Over the course of the last 20 years, I have worked with a number of large corporations. I enjoyed the larger paychecks, what I thought was opportunities for growth and perks of being involved with larger companies. I have also trickled in some smaller, family owned businesses during that time.
Even though I know my abilities are great, I was nervous thinking about what it would be like being a full time entrepreneur (including not having a steady paycheck, lack of benefits, etc). It’s not necessarily what drove me away from corporate America, it’s more what my husband and I saw as being the impetus for doing something for our family and cultivating what we had nurtured from its inception. After some reflection, I realized that even though I felt I had unlimited opportunities for growth working for larger companies, they were in actuality virtually non-existent unless we moved to a larger area. Although I was a top performer, I didn’t feel like I was having any personal growth and I was discouraged from speaking my mind or making waves. We always went with the standard “playbooks” and there was to be no deviation. In addition, as I got older, I was increasingly aware of the microaggressions I was experiencing and how they were handled on a corporate level (and how damaging they were to me both physically and mentally). It was very interesting for me to see that the behaviors I was experiencing were identical or worse to things I discussed with many of the small and large businesses all over the country. I won’t get into that now, that’s for another blog…..
I want to be able to use my dedication and what Sam calls “my hustle” to create our own path for D5. It’s like a high for me because it allows me to carve our own path and grow based on how our family works, not based on what other departments are doing or not doing to help or hinder our progress.
We are finally at a stage where we are doing something we love, that gives back to the community and gives us meaning. It’s not just a paycheck for us. Even if we have little hiccups or falter a little, it’s a chance to learn and grow, rather than a horrible mistake.
While entrepreneurship is a great option for those who are ready to take the leap and start their own businesses from scratch, it’s not for everyone. I’m hoping we made the right decision and based on how things are playing out, I’m convinced we have……