starting a business - confused

[Eowyn]

Hi everyone

This is my first thread/post on this forum. I hope this is the right place for my conundrum. I'm not a native speaker of English so I'll try to be as clear as possible.

I came across this web site a few days ago, and I was intrigued and hooked right away. However, having read a lot of articles I feel a bit overwhelmed and I can't make head or tail of everything. So I've chosen one area of my life I would like to improve and I would appreciate all the help I can get.

I'll get to the point now

I've decided to change my career. I've realized that my present job/career is not something I'd like to pursue any longer. I don't have the passion for it anymore and just at the though of going to work I feel like a fist in my stomach.
But the more I think about where I would like to work or what kind of new career I would like to embark on, the more I find myself thinking about starting my own business. And just thinking about it feels great! I feel a rush of adrenalin!
The problems is that I don't know what kind of business I'd like to start. I feel confused.

So this is what I've decided: as I don't know yet what kind of business I'd like to start, for the time being I'll work on my second-best choice for a new career ( which is also very interesting and exciting ). But, I'll keep writing down/thinking about possibilities for my own business. I plan to read some books on self-employment, talk with other self-employed people, take additional seminars that could help me later. Even though I don't have a clear idea of how I'll make it happen. And I see this second-best choice as an opportunity to gain some new experience that could help me later.

So this is where I would appreciate your opinions/experience : could these goals be conflicting? My first goal is my own business, but since right now I can't pinpoint exactly what it is that I want to do, I'll start to pursue a career that is my second-best choice (but I also like it). Until I figure out what kind of business I'll set up.

Does this maybe mean that deep down I don't really want to be self-employed? And at the same time I feel it's the right thing to do. I'm confused.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? How did you resolve it? What helped you figure it out?

I apologize if this post is too long or confusing, but it's very indicative of the situation in my head

[silicon toad2000]

I feel that you have things the wrong way around. To build a successful business you really need to find what you love first of all.
If you don't start your own business doing what you love you are just swapping one boss for many. You will just end up working for your customers rather than doing something you love.
I would maybe suggest continue to work for someone else, but seriously look at it from the point of view of going to school and getting paid to learn.
Look and listen at work and learn everything you can.

While you are there learning, figure out what it is that you love to do and how you can build a business out of that.

[Eowyn]

Originally Posted by silicon toad2000

I would maybe suggest continue to work for someone else, but seriously look at it from the point of view of going to school and getting paid to learn.

While you are there learning, figure out what it is that you love to do and how you can build a business out of that.

Thanks for your reply.
What you said is pretty much how I've decided to go about it.

For now, I'll write down every day 3-5 ( or more) things that come to my mind. It can be something like opening a bakery or painting. I won't hold back any ideas no matter how funny or unrealistic ( at the moment ) they might seem.

And I'll pay more attention to what things or activities make my hurt jump when I do them.
I guess I've stayed too long in a job I don't like, it's difficult to figure out who I am anymore.

[investorblogger]

It's worth trying a lot of different things before you decide for a major effort! Also, be observant: walk around your neighborhood and see what services or products aren't available. That's always instructive.

Kenneth

[AndrewPavelski]

I definitely suggest keeping your job until you are ready to start your business. Work hard to gather the necessary resources to start your business...if it does well, then consider quitting your job. Stay working until you find an occupation that works for you. I always suggest keeping a decent job until you are able to have a stable income from your own business! You'll know when the time is right to "take the plunge" and quit your current job!

Best wishes,

Andrew

Originally Posted by Eowyn

Hi everyone

This is my first thread/post on this forum. I hope this is the right place for my conundrum. I'm not a native speaker of English so I'll try to be as clear as possible.

I came across this web site a few days ago, and I was intrigued and hooked right away. However, having read a lot of articles I feel a bit overwhelmed and I can't make head or tail of everything. So I've chosen one area of my life I would like to improve and I would appreciate all the help I can get.

I'll get to the point now

I've decided to change my career. I've realized that my present job/career is not something I'd like to pursue any longer. I don't have the passion for it anymore and just at the though of going to work I feel like a fist in my stomach.
But the more I think about where I would like to work or what kind of new career I would like to embark on, the more I find myself thinking about starting my own business. And just thinking about it feels great! I feel a rush of adrenalin!
The problems is that I don't know what kind of business I'd like to start. I feel confused.

So this is what I've decided: as I don't know yet what kind of business I'd like to start, for the time being I'll work on my second-best choice for a new career ( which is also very interesting and exciting ). But, I'll keep writing down/thinking about possibilities for my own business. I plan to read some books on self-employment, talk with other self-employed people, take additional seminars that could help me later. Even though I don't have a clear idea of how I'll make it happen. And I see this second-best choice as an opportunity to gain some new experience that could help me later.

So this is where I would appreciate your opinions/experience : could these goals be conflicting? My first goal is my own business, but since right now I can't pinpoint exactly what it is that I want to do, I'll start to pursue a career that is my second-best choice (but I also like it). Until I figure out what kind of business I'll set up.

Does this maybe mean that deep down I don't really want to be self-employed? And at the same time I feel it's the right thing to do. I'm confused.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? How did you resolve it? What helped you figure it out?

I apologize if this post is too long or confusing, but it's very indicative of the situation in my head

[Eowyn]

Thank you all for your input.

For now, I'll keep gathering knowledge and experience while working for someone else, until the time is right for me to set up my own business.


And I know what I'm about to say can seem a bit funny, but although I still don't know what I want to do, I just know that I'll have my own business. I can't explain it.

[investorblogger]

If you can start a small business 'on the side' it's a good way to gain experience, keep your main job, and see how it goes.

Kenneth

[1000feet]

Originally Posted by Eowyn

And I know what I'm about to say can seem a bit funny, but although I still don't know what I want to do, I just know that I'll have my own business. I can't explain it.

That makes sense to me - I can't think of anything I would want to do every day for 30 or 40 years (that pays well). But I am willing to do things many people are scared to do, learn a lot, and do a lot of work up front to create something new that will continue to generate an income even when I'm not working on it.

[mncz]

Eowyn, it is great that you want to transform your life

As for starting business, you should really figure out what you are really, really interested in, however silly/not traditional that field might be. What is your passion. What would you like to think about every day, read and speak about a lot etc. etc. If you don't have such a passion yet (it was like that with me in high school, I was too good at too many things), make an intention to find it and try things you have always wanted to try, but have delayed for some reason . Or try to look at those many things you like to do from a different perspective. What is common to all of them? Perhaps there is some underlying tie to all of your interests.

Then you should figure out how can you turn it in a service for people around you. How can you share your passion with other people that would benefit them (since money in your pocket is basically always generated by the benefit you can provide other people. If you have a million dollars, it means that other people have benefited by this amount from your actions).

Then step out and give it a try. In most cases you should be able to do it while still holding your day job. Find a nonprofit that could benefit from your work, start a website, perhaps some family member needs the service you would like to provide. See if you like it. Perhaps you need to develop some personality traits to do it consistently, but you should like doing what you have chosen to be your business a lot.

Avoid these mistakes:
1) fear that your chosen field will not be profitable. all businesses can generate income, if done properly.
2) permanently tying your working hours to your income. find a way that will bring you money from your business while you sleep, play with kids etc. I have done this and can surely tell you it is wrong, no matter how much you charge per hour Steves article about the 10 000$ hour income explains this mistake very good.

All the best wishes with your pursuits! The decision to start your own business is a great and very good one, good luck!

[ellie]

ok I'm embarking on the same sort of journey, but I would say this, you need time away from your job.

Let me explain, how it has worked for me.

Right so my last full-time job I was really drained, emotionally and pysically. I thought to myself there must be more to life than working for someone else and getting screwed over. If I'm going to work for the 30+ years I need to find something that really suits me. If I'm going to work, I don't want it to be a chore.

I then said to myself, right I need to work three days a week to try and find myself and see what I really want to do with my life.

So a opportunity came up to work freelance for a company three days a week. I wasn't that happy there, they were nice enough people but I was just over working for anyone else and being told what to do.

So anyway, I finished up freelancing with them just before christmas (I had said that was what I wanted). So in the last 1.5 months I have really started to do things that interested me and it has been the most rewarding experience. The first few weeks, I was really lost, worrying about my future and job etc and then slowly said to myself, well lets spend a good few months trying to do things that I might enjoy, this is my chance to really find my calling.

So I slowly came up with ideas, things that I had always wanted to do, but put them on the backburner because I thought I needed more money, more development, need to be really BIG or nothing at all. I gave things a try, and let go of the idea of doing things perfectly (not doing it's all or nothing). Anyway, a lot of things didn't seem to eventuate into anything, but one idea which was actually a new idea, seemed quite good. So I went on the lookout for a developer (online) to help me with my project. I thought there was no way I would find anyone with the money I had and the requirements I was after, but somehow I found a developer and he has been great and we're on the same page. The funny thing years ago I said, If only I could team up with a good developer, I could do some great things.

Anyway, what I found through this whole process is my passion, which is that I'm an entrepreneur at heart. I've always nown this deep down, but I just kept blocking out, because...well it's not the norm. The norm, is getting a 9-5 job and making a wage. However, going through this process I just was overcome with so much excitement and I just blurted out this is what I love doing and it was so obvious!!! and yet it wasn't clearly obvious before. I began to remember when I was younger I was always making things, coming up with ideas and always trying to pitch ideas. I remembered coming up with ideas was the thing that I always did when I was younger.

Now I don't know how this new idea will go, it's at it's early infacy stage, and who knows it might flop, but it doesn't matter to me, because at the end of the day I found what I love doing and get's me really excited. I now understand when people say you have a "calling". Or that you have a passion, you just have to search for it. Before I was like, "yeah, I'll never have a passion", but now I realise that is so not true.

So I would recommend, taking some time out to find what really suits you. You may go through, the scary stage, where you think "I better get back into the real world and get a boring full-time job", but I would say when you get to that point, just wait a bit longer and push yourself a little more to find out who you are and what you really want to do.

[Jonathan Mead]

I agree with everyone elses sentaments here. I too am starting my own business now and am tired of working for someone else. I want to decide what I will do with own time time. May you be blessed in your journey Eowyn.

[Eowyn]

Originally Posted by mncz

make an intention to find it and try things you have always wanted to try, but have delayed for some reason . Or try to look at those many things you like to do from a different perspective. What is common to all of them? Perhaps there is some underlying tie to all of your interests.

Avoid these mistakes:
1) fear that your chosen field will not be profitable. all businesses can generate income, if done properly.
2) permanently tying your working hours to your income. find a way that will bring you money from your business while you sleep, play with kids etc.

Thanks for these suggestions. Sometimes I think I'm to eager and too keen on starting my business, so I'm thinking about it too hard and I feel that in a way I'm blocking myself from figuring it out.

Originally Posted by ellie

You may go through, the scary stage, where you think "I better get back into the real world and get a boring full-time job", but I would say when you get to that point, just wait a bit longer and push yourself a little more to find out who you are and what you really want to do.

You are completely right about this scary stage, it's like a roller coaster, just as I think I've overcome this stage, I get caught up right back in it. I know it is a journey, but sometimes I question myself whether I'm being foolish, or if I have what it takes to pull it off, and sometimes I think what if I never discover my true passion..and so on. But when these fears and thoughts occur I just acknowledge them and watch them as a neutral observer, I know these are just stages I need to go through.

Originally Posted by Jonathan Mead

May you be blessed in your journey Eowyn.

Thanks, I wish the same to you.


Thank you all for your posts, it really helps to hear how others have been through the same thing. I don't really have the support of the people around me, or that support is somewhat halfhearted. I can tell they think I'm not going to make it, or that I'm being foolish. I know I have the strength to resist negative comments and pursue my own path, but it feels good to know I'm not all that crazy