Being My Own Boss

She works hard for the money
So hard for it, honey
She works hard for the money
So you better treat her right

She works hard for the money
So hard for it, honey
She works hard for the money
So you better treat her right

Act 26:

“It’s never too late… To Work For Yourself

We all have the potential. We need the courage, the determination and the knowledge to make the break. Learn the business. Explore the risks. Write your plan. Make your commitment. Keep your nerve.” – Patrick Lindsay

Quote in book: “It is better to wear out than to rust out.” ~ Bishop Cumberland

Four years ago, I was faced with the decision of should I go into business for myself or not? My company had just lost a big contract. I still had my job and I was actually safe, but I wasn’t happy because I knew everyone else wasn’t safe. The really special and amazingly nice family atmosphere we had down there on the 3^rd floor was about to change and it would never be the same. So I went looking for a new job. I was in the middle of my second year of B-school, so I thought about starting my own company and consulting. My old officemate… Shout out to LOES (Lawrence of El Segundo)!! He has a company and I was thinking about sub-contracting to him.

I would’ve been my own boss. I would’ve been the CEO of my own company. However, it wasn’t the right time. I don’t mind being a peon. Working for “the man”. I don’t mind having some “top cover”. At the time, it just wasn’t beneficial for me to go out on my own and have to worry about whether $$ was coming in or not. As I said, I was in the middle of B-school. I have a mortgage. At the time, my nest egg was not very big. What was I gonna do if I didn’t have a steady paycheck. Granted, I don’t think I would’ve had a problem, especially if I subbed to LOES. However, there’s a lot of paperwork that you have to file when you have your own company. I would’ve had to do taxes every quarter. I didn’t have any other form of health care from like a spouse. If I was married, it would’ve been a different story. It just wasn’t worth it. While in school, I didn’t need the distraction. It was hard enough to work full time and go to school 45 miles away. I didn’t need to add starting and owning my own business, too! So, I decided to follow my old boss to his new company. Luckily, they took me in.

So, 4 years later. Not much has changed. Although, I do have a bigger nest egg and no more school to worry about, it’s still not the right time. I’m not sure it’ll ever be the right time. I at least want to wait until I’m vested. So, I’ve got at least 1.5 years left, before I can even start thinking about it. But even then, I probably wouldn’t do it.

I’ve never really “dreamed” of being CEO of a company. I think it’s all too much pressure for me. I know a lot of my B-school friends want to head up a fortune 500 company someday. Or be CEO of their own company. I guess I never really dreamed that big cause I’m a realist and am afraid of failure. Being in charge of a huge company is a ton of pressure. What if I screwed up? What if I make the wrong decisions and we lose a ton of $$ and people lose their jobs? I don’t think my heart could take it if I was responsible for causing people to lose their livelihood. I’d rather someone else take that responsibility. No power. No guilt, if something goes wrong. I’ve also never really been that power hungry. What if it goes to my head? I don’t want to become one of those money grubbing tyrants. Somehow I feel like all that power would go to my head. I wouldn’t want to lose myself.

Now, a small company of maybe just me and a few others, I could probably handle. As a I said in my “Start a New Career” post, I always wanted my own restaurant. However, I always imagined myself w/ a partner. Probably so the responsibility wouldn’t solely rest on my shoulders. Also, cause restaurants are really expensive, so I know I’d need a partner(s) to make it happen.

So to recap. I’m not ready to work for myself just yet, but it’s not out of the question for the future. However, I love my job right now. I love the company I work for. I love my boss! (Kenny G, you are the best!) Working for myself is not in the cards, right now.

Mini Trivia – 50 Points

10 Points: Name the original artist of the song at the beginning of the blog

10 Points: Name this Dolly Parton song that is about “work”, which is also the title of a Movie and Musical based on this song.

10 Points: Name the Musical that Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette are starring in on Broadway right now

10 Points: Name the artist and the song title

Everyone's watching, to see what you will do
Everyone's looking at you, oh
Everyone's wondering, will you come out tonight
Everyone's trying to get it right, get it right

Everybody's xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Everybody wants a little romance
Everybody's goin' off the deep end
Everybody needs a second chance, oh
You want a piece of my heart
You better start from start
You wanna be in the show
Come on baby lets go

10 Points: Name the artist who sings Operation Working Vacation on their “Love On The Inside” album (Hint: This is the reigning Top Country Duo at the CMAs and ACMs) - yet another non-released album song

Gotta get a handle on the situation
(Operation, working vacation)
A soul solution for my frustration
(Operation, working vacation)
So, I made myself a little reservation
A one way ticket to liberation
Way overdue by my calculation
Operation: working vacation

Well, this bottle's been working on my concentration
(Operation, working vacation)
The more I drink, the more the waves keep 'a waving
(Operation, working vacation)
The office keeps calling with complications
A big break down in communication
They keep leaving messages I keep erasing