On Starting a New Business

Someone asked me today, “What motivated you to start your own business?” Here is my response:

I’ve always had it as a dream at the back of my mind, like many people. What held me back was the fear of failure and absence of security, especially having young kids. But even while being employed I always strived to learn new things that I knew would come in handy when the right time came.. In the last year of my employment, I took the courage to ask for a new assignment that took me far away from my comfort zone and in a new realm of starting a new business model and channel for our company. It was in that assignment where I realized that I had already known enough to start something on my own. I thought,

“If I could successfully run a startup for this company, why couldn’t I do it for myself? If I spent the same amount of time, effort and energy on something that was mine, why wouldn’t it work? If I started a business that focused on the things I felt passionate about, I would never have to worry about how it pleased my boss or whether it would get the right support from the right people.”

It all worked out timing-wise too. Everything fell into place as far as my own resolve, the state of my employer and in my family. I really believe that once I felt absolutely certain about what I wanted, the universe just helped make it happen.

I haven’t looked back since. I get asked often if I miss being employed and if I would ever go back and I always answer vey quickly, “No.” Not that I didn’t love my job or my work environment because I did. I just can’t imagine not doing what I’m doing now. I still spend long hours working and I don’t have the same support system that I did as a senior executive, but I wouldn’t trade my job now for anything.

Plus it helps when you can give yourself any pretty title you want to