What do you mean you are leaving a full-time job to go into business? “ARE YOU NUTS?” If only I had a dollar for every time I had heard those inspiring bits of wisdom and encouragement, I would be at least a hundred bucks richer!

So why did I leave my employer, hand back my nice new fully maintained company car, fuel card, expense account, laptop, mobile phone, regular guaranteed income and sanity behind? Possibly people were not wrong when they suggested I was nuts?

The actual reason was that I could see the downturn of the economy and it’s impact on the company that employed me slowly unfolding. Those above were feeling the pressure. In turn, their stress was being unleashed on those below. Cuts were being made everywhere; staff were not being replaced and those who remained looked as disenchanted as I felt. More than 50% of my pay was made from bonuses. As those around me starting losing confidence and motivation they stopped performing. I could see that it would mark the end of bonuses for everyone, not just those under performing. Micromanagement kicked into full gear, all of a sudden I had to explain my every move. For someone who actually enjoys work and loves achieving goals, this was nothing short of degrading.

What was I really leaving behind? Stability? Nope… nothing about my position felt stable. A regular income? Yes, but not the income I agreed to when I signed the contracts. I knew that no amount of time and effort invested would allow that income to increase anytime soon. What a frustrating place to be stuck in. Do I miss my company car now? Not really. Do I miss my fuel card? Heck YES! I loved that little bit of plastic. Would I trade any of it for being self-employed? Absolutely not!

So you may be thinking that this is a blatant plug to join Small Fish Business Coaching as a Business Coach, it actually isn’t! It is a plug for small business. If companies were thriving and bonuses were flourishing I possibly would not have made this choice. For me it is about (not to be cheesy) “being the master of my own destiny”. In this economy nothing is certain, being employed for me was no less risky than being self-employed. How stable do you feel right now?

Melanie Miller
Small Fish Business Coaching Gold Coast
www.smallfish.com.au