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