• Home
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Write For Us
  • Subscribe
  • Contact

YFS Magazine

  • Plan
  • Launch
  • Grow
    • Back Office
    • Business Law
    • Customer Service
    • Finance
    • Human Capital
    • Marketing & Sales
    • Operations
    • Technology
  • Lead
  • People
    • Podcast
    • Savvy Startups
    • Success Profiles
  • Lifestyle
    • Wellness
    • Culture
    • Travel
    • News
    • Gift Guides
      • Gift Guide – Holiday 2016
      • Gift Guide – Girl Boss Edition
  • Editors’ Picks

Why I Left My First Full-Time Job To Become An Entrepreneur

  • by Amie Hamling
  • in Plan
  • — 25 Feb, 2017
Why I Left My First Full-Time Job To Become An Entrepreneur - YFS Magazine
Photo: Amie Hamling; Credit: © The Creative Blog Co.

90 Shares
Share
Share
Buffer
Pin
Tweet


When I was younger, I was told I could be or do anything.

From coercing family members to watch a choreographed performance for a dollar fee to starting a membership-only online book club, and later a lifestyle blog and part-time graphic design business, entrepreneurship was a natural part of me.

It wasn’t until after university that I was forced to get a “real job.” And soon after I realized that wasn’t going to cut it.

At first, it seemed easy. I regularly thought to myself, “I just have to sit here for 8 hours a day, pretend to do something useful, and collect a paycheck (more money than I’ve ever had in my pocket).”

The paycheck from my full-time job gave me access to things I hadn’t yet experienced. It was an adult allowance to do, and be, whoever I wanted to be.

Two years later, it wasn’t clear to me why people spent their lives commuting to a place where they were undervalued, underpaid, and creatively undernourished.

 

The real world

Up until you graduate college, most of your life is spent within the four walls of a classroom. If you’re anything like me, you likely spent much of your adult life worrying about a degree. Perhaps you felt unsettled about an uncertain and undecided future.

College life is much like the life of an entrepreneur. You manage your time in the way you want. Money comes and goes. There’s no fast and hard rules to it, for the most part. Get good grades so you can land an internship and get a “good” job.

As for me, I soon realized that my full-time job guaranteed one salary, one role, and eight mind-numbing hours each day.

That wasn’t going to cut it. So, I launched a side hustle, a copywriting and design business to support creative entrepreneurs (people who were what I wanted to be). They were living their best lives. And underneath it all, I ended up building something much larger than I had ever anticipated.

When I fully embraced my creativity, I would quit my full-time job.

 

Young and restless

At 23 I learned that people twice my age wouldn’t take me seriously. Yet, those same people worked a lifetime only to end up in a mediocre position.

It felt like a barrier. I understood their dilemma. At the start of my career, it was hard to consider the opportunity, just drop it all and leave. But I learned age has nothing to do with potential. Age fosters growth.

 

Golden parachutes

Before I handed in my notice, a lack of job security was all I could think about. I had saved just enough from my part-time business to ensure my rent was paid, and I was fed, dressed and entertained for three months. After that, If I didn’t make things happen I would have to reluctantly march back to a 9-5 job.

But thankfully that didn’t happen. I sacrificed the so-called “golden parachute” and job security of working for corporate America. Their “we can fire you whenever we please” job security wasn’t secure at all.

I did forgo a regular and steady paycheck. And I was beyond seeing the same numbers in my account each month. I gained so much more.

 

Startup lessons

Quitting a dead end job to pursue your passion will offer more security than you realize.

In my journey from employee to entrepreneur I’ve learned some invaluable lessons. Here are three aspiring business owners can keep in mind.

 

1. Monetize your downtime

Your downtime doesn’t have to be monetized, but it can be. Think about it this way.  You can access almost any type of consumer anywhere in the world. You can reach:

 

  • 25 million shoppers on Etsy

  • 244 million active users on Amazon

  • 317 million monthly active users on Twitter

  • 150 million active users on Pinterest, 75 billion ideas shared

  • 1.79 billion active users on Facebook

  • more than 27.5 million Kickstarter funders

 

2. Find your inner peace

Running an online business is tough. It’s not fall-in-your-lap, land-on-your-feet kinda stuff. It is raw and depending on the type of business you build, much of it is based on one-on-one connections.

In September of 2015, I started my online business to help creatives launch their online passion projects. What I noticed most was the change in my attitude and inner voice. In an office setting, I was sassy (not in a good way). I was quick to judge. I was literally the negative voice — the buzzkill — on projects that I often threw in the “too hard” basket.

As a creative business owner I’m now filled with inspiration and ideas. I’m an innovator, a brainstormer, a force in digital tactics and strategies. I’m a better version of myself. I wake up earlier, drink less alcohol, look after my body and care more for the people around me.

 

3. Embrace your freedom of time

As an entrepreneur  you will fail time and time again. It’s lonely at times, to be the only voice in your head. You don’t always have access to boardroom meetings or break room chit-chat, it’s all virtual.

You won’t believe how little time you have when you become a full-time entrepreneur. Personally, days fly by now. I’m not waiting for the clock to strike 5 p.m. My daily life is simple, but meaningful.

Some days may be rushed, but no day is ever slow anymore. I can fill all my waking hours with client projects, social media, prospecting, trip sto the beach, yoga, meditation and design.

 

A desk job and a guaranteed paycheck may be a comfort for some. But the ability to live each day fully, on my terms, is comfort for me.

 

This article has been edited.

Amie Hamling is the owner of creative copywriting and web design studio, The Creative Blog Co. She lives in Sydney, Australia, but plans to move her online business to Asia and live her dream laptop life on the beach. Connect with @creativeblogco on Twitter.

 

© YFS Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Copying prohibited. All material is protected by U.S. and international copyright laws. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this material is prohibited. Sharing of this material under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International terms, listed here, is permitted.

   
90 Shares
Share
Share
Buffer
Pin
Tweet

What do you think?

comments


Tags: starting a businessstartup advicestartup lessons

— YFS Small Business Contributors

We are a diverse group of early adopters, innovators, entrepreneurs, startup enthusiasts, influencers and small business aficionados. Stay connected to YFS Magazine as we share our unique perspectives on startup, small business news and entrepreneurial culture.

  • Latest Must Reads

    • Photo: Chevanon Photography, Pexels/YFS MagazineDiscipline Is The ‘Secret Weapon’ For Business Success04/18/2018
    • Why It’s Time To Rethink Your Office Culture04/17/2018
    • Jewellery Designers and Goldsmiths Jana Reinhardt & Ross CuttingJewelry Designer Jana Reinhardt Built A Successful Online Business. Here’s How She Did It04/17/2018
    • Photo: Alice Donovan Rouse, Unsplash/YFS Magazine8 Ways To Unlock The Power Of Instagram Marketing04/16/2018
    • Photo: Zoe Pappas, Pexels5 Legal Steps Every New Entrepreneur Should Take04/16/2018
  • Trending

    How To Find and Select a Great Business MentorHow To Find and Select a Great Business Mentor
    From Near-Death To Business Success: How I Built My Digital DreamsFrom Near-Death To Business Success: How I Built My Digital Dreams
    4 Signs You’re A Toxic Leader, Because Sometimes The Business Problem Is You4 Signs You’re A Toxic Leader, Because Sometimes The Business Problem Is You
    What My First Boxing Match Taught Me About BusinessWhat My First Boxing Match Taught Me About Business
    How Great Leaders Defeat DistractionsHow Great Leaders Defeat Distractions
    What Losing A Business Taught Me About EntrepreneurshipWhat Losing A Business Taught Me About Entrepreneurship
    Change Or Be Left Behind: How To Reinvent Yourself When Life Demands ItChange Or Be Left Behind: How To Reinvent Yourself When Life Demands It
    3 Common Mistakes First-Time Entrepreneurs Make3 Common Mistakes First-Time Entrepreneurs Make
    5 Ways To Master Your Brand’s Instagram Stories5 Ways To Master Your Brand’s Instagram Stories
    It’s Time To Raise Your Client StandardsIt’s Time To Raise Your Client Standards
  • Editor Picks

    • Photo: © peshkov, YFS Magazine4 Signs You’re A Toxic Leader, Because Sometimes The Business Problem Is You04/14/2018
    • How to find a great business mentorHow To Find and Select a Great Business Mentor04/09/2018
    • Entrepreneurs Can Access 17,000 Online Classes For Free — Start With Our Top 10 PicksEntrepreneurs Can Access 17,000 Online Classes For Free — Start With Our Top 10 Picks11/09/2017
    • I Built My Startup To A 15M Valuation – While Living In A Van - YFS MagazineI Built My Startup To A $15M Valuation – While Living In A Van10/12/2017
    • Why every entrepreneur should take a sabbaticalWhy Every Entrepreneur Should Take A Sabbatical08/30/2017
  • Top Picks | From Our Editors

    • 4 Signs You’re A Toxic Leader, Because Sometimes The Business Problem Is You04/14/2018
    • How To Find and Select a Great Business Mentor04/09/2018
    • Entrepreneurs Can Access 17,000 Online Classes For Free — Start With Our Top 10 Picks11/09/2017
    • I Built My Startup To A $15M Valuation – While Living In A Van10/12/2017
    • Why Every Entrepreneur Should Take A Sabbatical08/30/2017
  • Read The Latest

    • Discipline Is The ‘Secret Weapon’ For Business Success04/18/2018
    • Why It’s Time To Rethink Your Office Culture04/17/2018
    • Jewelry Designer Jana Reinhardt Built A Successful Online Business. Here’s How She Did It04/17/2018
    • 8 Ways To Unlock The Power Of Instagram Marketing04/16/2018
    • 5 Legal Steps Every New Entrepreneur Should Take04/16/2018
  • Top Picks | Start A Business

    • 3 Common Mistakes First-Time Entrepreneurs Make03/19/2018
    • Your Startup Idea Sucks Until You Validate It – Follow 6 Simple Steps03/14/2018
    • Pros And Cons Of Being An Entrepreneur Vs. An Employee03/13/2018
    • From Near-Death To Business Success: How I Built My Digital Dreams02/27/2018
    • How To Accelerate Your Entrepreneurship Learning Curve02/20/2018
  • Home
  • Company
    • About Us
      • Leadership
  • Advertise
  • Write For Us
  • Contact
    • My Account
      • Help | FAQ
  • Subscribe

Monday 23rd April 2018

© 2009 - 2020 YFS Magazine. All rights reserved. YFS, YFS MAGAZINE, AND YOUNG, FABULOUS & SELF-EMPLOYED ARE TRADEMARKS OF YFS MEDIA
Terms | Privacy | DMCA

Get superior entrepreneurship advice so you can build a remarkable brand.

Fresh, provocative, and insanely addictive content delivered weekly.

Sign up for YFS Magazine’s FREE agenda setting newsletter and work smarter.

Brilliant move! Check your inbox.
Something went wrong!

Privacy

No spam. Promise!