YOUR JOB - The Thing That Stops You from Building a Business

YOUR JOB - The Thing That Stops You from Building a Business

Dr. Linda Hancock

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Hancock has written a regular weekly column entitled “All Psyched Up” for newspapers in two Canadian provinces for more than a dozen years. Over the years, her readers and clients have said that they have benefited from her common-sense solutions, wisdom, and sense of humour. Dr. Linda Hancock, the author of “Life is An Adventure…every step of the way” and “Open for Business Success” is a Registered Psychologist who has a private practice in Medicine Hat. She can be reached at 403-529-6877 or through email office@drlindahancock.com

Published

January 8 2011

You may have spent many years developing a career and now just don't know whether you actually can or would be able to open a business because of it. There are several aspects of a good job that can hold you back:

The income - It is nice to have a good pay cheque on a regular basis and, if you have been at the same job for some time, you have likely worked your way up the ladder so that you have had a number of raises.
The benefits - Paid vacations, sick leave, medical and dental benefits can offer comfort to the employee and family members.
Professional Development - Often employers provide their staff opportunities to learn specific skills through workshops or mentoring opportunities.
Social support - Employees often build strong relationships with the people at the office. Work celebrations for birthdays and holidays might be the only positive events in the staff member's life.

If you have always wanted to start a business, it is important that you not focus on the things that you will lose if you leave your employment. You might be able to start your business on a part-time basis while you are working and not leave your job until your income matches your regular cheques.

You can purchase insurance coverage that will provide you and your family members with the medical and dental benefits that are needed.

And, if you are growing your business, you will be able to afford and choose the professional development that you want.

As for social support, there is nothing that says you can't continue to see the people who you used to work with for celebrations and holiday fun.

I started my business with only four clients while I was still a full-time employee. A couple of years later I found that the demands in the business had increased so much and I was working so many hours that I really needed to make a choice about my future direction.

In August of 2006 I hired a business manager to coach me and worked with him to prepare myself for leaving my job. The two things that were really holding me back were the thought of giving up my pension plan and not having benefits. He recommended that do some research and I was shocked to find out that my pension was so low that I would be in trouble at retirement. I also discovered that I could purchase the benefits that I needed.

You see, I've been there, and I now help other people to use wisdom and planning when they move from their jobs into business.