One of the situations they write to me a lot about is wanting to establish yourself on your own but still depend on your current salary. In fact, many people see this as a major obstacle to the point of never taking the plunge.
The ideal would be to have enough capital to launch right away leaving your job, right? Especially if your job has become a burden. But realistically, that doesn't happen many times. Maybe you can have an inheritance, savings from several years, investments, family help or the possibility of requesting a loan, but what happens when you don't? How do you start when you depend on your salary? What are you doing, do you stay as you are? Clearly that is an option but not the one you want.
It is important that you know that your situation is very frequent, most of the people cannot leave their work overnight and start from scratch. Everything takes planning and time, and that time will depend on your circumstances, perseverance and commitment and the type of business you want. And actually having a salary is an advantage.
If this is your case these are my recommendations:
- Decide if you really want to establish yourself or not. I have already said it many times, what really matters is that you make up your mind and commit yourself. Without that, everything will be obstacles that you will turn into excuses for doing nothing. If you decide yes, that you really want it, the next step is to be realistic and analyze your current situation.. As I mentioned recently, going to Paris from Barcelona is not the same as going from Boston, neither in time nor in money. So you have to know where you start from. By this I mean what resources do you have (time, money, contacts) and what do you need. For this a business plan is important to be aware of what it really means what you want. Wanting an online business is not the same as wanting an office, for example. Once you have this clear then you can decide what to do next. Start taking steps. These things are not easy, it is a fact and it will take months or even years to have benefits. For example, you can realize that to realize your dream you need a great economic investment that you don't have. In that case, what options do you have? It depends on each person, but it is clear that you either get a credit or you start saving at all costs. Because you can't always do what you want right away, but you can start preparing to be able to do something, even if you are disappointed that it can't be right now. Better late than never. Of course, my personal opinion is not to get into debt and start with what you have. So it is something you have to want a lot, it has to be really important and special for you, and not just based on earning more money, because if you do not you will give up at the first change. I for example,I didn't do the coaching certification course as soon as I found out. It took me a couple of years to decide and I used part of my savings. If I had not had savings I would have had to wait longer, find another job to get the money or find my life, because if you want something and you insist, in the end you get it, even if it is not clear right now.Don't quit your job right away. Having a salary takes away a lot of pressure and prevents you from making desperate decisions, although it requires a greater sacrifice on your part to combine everything. But you know, nobody said it was easy…
What is clear is that when you decide you start to be more aware of the opportunities: courses, mentors, options that you had not considered, contacts. And that when you want something, obstacles are part of the way and you assume it. You will not see any successful entrepreneur say "since I don't have money now because I leave it", "since I don't know where to start because I don't start", "since I don't have clients the first day because this isn't for me". That way you won't get anywhere, be clear.
Things cost and are not easy, you have to be realistic. If it were easy, everyone would have done it already. So now you know: decide, plan and do what you have to do. It can be hiring a mentor to avoid mistakes, it can be saving and cutting expenses. Don't pretend to start overnight if you don't have the resources. It is like saying that now you want to be a doctor and be frustrated because you are not yet. Well, you will have to do your career and your internships and pay for college; And, if you really want it, you will do what you can to get it and if not, you will keep complaining and let time go by without doing anything. As always, you decide. And be clear that time will pass whatever you do, so why not start taking steps to get closer to your goal instead of continuing to complain and blaming the situation.It is better to start small than to do nothing.
