For some entrepreneurs the switch from the corporate cubicle to the home office offers substantial anxiety while for others it appears to be a breeze. Which group you fall into really depends on your circumstances and how well prepared you are for the change.
For those strapped with a harness of unresolved anxiety and fear, here’s something to think about. In the corporate system, the masses are systematically taught how to be good followers – not leaders. However, becoming a successful business owner requires being a good business leader. A Good business leader has a healthy dose of bona fide confidence; and having confidence is directly related to the strength of what we know to be true or what we believe to be true. In other words, successful business ownership is linked to good leadership and good leadership is linked to how well you know your business.
For the well adjusted entrepreneurs, generally you will find that they were some how well prepared for their entrepreneurial journeys either by having 1) Extensive leadership experience: being far enough up the corporate food chain to have a legacy of strong leadership skills and resources, 2) Adequate financial resources – by having enough cash in the bank (or at the bank) to allow them the time to focus on the planning and start up aspect of their new venture or 3) Confident Ability – because they simply left the corporate world to do what they were already well paid to do. This does not mean that the people in these scenarios did not have risks, it just means that they had some rather heavy insulation that allowed them to re-group at a different pace than the previous group.
So how do you get to that coveted place of the confident and competent entrepreneur and move as far away as possible from the fear-racked, displaced, disgruntled, down-sized, self-employed business owner? By planning to become confident and competent. That’s right, it’s back to planning. You’ve heard it all before and it’s still true: Confidence and competence can be accomplished through well thought out and committed planning. It’s done by researching and learning as much as possible about your business venture of choice and planning to be and do better at it than anyone else.
It’s done by creating a road map for yourself and by looking at it often so that you stay the course and measure your progress accordingly. Prepare for the journey by considering the type of terrain you’re going to be traveling and the type and mode of transportation you’ll have access to while on the course. In other words, you must know all you can about the business you’re getting into and understand what it takes to succeed in that business. You need to know how what you bring to the table helps or hinders your chosen business venture. Know where the bumps in the road are and the places where construction is holding up traffic. This just means you’re familiar enough with the business to understand where the pitfalls are and slow downs are and that you are prepared for them. While planning is NOT a cure all, it is a great place to begin the entrepreneurial journey.
So as far as getting off the corporate mother ship is concerned, plan your exit as far out as possible. Plan to have the resources required to get you through the start up phase. Once you’ve opened your doors for business, commit to operating by a plan, and then tweak that plan until you have a system that works and works well. Having a successful business requires a commitment not only to the venture itself, but also to planning and implementation and then more planning and more implementation. The more you know the better your decisions, the better your decisions, the more confident you become, the more confident you become, the better business you build.
