I'm Outta here... Leaving your Corporate J.O.B. isn’t as scary as you think

Why are 2-Million Americans fleeing their jobs each month? This is an alarming fact. Begs the question what are corporate leaders doing to keep them?

A recent study by Accenture reports:

1) They don’t like their boss (31%),

2) A lack of empowerment (31%),

3) Internal politics (35%) and

4) Lack of recognition (43%).

In total, according to Accenture, 40 percent of men and 25 percent of women want to become their own boss, (54% of Millenials, 46% of GenY, 35% of Gen X-ers and 21% of Baby Boomers, by age).

Making the decision to leave your current position to become an entrepreneurial leader can be nerve racking, especially if you have been groomed for the C-Suite. You are leaving something that is comfortable and secure to pursue your own dreams, which can sometimes be unpredictable. This is why it’s important to have an exit plan. This strategy will help you avoid leaving your current job in an abrupt way that will leave you broke and overwhelmed.

I was CEO for one of the top organizations in the world. I had it all prestige, credibility, salary, and spreadsheets. A fancy business life we are groomed for and become slaves of, a top business school degree we are proud to hold. On Sunday evenings, my BlackBerry would decide my workload for the coming week.

Then it happened… I was out of a job. The rug was pulled out from under me. I interviewed for CEO positions from Maine to Miami. Then it hit me square in the head there was something wrong with this life. It was a “I should have had a V-8 Moment.” I couldn’t stand the corporate bullsh*t any longer. One day I told my husband I want to start my own business. He nearly fainted. Not because I wanted out, but because he wanted out of his corporate job. Here I am 11 years later and I have never looked back.

It’s simple, and I want you to be real with yourself. Touch your heart for me right now. Hold your hand over your heart and answer this truthfully: If you could do something different to get a different result, what would you be doing right now?

Here are the 5 steps to leaving your J.O.B. and starting your own business:

1.    Discover your strengths - What are your super powers? What does everyone tell you you’re best at? Figure out your strengths, then...

2.    Evaluate your network - Who would want to work with you tomorrow? Who needs what you can provide? Who is your ideal client? Start by writing down five names, then 10, then your 100-top people in your network you can approach. This is your outreach list.

3.    Best way to reach clients – How do you want to work with your clients? One-on-one, teams, or automation. Once you know your product and network, you can select a funnel that works for your business model.

4.    Build your Product – Now that you know your strengths and your client needs, it will be an easy exercise to develop your product(s).  

5.    Give Notice and setup your company…

Something we learned from our work is most entrepreneurial leaders want Fun, flexibility, and the financial ability to take care of family responsibilities.

Take your time when planning your exit strategy. Remember, the whole point of having a strategy is so you have a clear game plan. If you rush into it without being clear on every aspect of your strategy, you will most likely find yourself in a risky situation. 

Connie Pheiff, Unstoppable Speaker

Do you have questions or comments about the issues in today’s post? Want to know how to apply the strategies, or how to help others with them? If so, contact me at [email protected] or CLICK HERE to schedule a 20-minute discovery call to discuss with you personally.