The Drone Ranger

[retire@40]

Originally Posted by ((^+^)) SG

Suggesting someone should just get another job or go to work for themselves is too simplistic. *Sometimes your training, location and personal situation doesn't make either of those options easy.

I never said it was easy.

Starting a business requires breaking out of your shell, having a brain, being creative, and being able to get up after you fall down. But so does being able to figure out how to get to FIRE. How many people who say it's impossible have even tried?

The big corps don't want people to start their own business for two main reasons. First, they might become a competitor. Second, for every person that's starts his/her own business, there is one less employee for the corporate beast to use and abuse.

[sgeeeee]

I'm pretty sure I would hate being dependent on my own start-up business. It's a lifestyle choice. I don't even like customers. I certainly don't want to work for them. Some people love it. Good for them. I wish them the best.

My interests, skills and training allowed me to quickly move up the corporate ladder and command sufficient salaries to get me to ER. I was also paid to travel around the world. All the time I was working I accumulated pension, had a good 401K and excellent health insurance. Yeah, I put up with my share of corporate BS. But it suited my personality better to push back against a corporation than it would have suited me to hold my tounge from a customer. Plus, there's no way I could have started a company and done the same kind of work I was able to do for a large corporation.

[MRGALT2U]

Originally Posted by Cal

Looks like Retire@40 has a soulmate.

Some people do not have the personality and/or ability to start and run their own business (not that you can tell some people here that). If it works for you - great! - but I think it is very misleading to suggest that just anyone can do it and be successful.

You know, I was about to say that for most people it
(running your own business) is not even an option.
Then, it occurred to me that most of my friends and
contemporaries here are self employed or own the
companies they work for. Interesting. I wonder if
we gravitated together due to some shared
entreprenuerial traits?

JG

[maddythebeagle]

At one such outing, we had to write our own lyrics to the tune of a popular OutKast song—lyrics praising our company. When one group dared to write a song about how they were still at work at 8 o’clock at night, singing nonsense, when they should be at home living their lives—their performance brought down the house—the faces of upper management clouded over.

[TargaDave]

I'll add a couple of points:

• you don't have to start your own business, you can go work for someone else's small company and achieve the same thing without the same level of risk. I did it twice before accidentally starting my own company
• Startups fail all the time and there is plenty to fret-bitch about but the nonfinancial rewards can be absolutely amazing
• Highs for me
  - going from an idea on paper to a widget somebody is actually willing to pay us $2M for
  - creating a entity that takes on its own life. I have co-workers way more gungho than me
  - traveling the world, champion customers, long term friendships, Friday beer sessions
• Lows
  - always 6 months away from disaster
  - getting tossed around by customers and investors

You develop thick skin early on and the lows become more of a nuisance.

It's discouraging to see people list umpteen reasons for not being able to leave megacorp and then moan on about the insanity while testing Firecalc 50 different ways. It's like a wasted first half of your life. Ever notice that many successful US small businesses are run by recent immigrants? Ever wonder why there are so few business owners frequenting this site? Sorry if I ruffled some feathers.

[MRGALT2U]

Originally Posted by TargaDave

I'll add a couple of points:

• you don't have to start your own business, you can go work for someone else's small company and achieve the same thing without the same level of risk.* I did it twice before accidentally starting my own company
• Startups fail all the time and there is plenty to fret-bitch about but the nonfinancial rewards can be absolutely amazing
• Highs for me
  * * - going from an idea on paper to a widget somebody is actually willing to pay us $2M for
  * * - creating a entity that takes on its own life. I have co-workers way more gungho than me
  * * - traveling the world, champion customers, long term friendships, Friday beer sessions*
• Lows
  * * - always 6 months away from disaster
  * * - getting tossed around by customers and investors

You develop thick skin early on and the lows become more of a nuisance.

It's discouraging to see people list umpteen reasons for not being able to leave megacorp and then moan on about the insanity while testing Firecalc 50 different ways. It's like a wasted first half of your life.* Ever notice that many successful US small businesses are run by recent immigrants?* Ever wonder why there are so few business owners frequenting this site?* Sorry if I ruffled some feathers.* *

Excellent post! Although I worked for a couple of small
companies that were financial basket cases
(kind of a specialty of mine), the one company that I
started and the one that I bought both did quite well.
IMHO, many many would-be entreprenuers don't do their
homework, or are just clueless. I recall when I went in for
financing to buy my manufacturing company, the bank president said it was the most complete business plan
he had ever seen. I just threw it together, which reveals
something about what he was used to getting.

JG

[sgeeeee]

Originally Posted by TargaDave

. . .Sorry if I ruffled some feathers.* *

No ruffled feathers here, TD. I think your choice is great for you -- and for some others too. It simply isn't a great choice for everyone. I would never have been able to find the job satisfaction in my own start-up that I found in a large company. If you enjoy commanding huge resources to develop sophisticated technical systems, a start-up ain't gonna cut it.

[deserat]

I'll pop back in on this thread - I believe that one has to decide what works for them and then make a conscious decision to do just that. If you don't believe you can start your own business and succeed, then find an employment atmosphere that will work for you. Complaining about it and then assuming that's the way the world is generally only delivers what you believe and expect.

I've worked in many different corporate environments and have found that when I'm honest with myself as to what my expectations are and what the gap is with reality and what I've contributed to it, I make much better decisions: example, people who engage in research are generally (yes, a generalization) not the same types of people/personalities you would see working in a production line or more operationally flavored environment. It's not bad, it's not good, it's just what it is. What's important is that one realizes what environment they like and seeks that out -- thereby maximizing their happiness and the overall environment (the corporation for lack of a better word).

Soapbox retired on this one :-)

Bridget

[HFWR]

Randumb thoughts...

I once had a small business, but smoked all the profits...

After 30+ years in the work force, it's all starting to suck...

If it was fun, they wouldn't call it work!!

[Jay_Gatsby]

Originally Posted by deserat

I'll pop back in on this thread - I believe that one has to decide what works for them and then make a conscious decision to do just that.* If you don't believe you can start your own business and succeed, then find an employment atmosphere that will work for you.* Complaining about it and then assuming* that's the way the world is generally only delivers what you believe and expect.

I've worked in many different corporate environments and have found that when I'm honest with myself as to what my expectations are and what the gap is with reality and what I've contributed to it, I make much better decisions:* example, people who engage in research are generally (yes, a generalization) not the same types of people/personalities you would see working in a production line or more operationally flavored environment.* It's not bad, it's not good, it's just what it is.* What's important is that one realizes what environment they like and seeks that out -- thereby maximizing their happiness and the overall environment (the corporation for lack of a better word).

Soapbox retired on this one :-)

Bridget

Right on, but remember, you often don't discover what you like in terms of a work environment until you've been in several work environments that you don't like. Also, it's not so easy to move from an unpleasant work environment to one that you like. The main problem is finding one that you like in to which you can move, which, naturally, isn't usually obvious until you've moved into the new environment. It's sort of like the problem of needing a job to get experience, but not being able to get one because you don't have experience.

I do, however, generally agree with the proposition that if you're more comfortable with books and machines, you probably won't do well in a sales position.