Contributed post
Our jobs aren’t always easy.
That difficult meeting, frustrating report or domineering boss is a feature of daily working life for many, and even those who love their job find themselves at the end of their tether occasionally.
That is completely natural – it wouldn’t be called a job if there weren’t some aspects you don’t enjoy as much. But when one bad day turns into a week, and then a month, the balance has shifted.
So, how do you tell the difference between a temporary rough patch, and something more? What are the tell tale signs that your heart is no longer in it? How do you know if it’s time to jump ship and focus on your own business ideas?
You Spend Your Spare Time Dreaming About Your Start-Up
More people than ever are choosing to leave the corporate treadmill and start something of their own. Flexible hours, working from any location and taking on projects that inspire you are all things we understand now – not just as possibilities, but as a workable reality that we want in our lives.
However, many large workplaces have been slow to adapt to these new ways of working and many simply don’t support the work-life balance we’re coming to realise we need. Striking out on your own gives you the chance to work how and where you want.
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You Have A Money-Spinning Skill
If you have a talent or skill set with a market value, you have the chance to set up a credible business. Talented artist? Graphic design freelance work is booming. Super organised and a good communicator? Becoming a virtual PA could work.
Find a way to turn what you love into a source of revenue, and try drawing up a business plan. If it makes sense then you know that it could be time to give it a proper go.
The Financials Make Sense
Once you’ve drafted up a business plan, you can begin to get an idea of the economic practicalities. Gaining a realistic idea of costs is absolutely key – and it all depends on what your business idea is.
For many service based businesses, you can operate virtually with comparatively low overheads, but there will still be some costs associated, such as setting a marketing budget or investing in cloud-based software for a CRM. Other businesses require a huge amount of capital and investment in technology, warehousing space or specialist machinery. If that is the case for you, come up with a detailed list of costings.
Do your research – whether it’s locating specialist suppliers and their price lists or finding quotes for an in-house manufacturing set up with a company like northernmat.ca. Once you have a realistic assessment of costs and a profit projection,.your plans become more than just pie in the sky- they now have substance, and you can think about preparing to pitch for investment.
It’s time to think about writing that resignation letter or reducing your hours to part time to give you space to focus on building that new venture.
The days where you don’t dread Mondays are almost in sight, and with lots of hard work, perseverance and a little luck, you’ll be your own boss soon.