose to start an agency on my own
- I tried many different things, but also felt like these were things that I didn’t really want to do in the end.
- I constantly felt fickle about it, but you never know if you don’t try!
- Starting an agency wasn’t something I really wanted to do and in fact had huge resistance towards it. It just wasn’t for me.
- So I decided to work for an agency instead. You don’t always have to start a business out of everything, it’s okay to work for another business already doing it. It all comes down to what you really want and you want to live your life.
?? What are my plans moving forward
- I’m starting the sticker shop on the side!
- I’m doing well in my current job. It’s much less stressful to have consistent income coming in to finance my side hustles and hobbies. And I don’t have to think about doing sales and finding new clients, on top of so many other things.
- I will continue to write on LinkedIn to share this journey.
- This really feels like I’m going back to where I was before I started my business - being in a 9-6 and starting something on the side. The only difference is that I wasn’t sharing my journey online and I’m a lot more aware and experienced to make better, less impulsive decisions.
?? Will I start my own business again?
- YES! I will be starting a sticker shop and digital product shop providing small business marketing resources. 1. Because I love stickers and it was always a dream to start something that involves stickers and 2. I have a lot of marketing resources I’ve created and I’ve always wanted to sell.
- It helps me scratch the itch of being creative and it has always been my lifelong dream to own a craft/stationery business, and e-Commerce is also a great side hustle that will help fund my other interests like travelling and other hobbies!
- Even if I continue to do these businesses on the side with a full-time job, I would still do it.
- I’ve personally tried starting a craft business on the side years ago and now I’m coming back to it again. Sometimes things really come back full circle and it’s so interesting to experience it.
I’m coming back to some dreams that I’ve had for a while. I don’t see it as failed dreams that I wasn’t able to fulfil in my 20s because it wasn’t the right time, but now, they are dreams that feel right.
? If you’re in a similar situation or simply just love to chat about pivoting in your 30s or doing something different in your life, send me a DM and let’s find a time to chat!
