1. If an emergency comes up I can stop work if I need to.
2. When my daughter is sick, I re-schedule my calls and snuggle her all day. No questions asked and I don’t have to worry about making sure my boss is ok.
3. I get to hang with my daughter during the day, watch her milestones, and then jump back to work at night when she’s sleeping.
4. I have freedom and flexibility.
5. I feel a huge sense of accomplishment and challenge that I didn’t have when I was in corporate.
6. We travel and work and spend days with our family. We can work later at night instead of being tied to my cubicle from 9-5.
7. I am happier.
8. I am making way more of an impact and am able to serve more than I did when I was in corporate.
9. I actually make more money now with less stress.
10. I have a better and more supportive network now than I did when I was in corporate. All the reasons I love being an entrepreneur.
11. In 2015, we went on a road trip with my family and worked from the road. My husband is now the Chief Operating Officer of CCG so we just work from wherever we are.
12. I can make things happen in a day rather than wait for years like I did previously at my day job before my ideas were heard and initiated.
13. I am in charge of my own raises instead of waiting for my boss to give me a promotion. I can get a raise next week by making a new product or service.
14. I feel fulfilled, challenged, and like I am finally living a life of no regrets. We are making a difference by empowering women and that is what I love about what I do today.
15. I can implement my own systems and automation to make life easier rather than harder without getting approval from my boss or client.
The picture is me speaking to a group of women at 8 months pregnant in 2014!! Luckily I was feeling great at that moment but I was definitely ready to start preparing for maternity leave as an entrepreneur. I actually built up a list of clients who wanted to talk to me while I was on maternity leave so that when I returned after a couple of months, I had one of my best launches ever in 2014. SO I am all about automation and systems and making life easier not harder.
Do you want to be an entrepreneur too?
I want to show you today where you could be. So close your eyes with me right now and imagine your ideal workday running your own business. Imagine waking up when you want to wake up. Maybe you have some quiet time in the morning. Read a book, hang out with your children. Have some coffee. Think about how grateful you are for your amazing life. You stay in your pajamas, maybe do some work but it’s not “work” to you because you are so passionate about what you do.
Maybe you do a little yoga or exercise. Maybe go for a jog to get some energy for the workday. You actually can’t wait to jump on the computer and see what’s new with the business. What orders and money came through while you slept. What breakthroughs the people you are helping are having. The impact you are making. You are finally living your purpose! You work a couple of hours and then you go out to lunch with your girlfriends, maybe read a book or two to your kids and go to the park.
You can work from home. This is us at our dining room table…because why not!
You have more time to travel. Your kids look up to you and love how much time you have for them. You are accomplishing your goals.
What is one thing you would do in your ideal workday as an entrepreneur? I hope you see what is possible for you and where you could be with some simple changes and decisions.
But first, you have to hustle.
This picture is a demonstration of my juggle in 2013. I had my work day job laptop on the right side and my own laptop on the left side planning my next event back in 2013 while I was working at my parent’s house while on vacation….When you are hustling, it’s crazy, right? Some of you know exactly what I mean.
But here’s the thing, it’s not as hard to transition from employee to entrepreneur when you have a system and a business plan. Don’t just try a million things at once. If you can learn from someone else who has already done what you want, you can learn the mistakes that you don’t want to make and it will speed up your success. This is what happened to me and it can happen to you as well.
The fact that you are reading this today shows determination. I know you can create your dream business and have the ideal lifestyle that you dreamed about just a second ago.
Here’s the thing. You have to start taking action.
This post is a series of posts in the #MyStartupStory movement that starts November 10th. We’ll be sharing the real-life experiences of starting a business and helping you create your brand and website copy. Learn more here.
