A Year Ago

It was a year ago tomorrow that I quit my job and ventured out on my own. Quite a year it has been, too. So much learned, so much overcome, so many mistakes made, and so many successes. But this thread on Facebook this evening made me think of explaining the background, the reasons for me having done so, and the timing.

So let’s talk timing first. There are two sides to this one: my background and conventional wisdom. As to my background, there are a couple of tendencies that over the past 10 years or so that came to a point. The first is simple: I have never been fired or laid off, ever. I tend to do my job, do it well, and find an additional void not being filled, and fill it. It’s served me well, and within the industry, I’ve served in almost every facet: sales, management, and technical. But in that I’ve also discovered something–I am not satisfied with being pigeon-holed into just a single one of those roles.

And so we segue into the timing regarding conventional wisdom: the economy was slumping this time last year, I was gainfully employed and was told my job was secure. I had a family to support. My IRA had lost 1/3 of its value. Conventional wisdom would say stay at the job. But I wasn’t professionally satisfied. I wasn’t satisfied personally.

As for the economy, it is what it is. History tells us that a down economy is actually a decent opportunity, since other, larger companies are feeling a much larger impact of the recession. Has it been easy, or simple? No, not at all. Has it been eye-opening, challenging, difficult, different, and satisfying? Absolutely, and it will continue to be. Wouldn’t change it, either. [Well, some days, some parts… 😉 ]

It was a year ago tomorrow that I quit my job and ventured out on my own. Quite a year it has been, too. So much learned, so much overcome, so many mistakes made, and so many successes. But this thread on Facebook this evening made me think of explaining the background, the reasons for…