| My wife and I were both effectively
| |
| | Be direct with friends and family. You
|
| eliminated from the traditional corporate
| |
| | have been outsourced, downsized or, God
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| work force in the early 1990's. It was
| |
| | forbid, terminated (a better word than
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| traumatic. We were college graduates. We
| |
| | Fired!) No sense hiding the truth. Lying
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| had climbed the corporate ladder,
| |
| | is such hard work. You have enough on
|
| rapidly, inexorably. We enjoyed six
| |
| | your plate.Where to Go for Income?If
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| figure incomes, a second home, club
| |
| | there is one recommendation every
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| memberships, prosperous investment
| |
| | corporate ex-employee should recognize it
|
| accounts, wonderful benefit packages, a
| |
| | is this: Time is not your friend! After
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| College investment plan for our three
| |
| | the shock of your release, a few tears,
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| kids, sports cars and extensive travel.
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| | maybe a beer or two, immediately start
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| We were devastated! But, it became the
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| | assembling a Personal Business Plan.
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| best thing that ever happened to us,
| |
| | Honestly consider every detail in your
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| children included.We went from
| |
| | current life situation. Including:
|
| regularity, a false sense of security and
| |
| | * Your Age * Short Term
|
| believing that we enjoyed a bit of that
| |
| | Needs
|
| "Master of the Universe" complex, to
| |
| | * Relocation Options * Window of
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| really considering things we had taken
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| | Time
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| for granted. Yeah, we were down for a few
| |
| | * Savings * Expenses
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| weeks. The house was glum. What was next?
| |
| | * Interests * Family
|
| However, fairly quickly, we realized that
| |
| | Flexibility * Severance
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| we had to make things happen. Things
| |
| | * Health *
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| weren't going to be falling into our
| |
| | Corporate options * NetworksBen
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| laps. We needed to start thinking like
| |
| | Franklin, our great Founding Father, used
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| entrepreneurs.It can be difficult
| |
| | to settle difficult questions in his
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| re-learning to think like an
| |
| | typically logical way. He took a piece of
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| entrepreneur. Why do I use the word
| |
| | paper and drew a line right down the
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| "re-learning"? Simply because, we are all
| |
| | middle. On one side he marked a +, on the
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| entrepreneurs at some point during our
| |
| | other column he marked a -. Then he
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| lives. A kid cutting grass, or working a
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| | considered each element of his problem
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| paper route is a budding entrepreneur.
| |
| | and honestly placed that issue in the
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| The ritual of seeking a job requires a
| |
| | appropriate column. When he had exhausted
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| certain amount of entrepreneurial dash.
| |
| | his list, he counted the items assigned
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| Selling one-self to the opposite sex
| |
| | to each column. The side with the most
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| requires self-marketing and packaging.
| |
| | entries indicated the proper decision for
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| Presenting a thesis and selling arguments
| |
| | old Ben to take.Do this, as honestly as
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| to professors is an entrepreneurial
| |
| | possible. More often than not, there is
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| act.Until we enter the corporate world
| |
| | an interest, a skill or hobby that you
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| almost all of our efforts share elements
| |
| | have always dreamt of utilizing as your
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| of entrepreneurial activity. Then the Mr.
| |
| | source of income. It worked for us. We
|
| Big Corporation enters our lives and
| |
| | love sales and marketing. That became our
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| things seem to change. Report at this
| |
| | avenue of financial resurrection, and
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| time, to this address, to Mr. Smith, your
| |
| | more importantly, it has lead to a
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| boss, for an agreed pay packet and a
| |
| | freedom and lifestyle more exciting and
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| certain benefit package. Do this
| |
| | varied than we would have considered
|
| consistently, and fairly well, and we
| |
| | possible. Making a living doing something
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| will move you along at our pace, the
| |
| | you love is a blessing and many more
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| classic "Career Path". Our actions become
| |
| | people can achieve this today than ever
|
| focused on job performance, judged by the
| |
| | before in history.A cell phone, a
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| Corporations standards. We adapt
| |
| | computer, inter-net access and a web-site
|
| professionally. We also adapt our family
| |
| | can be the basis of a business. Over
|
| and social life to the corporate
| |
| | 700,000 people alone make a living in
|
| ethos.And then, that ethos was gone. We
| |
| | full, or part, on eBay. Think like an
|
| had to adjust and rapidly. Here are a few
| |
| | entrepreneur. What did you do for Mr. Big
|
| recommendations we found of great value
| |
| | Corp.? Approach similar clients and
|
| in successfully making the change from a
| |
| | customers with a customized, targeted
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| corporate to entrepreneurial lifestyle.
| |
| | list of services. Put your years of
|
| First we broke our lives into manageable
| |
| | experience to use. Research the market
|
| components, a bit of introspection here.
| |
| | for opportunities. Write a realistic
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| Put Family FirstNothing earth shattering
| |
| | business plan for your new enterprise.
|
| here, we had been good parents. The
| |
| | There are more start-ups in the United
|
| children were a joy. And yet, we knew we
| |
| | States every year than every place in the
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| could have attended more recitals, games
| |
| | world; combined. It pays off to be an
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| and parties. We immediately began to be
| |
| | entrepreneur in the USA!Work from home.
|
| more active as a family group. We enjoyed
| |
| | Attend trade shows. Consider being a
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| activities together more and began to
| |
| | re-seller from shopping mall kiosks.
|
| appreciate how quickly time slips away.
| |
| | Contract out services to call centers. Be
|
| When children grow up, they move on. That
| |
| | a consultant in your area of expertise.
|
| opportunity to be involved in a daily
| |
| | Send out Press releases on your project.
|
| basis is gone. Don't waste a minute of
| |
| | Your network of past work associates and
|
| this precious time.As much as possible,
| |
| | clients is your best future customer
|
| we kept the children generally in the
| |
| | base. Partner with a Company already in
|
| knowledge loop on current business
| |
| | your field, come aboard as an independent
|
| affairs. All of a sudden we weren't going
| |
| | contractor. Work part-time for several
|
| to work. How do you hide that? Also, we
| |
| | firms until something opens in one. Wow
|
| made every effort to place a positive,
| |
| | them with effort, positive attitude,
|
| forward- looking face on our
| |
| | results, and creativity.The Mr. Big
|
| reality.Family Budget PrioritiesWe sat
| |
| | Corp's of the world do not owe you a
|
| down and seriously analyzed current
| |
| | career. They make decisions based on
|
| assets and liabilities. What did we spend
| |
| | market realities. That shouldn't mean
|
| that was not really a necessity?
| |
| | that your continued success potential is
|
| Starbucks? Dinners out? Movie Rentals?
| |
| | limited or damaged. Your opportunities
|
| Underused automobiles? Pool Service? We
| |
| | are open ended.Geoff Ficke is President
|
| discovered that our lifestyle could be
| |
| | of Duquesa Marketing, Inc. An
|
| well maintained by simply being more
| |
| | international consulting firm with over
|
| aware of our spending patterns and
| |
| | 35 years experience in creating
|
| considering each purchase. Was it a need,
| |
| | customized strategies and business plans,
|
| or a want?We also involved the children
| |
| | product development and funding
|
| in spending decisions particular to them.
| |
| | opportunities for entrepreneurs,
|
| Was a club necessary? What about that two
| |
| | inventors and small business expansion.
|
| week summer camp? A new formal might not
| |
| | Mr. Ficke is also a Senior Fellow at the
|
| be in the budget. They were remarkably
| |
| | Page Center for Entrepreneurial Study at
|
| mature and agreeable to the idea of
| |
| | the Business School, Miami University,
|
| relative shared sacrifice.The Social
| |
| | Oxford Ohio.
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| Network
| |
| |
|
