Am I being a tit?

[Guest]

I am completely and utterly bored with my career - well 4 days out of 5. However I am pretty good at it and have been told I can go far. I am not earning too badly 30k a year at 25 years old in Northern England.

Basically though the salary is good and it could be a lot better one day I would much rather earn similar money doing something more flexible and less restrictive ie self employment.

I have saved up some cash and have a business plan for a highly competitive easyish skill wise to enter easily industry. I think it is pretty viable. I have done a huge amount of research - its an advert intensive industry - i know the costs of advertising (and have compared it to the competition!), have the cashflow spreadsheets, quotes for professional and public indemnity insurance dependent on t/o, factored in vat, van costs, banking charges, phone charges, mobile credit/debit card payment module charges, product costs, start up training costs, van livery costs, website costs, equipment and product costs.

I know the legislative requirements of the industry and how to fulfill them and the re-occuring paperwork.

I have seen the level of competition and even have quotes from them which i have factored in product costs, petrol costs etc in order to do the job and know I am competitive in the pricing structure i propose.

I am not sure I have the balls to do it. I think my family will hate me because I have a good job and good prospects and will be taking an enormous risk. Yet I don't want to work for other people in the long run and I don't mind working long hours to bring the cash in.

Should I do it? Give up comfort,prospect and semi - boredom for risk,reward,pension, no sick cover and no back up or holiday time?

I don't know who to ask for advice. Help! Advice is very welcome.

[munchingfoo]

There's more to life than a decent wage.

A little risk goes a long way to making you feel alive. The worst that can happen is that you fail at the business opportunity and you have to go back to the industry meat market. The industry will always need people like you to pay little and to make lots, so I wouldn't worry about getting a job after you have tried.

[hr]

"The entirety of these definitions lie outside the gamut of the sRGB color space — such a pure color cannot be represented using RGB primaries. The color swatch to the right is a desaturated approximation, created by taking the centroid of the standard definition and moving it towards the D65 white point, until it meets the sRGB gamut triangle."

[maenad]

I would do it, but an interesting, enjoyable job is high up my list of priorities so being stuck in boring employment would be driving me round the twist. Won't you regret it forever if you don't do it? And it's your life, not your family's, so unless you have a partner and children to support you're only really responsible to yourself.

[hr]

Tommy can you hear me?

[Frank]

I'd say it's a matter of conviction. You're evidently capable of doing it, and it's certainly not impossible that things could go better than projected (though also worse), and you seem to have accounted for most of the thing so...

I don't know, make a comparison. You in ten years following your current path versus you in ten years with these new shenanigans. Of course, there'd be the 'good' outcomes, the bad. The disasters and so forth. As long as you're happy with all the potential problems and roller-coasters you encounter, I'd say go for it!

It certainly sounds very interesting. I'm sure any decision on the matter will be productive.

[hr]

"There is only ever one truth. Things are always black or white, there's no such thing as a shade of grey. If you think that something is a shade of grey it simply means that you don't fully understand the situation. The truth is narrow and the path of the pursuit of truth is similarly narrow."
Also, some years later:
"here we are arguing about a few uppity troublemakers with a bee in their bonnet and a conspiracy theory."

[Guest]

Quoting munchingfoo from 13:27, 31st Jul 2008
There's more to life than a decent wage.

Nice sentiment but unfortunately, in this world, is naive and wrong.

[Han]

On the 'positive' side, you're still young enough that if it all goes tits up you could probably get back into another career...

[munchingfoo]

Quoting from 22:30, 31st Jul 2008

Quoting munchingfoo from 13:27, 31st Jul 2008
There's more to life than a decent wage.

Nice sentiment but unfortunately, in this world, is naive and wrong.

Okay - would you care to expand on that?

I believe I am correct because it is possible to live on a meagre wage and spend time doing things you enjoy. It's possible to backpack round he world working your way. It's possible to take a risk and start your own business.

In the end, it's also possible to be a waster on the dole and do whatever you want all day.

I think perhaps you have a shit job and hate it? Why not just do something else?



[hr]

"The entirety of these definitions lie outside the gamut of the sRGB color space — such a pure color cannot be represented using RGB primaries. The color swatch to the right is a desaturated approximation, created by taking the centroid of the standard definition and moving it towards the D65 white point, until it meets the sRGB gamut triangle."

[treehugger]

"Our doubts are traitors,and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt"

There you are, you have the blessing of the bard- do it dude.

[Haunted]

He who dares

[hr]

Now with 100% more corn

[munchingfoo]

Rodders, he who dares!

[hr]

"The entirety of these definitions lie outside the gamut of the sRGB color space — such a pure color cannot be represented using RGB primaries. The color swatch to the right is a desaturated approximation, created by taking the centroid of the standard definition and moving it towards the D65 white point, until it meets the sRGB gamut triangle."

[LonelyPilgrim]

If you're worried about what your family or friends will say or think, you can set yourself a time limit. Say, if the business doesn't work out in 6 months or a year or whatever amount of time you think you'll need, then you will promise to go back to regular employment. This is actually sound strategy, too. A cut-off date if things aren't going well can prevent you from losing your shirt and keep you grounded in reality.

Take it from a self-employed fellow traveler, it's a more rewarding lifestyle. However, it can turn on you, and you may very well find yourself looking for 'normal' work, like I am just now. Just be prepared to stay reasonable about your options and your expectations.

[hr]

Man is free; yet we must not suppose that he is at liberty to do everything he pleases, for he becomes a slave the moment he allows his actions to be ruled by passion. --Giacomo Casanova

[rob 'f*ck off' wine boy]

No.

[hannahc93]

Just bloody go for it.

[Incoming American]

Taking Lonely Pilgrim's advice into account, one possibility would be to see if you could take a sabbatical from the current 'safe' job. That way, if you're unsuccessful, you have a nice safety.
It does seem you have your act together on this venture. You can tell your family at least you're not going about this half-cocked. Even with the best laid plans, you are still at the whim of the market.
But hey, you're under 30. You can still screw up royally and have time to start over.

[Tigger]

Reputation in Industry is everything. Its not just the quote. If you have a proven track record, even though you can't by law poach customers, you could let people know your intentions, thus spreading the word by mouth to hopefully fulfill a few contracts from the off. My advice is to make sure you have the set up done in advance, ie.. website etc, so that you can scout for customers while you are working and getting paid. Give yourself a six month deadline to leave the job your in, and see how much work you can accumulate. oh, and one more thing. being competitive in pricing structure doesn't mean a thing. You, (no offence) are a nobody, breaking into an industry, so you probably need to rethink, try and do things cheaper, and get yourself a good accountant. With this, you shouldn't pay any tax for the first three years, what with offset costs, liability, and the good old..bought for the business tax break. Everything, and i do mean everything, can be written off. the suit, shoes, briefcase, laptop, phone, that you use for your job can be tax deductable. and when it comes to shoes, and suits, you can multiply that. anyway, not to disuade you from doing what you want, just putting it out there as a bit of banter.


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My Wings Are Like A Shield of Steel...
(Claire Raynor)