Leaving Work and Going Entrepreneur
My friend, (who I’ll code name “Pink”), resigned her job recently to become her own boss, handle her own time and truly be an entrepreneur. We, her buddies, told her that entrepreneurship wasn’t as merry as it may seem. Your bosses are, in fact, the clients now.
Still she persisted. Ahh stubbornness… you love that about entrepreneurs.
I recall my first foray into entrepreneurship. It was an internet cafe back around 8 years ago. I started with four computers offered gaming and internet services. Dial-up was the norm at the time. Internet gaming, MMORPGs (like Ragnarok) were non-existent.
I left my high-paying job to try my luck. Allured by the prospect of being my own boss and handling my own time, I coerced some buddies for a business loan. I was tired of daily 1-2 hour travels to Makati (the business district here). Working in a shop close to home was exciting.
Some family members did not approve of it. My sister, in particular, felt that the family was betrayed. They saw me as the head income-generator. Leaving work for something so risky would affect everyone financially.
She might have been right. I was adamant at the time though. I felt I had to experience it. I had to just do it. I had to learn and feel it on my own.
A year later I closed shop and sold the hardware. Expenses were too much. I also figured I came in the game too early. I had one of the few shops that had internet access. It would’ve made more money if internet gaming came earlier. It was only a few months later that MMORPGs flourished.
The lessons learned from that experience were priceless.
My sister also probably understood, in a way, why I had to go through with it. Now, she’s handling her own little business selling health supplements online. She does it through e-bay.
I had deterred my friend, Pink, from leaving work. On reflection, I realize maybe she just needs to do it. She needs to feel it all on her own.
Words just can’t replace the wisdom of experience.
So, to Pink, good luck!
Well…. Entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone, but how are you to know if it isn’t if you don’t give it a try right?
With me, it’s different. Baliktad tayo. Leaving work was the best thing I ever did—but not without going through ups and downs of course. Hmm… Sulat kaya about this? :P
Gail, exactly… how would you know if you don’t try, eh?
@jozzua: Di naman masyado halata sino yun noh? Hehe. Peace. But seriously, entrepreneurship, or anything that entails you going out of your comfort zone, serves to ripen you and make you wiser.
@pink: I hope it works out for your good, I know it will. :)
I guess I’m the only Pink around who resigned from work recently? Hehe. You can put a name (and a link) there Ely, I don’t mind. :)
And you’re right about hard work. My struggle now is drawing lines between work and rest/personal stuff. You’re right about the wisdom of experience, I am learning a LOT. :)
It’s painful if someone does it alone.
It may not be easy doing business and the same time do the majority of the dirty work. So definitely needs a partner or somebody else who’s challenged the same. But then it really depends on the industry you’re on. :p
Anyway, let her experience it and yeah, Go Pink! :p
@Riz Assuming ka na ikaw si Pink. Pffftt. hehehehe.
Ok ok. I hope you’re having fun.
@J Yeah, experience brings wisdom talaga.
In cases like this, you will never know if your new ‘venture’ would be successful or not until you give it a go. If you don’t try it, you would only be haunted by the ‘what if’ question. hehe.
There are also many entrepreneurs/netrepreneurs who made good decisions when they left their corporate jobs to be their own boss. Depende lang talaga sa sitwasyon.
In Pink’s case (Hi Pink!), I guess we just didn’t see that coming. Familiarity (even between an employer and employee) does breed contempt. Bosses = pfft. haha!
Riizz nga ba yan? When I left the corporate world 2 months ago,mas masaya ang buhay hehe! Goodluck kay Pink! Entre + homebased freelance projects + an earning blog carry na yan!
Actually sa umpisa masaya talaga, meron times na super bored tapos at the same time meron madaming hinahabol na deadline. Sakit din sa ulo. Good luck PINK
I also open an internet cafe. It is only good when the PC are new. When the technology changed it caused trouble to our budget since all the units came from others pocket in short utang. Well it did not work yet at least i learned too.