Going Out On My Own

Well, I've finally done it...

The corporation I work for offered some voluntary packages a while back. In fact, this is the most recent voluntary package in a series of many. Some were immediately post-9/11, others along the way, preceding a corporate bankruptcy. I lived through all of this for ten years, and this is the first time I seriously considered a "package".

Being what most people would consider middle-aged I guess, with a mortgage, wife, 3 kids, 4 dogs and all that goes on with those things, I would expect most people would think I was nuts for quitting my job, however, almost to a person, everyone has wished me well and expressed good thoughts on my potential future success. All except 3 people, 2 of those being my parents who I am sure were hyper ventilating and thinking of how much money I would ask them for in 3 months...

I have always wanted to do this. I thought that at some point in my life, I would invent something, open a small firm to market or manufacture it, and be an Entrepreneur. As it stands, I have never invented anything to my knowledge, but I have built up a base of experience, contacts and a little knowledge which makes an opportunity for me to become a consultant.

I am officially jacked sideways about the opportunity to be my own boss, that my success or failure rests squarely on my shoulders and not some Black Box that is a modern American Corporation. The idea is a little daunting, but with all the positive reception I have gotten I am not too apprehensive. Granted, positive response doesn't pay the bills, but the couple contracts that are currently either signed or about to be inked, coupled with the severance package, make a unique opportunity to start a business...

My thought process involved a lot of talking with my wife. We calculated when we would actually starve to death. It was nice to hear her say she trusted me. I thought of the severance package as a Small Business Grant. I also talked to a lot of folks on the "outside". There were a lot of positive conversations, and a few that resulted in actual work. I now have several contracts lined up that will likely lead to additional work. There are a few more contacts that have something, but nothing definite yet. I figure that if one contact in 100 results in work, then I will be in good shape.

I have never considered any of the packages before now. For me the watershed moment was standing in the hall discussing the newly announced package with a colleague, and then noticing the poster on the wall celebrating profit sharing that had just occurred from the First Quarter 2008. The date on the poster was a month to the day prior. I thought to myself, how can we go from bankruptcy, to profit sharing, to cutting and taking losses again in such a short span. I resolved I didn't have a another 3-5 year down cycle in me. I decided to leap out into the unknown.

So here I am. Wish me luck, the light is green and I have stepped in the door, about to jump into the night. Of course, I think there is a parachute, and I have a reasonable idea of where I want to land. I think that with this, and a lot of hard work, we might just make this fly.