Year One Lessons Learned.
It’s been just over a year since I walked out of my office in a big downtown ad agency and into the unknown of building my own consulting practice. Since then I’ve been introduced to others who are thinking about taking a similar leap and asked to share my experiences.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
Starting a business in Q4 is tough. The work didn’t come for a few months, but the downtime gave me time to clear my mind and refocus. On second thought, maybe starting a business is just hard and this would’ve happened regardless of time of year.
I’m not really out on my own. My network has been invaluable. So much support from so many smart people. I’d be lost without you all.
I love being able to focus on the big messy problems. I love the work I do and I love my clients. I have the ability to focus on a single challenge (or set of challenges) in a way I never could when I managed people and projects. I can both dive deep and step back and look at the whole. I can apply lessons I learned in one situation to another. I get to work on something different every few weeks. It’s fun.
I really do know what I’m doing. Every project starts out with insecurity and questions, and every time I’m able to put together a cohesive, insightful story that helps my client move forward.
Every networking date has value - to you or to them. I’ve had coffee with people who I didn’t connect with but they introduced me to someone else who was a better match professionally or personally, and I’ve done the same for them.
The business of running a business sucks. It just does. Accountants and lawyers and invoices and taxes and expenses are never going to be fun. But if you don’t deal with all of this bad things happen. So you deal with it.
Growing something takes time. Plant seeds now for fruit later. The kind of work I do isn’t something everyone needs today, but I need to let them know I’m doing it so when they do need it, they’ll think of me.
You become the story you tell. I’ve gained so much clarity about the kind of work I want to do by refining my elevator pitch and talking to people about what I do. Talk to people. Gauge their reactions. Adjust how you tell your story. Your story will adjust you.
Let yourself smell the roses. Enjoy some (not all) downtime when it happens. I’m adapting to an uneven workflow. After twenty years of 9-5 (ok, 8-7+) everyday, I now have a far less predictable rhythm to my work and I’m learning to let myself take a day off once in a while when I’m slow because I know there will be times when I’ll make up for it.
Have non-work goals. Find something you enjoy and give yourself permission to take the time to develop a new skill or pursue an interest that engages your mind in a way unrelated to your work.
Honor boundaries. I work from home. In a room that is not part of my regular ‘at home’ life. I go to my office. I put on pants with a waistband and button. I do not sit at the kitchen table on my laptop wearing yoga pants. I have routines around the workday. I only sometimes move a load of laundry when I break for lunch.
Celebrate freedom. I am so thankful everyday that I’m able to do this. I cherish every lunchtime dog walk and every week without a trip to the drycleaners. I recognize and value the support my friends and family provide, and know I’m nicer to be around now than I was before I made this change. I sleep better. I feel better. It’s amazing.
Take calculated risks big and small. Calculated being the operative word here. I agonized over the financial implications of this change, there were a lot of spreadsheets involved and a lot of good advice from my coach. I also agonized over the potential repercussions of failure. What would happen if I couldn’t make this work? Once I had answers to these questions that my husband and I could live with, I jumped.
Unhappiness breeds consumption, consumption does not breed happiness. I was trapped in a cycle of stuff. I’d buy myself things as rewards for a particularly shitty week at work. I needed spa treatments to deal with stress. I earned treats. A few weeks into this new life, I was really surprised to realize that I didn’t want anything. No longer was the first thought upon getting a paycheck “what should I buy myself”. After ten years in advertising you’d think I’d be more aware of the psychology of consumption, but this shift has been quite eye-opening.
Possibility is really exciting. While I’m having a great time doing this now, I don’t know that I will continue doing this forever. I could do a project for an organization that I want to join full-time. I could branch into a different area of specialization. I could come across a job posting that speaks to me. I could get an offer I can’t refuse for a “normal” job. Anything could happen. And that excites me.