A Positive Side of Change

Change. We all know that change is going to happen. But, how people react to it is very different from person to person or situation to situation. We probably know people who resist change, some who hate it, and others who embrace it. If you resist it, at some point you must recognize why change is necessary and hopefully acknowledge the positive aspect. Imagine if we didn’t change, we would have never grown up. Can you imagine adults walking around wearing diapers and sucking on a pacifier?

We probably don’t want to make a lot of changes at the same time, but many times it is unavoidable. This last year I made three changes that I feel are all big and positive for my future growth. I have always embraced change and sometimes I even look for opportunities to initiate change in the spirit of making things better.

The first two changes are tied together. I am no longer a Business Coach with AdviCoach and I’m in the process of a re-branding initiative. More to come on this change, so stay tuned, but for now, please update my contact information by removing?[email protected]?and replacing it with [email protected]

The third is, in April, I reenter the workforce. This was a welcomed change because, after 3 1/2 yrs of being self-employed, I realized things needed to change if I want to achieve some of my personal goals.

I know a lot of people who are looking to leave “Corp America”, to become their own “boss”, but I hope they are doing so strategically. I had “plans” to start my coaching practice for many years, but I didn’t put together a strategic plan that I could execute and set my D day (D=Departure). So, let me share my journey, and hopefully, it will help others who are looking to become self-employed. I was planning to eventually start my coaching practice and began the process in Dec. 2013 by taking a certification course that included a lot of tools and gave me access to resources to help me begin building my coaching practice. Instead of putting together a plan, I began to casually coach individuals and host workshops. I had conversations with business owners, giving them tips and advice on areas they could work on to improve their operations efficiencies, customer service, and selling strategies/techniques, all for free. I was still working my corporate job, earning a decent salary, and enjoying some of the benefits of having a steady income while maintaining my life and business symbol of a triangle, for life it stands for balance, work, community service, and family/travel for business it stands for change.

Then in Oct. 2016, we received an eMail from our CEO announcing our company was up for sale. After an offer was made, accepted, and approved, I learned my job was being eliminated in June 2017. I knew I would be OK, but didn’t know exactly what that meant. Instead of using the 8 months to build my practice, I began looking for another “job”. A month after the layoff I still didn’t have a job for various reasons, so one of my “free” clients challenged me to start my practice. After giving it some thought, and remembering as a coach and manager, I challenged individuals to push themselves in areas they were not comfortable in, so I had to do the same.??

For over 3 years I did the entrepreneur grind to find customers who were willing to invest in themselves. I did it all, attended networking events for breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Joined referral networking groups. Other marketing efforts included social media posts, newsletters, hosting workshops and seminars, just to name a few. It was challenging to find a steady flow of leads and secure clients to sign up for programs beyond 2-3 months.?

So, I made the decision, find a job. Some may a look at my decision and say my business failed or I failed. But, the reality is, this decision is a positive impact on me to change my status from being 100% self-employed to being employed. I don’t want to be someone so focused on saying I’m self-employed but struggling to gain clients, income, and support myself. As a single female, I don’t have another person who can support me as I continue to grow my business.??

I found the perfect job because I’m able to continue to use my skills and knowledge to add value to my new employer, while continuing to do what I enjoy, coaching and developing people to grow into successful sales professionals. So, if you have a full-time job and you’re thinking about quitting to start a business or expand your side business, I applaud you, but make sure you have a plan that will allow you to replace your current income while you continue to grow your business. Do I miss having some of the freedoms that being self-employed offers like controlling my schedule, extended lunches with collaborators and prospects, and taking midday naps, yep. But my financial health and peace of mind are equally important. Taking this job isn’t taking me out of the entrepreneur game, it’s allowing me to develop a better game plan.

#entrepreneurship #Self-Employed