Corporate career to entrepreneurship?

Are you harboring aspirations of transitioning from a corporate career to the realm of entrepreneurship? If so, you might discover some familiar traits within yourself that indicate you're on the right path.

1. Your Potential Knows No Bounds: Are you feeling unfulfilled in your 9-5 routine? Few things are as disheartening as being a wellspring of ideas and creativity trapped within the confines of a job title. Consider my side hustle coaching clients: a Google executive who takes center stage as a weekend singer, an accountant with a spiritual life coaching practice, and a lawyer immersed in crafting a historical fiction novel.

2. Repetition and Routine Leave You Frustrated: Regardless of a workplace's flexibility or enticing perks, many latent entrepreneurs find it increasingly challenging to endure the rigid structure of corporate life that dictates rules, hours, and performance benchmarks. One of my mentees recently likened it to the sensation of being a schoolchild, with set schedules, supervision, and evaluations.

It's no wonder that studies show freedom over our schedules brings greater happiness than money itself. Entrepreneurs understand this concept better than most.

3. Face Time Feels Unnecessary: We're not talking about the Facebook variety. As an entrepreneur, you seize the opportunity to work whenever a project demands completion, within the timeframes you deem suitable. Idly sitting around for office face time defies logic, doesn't it? Some individuals thrive while working from home, quiet spaces, and away from potentially distracting teams. I know numerous consultants who maintain a robust income (and lifestyle) while working remotely.

4. Self-Motivation Drives You: Have you always harbored a sense of being an internal CEO? Those drawn to leadership roles, equipped with a vision and an earnest desire to manifest it, often evolve into successful business owners. During my days balancing my side hustle and full-time job, I'd write before dawn in bed and coach evenings from my sofa. It was exhilarating! The sense of ownership and security in having my own business was paramount. It wasn't merely about the extra income.

5. You See Beyond Your Current Position: This is a recurring theme in my coaching sessions. A recent client shared how she habitually restrains herself at work to avoid overshadowing her boss. However, when you're at the helm, you can perform at your highest potential and reap the rewards, minus the corporate politics. It can be naturally frustrating and even unjust to witness better approaches stifled by limitations. Yet as an employee, you're constrained to accept the status quo.

One of my clients left a coveted role in banking to establish his own rent to rent company for this very reason. He's never been happier or more prosperous (the self-employed know no income caps)! All it takes initially is one or two solid, paying clients. The process can truly be that straightforward.

6. Problem-Solving Thrills You: Problem-solving forms the bedrock of all successful enterprises. Are you an innate problem solver, someone who assists others with advice, expertise, creativity, knowledge, networking, and intelligence? If so, you could very well be a budding entrepreneur waiting for the right moment to emerge.

7. You Defy Categorization: I cherished my past career in technology sales, yet I also knew I was a writer, a natural advisor to others. I recognized my knack for motivation, instruction, leadership, and connecting people. There were no job positions that encompassed all these facets. So I crafted my own path.

This choice was practical as well. A study by Intuit predicts that by 2020, a staggering 40% of ALL jobs will be freelance. The gig economy will reshape the economic landscape. The notion of job security is evolving. Therefore, your wisest course of action might be to reconsider your current career confines and initiate a side gig.

If you're armed with a contribution to make, aspire to meaningful work on your terms, and yearn to build something immune to dismissal, the time is ripe to embark on your Side Hustle journey.